vanderbilt mansion holiday tours

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Treat yourself to the beloved estate tradition known as christmas at biltmore , when america’s largest home ® , antler hill village, and the entire estate are at their most enchanting., two magical experiences await you., nov 2, 2024 – jan 5, 2025, christmas at biltmore daytime celebration.

By day, the elegant rooms of Biltmore House shimmer, beautifully bedecked with Christmas trees, ribbons, garlands, and thousands of twinkling lights.

NOV 2, 2024 – JAN 4, 2025

Candlelight christmas evenings.

Flickering candlelight, glowing fireplaces, and live music invite you to imagine yourself a guest at the first Vanderbilt family Christmas in 1895.

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Vanderbilt Mansion Group Tour Reservation

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site Tours

Established as a monument to an era, this estate illustrates a way of life modeled on the English country house. For nearly two centuries, this place was home to socially prominent New Yorkers. A superb example of its type, Vanderbilt Mansion represents the domestic ideal of the elite class in the late nineteenth-century America. It provides a glimpse of estate life, the social stratification of the period, and the world of the American millionaire during the era historians refer to as The Gilded Age. 

The National Park Service preserves over 200 acres of the original property, including historic buildings, original furnishings, manicured landscapes, natural woodlands, formal gardens and associated documents. The centerpiece of the estate is the mansion, a masterpiece of American Beaux-Arts design by the distinguished architectural firm McKim, Mead & White.

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Need to Know

Advance reservations are available ONLY for commercial groups and public groups of 20 or more people.  

Individual tickets are available first-come, first-served at the site. Tour times can be found at the park website www.nps.gov/VAMA

• Advance reservations are available ONLY for commercial groups and public groups of 20 or more people. Individual tickets are available first-come, first-served at the site. 
• Weather closures are common, please check website and social media for more information.
• Tour times are subject to change.
• A mix of guided and self guided tours are provided, depending on attendance levels and available staffing.  
• Tour guides & bus drivers must be counted in the group in order to enter.
• Maximum of 50 people per group.
• Every person requires a ticket.
• If you arrive late, your tour is forfeited. We may be able to provide access for your group later in the day depending on visitation. 
• Refunds are available, minus the reservation fee, until 24 hours before the tour. No exceptions.

Access to Vanderbilt Mansion is by tour only. When unexpected high visitation occurs, the guided tours may switch to self guided tours.

No flash photography.

Yes, this tour involves a .25 mile walk to the mansion and back. The tour takes places indoors and outdoors. Please dress according to the weather. Tours operate during high tempertatures, low tempatures, snow and rain.

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Hudson Valley Mansions Dress Up for Christmas

Holiday Tours and Events at New York's Hudson Valley Mansions

Much like Newport, Rhode Island , New York's Hudson Valley is home to some of the country's finest architectural masterpieces, which served as mansion homes to industrialists and the landed gentry. These elegant mansions are even more breathtaking when adorned with ribbons, pine, floral arrangements and period Christmas decorations during the holiday season.

Here is your guide to special holiday tours and events at the Hudson Valley mansions this Christmas season. Most have alluring gift shops, where you can buy gifts for the holidays or treat yourself; even better, your purchases support preservation.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas at Locust Grove

Locust Grove Historic Estate in Poughkeepsie, just 85 miles north of New York City, is best known as home of telegraph inventor Samuel F.B. Morse, but the mansion's original owner, Henry Livingston, Jr., also has a claim to fame. Some scholars believe he's the true author of the classic Christmas tale, 'Twas the Night Before Christmas .

On weekends from late November through mid-December and daily December 26-30, 2017, Locust Grove celebrates the magic of Christmas past with special holiday tours of the mansion's 25 rooms, decorated with trees and elegant embellishments. On December 7 and 14, Locust Grove hosts Sunset Sensations Wine & Food Events featuring twilight self-guided tours, cooking demonstrations and wines paired with holiday nibbles prepared by local chefs. A popular tradition is the Holiday House Hunt on December 3, 10 and 17, when kids and families embark on holiday-themed scavenger hunts through the mansion.

Victorian Holiday House Tours at Wilderstein

Wilderstein , an imposing Queen Anne Victorian mansion in historic Rhinebeck, will be decked out in floral splendor for the holiday season. For more than 30 years, talented florists and designers have transformed the first floor of Margaret ("Daisy") Suckley's home into a Christmas wonderland, and visitors can enjoy Holiday House Tours of the mansion's Victorian and modern decorations on November 24, 25 and 26 and December 2 and 3, 9 and 10, 16 and 17, 23 and 26 and 27. Make reservations well ahead of time for a special Yuletide Tea on December 9. You may recognize Suckley's name for her relationship with FDR, which is central to the movie Hyde Park on Hudson starring Bill Murray as the late president. For more information, call 845-876-4818.

Holiday Events at the Home of Franklin Roosevelt

Visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Home and Eleanor Roosevelt's Val-Kill cottage  in Hyde Park throughout December for a glimpse of how the president and his family celebrated the holidays. A Holiday Open House on Saturday, December 9, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. is an ideal time to see FDR's mansion decorated for the holidays. Shuttles will take guests to Val-Kill cottage for a holiday open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Admission to the event is free. For information, call 845-229-9115 or toll free, 800-FDR-VISIT.

If you're visiting Hyde Park with children, plan to also enjoy special holiday events at the FDR Presidential Library & Museum . Although 2017 programming has not yet been announced, activities typically include the Children's Reading Festival in the Henry A. Wallace Visitor and Education Center, a visit from Santa and holiday card making for sailors aboard the USS Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt .

