tours of newport mansions

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6 top-rated newport mansion tours + tips from a local.

Newport's famed mansions are a must-see in the City by the Sea.

Top-Rated Newport Mansion Tours

Gavin Ashworth | Courtesy of Newport Mansions

More than a century ago, America's wealthiest families commissioned their "summer cottages" to be built in the coastal enclave of Newport, Rhode Island , along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. The era's most renowned architects outdid one another in size and scale as well as opulence and grandeur. Today, Newport is synonymous with its exquisite Gilded Age mansions, and experiencing them in person is an absolute must.

The majority of the Gilded Age mansions in Newport – but not all – are owned and operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County, and many of the most popular are open to the public year-round. Get ready to explore the Bellevue Avenue Historic District as you tour Newport's best mansions.

The Breakers

Courtesy of Andrea McHugh

Price: Adults from $29; kids from $10

Standout perk: The Breakers offers an audio Family Tour that engages young visitors with stories about the lives of the children who summered there, the staff who ran the home and interesting things to see in the mansion, such as the playful dolphin sculpture beneath the grand staircase.

Considered the grande dame of all the Newport mansions, The Breakers was no doubt built to impress. The summertime escape of Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his family was designed by the Gilded Age's preeminent architect, Richard Morris Hunt, and boasts a classic Italian palazzo design with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Visitors can explore the mansion at their own pace via the self-guided audio tour available in nearly a dozen languages (some are transcripts only) on the Newport Mansions free app, which will come in especially handy if you plan to explore more than one mansion. Take some time to explore the beauty of the 13-acre grounds as well, and be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes .

Those with a curiosity of how a mansion of this magnitude worked – after all, The Breakers was considered a modern marvel when completed in 1895 – will enjoy the Beneath The Breakers Tour. This guide-led tour takes you through the boiler room, tunnel and basement. Guests will learn how the home was outfitted with electricity, still considered a novelty during the Gilded Age. This tour requires a separate ticket from The Breakers' audio tour and is best suited for visitors 13 years and older. Advance reservations are recommended.

Local tip: As The Breakers is the most visited mansion in Newport, a good time to visit is either when it opens or toward the end of the day, especially in the busiest summer months. The early evening light can be ideal for photos, but plan accordingly as the house and grounds close one hour after the last tour admission. Before you visit, save time by downloading the free Newport Mansions tour app.

Check prices & availability on:

Marble House

Price: Adults from $25; kids from $10

Standout perk: While it's hard to rival the splendor of Marble House, the Chinese Tea House on the end of the mansion's lawn parallel to Cliff Walk is an unexpected visual delight. For an additional fee, Marble House visitors can enjoy sandwiches and refreshments at the cafe at the Chinese Tea House or make a reservation for brunch and afternoon tea service, offered on weekends May through December. The service is operated by Stoneacre Restaurants, which owns two popular restaurants in downtown Newport.

From the moment visitors walk under the four towering Corinthian columns fronting this mansion, they know they are in for a treat. Like other Newport Mansions audio tours, Marble House has a self-guided tour available via the organization's free app, allowing visitors to peruse the property at their own pace.

Inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles , Marble House is an architectural masterpiece. Made from 500,000 cubic feet of marble, the mansion was a 39th birthday present from businessman and philanthropist William K. Vanderbilt to his wife Alva. He spared no expense for their summer escape. Later in life, Alva Vanderbilt Belmont became a suffragist and hosted events at Marble House in support of women's right to vote. Viewers of the popular HBO series "The Gilded Age" may recognize rooms in the mansion as it was used for filming and also inspired sets.

Local tip: Don't miss the ballroom on the first floor – while it's not the largest in Newport, it's widely considered the most ornate, with gilt details from floor to ceiling.

Standout perk: While The Elms is spectacular, its formal gardens – 10 acres' worth – are extraordinary, complete with nearly 40 species of trees plus terraces, gazebos, fountains and colorful blooms, depending on the time of year.

Fashioned after an 18th-century French chateau, The Elms is a must-visit mansion, from the sun-soaked conservatory and the drawing room to the handsome library and the breakfast room bearing Chinese-style lacquered wall panels. A self-guided audio tour is available in nearly a dozen languages, but any fan of "Downton Abbey" or those curious about life behind the scenes of Newport's mansions will appreciate the Servant Life Tour at The Elms.

On this newly updated, guide-led tour, visitors start in the basement, where you'll see the operations of the house such as the kitchen and butler's pantry, all the way up to the domestic staff's living quarters on the third floor. Along the way, travelers will learn more about the personal lives of staff, and see rare photographs of servants at work and in their free time. You'll even get to learn about topics like immigration and labor disputes on this tour.

Local tip: The Servant Life Tour is not only fascinating, but you'll get the rare opportunity to go on The Elms' rooftop and be rewarded with an amazing and unexpected view of Newport Harbor.

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Rough Point

Price: Adults from $20; free for children 12 and younger

Standout perk: Rough Point sits at the southern end of Bellevue Avenue, so getting here allows you to enjoy views of both private mansions and those open to the public along the way. The mansion's oceanfront perch offers an uninterrupted view of the beautiful Cliff Walk Bridge, a stone arch bridge across the rocky inlet where Doris Duke would swim regularly.

Though a Gilded Age mansion through and through, Rough Point is perhaps best loved not for its grandeur but for its most famous resident: Doris Duke. The late heiress, collector and philanthropist – dubbed the "richest little girl in the world" when she was born – spent considerable time at Rough Point until her death in 1993. A self-guided audio tour leads visitors here through the art-filled home room by room, highlighting eclectic sculpture, family portraits, centuries-old tapestries, renowned furnishings and many pieces Duke collected as an avid world traveler.

While the formal rooms such as the Yellow Room and jaw-dropping Music Room are a sight, the ocean-facing Solarium affords the best views. Whether before or after your tour, visit the house tour on the website for photos and talks of Doris Duke at the home. Note that Rough Point is typically open seasonally from spring through mid-November.

Local tip: On Rough Point's grounds, you'll find a pair of life-size topiary camels inspired by Doris' pet Bactrian camels, Princess and Baby. Both enjoyed the summer months with the tobacco heiress at Rough Point and have become the unofficial mascots of the mansion. The Newport Restoration Foundation encourages taking a #camelgram photo with the Princess and Baby topiary to share on social media.

Dave Hansen | Courtesy of Newport Mansions

Standout perk: Rosecliff's signature feature – despite being home to Newport's largest ballroom, which hosted lavish society events throughout the Gilded Age – is its celebrated heart-shaped grand staircase.

Following a multimillion-dollar renovation, Rosecliff resumed tours in September 2023, much to the delight of Newport's visitors. Architect Stanford White, who was the mastermind behind Newport's historic Casino Theatre and myriad other important buildings, modeled the mansion after the Grand Trianon at Versailles for silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs. Its European influence is felt throughout.

Explore the mansion at your own pace via the self-guided audio tour on the free Newport Mansions app. Don't forget to look up in the ballroom, where the trompe l'oeil ceiling creates an air of whimsy and romance, making it the ideal setting for the filming parts of "The Great Gatsby" with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, as well as the more recent "27 Dresses."

Local tip: Rosecliff hosts many amazing events, including the annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival held in September, which features dinners, events and seminars with wines and other libations from around the world.

Note: Rosecliff will have free admission in July and August 2024 as the second floor will be closed to the public during this time.

Chateau-sur-Mer

Standout perk: An audio tour is your guide to this National Historic Landmark, considered Newport's first true mansion. Learn about the lives of the Wetmore family members who lived there for more than a century.

Until the arrival of the Vanderbilt houses in Newport in the 1890s, Chateau-sur-Mer was considered the seaside city's most palatial residence. Today, visitors can explore the home, an Italianate-style villa built for wealthy China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore, who did quite a bit of entertaining at this summer cottage.

Local tip: While Chateau-sur-Mer is essentially a Victorian Era time capsule, the mansion's grounds are home to amazing tree specimens, shrubs and more, including a striking weeping beech tree. If you explore deeper into the grounds, you'll find a cool circular maze made from mounds of grass; this earthwork by artist Richard Fleischner is known as the "Sod Maze" and makes for a relaxing place to meditate.

What to do nearby

In addition to the historic mansions, Newport offers a variety of historic attractions, walking trails and museums. To help you fully explore the area, here are some recommendations for things to see and where to eat.

Things to do:

• Wander along the Cliff Walk
• Visit the International Tennis Hall of Fame
• Explore the historic Fort Adams
• Discover automotive history at Audrain Automobile Museum
• Explore The Sailing Museum
• Visit the Redwood Library and Athenæum
• Discover the oldest synagogue in the U.S.
• Browse the private collection at the Newport Car Museum

Nearby restaurant recommendations: 

• Breakfast: Annie's or Corner Cafe
• Lunch: Cru Cafe, Belle's Café or The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar
• Dinner: White Horse Tavern, Clarke Cooke House or Castle Hill Inn
• Drinks: Midtown Oyster Bar, The Roofdeck at the Vanderbilt or The Living Room at The Chanler

Frequently Asked Questions

You will need to pay for entry to many of the Newport Mansions. However, driving or walking by is free.

Yes. Driving is one way to get from one mansion to another. You can also choose to take a self-drive tour to see the different mansions and learn about area history.

Why Trust U.S. News Travel 

Andrea McHugh is a travel and lifestyle writer based in Newport, Rhode Island, where the famed mansions of the Gilded Age are common sights along her daily run in the City by the Sea. Though she regularly visits the mansions as they play host to local business and social events, such as the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival, Newport Classical Music Festival and Newport Film, she spent a recent "staycation" touring these turn-of-the-century behemoths to write this article.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top Things to Do in Rhode Island
• The Top Things to Do in New Hampshire
• The Top Things to Do in Maine
• The Top Things to Do in Vermont

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15 Mansions in Newport, RI You Have to See to Believe

Newport, Rhode Island was the summer playground of America’s wealthiest during the Gilded Age, and it has plenty of still-standing mansions that live to tell the tale.

The preservation and restoration of the Gilded Age mansions give visitors a glimpse of the opulence, artistry, and complicated culture that went into these time capsules.

If nothing else, the beautiful architecture and cliffside views of the ocean should be enough to inspire you to visit this area.

Today, this article lists down the best Newport mansions to tour, as well as the lesser-known mansions in the area.

History of Newport Rhode Island Mansions

The mansions of Newport, Rhode island are remnants of the fancy Gilded Era. Built between late 19th century and early 20th century, these luxury residents were not even the primary homes of their owners. In fact, the rich of that time built these RI mansions as their “summer cottages.”

When the Gilded Age ended around the 1910s due to the start of the federal income tax, followed by the First World War, parties at the mansions declined.

The Great Depression eventually put a stop to the rich vacationing at their mansions, which in turn resulted in the properties falling to demolition or abandoned completely.

A group of residents founded The Preservation Society of Newport County in hopes of saving the 200-year-old Georgian Colonial home – the Hunter House – located on the harbor waterfront.

In doing so, they were able to save several other mansions at Newport Rhode Island, starting with Marble House, then Chateau-sur-Mer, The Breakers, Kingscote, and Rosecliff. Today, the organization remains steward of 11 historic properties in the area.

Best Preserved Newport, RI Mansions To Tour

The Preservation Society of Newport County is a cultural organization aiming to protect and preserve Newport County’s rich cultural heritage. Here are the Newport Mansions

1. The Breakers

By far the most popular Newport mansion, The Breakers is the Italian Renaissance-style Vanderbilt estate widely acknowledged to be the grandest, most extravagant mansion in Newport and is thus the signature symbol of the Gilded Age.

The mansion features 70 rooms, a 45-foot high Great Hall, gold- and platinum-covered walls, and intricate panels with mythological beings. All these sit on a 13-acre estate overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

It is recommended to visit this mansion first, as this is also the site of the Welcome Center of the Preservation Society, where you can get information about all the other mansions they’re in charge of and make your visit to the Newport mansions easier to plan.

Essential Information

• Address: 44 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, RI
• Phone : 401-847-1000
• Hours: Vary depending on the season; Check their calendar prior to your visit
• Cost: $29 per head for adults; discounts available for children
• Website: The Breakers

2. Marble House

One of the first stone mansions in the area, Marble House is another extravagant mansion. Alva Vanderbilt, the original owner of the house, is said to have spent $7 million then (equivalent to almost $128 million today) on the marble used to construct it.

With 50 rooms spread over four levels decorated in various styles, as well as a Chinese Tea House that was a later addition, the Marble House is an elegant structure and one of the earliest done in the Beaux-Arts style of architecture.

• Address: 596 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI
• Phone: 401-847-1000
• Cost: $25 per head for adults; discounts available for children
• Website: Marble House

3. The Elms

The Elms mansion was the summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind. It isn’t as extravagant as the previous two mentioned, but its beautiful architecture modeled after the French chateau d’Asnieres is remarkable and well worth studying and appreciating.

