21st September 2026 The Breakers estate of Cornelius Vanderbilt Newport, RI Sunny 68 °F We had the best time here buying tickets from the two ladies at the front entry ticket desks. I was afraid we would run into the rude stuffy lady of the day before. Glad there was no sight of her. Long story... As to the mansion and its history, there's not much I can add here that hasn't been said before. So, I will give descriptions of each magnificent room on the main floor of the house meant to impress visitors which it did quite successfully. The rooms are all based on the elaborate Italian Renaissance palazzo style, designed by famous architect, Richard Morris Hunt in 1893. 1st - The Dining Room which is considered the most lavish room in the mansion, is dominated by 12 massive, rose-colored solid alabaster Corinthian columns. The room is bathed in a golden glow from two monumental Baccarat crystal chandeliers. Overhead, a dramatic ceiling mural depicts the Roman goddess Aurora bringing in the dawn on a four-horse chariot. 2nd - Entering the jaw dropping Great Hall with its 50-foot-high ceiling, which features walls constructed of carved limestone imported from Caen, France. The magnificent grand staircase and sweeping arcades are directly inspired by the Great Opera House in Paris, accented by four enormous bronze chandeliers. 3rd- The Morning Room, designed by the famous French firm Allard & Sons, faces East welcoming the early morning sun with glistening wall panels made of solid platinum leaf! The panels are delicately etched with motifs of muses from Greek mythology, surrounded by Renaissance-style scrolls and filigree. 4th - The Music Room of rich woodwork, furnishings, and gilt-gold coffered ceiling of the completely constructed by craftsmen in France, it was disassembled, shipped across the Atlantic, and reassembled inside the mansion like a giant puzzle. The room features amazing floor-to-ceiling mirrors designed to bounce light from its dozens of crystal fixtures. The Breakers is quite an impressive house to behold. Enjoy! read more

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If you're in Newport, this is worth seeing at least once. I had a lot of fun walking through the mansion and reading about the history of the Vanderbilt family and the property. The mansion itself is beautiful. The artwork is stunning, the interior is incredibly well preserved, and the ocean views are amazing. But still, my walk in closet and bathroom is bigger than their bathroom/closets, so take that, Vanderbilts! The admission price was very high. And really, don't these guys have have enough money already? And after all that, but I was a little disappointed that visitors are only allowed on the first two floors and the basement. It would've been nice to see the upper levels as well. Thankfully parking is free but the lot is relatively small considering how many people visit. Overall, I'm glad I visited. The history, architecture, artwork, and views made it a worthwhile experience and I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Newport. read more

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Five stars for the immersive experience and how pristine the property is kept as well as the audio tour. However, those in our party that did not bring headphones were not able to enjoy the audio portion. The reason it's not five stars is also because the ticket to enter is a little steep considering it's primarily self guided. read more

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A very organized experience that I truly enjoyed. This was part of a shore excursion during a recent cruise. There are printed sheets available at the entrance to assist with the details of each interior room, but I do HIGHLY recommend downloading the free app in advance so that you can enjoy the audio version throughout. It was a great asset to my visit. I did not use the elevators, and I did find the stairs (ascending and descending) to have good railing for balance assistance. There was some construction going on in one area, but we'd been advised of that in advance. I ended up taking more pictures and planned, but it was because I found numerous things to be visually stunning. Very easy to recommend if you are in the area for your travels. read more

The Breakers is the most famous Newport Mansion so it is the most visited one. I took my niece here, instead of a audio guide, now you get a written tour that you can follow at your leisure around the property. The mansion is well kept and the docents are usually available fairly easily for questions. The furniture and the decor is grand and the property is very well taken care of. They have a visitor center on the left hand side of the main gate where you can get your ticket, have a snack at their cafe, go use the restroom or read more about the history of the Vanderbilts. read more

The Breakers - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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I purchased the membership last November and this was the second time I've visited the Breakers the last 6 months. I love having it because you don't need a timed ticket then and can visit at any time with a guest, so as an historian, I love it. The Breakers is probably my favorite of the mansions to visit, it's so big and expansive and beautiful. Every room you walk into, your jaw just drops a little more. I think my favorite season to visit is around. Christmas, but visiting now in spring and summer it's still really magical and beautiful to see. The library is probably my favorite room here, the light green is just gorgeous. Make sure to give yourself a good 20 minutes in the gift shop too, it's very expansive. read more

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Too crowded and too much construction to fully enjoy. I was here years ago and I really liked it. Loved learning about the Vanderbilts and their fortune. Their humble "cottage" is quite spectacular, but I was distracted by the crowds and after touring around all day, it was a little much. As a member, I may return again one day, but it probably would not be my first pick. The most spectacular thing I remembered here were the gorgeous views of the sea, but with the construction, you couldn't even view any of that this time around. read more