Christmas at Clermont

Clermont State Historic Site invites visitors to celebrate Christmas with the Livingston family during a free public open house on December 16, 2017. A Child's Christmas will be the theme of holiday tours offered December 2 and 3. Special candlelight tours of Clermont will also be offered beginning at 3 p.m. on December 17. After your tour, enjoy wassail and traditional holiday goodies in the mansion's historic kitchen. Call 518-537-4240 for additional details about these seasonal events.

A Gilded Age Christmas at Staatsburgh State Historic Site

Celebrate a Gilded Age Christmas at Staatsburgh State Historic Site in Staatsburg from late November through late December (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas). You'll marvel at the splendid dining room decorations at this Gilded Age landmark, formerly known as the Mills Mansion. If there's snow, bring the kids. They'll love sledding with a Hudson River view. Call 845-889-8851 for holiday season updates.

Mr. Dickens Tells a Christmas Carol at Lyndhurst

Located in Tarrytown, New York, Lyndhurst is a fortress-like Gothic Revival Mansion on the Hudson River. A Very Duchess Holiday tours are offered Thursday through Monday, November 24-December 30 in 2017. Lavish Christmas decorations, rarely exhibited children's toys and jewels and clothing that belonged to Anna Gould, the Duchess of Talleyrand—Lyndhurst's last private owner—make for a visual feast. 

This National Trust for Historic Preservation property also hosts 60-minute, all-ages theatrical performances this holiday season of  Mr. Dickens Tells a Christmas Carol . Guests will follow actor Michael Muldoon through the mansion as he weaves tales from Dickens' actual scripts. Performances run December 10 through 30. Tickets are $40 for adults, $35 for seniors and children up through age 16. They can be purchased online. Call 914-631-4481 for details.

Vanderbilt Mansion Holiday Open House

Welcome the season at Vanderbilt Mansion 's free Holiday Open House on Sunday, December 3, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Visitors are invited to wear their finest holiday attire and to snap photos in front of the mansion's Elliptical Hall Christmas tree. See the mansion's sparkling, elaborate Christmas decorations during regular tours throughout the season at this gracious mansion in Hyde Park, New York. Call 845-229-9115 to verify holiday season tour hours and dates.

Twilight Christmas Tours at Boscobel

Boscobel , a Federal-style mansion in Garrison, New York, overlooking the Hudson River and West Point, will offer six evenings of Twilight Tours this Christmas season on Friday, November 24; Saturdays, November 25, December 2 and December 9; and Sundays, December 3 and December 10. Visitors will find candlelit mansion rooms and 19th-century decorations and enjoy the sounds of live string ensembles. Tours begin from 4 until 7 p.m. each evening. Advance ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Daytime tours of Boscobel are also offered daily through December 31 except Tuesdays and Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Visitors will have a chance to see the mansion decked out for the holidays and to learn about holiday traditions and entertaining during the Federal period. Daytime house tour reservations are not required.

Holiday Craft Workshops at Olana

Sculptor Frederic Church's picturesque and eclectic home, Olana , in Hudson, New York, will host a series of seven hands-on holiday craft workshops in 2017:

• The Art of Wrapping Paper on November 24,
• Explore & Create: Paper Windows on November 25,
• The Art of Seasonal Greens: 19th Century Wreath Making on November 29,
• Explore & Create: Persian Inspired Tiles on December 2,
• The Art of Holiday Greens: Boxwood Tree Making on December 6,
• 19th Century Holiday Cards on December 9, and
• The Art of Wax: Beeswax Candle Making on December 9.

Purchase tickets to participate  online in advance , and make special Christmas gifts and decorations in an inspiring setting. For more information, call 518-828-0135.

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Touring the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in the Hudson Valley

The Vanderbilts are one of America’s most well-known wealthy families and their Biltmore Estate in North Carolina might be one of the most famous homes in America, but did you know that you can visit another Vanderbilt home in the Hudson Valley ? That’s right, the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site in Hyde Park, New York offers a taste of the Vanderbilt’s wealth and luxury only a short distance north of New York City .

The home that became the focal point of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is built on land that was first settled as an estate in the 1760s. This land became known as Hyde Park and would later give its name to the nearby town (which is now more famous for its connections to President Franklin Roosevelt ).

The current home on the property was built in the late 1890s and was used almost exclusively as a vacation home by Frederick Vanderbilt, who was the director of 22 different railroads, most notably the New York Central Railroad.

Yes, believe it or not, this 45,000 square-foot home with 54 rooms, was used as a seasonal vacation home by the family, Though, by Vanderbilt standards, it was relatively modest, especially compared to the 178,000 square-foot Biltmore Estate that his brother George built in North Carolina around the same time.

After Frederick Vanderbilt died in 1938, the property was inherited by his niece, Margaret Van Alen. In 1940, at the urging of neighbor and current president, Franklin Roosevelt, she donated the home and much of the land to the National Park Service, creating the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

Today, the grounds are open for free throughout the year, and the Vanderbilt home is open for guided tours at a modest cost.

Even though I’d already visited a few other Gilded Age homes in the area on the same trip ( Staatsburgh and the Rockefeller’s Kykuit ), I was excited to check out another opulent home and learn about another of America’s most famous families.

Tours of the mansion are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and run on the hour when the mansion is opened (See the site’s website as exact tour schedules can change based on the season.) Because there are no reservations, make sure you arrive early if you want to take a tour on a busy day or you might have to wait a while for an open spot.

Tours of the mansion last roughly one hour (Mine was a little over that), and take you through more than a dozen rooms inside the Vanderbilt mansion.