The interior is designed to show off Berwind’s Renaissance ceramics, 18th-century paintings, and jades from Asia.

Fun fact: It is one of the first houses wired for electricity in this area.

Address: 367 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI | 401-847-1000 Hours: Vary depending on the season; Check their calendar prior to your visit Cost: $25 per head for adults; discounts available for children Website: The Elms

4. Rosecliff

Rosecliff was home to Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs of Nevada.

Inspired by Versailles’ Grand Trianon, which was the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles, the architectural style is Baroque and Baroque Revival, producing clean lines and perfect symmetry.

If this house looks familiar, it may be because it has been used as a set location in movies such as The Great Gatsby , Amistad , and True Lies .

• Address: 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI
• Website: Rosecliff

5. Chateau-sur-Mer

Considered the first of the great Newport mansions, Chateau-sur-Mer was recognized as the most palatial in Newport from its completion in 1852 until The Breakers and the Marble House were built.

This mansion was built for William Shepard Wetmore in High Victorian architecture and was subsequently remodeled in the Second Empire French style. Unlike many of the other mansions in the area, Chateau-sur-Mer was not built as a summer residence but as a year-round residence.

• Address: 474 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI
• Website: Chateau-sur-Mer

6. Kingscote

Kingscote is one of the earliest mansions designed in the Gothic Revival style of architecture. Originally owned by George Noble Jones, the property was acquired by William Henry King when the Civil War broke out.

The dining room features the earliest known installation of Tiffany glass, which is a type of glass produced between 1878 and 1933 at the Tiffany Studios in New York.

• Address: 253 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI
• Phone:  401-847-1000
• Website: Kingscote

7. Isaac Bell House

The Isaac Bell House, also known as Edna Villa, is acknowledged as the first Shingle-style house in the area and the best example of its kind.

The architects and designers of this house drew inspiration from a mix of international styles, such as Japanese, European, and Old English elements.

• Address: 70 Perry Street
• Website: Isaac Bell House

8. Hunter House

Away from the Bellevue Avenue Historic District, where most of the other mansions are located, the Hunter House is one of the finest examples of Georgian Colonial architecture.

It originally belonged to Jonathon Nichols, Jr., and the subsequent owners of the house added or renovated parts of the house. The most prominent owner of the mansion was William Hunter, a US senator after whom the house is named.

• Address: 54 Washington Street, Newport, RI
• Cost: $18 per head for adults; discounts available for children
• Website: Hunter House

9. Chepstow

Chepstow is an Italianate-style villa that is a prime example of a Victorian summer cottage.

Originally owned by Edmund Schermerhorn, it contained various valuable paintings, including the Morris family’s collections, as well as 19th-century landscape paintings by the Hudson River school of Artists.

• Address: 120 Narragansett Avenue
• Website: Chepstow

10. Green Animals Topiary Garden

Green Animals is the oldest topiary garden in the US, but when Thomas Brayton bought this property in 1872, it consisted of seven acres of land, a white clapboard summer residence, farm outbuildings, a pasture, and a vegetable garden.

The superintendents of the property were responsible for creating the topiaries, sculpting more than 80 pieces in different shapes from yew, California privet, and English boxwood.

Today, Green Animals is a rare example of a self-sufficient estate with a Victorian house, topiaries, vegetable gardens, and orchards.

While not technically in Newport, it’s still considered one of the Newport Mansions.

• Address: 380 Corys Lane, Portsmouth, RI
• Website: Green Animals Topiary Garden

Other Newport Mansions Worth Visiting

As I’ve mentioned, not all of the Gilded Age mansions in Newport are managed by the Preservation Society. Here are other Newport mansions you should consider visiting.

11. Ochre Court

Ochre Point was commissioned by Ogden Goelet in 1892 in a châteauesque architectural style and is second only to The Breakers in size.

Nowadays, it serves as the main administration building for Salve Regina University and is used for occasional social functions.

• Address: 100 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, RI
• Phone:  401-847-6650
• Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-4pm
• Website: Ochre Court

12. Belcourt of Newport

Oliver Belmont commissioned this mansion in 1891 to have a summer cottage for him as well as his many horses.

With this vision, the architect, Richard Morris Hunt designed the ground floor around an enormous carriage room and stables, with only a single bedroom where Belmont can live with his horses in privacy.

However, when Alva Vanderbilt (yes, the same Alva Vanderbilt who owned the Marble House) moved in with him, she had the ground floor transformed to be more suitable for humans than for horses.

Ownership then changed hands many times before Carolyn Rafaelian bought it in 2012. Currently, Carolyn Rafaelian is in the process of restoring Belcourt to its former glory.

• Address: 657 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI
• Hours: Fri–Sun 11am–2pm
• Cost: $20 per head for adults; discounts available for children ( Book Tickets Here )
• Website: Belcourt of Newport

13. Rough Point Museum

Commissioned by yet another member of the Vanderbilt clan, Rough Point is at the south end of Bellevue Avenue and is built in the style of a stately English manor.

After a few more transfers of ownership, the last owner of the house was Doris Duke before it got turned over to the Newport Restoration Foundation, which Doris Duke herself founded in 1968.

Nowadays, Rough Point looks more or less the same as it looked when Doris Duke lived here. It’s not by accident; the house is carefully maintained to get a lived-in look. The result is that when you tour the house, it feels less like a museum and more like a visit to your distant aunt’s house.

That is, if your distant aunt were a billionaire who owned plenty of expensive art and furnishings, as well as a couple of camels.

• Address: 680 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, RI
• Phone : 401-847-8344
• Hours: Tue–Fri 10am–4pm; Sat–Sun 10am–5pm
• Cost: $20 per head for adults; discount available for students with ID
• Website: Rough Point Museum

14. Vernon Court

Vernon Court was commissioned by Anna Van Nest Gambrill and was built in 1900 in French classical style, loosely based on the French mansion Château d’Haroué.

At some point, it was considered one of the ten most beautiful mansions in America.

It remained in the Gambrill family until 1956, after which ownership changed hands a number of times.

At present, Vernon Court houses the National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI) and is temporarily closed for renovation.

• Address: 492 Bellevue Ave, Newport, RI |
• Phone : 401-851-8949
• Cost: $20 per for adults; discounts available for seniors, children, students with ID, and military
• Website: National Museum of American Illustrators

Unique Newport Rhode Island Mansions Tours

15. the breakers stable & carriage house.

• Address:  53 Coggeshall Ave, Newport, RI 02840
• Cost: $20 per for adults; discounts available for seniors, children, students with ID, and military. Admission is free with any Newport Mansions ticket or Preservation Society membership.

The Breakers Stable & Carriage House was originally built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II with architect Richard Morris Hunt from 1894 to 1895. It is located about 2/3rds of a mile from The Breakers.

When the place was completed in 1895, the stable wasn’t just any humble stable. It had 26 stalls, 2 box stalls, and ample space for about 20 carriages, a five-room apartment for the head coachman, bedrooms for 20 grooms who operate the stables, an office, kitchen, dining room, workroom, office and harness room.

The Breakers Stable & Carriage House is open seasonally.

Newport Mansions Visitor Guidelines and Rules

Note that these rules and general guidelines apply to those mansions maintained by the Preservation Society of Newport County. Other mansions may have their own set of rules that you should still follow so that you and other visitors all have a great time.

• It is recommended to start your mansion tour in The Breakers so you can also visit the Welcome Center to get information about the mansions.
• Exterior photography through handheld cameras for social media and non-commercial purposes is allowed.
• Exterior photography through drones is strictly prohibited.
• Interior photography is allowed only for social media and personal, non-commercial purposes. No selfie sticks, tripods, or flash photography are allowed.
• Allot a minimum of one and a half hours for touring each mansion.
• With very few exceptions, mansions have free parking.
• Kids are welcome, but strollers and carriages are not.
• Mansions normally have a dress code. Shirts (except those that have offensive language printed) and shoes are mandatory.
• No large bags and luggage are allowed.

Newport Mansion Tour Tickets

If you plan to visit the mansions multiple times a year, membership to the Preservation Society is the most expensive option upfront but will work out to be the least expensive per visit as long as you visit frequently.

For one time visits to multiple mansions, various packages are also available for a wide range of mansions, with some packages even including popular activities aside from touring the mansions.

However, membership and packaged tickets will only cover the 10 mansions that the Preservation Society is maintaining.

The simplest, most straightforward way to get tickets is to just get it in the mansion you’re visiting. This is the most convenient and allows for spontaneity.

Tips For First-Timers to Newport, RI

Getting to newport.

If you’re flying into Newport, it’s almost 100% certain that you’ll arrive via the TF Green Airport.

From here, you can rent a car, ride the bus (via RIPTA or Peter Pan Bus Lines), or book an Uber to go to Newport.

Getting Around

Renting a car is by far the easiest and most convenient option for getting around, especially considering most mansions do not allow large bags and luggage inside.

Where To Stay

The magic of Newport is that wherever you decide to stay, you’ll be within walking distance of restaurants, bars, shops, and other attractions.

If you want oceanfront views, Castle Hill Inn & Resort, Club Wyndham Inn on Long Wharf, or The Chanler at Cliff Walk are solid choices.

However, if downtown Newport is more your style, Hotel Viking, Courtyard by Marriott Newport Middletown, or Mill Street Inn are also great places to stay.

What To Wear

Rhode Island weather is notoriously variable. From early June to mid-September, average highs reach above 70°F; mid-September to October is known for its Indian summers, with warm, dry weather during the day and cooler temperatures at night.

November is characterized by rainfall, and December to March sees average highs of around 44°F, with more than 20 inches of snowfall yearly.

It’s wise to dress according to the weather but plan for sudden changes. Layers are encouraged, as well as weatherproof footwear.

Best Time Of Year To Visit

The end of spring (around May) and the start of autumn (around September) are generally considered the best times of the year to visit Newport, weather-wise. Not too hot, not too cold, and a few drops of rain make it the ideal weather for walking around.

What To Eat

Your trip to Newport would be a waste if you don’t at least try some of Newport’s signature dishes and drinks.

Coffee milk has been the official state drink since 1993. Coffee is simmered with pure cane sugar to create a syrup, which is then mixed with ice-cold milk.

Del’s frozen lemonade started out as a mix of snow, lemons, and sugar in the 1840s and is now prepared by machine, producing a frozen product with a texture between a Slurpee and an Italian ice.

As a coastal city, Newport had plenty of ways to prepare various seafood. Clams casino is a dish made of littleneck clams stuffed with bacon, peppers, and breadcrumbs and then broiled.

They also like putting their unique twist on already-known dishes. For instance, johnnycakes are pancakes made of cornmeal, and their version of zeppoles aren’t fried donuts but creampuff-like pastries filled with custard-type cream and topped with more cream and a cherry.

Plan Your Newport Mansion Tour Today!

Exploring Newport mansions gives you a glimpse of how the rich lived in the Gilded Age, which is part of our history.

In fact, it’s one of the stops in a New England road trip itinerary that we’ve previously described.

Don’t forget to check out nearby Rhode Island wineries .

Start organizing and scheduling your trip to Newport today!

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Newport Mansion Tours

Which should i see and how do i get tickets.

The Breakers - The Ocean State's most popular attraction

Front entrance of The Breakers

The Elms - modeled after the French Château d'Asnières

Marble House - Over 500,000 cubic feet of marble!

Rosecliff - based on the French Grand Trianon at Versailles

Doris Duke's Rough Point - view from Newport Cliff Walk

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The Newport Mansions: 2024 Visitor’s Guide to the Gilded Age

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Last Updated on May 31, 2024 by Ryan John

Nestled along the picturesque coastline of Rhode Island, Newport is renowned for its opulent mansions that harken back to the Gilded Age. These architectural masterpieces, once the summer homes of America’s elite, offer a glimpse into a bygone era of luxury, elegance, and grandeur. As you embark on a journey through Newport’s historic streets, each mansion tells a unique story of the families who lived there, the architects who designed them, and the events that shaped their legacy. From sprawling estates to manicured gardens, the Newport mansions are a testament to the city’s rich cultural heritage and architectural prowess.

The Breakers: The Crown Jewel of the Newport Mansions

The elms: a french-inspired masterpiece in newport, marble house: a symbol of newport’s gilded opulence, rosecliff: newport’s venue of extravagance and elegance, chateau-sur-mer: newport’s victorian architectural gem, kingscote: newport’s pioneer of summer “cottages”, rough point: newport’s secluded gem, additional properties.

