Newport Mansions Preservation Society — Attraction in Newport

Our recent visit to Newport, Rhode Island was truly unforgettable—and the highlight of the day was touring The Breakers, the most iconic of all the Gilded Age mansions. If you only have time for one estate, this is the one to see.

Built for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in the 1890s, The Breakers is a jaw-dropping Italian Renaissance-style mansion with 70 rooms, an oceanfront terrace, and interiors that rival European palaces. From marble columns to crystal chandeliers and ornate ceilings, every room is a work of art. Our guide Rob made the experience even more special by weaving in rich historical context and colorful stories about the Vanderbilt family and the era of high society summers in Newport. Also funny trolly car to drive around on!

🎬 Film Location Bonus

Fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age will love knowing that The Breakers was actually used as a filming location for Bertha Russell’s New York mansion, including scenes shot in the Great Hall and Music Room. The moment you step inside, you feel like you’re part of a movie set.

🏛️ Other Mansions Worth Exploring

While The Breakers was the centerpiece of our tour, Rob also shared stories and insights about several other homes that gave us a full picture of Newport’s luxurious past: • Marble House – Built for Alva and William K. Vanderbilt, this mansion is rich in imported marble and boasts a grand staircase fit for royalty. Alva later became a leader in the women’s suffrage movement, adding political depth to its history. • The Elms – Inspired by a French château, The Elms is best known today for its fascinating Servant Life Tour, which showcases hidden tunnels and the lives of those who worked behind the scenes. There’s even a short film called “Live the Drama” that brings a real-life labor dispute at The Elms to life. Bonus: The Elms was also featured in The Gilded Age series as the Russell family’s summer home. • Rosecliff – With its Versailles-inspired ballroom, this mansion was used in the 1974 version of The Great Gatsby starring Robert Redford. It’s the ultimate party mansion. • Chateau-sur-Mer – One of the earlier mansions, reflecting High Victorian style and showcasing how Newport transformed from a quiet port town into a playground for the ultra-wealthy.

🚗 Celebrity Sightseeing: Jay Leno’s Seafair Mansion

As we drove along Ocean Drive, our guide pointed out Jay Leno’s private estate, Seafair. Designed to look like a ship crashing into the Atlantic, this 15,000-square-foot mansion sits right on the cliffs with panoramic ocean views. While it’s not open for tours, you can catch a glimpse from the road—and it’s a fun reminder that Newport’s tradition of wealth and prestige continues into modern times.

📝 Final Thoughts

If you’re even remotely interested in architecture, history, or the drama of high society, you’ll be blown away by The Breakers. Add in the nearby mansions, filming locations, and a dash of celebrity trivia, and you’ve got the perfect Newport day.

Highly recommend asking for Rob as your tour guide—his passion and storytelling took the experience to another level. He also gives you tips for restaurants to eat at and other...

Bad experience every time. The staff is literally as rude as can be, there are 2 times out of the 20+ times i have been to the mansions i have encountered kind staff. They are ageist, they look you up and down and if you're not above the age of 35 you have absolutely no respect. I happen to be a student who enjoys the mansions and every single time i go if i'm not given a hard time at the door about why i have a membership and if it's my parents and not mine, i am followed throughout the entire exhibit and can not even enjoy it. i don't know if they think a teen can not enjoy the mansions without causing trouble? i don't know why every single time i go i do not get an ounce of respect when i have a 200$ membership. no matter the mansion, no matter the staff they're always rude and ageist, and extremely judgmental. get kinder staff that treat everyone with respect no matter their age or what they look like. I will be canceling my membership. after the 10th time i have had this experience and realized it is not a...

DO NOT VISIT ANY OF THESE MANSIONS.

I’m a part of a reciprocity agreement where myself and a guest get in for free since I’m an employee of another museum on the list.

We visited The Elms first and the first staff member we encountered was extremely judgmental and told me my guest wouldn’t get in for free. Another staff member there was more interested in her phone and extremely condescending and downright rude when the person I was with tried to go down the main staircase. There were no signs marking which staircase to go down.

At Marblehouse the staff member scanning tickets at the front was just as condescending and all but scoffed when I presented my staff ID.

If this is how staff is treating someone who works in their industry I don’t even want to imagine how they treat ticket buying visitors. Save yourself the money and the disappointment and stay away. If you have to go, see The Breakers. It was the only mansion with nice, polite staff members and...