Even if you’ve visited other Gilded Age Mansions, the opulence of this space is sure to wow you. When the mansion was donated to the National Park Service, nearly all of the home’s furnishings came with it, so you really get a great glimpse into how Frederick Vanderbilt and his family lived in and used this home.

As they guide you through the home, rangers offer a lot of great information covering topics including the Vanderbilt family, how each room was used, and some of the furnishings in the space. There really is a lot to see here, and guides do a great job helping you appreciate each room and the mansion as a whole.

Of all the rooms I saw, probably my favorite space was the area just beyond the front door.

Here, you’ll find a grand room with couches, a stone fireplace, and several beautiful sculptures. However, what sets this place apart from other spaces in the home is the large octagonal opening in the ceiling that leads right up to the second floor and a large skylight above that.

This makes the space truly majestic and is a really neat architectural element within the space.

Tours continue through a large portion of the rest of the mansion, passing through several incredible rooms. There’s also the chance to go to the upstairs of the home, and you can even see the opening from above.

It truly is a treat to see the interior of this opulent home.

Either before or after touring the home, it’s worth taking some time to explore the beautiful park-like grounds on the property.

From several spots, including behind the home, there are fantastic views overlooking the Hudson River and the forested hillsides on the opposite side. Many of these views can be seen along or near the roadway through the park, making them easy for anyone to check out.

There is also a road that heads down to the bottom of the hill and provides great views along the banks of the river. While the road is open on certain days to drive down, many opt to park at the top and walk the half-mile down to Bard Rock.

Whether you drive or walk down, this is a beautiful area to see along the river and was a highlight of my time at the site.

Overall, the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site is an incredibly interesting spot to visit and a great place to learn about the extravagance of the Gilded Age. If you love New York history , definitely add this to your list of spots to tour.

Looking for even more to do in the area? Check out the Legend of Sleepy Hollow , Olana State Historic Site , and Dover Stone Church .

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

See map below for other area attractions., more nearby places worth exploring.

Hiking to Little Stony Point in Cold Spring, NY

Exploring the Legend of Sleepy Hollow in the Hudson Valley

Touring Lindenwald at the Martin Van Buren National Historic Site in Kinderhook

Is It Worth Attending the Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze in the Hudson Valley?

Find more things to do in the hudson valley.

Jim Cheney is the creator of Uncovering New York. After spending 5.5 years exploring Pennsylvania, Jim discovered a love for New York and is excited to spend time exploring this great state and uncovering the best things to do here.

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Decorated Historic Sites this Holiday Season in Dutchess

The holiday season truly is “the most wonderful time of the year” in the Hudson Valley, and Dutchess County’s many Colonial homesteads and Gilded Age mansions are getting decked out in their most festive décor for the occasion. Warm your heart and set your holiday spirit aglow with a visit to any of these historic sites and great estates and learn about the people, events and cultures that have shaped the region’s rich history. 

Planning your winter in Dutchess County? Click here.

Featured in this article:  Staatsburgh State Historic Site | Elmendorph Inn | Wilderstein Historic Site | Mesier Homestead | Clermont Historic Site | Locust Grove Estate | Mount Gulian Historic Site  | Roosevelt Historic Sites  | Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site  

Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburg

Make your reservations now for Staatsburgh’s “A Gilded Age Christmas”  and immerse yourself in holiday cheer as you tour Ogden and Ruth Livingston Mills’ lavish estate overlooking the Hudson River. Tours run Thursday through Sunday, Nov. 24 – Dec. 31 (except Dec. 24 and 25), plus Dec. 26 and 27. Admire the home’s stunning interiors, along with their original furniture and art, specially decorated for the holiday season. 

Perhaps you’d like to party like it’s 1899. If so, then the Friends of Mills at Staatsburgh's A Gilded Victorian Christmas Gala  on Dec. 9 is just your thing. Enjoy live music, hors d’oeuvres and drinks in the Mills Mansion’s formal dining room. (Note: Currently, the Gilded Age Gala is SOLD OUT for 2023).

Related: Local Dutchess Sparkling Wines Perfect for Your New Year's Cheers  

Elmendorph Inn, Red Hook

Historic Red Hook hosts a traditional holiday favorite with its Holiday Open House  at the Elmendorph Inn on Dec. 3. Enjoy live holiday music, hot mulled cider, homemade cookies and fresh-baked treats from the beehive oven! Constructed in the mid-1700s, the Elmendorph Inn once served as a popular and convenient stopover on the stagecoach trip between New York City and Albany, which took four days (Are we there yet??).

Wilderstein Historic Site, Rhinebeck

The former residence of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s distant cousin and longtime confidante Daisy Suckley, Wilderstein is open for Holiday Tours  on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Thanksgiving Weekend through Dec. 23. Take a guided tour of the first floor, along with the recently restored second floor of the mansion, which was built in 1852. The estate was named Wilderstein (wild man’s stone) in reference to a Native American petroglyph on the property, a reminder of the Indigenous peoples who lived in this region before the arrival of the European settlers. 

Mesier Homestead, Wappingers Falls

Holiday Open House events (Dec. 6, 13, 16 and 20) offer a perfect chance to experience the Mesier Homestead all dressed up for the holidays, complete with candlelight, greenery, ribbons and bows. The little ones are sure to love Mesier’s Sinterklaas and Dutch Holiday Traditions celebration on Dec. 2. This fun family event is filled with stories, decorations and traditional Dutch holiday treats. Discover the history of Sinterklaas and learn about the holiday traditions the Dutch settlers brought with them to the New World. Learn how Sinterklaasavond (St. Nicholas eve) was celebrated, and taste some of the traditional Dutch sweets that were part of the festivities. 