The Breakers stands as the epitome of Newport’s summer “cottages,” symbolizing the grandeur and opulence of the Gilded Age. Here’s a detailed look into the most iconic of the Newport mansions:

• History : The Breakers has a rich history that dates back to the late 19th century. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family, purchased the grounds in 1885 for $450,000 (equivalent to $14.7 million today). The original mansion on the property belonged to Pierre Lorillard IV. However, tragedy struck when it burned down on November 25, 1892. Determined to rebuild, Vanderbilt commissioned the famed architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a new mansion that would surpass its predecessor in splendor and luxury.
• Architecture : Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, The Breakers is a masterpiece of the Beaux Arts architectural style. The mansion boasts a lavish interior, intricate designs, and state-of-the-art amenities that were ahead of its time. Every corner of the mansion reflects the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial dominance during the Gilded Age.
• Significance : The Breakers is not just a mansion; it’s a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial pre-eminence in the Gilded Age. The 13-acre property with its 70-room mansion has witnessed numerous events, celebrations, and gatherings, making it an integral part of Newport’s history.
• Legacy : The Breakers has seen various transformations over the years. In 2018, a significant event marked its history when the last of the Vanderbilt heirs moved out. However, the mansion’s legacy continues as it stands as a testament to the lavish lifestyles of America’s elite during the Gilded Age.
• Why Visit : A visit to The Breakers is like stepping back in time. The mansion offers a unique opportunity to experience the luxury, elegance, and opulence of the Gilded Age. From its stunning architecture to its rich history, The Breakers promises an unforgettable experience for history buffs, architecture enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the lifestyles of the rich and famous from yesteryears.

As you explore Newport’s collection of mansions, The Breakers undoubtedly stands out as the crown jewel of the Newport mansions, offering a glimpse into a bygone era of luxury and opulence. Whether you’re touring its lavish rooms, walking its manicured gardens, or simply admiring its architectural beauty, The Breakers promises a memorable experience that will leave you in awe.

The Elms, often referred to as a “summer cottage” in jest due to its grandeur, is one of Newport’s most exquisite mansions. Here’s an in-depth look into this architectural gem:

• History : The Elms was completed in 1901 and stands proudly at 367 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. The Elms was commissioned by coal baron Edward Julius Berwind, who desired a residence that would reflect his wealth and taste.
• Architecture : The renowned architect Horace Trumbauer was tasked with designing The Elms. Taking inspiration from the 18th-century Château d’Asnières in Asnières-sur-Seine, France, Trumbauer created a mansion that seamlessly blended French chateau aesthetics with the modern amenities of the Gilded Age.
• Interiors : The Elms boasts an impressive collection of art, including paintings, statuary, and tapestries. The interiors are a testament to the opulence of the era, with intricate designs, lavish furnishings, and state-of-the-art technology for its time.
• Gardens and Exteriors : The landscape of The Elms is as captivating as its interiors. The mansion features formal gardens, terraces, pavilions, and fountains, offering a serene and picturesque setting that complements the grandeur of the building.
• Significance : Beyond its architectural beauty, The Elms played a pivotal role in Newport’s history. In 1962, The Elms was on the brink of being demolished. However, the Preservation Society of Newport County stepped in, acquiring the mansion and ensuring its legacy for future generations. This acquisition marked the beginning of the Preservation Society’s efforts to conserve the Newport mansions.
• Why Visit : From its French-inspired architecture to its meticulously curated gardens, The Elms has a lot to take in for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone curious about the opulence of the past. It’s one of the premier properties of the Newport mansions.

Marble House, one of the most impressive of the Newport mansions, stands as a testament to the lavishness and grandeur of the Gilded Age. Here’s a deep dive into this architectural marvel:

• History : Marble House was constructed between 1888 and 1892, serving as a summer residence for Alva and William Kissam Vanderbilt. Located at 596 Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island, this mansion was designed by the esteemed architect Richard Morris Hunt. Interestingly, William Vanderbilt built Marble House as a 39th birthday present for his wife, Alva Vanderbilt, showcasing the immense wealth and status of the Vanderbilt family during this era.
• Architecture : Designed in the Beaux Arts style, Marble House is a masterpiece of architectural design and craftsmanship. The mansion’s name is derived from its extensive use of marble in both its interiors and exteriors, making it unparalleled in opulence for an American house when it was completed in 1892.
• Significance : Beyond its architectural beauty, Marble House played a pivotal role in Newport’s transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent Gilded Age mansions. The mansion set the pace for Newport’s subsequent architectural and social evolution, making it a significant landmark in the city’s history.
• Legacy : Today, it stands as a National Historic Landmark, preserving its legacy for future generations and offering insights into the lifestyles of America’s elite during this fascinating period.
• Why Visit : Touring the mansion provides insights into the architectural innovations of the era, the refined tastes of the Vanderbilts, and the social dynamics of Newport’s high society. From its stunning marble-adorned interiors to its meticulously curated gardens, Marble House promises a memorable experience for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone curious about the opulence of the past.It is part of the Newport mansions owned and operated by the Preservation Society.

Rosecliff, one of the most distinguished of the Newport mansions, embodies the splendor and luxury of the Gilded Age. Let’s delve into the history and allure of this architectural masterpiece:

• History : Rosecliff was constructed between 1898 and 1902 for Theresa Fair Oelrichs, a silver heiress from Nevada. Her father, James Graham Fair, was one of the four partners in the Comstock Lode, a significant silver discovery in the United States. Theresa’s marriage to Hermann Oelrichs, the American agent for the Norddeutscher Lloyd steamship line, further elevated her social status.
• Architecture : The mansion’s design was inspired by the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles. Esteemed architect Stanford White was responsible for bringing this vision to life, creating a mansion that seamlessly blended European elegance with American grandeur.
• Significance : Rosecliff has been the venue for many of Newport’s most lavish Gilded Age parties and events. The mansion’s grand ballroom, opulent interiors, and picturesque gardens made it the ideal setting for the elite’s extravagant celebrations.
• Legacy : Over the years, Rosecliff has undergone various transformations to preserve its beauty and historical significance. Notably, the mansion recently underwent an extensive $7.4 million renovation, ensuring that its legacy continues for future generations.
• Why Visit : From its grand ballroom to its meticulously curated gardens, Rosecliff promises a memorable experience. The mansion also provides insights into the lives of America’s elite during this era, showcasing the influence of European architecture on American designs and the lavish lifestyles of Newport’s high society. It is arguably the most interesting of the Newport mansions thanks to its use in film and availability to host events and weddings.

Rosecliff stands as a beacon of Newport’s rich history and the architectural innovations of the Gilded Age. Rosecliff, with its blend of European elegance and American luxury, is sure to captivate your senses. Whether you’re wandering through its lavish rooms, attending an event in its grand ballroom, or simply admiring its architectural beauty, the Rosecliff is sure to leave you in awe and make you eager to visit other Newport mansions.

Chateau-sur-Mer stands as one of Newport’s earliest and most impressive examples of the grand mansions that would come to define the city’s Gilded Age. Here’s an exploration of this historic mansion:

• History : Chateau-sur-Mer is one of the first grand mansions on Bellevue Avenue, marking the dawn of Newport’s Gilded Age. Before the appearance of the Vanderbilt houses in the 1890s, Chateau-sur-Mer was considered the most palatial residence in Newport.
• Architecture : Built in 1852, Chateau-sur-Mer epitomizes High Victorian architecture. Its design showcases a blend of European elegance and American craftsmanship, with intricate woodwork, wallpapers, ceramics, and stenciling that reflect the opulence of the era.
• Significance : Chateau-sur-Mer played a pivotal role in ushering in Newport’s Gilded Age. Its grand scale and lavish parties set the standard for the extravagant events and residences that would come to define Newport’s high society in the late 19th century.
• Legacy : Recognizing its historical and architectural significance, the Preservation Society of Newport County acquired Chateau-sur-Mer in 1966. The mansion was subsequently listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1968. The Preservation Society has since undertaken significant restoration efforts, including a multi-million dollar restoration of the mansion’s roof, ensuring that Chateau-sur-Mer’s legacy continues for future generations.
• Why Visit : From its stunning interiors to its meticulously curated gardens, Chateau-sur-Mer promises a memorable experience for history enthusiasts, architecture lovers, and anyone curious about the opulence of the past.

Kingscote, with its distinctive Gothic Revival architecture, stands as one of Newport’s earliest and most significant summer residences. Here’s a closer look at this historic mansion:

• History : Kingscote was constructed in 1839, making it one of the first summer “cottages” in Newport. This early establishment set the stage for the numerous grand mansions that would later define Newport’s Gilded Age.
• Architecture : The mansion was designed by the renowned architect Richard Upjohn. Its Gothic Revival style is evident in its intricate designs, pointed arches, and ornate woodwork. The mansion’s architecture is a testament to the evolving tastes and styles of the era, blending European influences with American craftsmanship.
• Significance : Kingscote’s significance lies not just in its architectural beauty but also in its pioneering role in Newport’s history. Before the grandeur of the Vanderbilt houses and other opulent residences of the late 19th century, Kingscote marked the beginning of Newport’s transformation into a summer retreat for America’s elite.
• Legacy : Recognizing its historical and architectural importance, Kingscote was designated a National Historic Landmark. This recognition ensures that the mansion’s legacy is preserved for future generations, offering insights into Newport’s early days as a summer resort for the wealthy.
• Why Visit : Visitors can explore the mansion’s lavish rooms, admire its architectural details, and learn about the social dynamics of Newport’s high society in the early 19th century.

Rough Point, perched on a dramatic, windswept promontory along Newport’s famous Cliff Walk, offers a unique blend of history, architecture, and stunning ocean views. Unlike the rest of the Newport mansions on this list, this is not a part of the Newport Preservation Society. Here’s a closer look at this remarkable mansion:

• History : Rough Point was constructed in 1889 by Frederick W. Vanderbilt, a member of the influential Vanderbilt family. The mansion later became the summer home of Doris Duke, the tobacco heiress and philanthropist, who was known for her reclusive nature and immense wealth. Doris Duke’s love for Newport was evident, as she summered at Rough Point for many years. After her passing in 1993, the mansion underwent legal proceedings and was eventually opened to the public in 2000.
• Architecture : The mansion boasts a vast English Manorial house design, reflecting the architectural tastes and styles of the era. Its location on Newport’s Cliff Walk offers panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean, making it a picturesque setting that complements the grandeur of the building.
• Legacy : Unlike many of Newport’s mansions, Rough Point is not part of the Newport Preservation Society. Instead, it is managed by the Newport Restoration Foundation, ensuring that the mansion’s legacy is preserved for future generations. This distinction offers visitors a unique perspective on Newport’s history and the lives of its elite residents.

A brief overview of the additional properties owned by the Newport Preservation Society, in addition to the Newport mansions listed above:

• Chinese Tea House : Located on the grounds of Marble House, the Chinese Tea House is a unique structure that reflects Alva Vanderbilt’s interest in Asian art and culture. It was used as a setting for her suffragette rallies and offers stunning views of the Cliff Walk and the Atlantic Ocean. It’s available for rehearsal dinner rentals, making it one of the few spaces available that are a part of the Newport mansions.
• Isaac Bell House : Built in 1883, the Isaac Bell House is an exceptional example of the Shingle Style of architecture. It combines elements of colonial New England architecture with the modern aesthetic and open floor plans of the late 19th century.
• Green Animals Topiary Garden : Located in Portsmouth, this is the oldest and most northern topiary garden in the United States. It features over 80 pieces of topiary, including animals, birds, and geometric figures, all sculpted from California privet, yew, and English boxwood.
• Hunter House : A fine example of Georgian Colonial architecture, Hunter House is one of the oldest surviving houses in Newport. It showcases exquisite woodwork, period furniture, and a collection of 18th-century Newport furniture, making it a must-visit for history and architecture enthusiasts.
• Chepstow : Built in 1860, Chepstow is an Italianate-style villa that offers a glimpse into the aesthetic and cultural values of the 19th century. The house showcases a collection of furniture, paintings, and decorative arts from the Colonial era to the Gilded Age.
• The Breakers Stable & Carriage House : Located approximately half a mile west of The Breakers, this property was built in 1895 and is a testament to the Vanderbilt family’s love for horses and carriages. The building houses an exhibit on the New York Central Railroad, which was owned by the Vanderbilts, and showcases various carriages and early automobiles.

Hi there, I'm Ryan. I lived in Newport for 5 years and have been a constant traveler to the city for another decade. I went to college at Salve Regina and was also married in Newport. My favorite things to do in Newport are: Eat breakfast at Atlantic Grill, Stay at the Viking, Lunch at Gas Lamp, Dinner at Sardella's, and go for a drive along Ocean Drive. Our team has several decades more time spent living and visiting Newport. We want to share our knowledge and love of the area to help others take full advantage of their trip and experience everything the city has to offer!