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If you only have time to visit one Newport Mansion, this is the one you must see. Gold everywhere? Check. Platinum adorning the walls in one of the rooms? Also check. Sprawling ocean views? Check. Check. Check. (For every floor) And I could keep going! It's so outrageous, so beautiful, so gaudy, so unbelievably unforgettable, you must see it. read more

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The Breakers offers a ton of history to be unraveled for those interested in how households like these were managed and operated back in the days. Staff members offered informative explanations behind the decor, layout, and family members who have left behind a legacy. The attention to detail is astounding, and the gift shop offers plenty to bring back home to share with friends and family. read more

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Preserved history. Beautiful grounds. Easy to navigate. Staff is so friendly and knowledgeable. read more

The Breakers - The Vanderbilt estate. Beautiful!! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Came here to check out the famous Breakers Mansion $32 for admission Does not include access to the 3rd floor or boiler room. Those are separate guided tours $25 each Saw first and second floor where the Vanderbily family commonly stayed Friendly and helpful staff. Would definitely be interested in checking out the other mansions. Wish we got the breakers +1 ticket. Tried to ask if we could just pay the dofference but they stated they don't do that anymore and that we would need to buy a whole other mansion ticket to see another. read more

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My sister and I purchased a three-home pass, with the Breakers included by default, but since we hadn't visited any of them previously we were excited about any and all of them. We didn't do the audio guide, deciding instead to just tour aimlessly and enjoy the visual treat. The Breakers is lovely!!! You won't be disappointed. read more

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Truly enjoyed visiting this mansion. Well preserved and beyond beautiful. It has stairs and elevators. I visited only this one due to time restrains but I would love to go back and see all of the other mansions. Word of advice - if you buy the tickets from a third party such a get your guide - you still need to obtain physical tickets from the welcome center. Takes about an hour to walk the entire mansion. A must see if visiting Newport. read more

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The Breakers was a really good experience and definitely feels like a living museum. It gives you a nice look into the past and what life was like for the Vanderbilts in the 1890s. The mansion itself is beautiful, but I will say the price of the tour felt a little steep for what you get. Maybe I'm just not in the Vanderbilt tax bracket, but it had me doing some math in my head. Also, realizing this was only their summer home made me pause in my thoughts for a second. I am the type of guy who thinks ordering 2 desserts with dinner is ballin out. It is a great one-time visit and a solid history lesson. It's interesting and made me seriously think about the concepts of wealth and life. That lesson alone ultimately is worth the price. 4.5/5 stars. read more

The Breakers - Main Library. Beautiful. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

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Newport, RI - the grandest of the Gilded Age mansions ("summer cottages") in Newport, the Breakers was the summer home of the Vanderbilt family, built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who left it to his wife Alice Gwynn upon his death (poor man only got to enjoy the home for 4 years after its completion in 1895). She passed it down to her youngest daughter, Gladys Moore Vanderbilt, aka Countess Széchenyi after she married a Hungarian count (the Hungarian side of my family was excited to learn this), who eventually leased the Breakers to the Preservation Society of Newport County in 1948 which has custody to this day. Cos you know, mansion upkeep ain't cheap! The oceanfront property is a prominent fixture along the path of the Cliff Walk, a pleasant & breezy seaside hike by the Easton Bay which I recommend with your visit to the Newport mansions. The extravagant opulence of the house and of the era is on full display in every square inch of the Renaissance Revival splendor, from the architecture to the decorative arts, making my maximalist heart swell. This is the only mansion with timed entry due to its popularity, so the crowd size is controlled and it wasn't overrun. We bought tickets for Breakers +1 and had time to visit a second property on the same day. You can download the free Newport Mansions app for a self-guided tour at your leisure (available in several languages). There are well-placed signage throughout, and staff & volunteers around to answer questions. It's worth spending 2-3 days here to take in all the gorgeous homes as well as the beautiful and scenic places in the area. I've been to Newport a few times and as a lover & learner of the fin-de-siècle, I never get tired of the sumptuous pulchritude. More rose petals in my wine please! read more

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The Breakers Mansion is a must-visit when in Newport, RI! This is a gilded age mansion that was built for Vanderbilt II and completed in 1895. Now owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County, tickets are $32/pp for admission, open daily 9-5pm. Tickets can be purchased ahead of time online or in person at the ticket booth but note that you have to book for specific time slot. I think it's super cool to see the architecture in each and every room of the mansion, a true masterpiece of the Gilded Age! Highly recommend, especially if it's your first time down in Newport, RI! read more