While you’re there, learn about the homestead’s fascinating history. It was constructed in 1741 by Dutchmen Adolphus and Nicholas Brouwer. Nicholas and his sons were active Patriots and provided wheat, corn and other supplies, without compensation, to George Washington's Army during the Revolutionary War. The Homestead was later sold to Peter Mesier, a Tory loyalist merchant from New York City whose store was the target of the Wappingers Tea Party of 1777.  Be sure to visit the Mesier Homestead gift shop for local-themed art, books and gifts — but beware of angry Patriots who refuse to pay full price for tea! 

Related: Experience the Magic of Sinterklaas in Dutchess  

Clermont Historic Site, Germantown

Speaking of “A Visit from St. Nicholas,” head to the Livingston Mansion at the Clermont Historic Site for the Holiday Traditions for Children  event on Dec. 3 and enjoy a free reading of the timeless poem by the Livingston’s nanny, followed by caroling and a visit from Belsnickel, the centuries-old, fictional, gift-giving character from German folklore who came to the New World with the Palatines. The fur-cloaked Belsnickel came to bring gifts to the good children and scare the bad ones into being good.

There will also be a Crafty Kids Holiday Party featuring holiday crafts, a hot chocolate bar, wintertime treats and a festive atmosphere on Dec. 9, and a Holiday Open House featuring the mansion decorated for the season on Dec. 16.

The original Livingston Mansion, built in 1740, was burned by the British in 1777 because of the family’s allegiance to the Patriots during the Revolutionary War. Margaret Beekman Livingston escaped to a relative’s house in Connecticut before the burning and soon returned to oversee the project of reconstructing the mansion. 

Locust Grove Estate, Poughkeepsie

The crew at Locust Grove will have the 170-year-old mansion looking simply “dashing” for the holidays (which is what one might expect at the one-time summer home of Samuel Morse, the inventor of Morse Code and the telegraph). See more than 20 trees fancifully decorated with antique ornaments, as well as other seasonal displays.  Holiday Mansion Tours  are held each Saturday from Dec. 2 – 23 and daily from Dec. 26 – 30. 

Bring the kids for the Holiday Hunt in the Mansion,  a festive scavenger hunt in the historic, Italianate-style mansion, set for Dec. 3, 10 and 17. Also on Dec. 10 will be a discussion featuring author and art historian Pamela McColl, who will talk about the beloved poem, “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” Many scholars believe the poem was written by Locust Grove's 18th-century owner, Henry Livingston Jr.  

If you’re looking to finish your holiday shopping (or, perhaps, start it) then head to Locust Grove the weekend after Thanksgiving, Nov. 24 – 26, for the Hudson Valley Artisan Marketplace.  Browse through the unique, hand-made creations of dozens of vendors from the Hudson Valley.   

There are also a variety of editions of Sunset Sensations, Locust Grove's delicious dining series featuring chefs, craft beverage professionals and other local foodies curating three-course menus. Click here for a full schedule!

Related: Top 10 December Events  

Mount Gulian Historic Site, Beacon

Tours of the Verplanck homestead — which served as the headquarters of patriot General Friedrich Von Steuben during the Revolutionary War — will be held on December 10, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Tours will begin at 12, 1 and 2 p.m.; reservations are recommended but not required. The rooms of the home will be decorated in different styles to reflect different time periods, including Victorian décor in the dining room; rustic decorations in the study; and contemporary holiday displays in the main room. The museum’s fascinating collections of artifacts and ephemera will be showcased against the backdrop of the stunning holiday displays. Prepare to be amazed as you learn of the remarkable history of Mount Gulian  and its various residents. 

Plus, Mount Gulian's popular Children's Holiday Tea is set for Dec. 27. This event, which is always sold out in advance, combines fun, good manners, and education about a bygone era in an place where social teas were once standard fare. It will be held in Mount Gulian’s two main museum rooms, beautifully decorated for the holidays, with tables set with fine linens and china. Prepaid reservations are due by Dec. 15.

Roosevelt Historic Sites, Hyde Park

The Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site will host holiday-themed tours — which will feature a ranger-guided tour and stories about Roosevelt family Christmas traditions — every day from Nov. 24 – Dec. 31 (except Dec. 25).

Val-Kill Cottage at the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site will host free ranger-guided tours of three rooms of the cottage which have been decorated for the holidays every Saturday and Sunday from Nov. 24 – Dec. 31.

The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum and the Home of FDR National Historic Site will host a full day of free holiday events on Dec. 9. The Museum will be open to visitors free of charge from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Home of FDR (Springwood) will have free tours available from 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Enjoy holiday decorations, refreshments and special activities — including live music and free photo ops with Santa — beginning at 12 p.m. in the Wallace Center. Also, Val-Kill will be decorated for the holidays and open to visitors for free from 12:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.

The annual Children's Reading Festival is also scheduled for Dec. 9 from 1:30 – 4 p.m. in the Wallace Center. Children's book authors will read from and sign copies of their books.; featured books will be available for purchase in the New Deal Store in the Wallace Center. Participating authors include Barbara Ann Mojica, author of "Little Miss History Travels to Hyde Park, Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum," and Barbara Guerriero-Flites, author of "The Memoir of a White House Dog: My Life with President Franklin Roosevelt: 1940-1945."

Children can also make holiday cards for sailors on the USS Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. Refreshments will be served throughout the afternoon in the Wallace Center lobby.

Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Hyde Park

The Roosevelts' Hyde Park neighbors, the Vanderbilts, are hosting some holiday-themed fun of their own this season. Ranger-guided  Holiday House Tours of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site will be held every day from Nov. 24 – Dec. 31 (except Dec. 25). The tours will feature more than a dozen rooms on three floors of the mansion, including the living room, which will be decorated for Christmas, and the dining room, where a table will be set for a Gilded Age holiday buffet party. 

Photo of the Main Hall Christmas Tree at Staatsburgh by Karl Rabe.

Bardavon Presents Live from Ireland: We Banjo 3

We Banjo 3 (WB3) hosts their next epic virtual experience – Live From Ireland – all four WB3 band members will be together and performing live on stage for the first time since the pandemic shut down concerts exactly one year ago. Tune in for this very special show – streaming live, in real-time, from the stunning Pearse Lyons Distillery in Dublin. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

Virtual Whiskey Pairing Dinner

Women Who Whiskey - Hudson Valley Chapter is thrilled to partner with Bia in Rhinebeck to offer a four course take-home meal paired with three exemplary Irish whiskeys and one delicious cocktail. Just place your order, pick up your fully prepared dinner and drams from Bia, and join from home for a guided pairing dinner. Tickets are $85 for one and $155 for two. Learn more and purchase tickets here.

St. Patrick’s Day Line Dance Class

Join in for a super fun St. Patrick's Day themed Line Dance class at Fred Astaire Dance Studio! Wear your greenest outfit and join the fun at 7pm on St. Patrick's Day! You must be registered for the class in order to attend. Class will cap at a maximum of 20 attendees so make sure you sign-up in the studio or by calling 845-297-2711. For more information click here.

The Mighty Ploughboys Live Stream Concert

Daryl’s House Club in Pawling has been a staple for live entertainment in the region for years. Delivered directly to your home, Daryl’s House presents The Mighty Ploughboys in concert. Celtic rock is a must-have in March, so stay in with a pint of Hudson Valley beer and enjoy the live-streamed show! Get your tickets here.

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Exclusive Peek: Vanderbilt Mansion Tour Hyde Park NY

If you read Past Lane Travels regularly, you know I’ve visited a lot of mansions over the years, but the Vanderbilt Mansion tour in Hyde Park NY was a new experience for me.

Built during the Gilded Age, the mansion has 54 rooms and was owned by one of the wealthiest families in the United States.

If you love the era of “Gilded Age Glamor,” come along on a Vanderbilt Mansion tour with me and explore this stunning house and grounds.

Your eyes will pop at this luxuriously appointed mansion that features exotic wood paneling, imported marble, lush velvets and extravagant French tapestries.

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Vanderbilt Mansion By The Numbers

✅ 6 stories ✅ 45,000 square feet ✅ Fireplaces: 21 ✅ Servants: 18 ✅ Ceilings: 17’5″ high/1st floor; 11’5″/ 2nd and 3rd floors) ✅Rooms: 54 rooms on 4 floors plus a full attic and basement

If you love exploring old houses and Southern plantations , check out my other posts.

Vanderbilt Mansion Hyde Park NY History

Frederick Vanderbilt and his wife, Louise, purchased the 153-acre Hyde Park property in 1895, and started construction on the mansion.

Three years later, at a cost of $660,000, the Vanderbilt mansion at Hyde Park was completed. (That’s more than $23 million in today’s money).

BUT, they spent another $1.5 million (around $53 million today) to furnish it!

When Was The Gilded Age?

The Gilded Age is the period following the Civil War to the Turn of the century, and was a time of vast growth in industry, technology and immigration.

Fun Fact: The Vanderbilt Mansion and grounds in Hyde Park were bequeathed to the park service in 1939 and everything inside is original, including 6,500 historic items, from fine art to antique furniture.

Vanderbilt Mansion Tour: First Floor

This is a Vanderbilt Mansion tour post, so of course you want to see the inside of this home, owned by a family that was as close to American royalty as you can get.

You’re in luck because I have plenty of photos. I was there in November so some of the rooms were set up for Christmas.

Let’s start with the first room you seen when you enter the Vanderbilt house during a mansion tour.

The oval-shaped entrance hall is really a feast for the eyes because it’s full of decorative tapestries, sculptures and other historical artifacts from the Vanderbilts.

A 17th Century Medici crest is located prominently over the grand fireplace marking the mansion as the home of a “merchant prince.”

Cipollino (“onion stone”) and Carerra marble walls and floor, classical statues and throne chairs create an impressive introduction into the Vanderbilt’s home.

During a party, this would have been a location of a formal reception and refreshments, serving to showcase their status.

Surprisingly, unlike most residences at the time, the mansion had running water and electricity, including flush toilets at a time when most people were still using chamber pots.

The next room I entered during my Vanderbilt Mansion tour was the dining room on the north side of the house.

The Vanderbilts hosted their first housewarming dinner party in May 1899 with 18 guests, and only entertained about once per season.

A formal Gilded Age dinner would include seven to twelve courses, including a different French wine with every course.

The Vanderbilt Mansion dining room contains many objects and pieces of furniture originally from Europe and Asia, including the ceiling, and the Persian carpet that is 400 years old.

If you like history, check out the 21 Best Historical Sites in PA .

This rug is also one of the largest known Islamic carpets in the world measuring 20 by 40 feet in the 30 by 50-foot room.

As the tour guide noted, the Vanderbilts only visited this house in the summer as a getaway, and probably would not have ever been there to entertain over the holidays, but it was still nice to see the decorations.

On the other side of the house (South), was the Living Room, which was furnished with a combination of antique Renaissance furnishings and Louis XV style seating.