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The Best Tours of Newport Mansions

Originally, we planned on only visiting one or two mansions. However, after analyzing the Newport Mansions ticket prices, descriptions, and discounts, we ended up touring five on the inside and a few on the outside. As much as I cannot fathom growing up in these living museums during the Gilded Age, I am so thankful they have been preserved for us to masquerade in their world for a day or two.

If you’re planning an adventure in the northeast, here are some other articles to help with your trip:

An Incredible New England Itinerary 

Connecticut Bucket List Destinations

Block Island, a Magical Oasis in Rhode Island

Who Owned the Newport Mansions 

The rich and famous, that’s who!

Ah yes, the Gilded Age. A time in America when new wealth accumulated from generation to generation creating an era of exuberant extravagance. We are talking opulent “cottages” that could fit an entire small town inside. Yet they were built for one family to be used six weeks out of the year. Elaborate wild parties that lasted for days with intricate planning and grandiose theatrics.

Cue The Great Gatsby scenes in your mind.

“I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald

Today, you can visit ten restored mansions that are run by the Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island’s largest cultural organization.

“Its historic properties and landscapes – seven of which are National Historic Landmarks – trace America’s architectural and social development from the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. In keeping with its mission, the Society strives to offer its members and the public a comprehensive view of each property’s architecture, interiors, landscapes and social history.”

Find Out About the Man Who Coined the Term “Gilded Age” 

Best Newport Mansions to Tour and What Tickets to Get

The biggest question we had in planning our visit was what tours of Newport mansions to choose from and if it was possible to see them all in one day.

All things considered, the best bang for your buck is the 5-House Ticket because you get to see the best homes and the tickets do not expire.

If you are not able to see all five in one visit, save your tickets for a future trip.

The list of Newport mansions you can tour includes:

• The Breakers – A Vanderbilt summer home palace with 70 rooms and 4 floors, the biggest and most grandiose of the mansions.
• Marble House – Another Vanderbilt mansion built in the late 1800s with 50 remarkable areas such as the Gothic room and the grand staircase made of Siena marble.
• Rosecliff – Hear about and imagine the excessive parties that took place at this historic house and see the grand ballroom used in the movie, The Great Gatsby. 
• The Elms – Experience a romantic ambiance with French influences and one of the most beautiful grounds and gardens of Newport.
• Chateau-sur-Mer – Highfaluting Victorian masterpiece with an impressive grand hall.
• Chepstow – An Italian-style villa adorned with original furnishings and 19th-century American artwork.
• Hunter House – Built in 1748 for a sea merchant, it is a fine option if you enjoy Georgian Colonial architecture.
• Green Animals Topiary Garden – A country estate with green animal-shaped shrubs dotting the landscape.
• Isaac Bell House – One of the less crowded mansions known for its Shingle Style architecture and a mix of European, Japanese, and American décor.
• Kingscote –  A Gothic Revival home built by cotton plantation owners with original Tiffany glass bricks in the dining room.

After much debate and research, we chose the first five in bold on the above list. They are the most awe-inspiring and over-the-top mansions and offer a wide variety of architecture and history.

If you only have time to tour one or two of the Newport mansions , I would highly recommend The Breakers and the Marble House. Unfortunately, the Breakers is the busiest, but it is a one-of-a-kind experience. 

READ NEXT: AMAZING THINGS TO DO ON BLOCK ISLAND

Newport Mansions Ticket Prices

Newport mansions tickets can be purchased online or at any Newport Mansion. 

• Breakers Only: Adult $29, Child $10
• 1 House Ticket: Adult $25, Child $10
• 2 House Ticket: Adult $38, Child $14
• 3 House Ticket: Adult $46, Child $16
• 5 House Ticket: Adult $60, Child $20
• Student One Year Membership: $35 – Includes unlimited access to regular tours for one year.

Which Newport Mansions are Open?

Always check online as the open mansions change periodically based on the time of year. 

The 2023 schedule is as follows. 

April 1 – April 29: The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, and beginning April 15th, the Green Animals Topiary Garden.

April 30 – May 29: The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, Green Animals Topiary Garden, and Isaac Bell House.

May 30 – July 30: The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Hunter House, and Kingscote.

July 31 – August 31: The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Chateau sur Mer, Chepstow.

September 1 – October 1: The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, Green Animals Topiary Garden, Chateau sur Mer, Rosecliff, and The Breakers Stable and Carriage House.

October 2 – October 29: The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, Green Animals Topiary Garden, and Rosecliff.

October 30 – November 17: The Breakers and Rosecliff.

November 18 – January 1, 2024 (Holidays at The Newport Mansions): The Breakers, Elms, Marble House, and Rosecliff.

Military Discount on Memberships

Attention military folks: any active, reserve, or retired military with a valid military ID. The Preservation Society offers a $15 discount on memberships which ends up cheaper than the 5 House Ticket for a Dual Membership and Household Membership.

10 Tips for Visiting the Newport Mansions

• Try to visit during the week and first thing in the morning for fewer crowds.
• Headsets are available at the majority of the homes in various languages with the exception of Chateau-sur-Mer which is a guided tour.
• Wear comfortable walking shoes, you’ll be standing and walking most of the day.
• Most of the houses are within walking distance of each other, but each of them has free parking lots with the exception of the Hunter House where you can find street parking.
• If you do not have a car, public transportation is provided by the Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority . Hop on a trolley at the Newport Gateway Visitor Center, 23 America’s Cup Avenue.
• Photography is now allowed inside the mansions. You’ll want to use the panorama setting on your phone to capture the rooms in their entirety.
• Strollers are not allowed inside the mansions.
• Give yourself time and spread out the tours over a few days if possible to not be overwhelmed. It is a lot of standing and information to take in.
• Newport mansions Christmas decorations are over the top so it’s a fantastic time of year to visit. 
• Don’t miss the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk along the ocean’s rocky ledge and the 8 Best Things to Do in Newport, Rhode Island. 

Newport Mansions Map

See below for the Newport Mansions Map so you can plan out your visit. 

Unique Places to Stay in Newport, Rhode Island

• Hotel Viking
• Marshall Slocum Inn
• Bayberry Inn 

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links, if you book through our link we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for help to support the blog!

Have you been to Rhode Island? What do you think are the best tours of Newport mansions to take?

• About Author
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Angela E. is a travel writer from the Chicagoland area who has visited all 50 states in the US and has traveled extensively around the world. She is passionate about exploring the great outdoors and hiking in particular. Her love for nature has taken her to some of the most beautiful locations on the planet. She has written extensively about her travels on her own website, Dang Travelers, and has been published in collaboration with other travel websites and multiple visitor bureaus around the country.

Latest posts from Angela

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The Newport Mansions

Channel your inner Crawley and get a taste of America's own Downton Abbey lifestyle in the opulent and iconic Newport Mansions . Meticulously preserved, and in some cases with museum-quality art collections, these grand summer "cottages" of the Gilded Age's rich and famous are a must-see. And if you love this period in history or costumed dramas in general, you won't want to miss HBO's hit, The Gilded Age by Downton creator Julian Fellowes - and filmed in Rhode Island's own Newport Mansions! Watch the show and then visit the gorgeous, historically authentic, and beautifully preserved settings where the scenes were filmed. See below for more information on The Gilded Age . Go to The Preservation Society of Newport County to book your Gilded Age tour to explore the show's settings in person!

The Gilded Age 

From creator Julian Fellowes (“Downton Abbey”), HBO’s  THE GILDED AGE  is available to stream on HBO Max. Written by Julian Fellowes and Sonja Warfield, and directed by Michael Engler and Salli Richardson-Whitfield, the nine-episode drama series stars an ensemble cast of Carrie Coon, Morgan Spector, Denée Benton, Louisa Jacobson, Taissa Farmiga, Blake Ritson, Simon Jones, Harry Richardson, Thomas Cocquerel, Jack Gilpin, with Cynthia Nixon and Christine Baranski.

The American Gilded Age was a period of immense economic change, of great conflict between the old ways and brand new systems, and of huge fortunes made and lost. Against the backdrop of this transformation, HBO’s The Gilded Age begins in 1882 with young Marian Brook (Jacobson) moving from rural Pennsylvania to New York City after the death of her father to live with her thoroughly old money aunts Agnes van Rhijn (Baranski) and Ada Brook (Nixon). Accompanied by Peggy Scott (Benton), an aspiring writer seeking a fresh start, Marian inadvertently becomes enmeshed in a social war between one of her aunts, a scion of the old money set, and her stupendously rich neighbors, a ruthless railroad tycoon and his ambitious wife, George (Spector) and Bertha Russell (Coon). Exposed to a world on the brink of the modern age, will Marian follow the established rules of society, or forge her own path?

Credits : Creator/writer/executive producer, Julian Fellowes; executive producer, Gareth Neame; director/executive producer, Michael Engler; executive producer, David Crockett; director/executive producer Salli Richardson-Whitfield; Writer/Co-Executive Producer Sonja Warfield. THE GILDED AGE is a co-production between HBO and Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

The Gilded Age

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17 Useful Tips for Visiting the Newport Mansions in Rhode Island

• Post author: Rachel Means
• Post last modified: 2023-11-09

Visiting the Newport Mansions is on many a dreamer’s bucket list, but there’s a lot to know before you go.

Like did you know not all of the mansions are open year-round? Or that small bags are allowed inside the mansions but strollers aren’t?

Where are you going to eat lunch, and where are you going to park?

Don’t worry! I’ve been there, done that, and learned everything you need to know ahead of time so you can enjoy your visit.

Here’s all our most useful tips for planning your first visit to the Newport, Rhode Island mansions!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and associate of other programs, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means if you click a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Best Newport Mansions to Visit: Ranked

The most popular Newport mansions to visit are owned and maintained by the Preservation Society of Newport. They have 9 houses, some of which are not open all year round.

Below I’ve ranked the mansions according to our must-see order based on opulent decor, interesting history, and availability.

• The Breakers
• Marble House
• Chateau sur Mer
• Isaac Bell House
• Hunter House

Can You Visit the Newport Mansions for Free?

This question comes up the most, so I wanted to address it first. No, you can’t visit any of the Newport mansions for free , even if you only want to see the grounds.

The only exception is if you know a Preservation Society member and they bring you as their guest.

It’s possible to see some of the mansions from the public sidewalk on the street, but you’re obviously limited in the views you’ll get.

For example, The Elms has large trees that cover most of the front façade, and The Breakers sits back a ways from the street so you only see a sliver of the front.

Most of the estates are surrounded by walls, too, so you can’t really see inside.

While there are plenty of fun things to do in Newport , we highly recommend budgeting to see a couple of the mansions while you’re here.

17 Useful Tips for Visiting the Newport Mansions

1. you need tickets to visit the grounds..

None of the Newport mansions have free entry to explore the grounds only. If you purchase a ticket to tour inside the house, you’ll also get entry to the grounds.

If you want to view the grounds only and not the interior of the mansion, those tickets are available for a reduced price.

See all your Newport Mansion ticketing options here.

2. Some mansions are guided tours only requiring advanced reservations.

Not all of the Newport mansions are open all year round.

Some of the smaller mansions are only opened seasonally and require advanced reservations and guided tours. This trips up Preservation Society members, too.

Even if you’re a member and want to see one of the seasonal houses like Chepstow or the Isaac Bell House, you have to reserve a spot ahead of time.

Members won’t have to pay for the tour, but you do need to reserve a spot. These homes are smaller and the tour size is limited to better fit in the limited interior space.

If you show up without a reservation, they’ll try to fit you in (we’ve watched them do it), but there’s not much they can do if the tour is already filled to capacity.

3. Bring headphones and download the app to enjoy the free audio tour.

What a great resource this is! Get the app and download the audio guide for each mansion.

It’s much more in-depth than the paper brochures available, and it keeps your hands free so you can take pictures while the audio guide plays. I loved it!

The app also has landscape tours at some of the mansions, like an audio tour for the grounds. It connects to your GPS and pops up informational tidbits as you walk around the grounds.

4. Photography is allowed inside the mansions.

Personal photography is allowed inside all of the Newport mansions, so feel free to take as many photos as you’d like. Shutter bugs rejoice!

Tripods and selfie sticks aren’t allowed , and obviously you’re not allowed to block others from enjoying the mansion, but otherwise you can take as long as you like and take as many photos as you want.

Important: this doesn’t include photoshoots.

If you’re trying to take senior pictures or engagement pictures or something like that where you have props (like a graduation cap) or a wardrobe change, you’ll have to get a special permit.

It’s easy to get cute and fun pictures both inside and outside of the mansions. If you’re snapping a few low-key, unobtrusive photos, you’ll be fine without a permit.

But if you show up in your quinceañera dress, they’re gonna know something’s up and ask about your permit.

5. Don’t forget the special guided tours.

The Elms and The Breakers both have additional guided tours available, revealing the behind-the-scenes areas of these great mansions.

The Elms Servants Life Tour features the lives of the men and women who worked for the Berwind family, touring their living quarters and some additional areas in the basement where they worked.

Most fancy houses have a tour like this nowadays. They’re very popular ever since Downton Abbey came out.

The Beneath The Breakers Tour takes you into the tunnels and basement level of the house, discussing the many modern marvels of the day that made The Breakers tick.

I loved both tours, but I liked Beneath The Breakers a little more because it’s so unique.

If you’re looking for that extra special something to round out your mansion visit, I highly recommend a specialty tour.

6. Strollers aren’t allowed inside the mansions.

None of the houses allow strollers. Children are welcome , but you’ll either need to hold little ones or keep them close by as you walk through the house.

I strongly recommend you consider whether your children are old enough to appreciate the house, or at least old enough/well-behaved enough to stay by your side as you appreciate the house.

I’ve been in a mansion when a toddler got loose, ducked under a rope, and took off between all the furniture, precious knickknacks, and 15 th century tapestries.

Luckily, he didn’t knock over anything, but you can imagine the mother’s dismay.

Stroller parking is available outside the front of each house , but you’ll leave your belongings at your own risk.

7. Pack a picnic lunch to eat on the grounds.

I was surprised to discover that picnics are allowed on the grounds at the Newport mansions!

Bring a blanket, picnic basket, or even camp chairs and a cooler and enjoy a meal as a Vanderbilt guest may have.

I recommend The Breakers or Marble House for this, as they both have stellar ocean views, but all of the properties allow picnics.

8. Consider becoming a member or get the one-year access pass.

A great way to save money when visiting the Newport mansions is to become a Preservation Society member.

Your pass will get you in to all nine of the society-owned mansions free of charge for a year, as many times as you wish to visit.

It also comes with other perks and special member events. I did the math and discuss if a Newport Mansions member pass is right for you here.

If you want to visit 4+ mansions in a year, the Access Pass will save you money.

It’s cheaper than buying standard tickets, but also cheaper than becoming a full member of the Preservation Society of Newport County.

If you and another adult want to visit 4+ mansions in one year, then a full membership is worth it.

9. All mansions have free parking lots.

Parking in Newport is notoriously difficult, but each of the Newport mansions open for tours has its own free parking lot.

Now, they can be packed on busy days, but I’ve always been able to find a spot. I had to circle a few times at The Breakers lot, but I did find a spot. Didn’t have any trouble at any of the other houses.

Pro Tip : The parking lot for Marble House is across the street from the house and a tad bit north, so you’ll pass it before you pass the house if coming from town. If you put Marble House into your GPS, you might miss the parking lot. As you get near the house traveling south on Bellevue Avenue, start looking on the right side instead of the left, and you’ll see the green and yellow sign.

10.  Small bags are allowed inside.

As an avid photographer, I really appreciate this policy, but this is also good news for those visiting without cars or with kids.

None of the mansions can store luggage, but a small backpack or diaper bag is fine.

You’ll still need to be aware of where you’re standing so your bag doesn’t accidentally brush up against a wall or artifact, but the ropes will mostly keep you in the safe zone.

11.  No food or drinks inside the mansions.

Food and drinks aren’t allowed inside the mansions, except for water, so make sure you give the kids a snack before you go inside.

You might have the snacks in your bag, but the kids can’t eat it inside the house. You’d have to take them to the restroom area and eat it there.

If you leave the house to eat a snack, they won’t let you back in because you already scanned your ticket.

12.  All of the mansions have restrooms.

Every mansion has restrooms available for visitors. However, they’re always at the very end of the tour, usually by the gift shop.

So, if you’re in the middle of a self-guided tour, you’ll have to walk to the end of the tour, usually on a different floor of the house, use the facilities, and then walk backwards on the tour route to where you left off.

Don’t try to re-enter from the front/start of the tour.

They’re going to want to scan your ticket, and yours won’t go through because it was already scanned when you started your tour.

Sometimes there’s an attendant that’ll recognize you and let you back through, but it’s easier to go backwards.

All of the mansions have staff on each floor, and they’ll help you find the fastest route to the restrooms.   

13.  Be prepared for crowds at The Breakers.

The biggest and most popular to visit Newport mansion is The Breakers. With that fame comes crowds…

Pretty much every time of day and every day of the week, The Breakers will be busy. Pack your patience.

Come early or late for the smallest crowds, right at opening or an hour or two before closing.

Even with the crowds, you can move pretty easily through the house at your own pace. If you’re listening to the audio guide, though, you’ll probably move in groups.

14.  Avoid arriving on the hour or half hour.

Speaking of moving in groups, start your self-guided tours at a non-standard time.

Humans like round numbers, and many will arrive at say 1PM for their tour. If you arrive at 12:45PM, you’ll be fifteen minutes ahead of a big group of people that all arrived at the same time.

It’ll help space you out inside the house and give you a bit more breathing room during your tour.

15.  All mansions require climbing stairs. Some are accessible via elevators.

Not every Newport mansion is accessible for mobility-impaired visitors.

Every house has stairs. A few of the mansions have elevators, but not all of them. And sometimes the elevators are down for maintenance, so call ahead the morning of your visit to check.

Inside the houses, there are two types of staircases: the ones built for use by the owners and the ones built for use by the staff. You’ll use both as you tour the mansions.

The ones used by the owners are always wide, often marble, and usually a shorter stair height because it was easier for the ladies in their ridiculous Gilded Age dresses to get up and down the stairs.

You’ll climb up these staircases at the beginning and/or in the middle of your mansion tours.

The servants’ staircases, though, are narrow and standard stair height. They’re usually located behind a secret door, and you climb down them at the end of a tour.

16.  Viking Trolley Tours has a shuttle option for The Breakers.

The Preservation Society doesn’t have shuttle service between its properties. If it’s a nice day, you can walk between a few of the properties.

It takes some time and adds more time on your feet, which you’ll probably already have enough of if you’re visiting more than one mansion per day, but it can be nice if you’re up for it.

Viking Trolley Tours has an option to add a Breakers tour to their trolley tour. You’ll board the trolley in town, take the tour around town, along Ocean Avenue, and into the mansion district before they drop you off at The Breakers.

You’ll then take your tour of the Breakers, and the trolley will meet you 1.5-2 hours later to pick you up and take you back to town where you started.

17.  Ride the free RIPTA bus to the mansions.

During peak visitor season, one line of the local city bus system offers free rides.

A lot of people descend on the tightly packed town in summer, so the free bus option helps to reduce the number of cars in the area.

Route 67 runs from the Newport Transportation Center in town all the way to the southern end of Bellevue Avenue before turning around.

It stops directly in front of both Marble House and The Breakers, but you can get to all of the mansions from this route if you walk a little.

FAQs for Visiting the Newport Mansions

When’s the best time of year to visit newport.

Summer is the best weather but also the most crowded time of year to visit Newport. Spring and fall are both good alternatives for slightly smaller crowds but still comfortable weather. Winter has its own allure, with the smallest crowds but also fewer shops are open.

How Much Time Do You Need to Visit Newport?

I recommend at least 3 days in Newport to take it all in, but you can easily day trip to Newport from Boston or other nearby cities.

If you want to see several mansions and do other fun things in Newport , then I recommend extending to 5 days or a week.

How Much Time Do You Need to Visit Each Mansion?

This is so subjective, but I’d say at least 1-2 hours for each mansion. Most of the mansion self-guided audio tours are about 45 minutes to an hour long.

But you might be taking pictures or waiting for crowds to move in front of you, and it could take longer.

Plus, you’ll want time to walk the grounds at each mansion, which could be a quick 15 minute loop or a more leisurely stroll with stops to sit on a bench and enjoy the views.

Do the Newport Mansions Have Parking?

Yes, all of the mansions open for tours have their own parking lots. The most popular spots, like The Breakers, can still be very crowded though. I’ve always found a spot, but may have circled a few times before I did.

Are There Places to Eat at the Newport Mansions?

Not really. Two of the mansions (The Breakers and Marble House) have cafes with overpriced pre-made lunch items like sandwiches or salads.

The Chinese Tea House at Marble House also offers afternoon tea, if you book it ahead, which is a fun experience if you like tea, tea sandwiches, and desserts.

But if you need a more substantial lunch, there’s nothing like that at the mansions. You’re better off going back into town for lunch.

Happy travels!

About the Author : Rachel Means

With six-figure student loan debt and only 10 PTO days per year, Rachel started traveling the world. A decade later, she’s paid off her loans, changed careers, and been to 38 US states and 17 countries. She’s an expert at planning and budgeting for travel and loves to help others do it, too! Read her full story here.

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Group Tours

Flower show note : the newport flower show group tickets are currently only available for the afternoons of saturday and sunday, june 22 and 23. to request a group visit for the flower show, please email us at [email protected], we welcome adult and student groups to visit the newport mansions. your group visit helps preserve these great houses. thank you, mansions & gardens available for group visits.

Groups can be scheduled to visit The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff and Green Animals Topiary Garden. Please check our Operating Schedule to see if a house is open on the date you want to schedule.

Length of visit

Please allow approximately 90 minutes to visit each house, including travel time to other Newport Mansions. Allow for more travel time if visiting Green Animals Topiary Garden, which is 30 minutes north of Newport.

Payment information

Payment is due upon arrival at the Newport Mansions. We are unable to accept purchase orders or provide invoices for payment at a later date. Pre-payments are allowed, but refunds for overpayment will not be issued and cannot be applied toward future visits. Any overpayment will be considered a donation to the Preservation Society of Newport County.

Group tours are self guided

Interior tours are self-guided using the free Newport Mansions audio tour app. Guests are encouraged to download the audio tour prior to arrival and bring their own earbuds. For those who prefer not to listen to the audio, one-use printed scripts are available. Newport Mansions no longer provide audio tour headsets and audio players.

Get the Newport Mansions app

Download our tour app before your visit and bring your earbuds.

Adult Groups

Adult Group rates are based on a minimum of 20 persons with advance reservation, visiting as a qualified professional travel group with one person responsible for full payment. Driver and escort are complimentary.

All tours are self-guided using the free Newport Mansions app. Guests are encouraged to download the app and audio tour prior to arrival and bring their own earbuds. For those who prefer not to listen to the audio, one-use printed tour scripts are available. The Newport Mansions no longer provide audio tour players and headsets.

Multi-lingual

On our mobile app, audio tours of The Breakers, The Elms and Marble House are available in English, French, German, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.  Audio tours of Rosecliff are in English only. Written transcripts of the audio tours are available in other languages.

Area Information

For group tour support and services in the greater Newport area, please go to Discover Newport

Student Groups

Student Group rates are based on a minimum of 10 students. We require one adult chaperone for every 10 students and those chaperones are admitted complimentary. Additional adults are admitted at the Adult Group rate . Students must be affiliated with an educational organization.

All tours are self-guided using the free Newport Mansions app. Teachers, chaperones and students are encouraged to download the app and audio tour prior to arrival and bring their own earbuds. If students do not have their own device, we suggest teachers and chaperones split into small groups and play the tour on low volume. The Newport Mansions no longer provide audio tour players and headsets.

To ensure a safe, productive and enjoyable learning experience for your students, please review our field trip guidelines.

Accessibility

The Breakers, Marble House, Rosecliff and Green Animals Topiary Garden are partially accessible for mobility devices. Our other houses are not currently accessible.

Parking & Motorcoach info

General motorcoach information.

Newport is an historic city with narrow roads and residential dwellings, so there are many rules and regulations for motorcoaches. To review Newport’s maps, rules and regulations for motorcoaches, please download the brochure  Touring Newport by Motorcoach.

Your cooperation with these ordinances is much appreciated.

Directions to Bellevue Avenue, Newport

With the exception of Green Animals Topiary Garden and Hunter House, all properties are located on or directly off Bellevue Avenue.

From Points South, (New York City, Mystic, CT) 1-95 North to RI Exit 7A (Route 138 East). Follow signs for the Newport (Pell) Bridge. Take first exit off bridge (Scenic Newport). Turn right at end of exit ramp. Go straight through first light. Turn right at second light, America’s Cup Ave. Follow America’s Cup Ave. along waterfront, at the 7th light bear left uphill. At 2nd light, take right onto Bellevue Ave.

From Points North, (Boston Area) Route 93 South to Route 128 South to Route 24 South to Route 195 West, returning to Route 24 South. Take Route 138 South. Follow directions “From Route 138 South” below.

From Cape Cod Route 195 West to Route 24 South (Exit 14A) to Route 138 South. Follow directions “From 138 South” below.

From Providence Route 195 East to Route 24 South (Exit 14A), to Route 138 South. Follow directions “From 138 South” below.