A guest visiting the mansion in 1923 recorded that the chairs were arranged in conversational groups, and that there were flowers everywhere.

Following dinner, men would remain in the dining room for cigars, while the ladies would retire to the Living Room for coffee and liquors.

The men would join them later for games of cards, charades, and music.

Of course I have to show the Christmas tree at the Vanderbilt Mansion in the formal living room or drawing room.

More Rooms On The First Floor

The ground floor also included an 18th-century-style French salon or Reception Room, where Louise Vanderbilt would occasionally have tea with guests or spend time alone.

Look at the ceiling in this room! It has a luminous painted panel of “Aurora and Tithonus” by the American artist Edward Simmons, depicting goddess of the dawn and her spurned lover.

Guests arriving for a party might enjoy a cocktail in this “Gold Room” before moving into the Dining Room.

Eighteenth-century-style French salons like this were a typical feature of Gilded Age mansions. Though not used very often, they were essential for their display of wealth.

Other rooms on the first floor included Frederick Vanderbilt’s office and den. He conducted business from his office, which wasn’t very big.

The den was beautiful, but not as ostentatious as other rooms. It acted as a family room as well as a place to have afternoon tea, write letters or read.

Fun Fact: Frederick Vanderbilt did not hunt and forbade hunting on the property. The deer heads on the wall were purely for decoration.

Vanderbilt Mansion Tour: Second Floor

While the first floor of the Vanderbilt Mansion tour was eye-opening, the second floor held even more surprises.

It started with a grand staircase that had velvet covering the handrail so that the gloves of ladies would slide easily.

Take note of the Ming Dynasty koi-bow at the bottom of the stairs. It is half a millennium old! The Vanderbilts used it as a planter for a 20-foot live palm tree.

Louise Vanderbilt’s bedroom is a reproduction of a French Queen’s chamber from the Louis XV period. It features a ceremonial railing around the bed, silk wall coverings at the head of the bed, and French paintings.

A connecting door leads to Louise Vanderbilt’s boudoir (dressing room).

What Is The Oldest Thing In The Mansion?

The oldest object in the mansion is a painting of a processional scene, built into the 15th-century gilt cassone (Italian marriage chest) located in the dining room foyer.

How Long Is the Vanderbilt Mansion Tour?

The Vanderbilt Mansion Tour lasts about an hour and covers three floors.

How Much Does The Vanderbilt Mansion Tour Cost?

The Vanderbilt Mansion Tour in Hyde Park costs $10 and is given multiple times per day depending on the season.

Vanderbilt Mansion Tour: Basement

The Vanderbilt Mansion tour also lets guests go into the basement level, where the Basement Hall and kitchen are located.

The Basement Hall is a large elliptical central space with corridors extending north and south, connecting a range of service work rooms and bedrooms for the male staff.

This area of the Vanderbilt mansion would have been bustling with cooks, housemaids, laundresses, and footmen discharging their daily duties.

Also in the basement were the wine storage and laundry.

Although very different, the Vanderbilt Mansion Hyde Park reminded me of Nottoway Plantation in Louisiana , the largest plantation in the South. Nottoway especially serves as a contrast to the Bulow Plantation Ruins in Florida, but they all show how fun it is to explore these unusual U.S. historical sites.

A Picture-Perfect Location On The Hudson River

The Vanderbilt Mansion Hyde Park boasts spectacular views of the Hudson River as well as the Catskill and Shawangunk Mountains.

According to my tour guide, by the turn of the 20th century, the wealthiest families in the country had built palatial houses along the Hudson River between New York City and Albany.

Pro Tip: Check out the Mohonk Mountain House while you’re in the area. They have a Day Pass that gives you access to miles of trails.

The landscape surrounding the Vanderbilt mansion has been restored to its 1930s appearance, and includes five acres of tiered gardens, gravel paths, shady arbors, ornate statues and bubbling fountains.

Info On Vanderbilt Mansion Tours Hyde Park

Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt didn’t have children. After Frederick’s death in 1938, he left the house to Louise’s niece, Margaret Van Alen.

Since Margaret had no interest in the house, the Vanderbilts’ neighbor in Hyde Park, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, suggested converting it into a national park.

Today, the Vanderbilts’ Hyde Park home is preserved and operated as the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site.

The grounds are free to roam, but house tours are $10. The timing of the tours varies by season so check the Vanderbilt Mansion’s calendar before your travels.

The Vanderbilt Mansion tour of the house lets you see about 18 rooms on three floors.

Pro Tip: The House is not air conditioned and get quite hot in the summer months. Stay hydrated.

After the tour, leave time to stroll the Italian-style gardens and admire the mansion’s beaux arts architecture from the outside.

I wish I had known about the hiking trail, which is a scenic 3-mile walk that loops around the grounds and the neighboring Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site.

Why Is The Vanderbilt Mansion In Hyde Park?

The Hudson River held special significance for the Vanderbilts, because in the early 1800s, Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt began a ferry service between Staten Island and Manhattan.

Cornelius Vanderbilt was Frederick’s grandfather, who laid the foundation for the Vanderbilt fortune.

The Legacy Of A Grand Gilded Age Mansion

With more than 600 acres of landscaped property and a palatial Beaux-Arts mansion , the Vanderbilt Hyde Park estate came to symbolize the enormous wealth accumulated by a privileged few during the Gilded Age.

Typical features of Beaux-Arts buildings include a large and grandiose appearance; symmetrical facade (both sides of the central entrance are identical); exterior columns or pilasters (rectangular columns attached to a wall); wall surfaces embellished with floral patterns, garlands, medallions, or similar details; and a flat, low-pitched roof.