From Route 138 South After 8 miles, turn left at first light (Dunkin Donuts on your right) onto Route 138A (Aquidneck Ave.) At second light, turn left. Bear right past beach and uphill on Memorial Blvd. At top of hill, turn left onto Bellevue Ave.

Directions to the Mansions

The breakers, ochre point ave.

From the intersection of Memorial Blvd. and Bellevue Ave., head south 1.1 mile on Bellevue Ave., turn left onto Ruggles Ave. Turn left onto Ochre Point Ave. then left into the motor coach parking lot. This entrance and parking area is for motor coaches only, and is well marked. The motor coach parking lane runs along the perimeter of The Breakers parking lot; coaches should park on the left side of the parking lane, and disembark passengers there. Parking of motor coaches on Ochre Point Avenue is not allowed, per city ordinance.

Bellevue Ave

From the intersection of Memorial Blvd. and Bellevue Ave., head south 0.35 of a mile on Bellevue Ave., Turn right onto Bellevue Court, adjacent to The Elms, and park in coach parking area at the end of the road. Groups disembark and embark here and then walk to the front entrance of The Elms using the pathway. When finished with the tour, groups exit through the side entrance and follow the pathway back to the parking lot. At no time shall the passengers board and disembark on Bellevue Court. Parking staff is on duty.

Marble House

Head 1.5 miles south on Bellevue Ave. Parking area is located opposite Marble House. Turn right into parking lot. Groups disembark and embark here, then cross Bellevue Ave. to entrance.

From the intersection of Memorial Blvd. and Bellevue Ave., head south 1.3 miles on Bellevue Ave., turn left onto entrance.

Motorcoach Parking in Downtown Newport

The Gateway Transportation Center is located at 23 America’s Cup Ave. Limited motorcoach spots are available and it is an ideal spot for coaches to off-load and on-load groups visiting the downtown waterfront, shops, and restaurants. Restroom facilities are available (seasonally).

Other tour types

Family audio tours.

Talking houses, ancient superheroes and a 2-foot high ice cream cake! Family Tours at The Breakers and Marble House introduce kids to these Gilded Age mansions from a unique and fun perspective.

Guide-led Tours

Our expert guides lead fascinating specialty tours such as Beneath The Breakers and The Elms Servant Life. Other guided tours available by season at some houses.

Self-guided audio tours

Six engaging audio tours bring you unique insights into the lives of the people who lived and worked in the grand mansions of the Gilded Age in Newport.

Additional Visitor Info

Map & parking info.

Parking is free onsite at all properties except for Hunter House and The Breakers Stable & Carriage House, where street parking is available.

Answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Mansions & Gardens

Explore the 11 properties under the stewardship of the Preservation Society and open as historic house museums.

Partners in Preservation

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Unique places to stay, best rooftop bars, must-try lobster rolls, top ice cream spots, summer must-do's, beach guide, umbrella sky newport, top events this june, fairs & festivals this summer, on-going gallery exhibits, guide to parking, first timer's guide, top 12 things to do.

During the Gilded Age, America’s wealthiest families flocked to the City by the Sea and its surrounding areas; making the area their summertime playground. The meticulous preservation of more than a dozen of these homes gives us intimate access to the artistry, personality, and complex culture that went into these colossal time capsules. All that being said, simply having access to and enjoying the breathtaking grounds and cliffside vantage points of these homes is a treasure we cherish.

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9 Best Mansions in Newport, Rhode Island | To Admire the Architecture, Gardens, Landscapes, and Family History

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Note: The Travel Awaits team regularly updates content to provide the latest, and most accurate information to our readers. The updated content in this article may not reflect the views or opinions of the original author.

The mansions of Newport, Rhode Island, once served as summer “cottages” for the wealthy. Families came to escape life in the big city for six weeks of the year in Newport. They carried last names such as Vanderbilt, Morgan, and Astor. In the late 1800s, sometimes called the Gilded Age, they poured their money into lovely homes on rolling green hills next to the ocean.

Many of the grand mansions in Newport, Rhode Island were designed by prominent architects of the Gilded Age. Architects like Richard Morris Hunt, Stanford White, and McKim, Mead & White contributed to the opulent designs of these summer cottages for America’s elite families such as the Vanderbilts and Astors. Their architectural feats still stand as testaments to the era’s wealth and sophistication.

Today, you can marvel at the opulence, imagine the extravagant parties that were hosted here, and dream about days filled with sailing on yachts and playing tennis.

Tours of the mansions cover many aspects of life and appeal to a wide range of interests. You’ll learn about decorative arts, architecture, gardens and landscapes, family history, and what daily life was like for the servants. Events and lectures will enrich your visit, too.

The prime time to tour the Newport mansions is between May and October. Some are open year-round, and some are open only on weekends. Check the websites for the different mansions to plan your visit. The Preservation Society of Newport County , which oversees all of the homes, allows you to buy tickets in advance and learn more about the different options.

When you arrive in Newport, stop in at the visitor center at The Breakers to pick up more information or tickets. You can grab a bite to eat there, too. Buses leave for the other mansions every 20 minutes. Allow at least an hour to an hour and a half to tour each mansion.

Some mansions are so large you wonder how the family kept from getting lost inside. Others are included in the group of “mansions,” but they are actually more modest historic homes. Try to include both larger and smaller homes in your tour plans.

Read on to find out more about the amazing mansions of Newport.

9 Best Mansions in Newport, Rhode Island

1. the breakers.

The Breakers is the grandest and best known of the mansions. If you have a limited amount of time to spend in Newport, this one should top your list. Built on 13 acres of a bluff above the Atlantic Ocean, this 70-room home was named for the waves that crash on the rocks below.

The Breakers is a prime picture of the extravagance of the Gilded Age. No expense was spared as the Vanderbilt family spent money earned from the thriving New York Central Railroad. The Italian Renaissance decor is luxurious, with rare marble and alabaster, along with gilded woods, throughout. The mansion includes a Great Hall with a 45-foot-high ceiling and a Morning Room with platinum leaf wall panels. The latest technology went into the modern plumbing and the elevator.

A fun part of your visit will be hearing the voices of The Breakers with the audio tour. Family members and staff “talk” to you as you move through the home. And you can enjoy finding fanciful touches such as the dolphin hiding under the grand staircase and the dining room dragons.

The basement is also open to the public. Here you’ll learn about the wonders of the heating and cooling system and other cutting-edge inventions of the time. It;s a perfect destination for a weekend in Newport .

Hungry? The Garden Cafe is open for lunch or a snack.

CO Leong / Shutterstock

2. The Elms

This summer retreat of coal magnate Edward Berwind was modeled on a French-style chateau. A large art collection decorates the walls and includes Venetian paintings, tapestries, and Chinese lacquer panels. The Elms boasted the latest technology when it was finished in 1901. It was one of the first houses in Newport to use electricity.

The Elms “below stairs” is the focus of the Servant Life Tour. More than 40 men and women worked hard to provide the upstairs residents their lavish lifestyle. On the tour, you’ll learn about the lives of the butler, cooks, and maids.

The option to go upstairs from the main floor takes you to the servant living quarters and a rooftop view of the quaint Rhode Island city . Be prepared to climb stairs for both the downstairs and upstairs tours.

A sunken garden features flower beds with pink begonias, clipped hedges, trees, fountains, and marble pavilions.

Jeff Schultes / Shutterstock

3. Marble House

This mansion was inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles. Commissioned by the Vanderbilts in 1892, the house contains 500,000 cubic feet of American, Italian, and African marble. William Vanderbilt gave the deed to the house to his wife, Alva, as a 39th birthday present.

The notable history of the Marble House includes Alva’s “Votes for Women” rallies that she hosted on the back lawn. The audio tour lets you hear the words of Alva, her daughter Consuelo, and many others as they championed this cause.

A colorful Chinese tea house overlooks the Atlantic Ocean on the grounds of the Marble House. Relax here with a snack or lunch and take in the sweeping views.

4. Rosecliff

The romance of the Gilded Age lives on at Rosecliff , a lovely baroque-style mansion overlooking the Atlantic and surrounded by 20 acres of lawn and gardens. Movies filmed here include The Great Gatsby , True Lies , Amistad , and 27 Dresses . Rosecliff also hosts the popular Newport Flower Show every spring.

The audio tour includes the stories of those who lived here and partied in the gardens. From the time Rosecliff opened in 1902 to the present, it’s been a choice location for everything from business events to wedding receptions.

Notable features of the house are the immense ballroom where Arnold Schwarzenegger tangoed with Tia Carrere in True Lies and the beautiful limestone sweetheart’s staircase.

Wangkun Jia / Shutterstock

5. Hunter House

Enter the Hunter House and step back into colonial times. Built before the American Revolution, this was the home of a wealthy merchant and ship owner, and it served as the Revolutionary War headquarters of the French Navy.

Furnished with colonial furniture, the house is smaller than the more imposing mansions and will give you a glimpse into everyday life in Newport. You’ll see paintings by artists such as Gilbert Stuart, and there’s a notable collection of Newport pewter.

This is the house that prompted the formation of the Preservation Society of Newport County. In 1945, concerned local residents feared that the Hunter House would be sold or dismantled by someone who didn’t appreciate its history. So the society was formed and immediately set to work collecting colonial-era art and artifacts as the house was restored. The society continues to expand and preserve more Newport mansions .

Ritu Manoj Jethani / Shutterstock

6. Isaac Bell House

The Isaac Bell House , built in 1883 for a wealthy cotton broker, is fascinating for its architecture. Using a mix of English, continental European, colonial American, and Japanese styles, the builders experimented with design. The result is an intriguing, many-shingled house with bamboo-style columns and an open floor plan.

Check the website for seasonal opening hours.

Google Maps

7. Kingscote

With original rooms from 1841, Kingscote shows off rare furniture, silver collections, and Chinese decorative arts. Built in 1839 for a Georgia planter, this Gothic Revival house was abandoned during the Civil War and later occupied by the King family. The dining room added in 1881 includes the earliest known Tiffany glass decor.

8. Chateau-sur-Mer

Considered Newport’s first true mansion, Chateau-sur-Mer is a truly unique house. This National Historic Landmark is one of the finest examples of High Victorian architecture and was considered the most palatial residence in Newport until the appearance of the Gilded Age Vanderbilt houses in the 1890s. 

The main house of the estate, Chateau-sur-Mer, was built as an Italianate-style villa for China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore by local contractor Seth Bradford. While the property’s original carriage house and stables are now part of the university’s Antone Academic Center, the Chateau-sur-Mer residence is in the Preservation Society’s hands.

9. Rough Point

Located at the southern end of Bellevue Avenue, Rough Point is perhaps best loved not for its grandeur but for its most famous resident, Doris Duke. The feel is slightly less museumlike than at most of the other mansions, though “lived-in look,” is a relative phrase when applied to the dwellings of billionaires. 

Built in 1887 by the architecture firm Peabody and Stearns, Rough Point was designed to look and feel like an English manor. It features red sandstone and granite, and wonderful gardens and lawns. The formal rooms, including the impressive Music Room and Yellow Room, are visually striking, but the ocean-facing Solarium offers the best views.

What To Know Before You Go

All of these mansions are run by the Preservation Society of Newport County. Hours and days for touring vary and may change with the seasons. Check the information for each house you want to visit before you map out your itinerary.

A package that includes a tour of The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms will save you some money.

The Breakers and Rosecliff offer full wheelchair access. Marble House and The Elms provide partial wheelchair access.

The mansions of Newport welcome you to explore and step back in time as you immerse yourself in the architecture and the treasures of each home. Listen for echoes of those who once glided down the majestic staircases. Delve into the everyday lives of the servants. Amble on the lawns overlooking the ocean. Walk through the formal gardens. Whether you have time for one or several of the homes, you’re sure to come away impressed.

For more to see and do in Newport, see this page .

Who Owns and Maintains the Gilded Age Mansions in Newport Now?

Newport County’s Preservation Society now owns eleven best-surviving examples of Gilded Age mansions in Newport, while Rough Point is the only mansion run by the Newport Restoration Foundation, which was founded by Doris Duke in 1968. 

Are the Newport Mansions Free?

Residents of the City of Newport can enjoy free admission to Newport Mansions when they are open for the Newport mansion tours. However, this excludes special events and specialty tours. Also, the Newport Mansions hours vary seasonally. 

How Newport Mansions Came to Be?

More than a century ago, during the Gilded Age, America’s wealthiest families built mansions in the coastal enclave of Newport. Most renowned architects of the time, like Richard Morris Hunt, designed these shingle-style architecture and Gothic Revival Style landmarks. 

What Else Is There to Do When Visiting Mansions in Newport?

Strolling through downtown Newport, exploring the stunning Narragansett Bay, and doing the Newport Cliff Walk before seeing all the Newport mansions are some of the things to do here. Also, mansions in Newport host many amazing events, including the annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival.

How Many Mansions in Newport Were Torn Down?

After the social era died out, about 20 of these historic mansions were torn down before it was decided that these homes were an integral part of America’s architectural history. Some of them, like the historic Stonor Lodge on Bellevue Avenue, burned down in the fire.

As the owner of the travel blog, Exploring Our World , Sharon enjoys taking her readers on a journey with her. Articles often delve into the history of a place, and by adding in a generous number of photos, she inspires others to explore for themselves. In her early travels, she was most frustrated by coming back home and learning that she had missed a fascinating sight or a hidden gem. Now she helps travelers prepare for a trip by passing along travel tips, pointing out lesser known things to see, and alerting them to enjoyable day trips from major cities.

Her travel articles have been published by Stripes Europe Newsletter and the World War 2 Writing and Research Center. Whether she's discovering more about her hometown of San Diego, California or flying to faraway places, she enjoys sharing with travel lovers around the world.

Take A Virtual Tour Of Rhode Island's Most Famous Mansions

Jessica Wick

Jessica Wick is a writer and travel enthusiast who loves exploring new places, meeting new people and, of course, beautiful Big Sky Country and every part of Washington State.

More by this Author

If you’ve lived in Rhode Island for any amount of time, you know that the historic Newport Mansions are one of our greatest sources of pride. Regal, refined, and downright majestic, these structures are fantastic to tour, especially during the holiday season.

At this time, the mansions are closed to the public in an effort to comply with current laws. The good news is that they’ll be open again before we know it… and the better news is that you can tour a few of the mansions without leaving your home. Check out these exciting virtual tours!

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Ready for a tour or two? Check out these beautiful homes without leaving your couch here .

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Featured Addresses

The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour

The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour is a limited, guide-led experience of private bedrooms, bathrooms and recreational spaces used by the Vanderbilt family and household staff for more than a century.

But it’s also much more than that. Visitors will witness preservation work in action, as the research, planning and physical work to restore these spaces is taking place right now. You’ll see floors and walls that have been restored and others that have been left untouched to show the effects of time and the elements. You’ll see décor from the 1890s, 1940s and later, reflecting the family’s changing uses of the third floor. This is a much different experience than the standard Breakers tour, and we hope guests will appreciate the Vanderbilt family legacy like never before.

What you need to know

• Starts June 24.
• Maximum of 10 people per tour.
• Please have your ticket scanned in The Breakers entrance foyer. The tour begins in the Gentlemen's Reception Room nearby.
• To receive the membership discount, members must log in at www.newportmansions.org as a member or call (401) 847-1000, ext. 111.
• $25 Non-member, adult
• $20 Preservation Society member, adult
• $10 Youth ages 6-12

More Tours, Events & Exhibitions

Beneath the breakers tour, daily 10:30 am.

Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.

Gilded Age Newport in Color

March 15 – june 30, 2024 10:00am – 3:00pm.

This exhibition explores a largely unknown but important chapter in American history: the experience of a thriving African heritage community in Newport.

Servant Life Tour

Daily 10:30 am, 2 pm and 3:30 pm*.

See and hear how the other half lived. This tour will highlight the stories of some of the men and women who worked to service the social whirl of Newport during the Gilded Age. * Sept. 1-Oct. 14, 10:30 & 3:30. Oct. 15-Jan. 1, 2025, 10:30 & 2:30.

Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour

May 17 – june 28, 2024.

Fans of HBO’s "The Gilded Age" will love this guide-led tour of locations in four of the Newport Mansions where the show was filmed. Tuesdays and Fridays only, May 17 through June 28.

Hospitality Employees & Newport County Days 2024

June 8 – 10, 2024 10:00am – 5:00pm.

Newport County residents and employees of the hospitality industry are invited to visit the Newport Mansions as our guests!

The Newport Flower Show: “At Home”

June 21 – 23, 2024.

The 28th annual edition of New England’s premier flower show explores the theme "At Home," celebrating the beauty and inspiration that flowers and plants bring to the spaces in which we live.

The Iconic Trees of Newport: Past, Present & Future

June 27, 2024 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

Learn about Newport’s landscape history, the threat posed by beech leaf disease and planting strategies for the future. This educational forum is a collaborative effort among The Preservation Society of Newport County, The Newport Tree Conservancy, the City of Newport and Bartlett Tree Experts.

“Becoming Peggy Scott”: An Evening with Denée Benton & Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar

July 9, 2024 6:00pm.

We invite you to a special evening at Rosecliff for dinner and conversation with actress Denée Benton, who plays Peggy Scott on HBO's "The Gilded Age," and Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar, Executive Co-Producer and Consulting Historian for the Emmy-winning series.

Summer Dinner Dance: La Fête du Jardin

August 10, 2024 7pm.

Our annual black-tie fundraising event promises a fun and elegant evening of dinner and dancing amid a magical garden setting.

Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival

September 20 – 22, 2024.

Save the dates for the 19th annual festival, featuring the Vintner Dinner, Sunday Brunch and tasty yet educational seminar experiences.

Get the Newport Mansions app

Download our tour app before your visit and bring your earbuds.

Additional Visitor Info

Map & parking info.

Parking is free onsite at all properties except for Hunter House and The Breakers Stable & Carriage House, where street parking is available.

Answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

Mansions & Gardens

Explore the 11 properties under the stewardship of the Preservation Society and open as historic house museums.

Partners in Preservation

ICYMI: Hooters closes again, the Breakers opens a new tour, and a spider that flies

by NBC 10 NEWS

This week: The Hooters restaurant in Warwick shuts it doors for the second time, the Breakers opens the third floor to tours for the first time, and –- in case you missed it –- the giant Joro spider is migrating up the East Coast.

Hooters in Warwick closes for second time

The Hooters restaurant on Airport Road in Warwick has closed.

The same location shut down in 2015 after a snowstorm caused roof problems, but it reopened in 2020.

The landlord, Brad Turchetta, nephew of the late Providence Mayor Buddy Cianci, said four businesses have called to inquire about the property.

Cumberland property manager sentenced following I-Team investigation

Chris Pianka of Cumberland was sentenced to 10 years of probation Tuesday after pleading no contest to obtaining money under false pretenses.

Pianka was charged in 2022 after the NBC 10 I-Team exposed him for renting out a foreclosed property in Cranston that was owned by Navy Federal Credit Union.

He was also ordered to pay $408.20 a month in restitution until 2034.

Rhode Island Registry conducts undercover checks of inspection stations

The Rhode Island Division of Motor Vehicles said it covertly investigates 50 inspection stations each year to ensure they’re doing their job properly.

Last year, 100 stations were chosen at random for inspection.

Stations that are found to be out of compliance are entitled to a hearing and can face fines, have their license suspended, or revoked altogether.

The DMV declined to share which stations are being cited at this time.

The Breakers opens its historic third-floor family space to public tours

The third-floor of the Breakers will be open to public tours for the first time in its history.

Guests will be able to walk through private bedrooms, bathrooms, and recreational spaces.

Tours will begin Monday, June 24, at 3:30 p.m.

TwoTen Oyster Bar temporarily closed after early morning fire

TwoTen Oyster Bar and Grill in South Kingstown announced the restaurant will be closed for repairs for a few months after a fire damaged the building on Tuesday.

Owner Peter Santilli said about 50 employees would be impacted by the temporary closure.

The state fire marshal's office is investigating the cause of the fire.

Giant venomous flying Joro spiders making their way up the East Coast

Large, flying, venomous spiders may be heading to the Northeast.

Experts say the Joro spider has 4-inch-long legs and that it continues to invade the U.S. from Southeast Asia.

According to researchers, the spiders are not harmful to people or animals. They can fly on strands of silk threads.

They are expected to reach New York and New Jersey this summer.

Rosecliff has hosted lavish Gilded Age parties. It just got a $7.4 million makeover.

NEWPORT – Rosecliff, one of Newport’s most famous Gilded Age mansions , is reopening to the public following an extensive $7.4 million renovation.

“All the projects that were involved were necessary. If we hadn’t moved forward we could have lost this building,” said Trudy Coxe, CEO of the Preservation Society of Newport County .

The sparkling white of the Rosecliff’s terracotta facade was one of the most noticeable improvements The Preservation Society of Newport County made to the building when Director of Properties Mike Taber guided The Newport Daily News and other members of the media around the building Thursday, but it certainly was not the only change made to the building.

Thirteen improvements made to the Gilded Age property were highlighted before the tour, including the complete replacement of the old 5,000 square foot asbestos roof, the replacement of the 600 feet of balustrade that runs the perimeter of the roof, restoration of the central garden in front of the house, restoring all of the doors with handpainted gilding and the installation of new white oak flooring in the ballroom.

The Rosecliff rivals only The Breakers and Marble House in fame, having served as the backdrop for the films "The Great Gatsby" (1974), "The Betsy" (1978), "High Society" (1956), "True Lies" (1994) and "Amistad" (1997). The building is used as a museum, exhibition space and wedding venue, with 64 weddings scheduled to take place on the property from Sept. 1 through the end of December.

It was one of the few mansions open during the pandemic due to its popularity as a tourist destination, Coxe said.

“This is really one of the most beautiful houses in Rhode Island,” Coxe said. “It’s just a beautiful, beautiful building that is worthy of protection and preservation for many decades to come.”

The organization began its eight-month renovation project on Jan. 2 and, thanks to the mild winter weather, the restoration team was able to finish two months ahead of schedule. Taber said the early completion of the main project allowed the team to complete other projects around the property, such as replacing the stone wall abutting the Cliff Walk and cleaning the statues around the fountains.

The building will reopen to the public on Sept. 1 with a new exhibition on Newport’s connection to China and the Chinese community that thrived in Newport during the Gilded Age. The Preservation Society’s Food and Wine Festival will also be held on the property starting Sept. 22.

“There’s so much history here and this particular spot is such an iconic part of Newport and to have it revitalized in this way, even from someone having been here before, seeing it refreshed and just so vibrant is pretty amazing,” Discover Newport’s Director of Communications Cassandra Earle said. “Having this back both from the leisure-transient perspective and then also from the events perspective…to be able to have the number of guests that are going to be coming through here… it’s going to have a wonderful impact on the tourism economy for all of Newport County.”

The history of Rosecliff

Completed in 1902 at a cost of $2.5 million, Rosecliff was commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1899, according to the Preservation Society .

Watch the Gilded Age: Want a sneak peek at 'The Gilded Age' season 2? Trailer suggests lots of drama, intrigue

Theresa and Hermann Oelrichs purchased the property in 1891 from the estate of historian and diplomat George Bancroft.

"An amateur horticulturist, Bancroft grew thousands of roses at Rosecliff and his gardens along the Cliff Walk were famous. The Oelrichs later bought additional property along Bellevue Avenue and commissioned Stanford White to replace the original house with the mansion that became the setting for many of Newport’s most lavish parties. Rosecliff is now preserved through the generosity of its last private owners, Mr. and Mrs. J. Edgar Monroe, of New Orleans. They gave the house, its furnishings, and an endowment to the Preservation Society in 1971," the Preservation Society notes.

Chinese Tea House

Review Highlights

“ Absolutely wonderful and a must to grab lunch after visiting the marble house to continue the day's theme of the gilded age. ” in 4 reviews

“ Though you can see the Tea House from the Cliff Walk , there is no direct entrance! ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

596 Bellevue Ave

Newport, RI 02840

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Overall rating

Such a cute place for a light snack or high tea after touring the Marble House. We had scones, biscuits, coffee, cookies, and macaroons. Everything was perfect.

Tiny cute macaroon. Delish!

Great views

Our friend had made a reservation for us to have an early lunch at the Chinese Tea House, with a full tea service. Reserved tea services will get you a seat inside or around the terrace of the tea house. They also sell light snacks like pastries and sandwiches, if you're just looking for a light snack while touring the Marble House. I think the cost was about $65 per person and you get a full tea tour with scones, pastries, and tea sandwiches. You also get an entree of your choice and a pot of tea of your choice. Each tea service comes with a welcome drink of champagne or a non-alcoholic lavendar spritz, which we all partook. It was really good! I had a sort-of green tea, which was lovely. The tea service was great. The entrees, I think, are a bit lackluster. I had the tomato bisque and it was very watery. I think that was the only low point of the meal. Service was great - they checked up on us often and we felt very well taken care of. The views are spectacular and we really enjoyed the nice meal.