The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond is another example of a Beaux-Arts building.

Where Did The Term The ‘Gilded Age’ Come From?

The term Gilded Age was actually termed by renowned authors Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner in their 1873 book, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today .

The term refers to the process of gilding an object with a superficial layer of gold to improve its appearance.

Established millionaires viewed families like the Vanderbilts, who flaunted their wealth by building ostentatious homes, throwing extravagant balls and using their money to buy social prominence, as gilded –all show.

The Gilded Age estates flourished in the 1890s, until the income tax (1913), World War I (1914), and Great Depression (1930s), made their upkeep practically impossible.

Like Mansion Tours? Check out the best plantation tours in Charleston, S.C.

Planning A Trip To The Vanderbilt Mansion

I really enjoyed the Hudson River Valley and did a lot of sightseeing during my visit.

One of the highlights was a tour of West Point Military Academy where I got to see inside the stunning Cadet Chapel.

I spent a night at the beautiful Thayer Hotel at West Point and then spent two nights at the historic Mohonk Mountain House .

When you’re done with your Vanderbilt mansion tour you can head over to the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site , which is only a few miles away, as is the Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site and the Franklin Roosevelt Library and Museum.

If you’re traveling with kids, then stop by the Llama/Alpaca Hike and Farm Tour . They have all kinds of animals to visit on 25 acres.

No matter where you’ll traveling, make sure you check out these Travel Resources before your trip.

Where To Stay Near The Vanderbilt Mansion Hyde Park

Author and Travel Blogger

Jessica James is an award-winning historical fiction author and life-long Gettysburg resident who loves sharing her passions for history and travel. She enjoys exploring the back roads of the USA and uncovering stories about unique destinations, cultures and almost-forgotten history.

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• heritage tourism
• historic houses
• Hudson River Valley
• National Parks & Historic Sites

Visit the Gilded Age at the Vanderbilt Mansion

Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt built their Vanderbilt Mansion, in Hyde Park NY, high above the Hudson River. This seasonal home was a their spring and fall retreat, one of several they owned in New York City, Bar Harbor, Newport and the Adirondacks.

The late 1800s was an era of unparalleled growth in the United States. With the Civil War behind us, unfettered capitalism made its mark. Most of the companies that the Robber Barons created and ran have either closed in the century and a half since, or have morphed into other named companies. But the one thing most of these Robber Barons left behind were their Gilded Age mansions.

About Frederick and Louise

If you want to have a mansion like Frederick’s and Louise’s, it helps to be the grandson of America’s first multi-millionaire. “Commodore” Cornelius Vanderbilt, an American business magnate who built his wealth in railroads and shipping, created the family fortunes.

Frederick Vanderbilt was born in 1856 at Staten Island. After graduating from Yale — the only member of his family to go to college — he joined the family business. He began his career in 1878 at the New York Central Railroad as a lowly clerk. Like his father and his brothers, he worked his way through the various departments so he could gain a full understanding of the railroad business.

In 1878, Frederick married Louise Holmes Anthony Torrance. She had wealth of her own as the daughter of a successful dry-goods merchant in New York City. But as a divorced woman, she brought scandal to the family and Frederick’s father disapproved of the union. Too late and too bad. Frederick and Louise apparently enjoyed a contented 50-year marriage. Together and in conjunction with Frederick’s siblings and Vanderbilt aunts and uncles, Frederick and Louise enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle and a lofty place in New York society, despite their “new money.”

Throughout his lifetime, Frederick followed the family tradition. He kept his business interests closely tied to the transportation industry and that was a successful strategy, enabling him to build a place like Vanderbilt Mansion. In all, Frederick ran 22 railroads. In addition, he also ran the Western Union Telegraph Company, Hudson River Bridge Company, Detroit River Tunnel Company, Niagara River Bridge Company and the New York State Realty and Terminal Company. Unlike his siblings and most of his aunts and uncles, Frederick increased his fortune, despite increasing pesky regulation by the Federal government.

The Vanderbilt Mansion and Its Trappings

Until Louise’s death, Vanderbilt Mansion was a seasonal residence. Frederick and Louise alternated between the Hyde Park mansion, their home in New York City. Sometimes they’d travel up to their mansion in Bar Harbor. Or perhaps they’d head to Newport. During the hottest months, they’d flee to their luxurious “camp” in the Adirondacks.

Despite being one of many, Frederick and Louise poured a fortune into the Vanderbilt Mansion. The property was a choice one, on a bluff high above the Hudson River. They hired one of the most prominent American firms to design it. In fact, many consider the Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park, designed by McKim, Mead, & White, to be an understated masterpiece of American architecture.

Though modest compared to the grand houses of Frederick’s siblings, the 22-room mansion’s interiors spared not a dime. Think rooms outfitted with exotic wood paneling, velvets and silks, antique European tapestries, the finest marble money can buy. Then fill those rooms with the most luxurious furniture and the finest antiques their agents could find as the great houses of Europe dwindled in fortunes, including their ceilings! Frederick and Louise moved into their mansion in 1899.

Most of the Gilded Age grand estates along the Hudson River catered to the outdoor pleasures of their inhabitants. Life at the Vanderbilt Mansion was no different. Frederick and Louise and their guests enjoyed intimate house parties. During the day, they played golf or lawn tennis, or took carriage rides. Sometimes they’d visit neighboring estates for tea.