Surprisingly good! I thought the food would be touristy and overpriced, but it was actually very enjoyable. And what a gorgeous location and view! The cafe closes an hour before the Marblehouse does, so be sure to leave ample time if you're trying to include a bite here on your itinerary. Though you can see the Tea House from the Cliff Walk, there is no direct entrance! So factor that into your timing. The iced tea was so refreshing! It's made in house and unsweetened. The lemonade is also made in house. It's tangy and sweet, but not too sweet. Just right! The honey butter biscuits with jam were doughy goodness. The butter was difficult to spread, so be sure to grab a set of utensils. There are outdoor tables and umbrellas so you can order your food to-do. Dining inside the tea house requires a prix fixe afternoon tea ($35) menu.

I just reached out to them based on the reviews here, and it looks like policies have changed. I wanted to post, in case anyone else is reading the available reviews. It appears that now tea service has been taken over by a third party, "Stoneacre Hospitality." Tea service is only available on weekends. To make a reservation requires a ticket to enter the grounds ($25/person) and also a tea service prix fixe ($65/person), for a total of $90/person. This price is much higher than what's quoted elsewhere, so I wanted to give folks a heads up. Star ratings are required to post; please take into account that I have not purchased the tea service so I am choosing the midpoint.

We dined here for a special holiday tea put on by Stone Acre. It was FANTASTIC. The detail of this historic place was amazing. Loved reading about the reason why it was built and what it was used for: I did think the space was on the warm side.

See all photos from Kristen S. for Chinese Tea House

Absolutely wonderful and a must to grab lunch after visiting the marble house to continue the day's theme of the gilded age. The tea house is so adorable, we were lucky to walk in and get a table right away, but reservations are recommended. The tea and sandwiches is around $35 which is very reasonable. Absolutely loooooved the scones, the sandwiches were just ok, and the desserts were excellent. They did have a vegetarian option for the sandwiches which was great! Just a great little spot!

Loved everything! First time there, can't wait to go back. The view was stunning. Loved learning the history from our server.

See all photos from Michelle A. for Chinese Tea House

Stoneacre Tea House located on the grounds of the Marble House in Newport is a cute little historical tea house where much wheeling and dealing was done by progressive ladies in the days of the women's suffrage movement. Present day, it serves as a place to stop for refreshments after a tour of the gilded Marble House. Beautiful grounds, the cliff walk just below, and iced tea/snacks with a view!

Tea House History

Great way to end tour. Staff was attentive. Views are perfect. And tower plentiful and delicious.

The two stars is for the ambiance. Although on a hot day it would be very warm inside. We were told no option but to do the $35 tea per person which is fine, but the food on it is not very good. Stroop waffles, store bought macarons are some of the items on the tray. When leaving we realized there is another a la carte menu but you have to sit outside which we would have done rather than pay $170 for store bought items.

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The Vanderbilts Would Have Been Scandalized by This Sleek Waterfront House

Gilded Age, meet the modern age!

In an era of homogeneous highways and interchangeable subdivisions, there remain a few American locales whose mere names conjure an entire world and aesthetic. Places like Nantucket, New Orleans, and Charleston have clung to a unique identity, enshrining vernacular style in residences and downtowns in hopes of warding off the encroachment of sameness.

A surprisingly large number of the houses still stand, clustered around the deep-water harbor that attracts yachts and regattas. Some have remained as family homes or become trophies for newcomers like Oracle founder Larry Ellison. No matter whose name is on the deed, though, one thing you do not associate with Newport is modern architecture.

Which is why in the spring of 2020, when the ELLE DECOR A-List architect and designer Poonam Khanna, founder of the New York City–based firm Unionworks , received a call from Charlotte Wagner, a Boston art collector and philanthropist, she was intrigued.

Wagner and her husband had bought a waterfront plot with a teardown Victorian where they were building a weekend retreat. As longtime collectors of edgy blue-chip works—Wagner is a trustee of Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art—they wanted a definitively modernist house, but it had to be sited, designed, and crafted with the similar level of care as the original grand homes. “We wanted to honor the excellence that distinguishes this community,” Charlotte says.

Most of all, the house had to establish a strong connection to the landscape, inside and out. It was an ideal match for Khanna, who in her decades of practice has developed a reputation for balancing minimalism with a quiet, organic grace. She is a master of materials, using metals, wood, and boldly figured stone in a way that seems entirely fresh.

Tour This Modernist Home in Newport

Designed by the Boston-based architect David Stern , the property—a main house and a guest cottage connected by a rain garden—seems almost to blend into the reedy, windswept surroundings. With its flat roof and mahogany rain screen, the silhouette is low slung and severe, in the modernist tradition, but because a big portion of the lower level is a breezeway leading straight to the sea, it feels as airy as a length of driftwood. Over time, the untreated mahogany will gradually turn silver, adding to the effect.

The couple’s principal residence in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is filled with statement furnishings, including works by the Milanese architect Vincenzo De Cotiis, a perfect foil to art by Cecily Brown, Glenn Ligon, and Alice Neel. In Newport, by contrast, Khanna has created an oasis of comfort and informality. To weave in a sense of beachy serenity without monotony, the rooms, while neutral in palette, are vivid with texture. Khanna edited away noise by repeating materials in unexpected places and playing with different colorways in the same textile on the furniture and surfaces. “We wanted there to be a subtle thread that runs through,” she says, “like ripples of water.”

One of the most compelling inspirations came early in the project when Khanna and Wagner took a walk together around the five-acre property and adjacent beachfront. They scrambled over the formations of local rock, known as pudding-stone, a Paleozoic-era aggregate of rounded pebbles of various shades fused with a neutral sandy background. “We found our palette right there,” Khanna says.

.css-12zwr2e{font-family:Sabon,Sabon-styleitalic-roboto,Sabon-styleitalic-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;font-size:1.625rem;font-style:italic;letter-spacing:-0.0225rem;line-height:1.2;margin:0rem;}@media(max-width: 48rem){.css-12zwr2e{font-size:1.9375rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.css-12zwr2e{font-size:1.9375rem;line-height:1.3;}}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-12zwr2e{font-size:2.75rem;line-height:1.1;}}.css-12zwr2e b,.css-12zwr2e strong{font-family:inherit;font-weight:bold;}.css-12zwr2e em,.css-12zwr2e i{font-style:italic;font-family:inherit;}.css-12zwr2e i,.css-12zwr2e em{font-style:italic;font-family:Sabon,Sabon-styleitalic-roboto,Sabon-styleitalic-local,Georgia,Times,Serif;} “We wanted there to be a subtle thread that runs through, like ripples of water.” —Poonam Khanna

The exterior’s slender verticals carry into the interior, where Khanna plays toward and against that geometry. In the entry, oak wall panels create a warm backdrop for minimal metal stair railings. One of the house’s most spectacular artworks—a wobbly grid of brightly colored squares by the 78-year-old abstractionist Stanley Whitney—stakes out pride of place on the landing.

In the main home’s great room, an asymmetrical U-shaped sofa sets the tone for the layout and flow. The colors of the furnishings echo the landscape; the mix includes a blocky round oak table by Yabu Pushelberg, Danish dining chairs with delicate wooden frames, and a David Weeks chandelier that is as much sculpture as illumination. “The idea was to have a lot of pattern and detail but modulate it at a low volume,” Khanna explains.

In the nearby powder room, she employs her characteristic panache with figured stone. Here, a vanity and wall in richly veined Turkish marble is paired with a vintage French rope mirror. It is this kind of subdued daring—knowing when and how exactly to introduce a graphic slash into that sense of calm—that is at the heart of Khanna’s gentle talent. “The idea is to lull you into relaxation,” she notes. “And then, when you’re ready, bring you back to earth.”

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Donald Trump arrives in Beverly Hills to rake in campaign cash

D onald Trump touched down in the city of angels on Friday, June 7, to attend a Beverly Hills campaign reception as part of a three-day fundraising swing through the Bay Area, Los Angeles and Orange County.

This was his first fundraising tour after being convicted of 34 felonies in New York, a verdict that has riled up Republicans and led to a historic surge in campaign contributions. Now he hopes to capitalize on this momentum to rake in big dollars at Friday’s fundraiser as well as at a Saturday event in Newport Beach.

At around 3 p.m., a crowd of Trump supporters gathered on the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Delfern Drive in Beverly Hills to await the passage of the former president’s motorcade. People waved giant American and Israeli flags, donned Trump hats and cheered into bullhorns.

Trump’s motorcade drove by with an escort from the California Highway Patrol around 4 p.m. At the sight of the motorcade, the crowd exploded into cheers and chanted, “We want Trump!”

“My heart was beating so hard and I was so, so excited to see him drive by,” said Beverly Hills resident Michelle Toumari. “I was about to cry knowing that he’s about to be our next president.”

Sherman Oaks resident Monty Delhartz brought a life-size cardboard cut out of Trump with him.

“It’s so exciting that he’s visiting, I can’t wait to see him drive by,” he said shortly before Trump arrived. Delhartz said he’s looking forward to helping reelect Trump in November and “return this country back to normal” by bringing down crime and the cost of living.

“The inflation is out of control,” he said. “You’ve got to make up your mind whether you want to pay your utility bills or you want heat this day.”

Beverly Hills resident Shiva Bagheri also highlighted inflation under Biden’s leadership as a key reason why many people are supporting Trump.

“Now that they see their pocketbook under Trump, and then their pocketbook under Biden, people are waking up,” she said. “They are saying, ‘Wow, the Democrats are really screwing us over’.”

Bagheri added, “We are the highest taxed state in the country and what are we getting from it? High crime, bad infrastructure, indoctrination in schools and open borders.”

She also highlighted antisemitism on college campuses as a reason many Jewish residents of Beverly Hills will be supporting Trump in November.

The Trump fundraiser took place at the private residence of Lee Samson at 804 N. Elm Drive. Samson is a board member of the Republican Jewish Coalition and owner of a chain of nursing homes. He previously hosted Trump for a fundraiser in 2019 that raised $5 million.

“Trump’s got a lot of supporters out here, and we’re expecting massive numbers at the rallies,” said Will Donohue, president of the College Republicans of America in an earlier interview.

“The grassroots has been seriously energized by the outcome of the verdict a few days ago and I think the general consensus of our grassroots here in California is the same nationally: they don’t believe this was a fair trial,” he added.

Donohue said Beverly Hills is a natural place for Trump to visit because many of its residents are fans of his tax cuts and recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. The city is also home to two of Los Angeles’ rare red voting precincts where a majority of voters supported Trump in the 2020 election.

While local Trump lovers were expected to be loud and proud at Friday’s rally, regional Republican representatives have been much more muted in their response to his SoCal stop.

Neither Rep. Mike Garcia, R-Santa Clarita, nor Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Seal Beach, responded to the Daily News’ request for comment about Trump’s visit or recent court verdict. Both congress members are up for election in battleground districts that could play a key role in determining which party controls the House come January.

Steel has not spoken publicly about the verdict, while Garcia initially declined multiple news outlets’ requests for comment but gave one to a reporter in D.C. on Monday. When asked whether he is concerned about having a convicted felon at the top of the ticket he said, “No. I think the American people saw what happened in New York, they saw what were typically misdemeanors being elevated to 34 felonies.”

Both candidates’ responses to the verdict have drawn harsh criticism from Democratic leaders.

“Ultimately, Republicans like Mike Garcia and Michelle Steel are stuck between a rock and a far-right place,” said Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spokesperson Dan Gottleib. “They made their bed with Trump, and now they’ll have to justify to California voters how comfortable they are undermining law and order alongside the 34-time convicted elephant in the room. Steel’s silence and Garcia’s embrace are incredibly telling.”

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Regional Republicans, on the other hand, have been more understanding of their reticence to speak out.

“A number of Republicans in swing districts in California win because of people who split the ticket, so they will vote for Biden and then for them,” said Jon Fleischman, former executive director of the California Republican Party. “Thus they all need to have their own local strategies on how to keep the focus on the issues that matter to these swing voters.”

This sentiment was echoed by Donohue, who said he recognizes that both candidates have reason to be concerned about political retribution from their commentary on Trump.

“As far as actual input on the Trump trial, I think a lot of them need to do what they need to do to win reelection,” he said. “There’s a lot of consultants that have ideas about what’s best for poll numbers and how they’re going to perform in their district. I think it’s imperative that we keep the house.”

While SoCal residents shouldn’t expect to see Garcia or Steel campaigning for Trump this weekend, Garcia has endorsed Trump for reelection and Steel signed on as a delegate for Trump in the presidential primary.

Residents can, however, expect to see more of Trump in the coming months as he seeks to collect California cash to spend in swing states.

“California is one of a handful of key economic engines that drive a GOP presidential campaign,” said Tim Clark, who headed Trump’s 2016 campaign in the West. “Southern California and the Bay Area are particularly strong in fundraising for the Republican nominee, and with many tech CEOs coming out strongly in favor of funding President Trump’s campaign, it’s clear that the cancel-culture dam has broken.”

Biden is also expected to make more fundraising trips out West, the soonest of which comes next weekend when he will headline a star-studded fundraiser at the Peacock Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

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