Louise died in 1926 and Frederick in 1938. They left their mansion to their niece. She immediately tried to flip it. But with a world war brewing and the country still recovering from the Great Depression, few were in the market for an old mansion lacking modern amenities in upstate New York. Luckily, the President of the United States lived next door, in his Hyde Park mansion. The two decade old National Park Service acquired the mansion and thus, it became a national historic site.

Know Before You Go

The mansion is not air-conditioned, which may impact tour availability. The hour-long tour is an enjoyable look at Frederick and Louise’s lives and mansion. During the tour, you visit the first and second floors and the basement.

Getting there: 119 Vanderbilt Park Rd, Hyde Park, NY Hours: Tours available Thursday – Monday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Website: Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site

Check out these  articles about other historic houses  in the mid-Atlantic region!

Looking for other great daytrip destinations in the Hudson River Valley? Check out the articles below:

• Art Omi Sculpture Park
• Cornish Estate Ruins Hike
• D&H Canal Five Locks Walk
• Esopus Lighthouse
• Esopus Meadows Preserve Loop Hike
• Hasbrouk House (Washington’s Headquarters)
• Historic Huguenot Street
• Kykuit/Rockefeller Estate
• Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
• Sleepy Hollow Point Lighthouse
• Sojourner Truth Driving Tour

Holidays at the Newport Mansions

Surround yourself with the magic of the Newport Mansions during the holiday season! See The Breakers, Marble House and The Elms in all their festive finery – a beloved Newport tradition.

These great Gilded Age houses will welcome visitors with spectacular holiday displays. Nearly 30 Christmas trees are exquisitely decorated to complement the décor and theme of each room, like Mr. Vanderbilt’s tree in The Breakers, ornamented with trains and top hats! Hundreds of poinsettias, garlands, wreaths and fresh floral arrangements add color, warmth and life. As always, the 15-foot-tall poinsettia tree in the Great Hall of The Breakers – made up of 150 poinsettia plants – provides a perfect holiday photo opportunity.

Make your plans now to visit the Newport Mansions for the holidays – and prepare to be dazzled!

Buy Tickets

See the Newport Mansions Operating Schedule for opening days and hours for each house.

What you need to know

November 17 – december 30, sparkling lights at the breakers, november 17 – december 30, 2023 admission at 4 pm, 4:30 pm, 5 pm, 5:30 pm and 6 pm. gates close at 6:30 pm. house & grounds close at 8 pm.

This outdoor spectacle of holiday lights will dazzle and delight you! The 13-acre landscape of The Breakers turns into a wonderland of color and light. Includes tour of the lavish decorated rooms inside the house. Open on select evenings through the season. Includes The Breakers interior tour during the same visit.

Fourth-grade Trim-a-Tree at The Breakers

Local fourth-graders will add their own festive touch to the holiday decorations at The Breakers! The Trim-a-Tree program, a longtime partnership between the Preservation Society and Pell Elementary School in Newport, returns this year with 160 fourth-graders creating ornaments along the theme of “Taking Flight.” The kids’ ornaments will be displayed on seven lighted trees in the kitchen of The Breakers for the duration of Holidays at the Newport Mansions. Please stop by and admire their creativity!

Hold your holiday private or corporate event at The Elms!

This holiday season, we’re making one of our most elegant and beloved mansions available for private events. The Elms is available for the month of December for receptions up to 200 people. The mansion will be decorated for the season with ornamental evergreens, Christmas trees, wreaths, flowers and more. Just add your guests, food and drink, and it’s an event they will never forget! Please email Megan Kenney Pharo for pricing, options and availability: [email protected]

Holiday Tea at the Chinese Tea House

Located on the back lawn of Marble House and overlooking the ocean, the Chinese Tea House is an unmatched setting for a three-course holiday brunch by Stoneacre Brasserie. The menu includes a three-tier tea tower, an entree selection and assorted desserts. Complimentary tea service is included. Specialty cocktails and wines are available for purchase. Exclusive to Preservation Society members and Newport Mansions tour ticket holders. For available dates and to make reservations, go to Stoneacre's Resy page. Questions? Email [email protected] .

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 Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour

Daily 3:30pm – 4:30pm.

For the first time in the 129-year history of The Breakers, the private third-floor family space occupied by generations of Vanderbilts will be open for public tours.

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

• Hours & Admission
• Visitor’s Map
• Mapa del Visitante
• Mission Statement
• About the Mansion
• Archives and Digital Collections
• History of the Vanderbilt Museum
• Moments in Vanderbilt History
• Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies
• Samuel Yellin Ironwork
• Show Schedule
• Observatory
• Solar System Hiking Trail
• We Come to You
• Starred Pages Library Program
• Astronomy Resources
• Planning a School Visit
• Planetarium Education Programs
• Museum Education Programs
• Programs for Scout Groups
• Programs for Visiting Summer Camps
• Professional Development
• Astronomy Education Resources

Featured Events

• Name a Planetarium Chair
• Buy a Vanderbilt Brick
• Donate to the Annual Fund
• Our Partners
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Become a Member
• Membership Login Help
• Birthday Parties
• Wedding, Corporate & Other
• Wedding Day and Bridal Party Photos
• Engagement, Maternity or Family Photos
• Commercial Photography and Film Production

Make a Donation | Become a Member | Purchase Tickets

Mansion Tours

Museum Exhibits

Planetarium

Open Friday 12 pm - 5 pm, Saturday 11 am - 5 pm, and Sunday 11 am - 5 pm

Museum and Estate grounds close at 5:00pm. Last admissions at 4:30pm.

Saturday, June 8, 2024, we are closing the Museum at 4:30 pm. Last admission and tours are at 3:30 pm. The last afternoon planetarium show is at 3:00 pm.