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Incredible mansion located on right on the water. This was the Vanderbilt's summer home before it was sold and open to the public. I recommend purchasing tickets in advance since this house is the most popular. We purchased our tickets in advance and enjoyed a self tour. I recommend bringing ear pods so you don't have to lift your phone such a beautiful place. Highly recommend! read more

The Breakers mansion is an absolute MUST VISIT in Newport, Rhode Island - truly breathtaking!! Built during the Gilded Age as a "summer cottage" for the Vanderbilt family, this massive home is full of incredible architecture, art, and furnishings from the time. It was truly impressive to walk through it - you're able to see pretty much everything on the grounds - from the grand living spaces, the bedrooms & bathrooms of the Vanderbilts, to the servant kitchens & pantries. Every room has information on what's in it, which I found to be very interesting. There's also GORGEOUS views from the windows in the mansion - you can see why the Vanderbilts would have wanted that specific location for their "summer cottage" in Newport! There's also a gift shop with quite a large variety of items to peruse and/or purchase at the end of the self-guided tour...some were lovely but also quite pricey, so I just got a cute little magnet! Whether your a museum junkie, love architecture, art, history, or just want something to do in Newport that involves exploring some beautiful grounds, The Breakers is a great spot to visit that I definitely recommend! read more

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A must see. Great history. Worth it to get to visit multiple mansions and wander the premises at your leisure read more

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We enjoy the show "The Gilded Age" so we wanted to see some grand Newport mansions and The Breakers does not disappoint. I made timed reservations online and the process was very easy. When you purchase the tickets, it recommends downloading their free app as well as the audioguides for any of the mansions you want to visit. I purchased the Breakers plus two deal, which was very reasonable. I spent a lot of time at the Breakers and was only about to go see Marble House afterwards but I could have probably done all three in one day had I been more ambitious. The audio guide was great and let's you get through the house in less than two hours. There are extras in most every room so if you want to hear more, you can extend your stay. The house, the history, the setting....everything is really amazing here. We were here in July and the parking lot across the street was completely full so we parked on a nearby side street which allowed it, but check signs because not everything does. We did see people arriving on a trolley so if you're staying in Newport, that might be an option. Doing some of the Cliff Walk and then spending a couple of hours at the Breakers is well worth it. read more

The Breakers - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

Wow, what a place. This is an incredible tour. The mansion is amazing, as are the grounds, and water view. The welcome center should be a first stop to use the restrooms. There are restrooms inside, but more after the tour since they are in the lower level. The WC also has a grab 'n go cafe with seating. You can listen to the audio on the app as you walk the rooms. You can walk through many rooms, while some are roped off. Very interesting reading the history plaques. The kitchen is something to see. The cookware and just the size of the place are a treat to check out. Once you get to the lower level, there are several gift shops to peruse. Then outside, you can walk around, pop a squat on the lawn or steps. I'm so glad I was able to visit. read more

The Breakers - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island

We only had time to see one mansion and we chose The Breakers. It is always hard to enjoy such an exquisite venue when there are crowds invading your space. It is an expensive venture, but clearly all of these mansions must cost a fortune to maintain so you know your money is going to a good cause. The library and music rooms were our favorites. And the main stairway is spectacular. The center hall is cut-off from the public so it is difficult to get a good picture. It was raining so we did not get to enjoy the gardens which we were told are incredibly picturesque. The people who work there are officious. read more

After watching The Gilded Age, we decided to visit a couple of the mansions in Newport, RI. We started with the grandest of them all -- The Breakers. First, it's pretty easy to get to The Breakers. We were staying outside of Boston, and the drive was only about 80 to 90 minutes. Not bad. Parking is easy as there was a free lot across the street from the house. You can buy tickets online, which we highly recommend, or at the visitor center. They sell tickets that include The Breakers and The Breakers plus one or more mansions. It's very well organized. We went from 11 am to 3 pm and visited two homes plus lunch. The Breakers, built by the Vanderbilts, is imposing both inside and out. Its backyard abuts the Easton Bay and overlooks the Atlantic Ocean. You can no longer access the path along the water from the estate. You must leave the property to stroll along the water. Guests can download a free audio tour, which we highly recommend. Bring your own earbuds. It provides information about each public room as well as how some of the rooms were used to film The Gilded Age. They also offer photocopies of information about the house. Allow about 90 minutes to tour the house and grounds. You can enjoy a grab-and-go lunch at their cafe of sandwiches and salads. They have a lovely area inside and outside the cafe to eat. Of course the mansion has a gift shop. It's full of books and upscale gifts for women, men, and children in varying price ranges. read more

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We were at the Cliff Walk in Newport Rhode Island Noël Teel & I walked a little bit to get a better view of the Breakers which is a Guilded Age Summer Home of the Vanderbilt Family. Built 1893! It cost $35 to tour Renaissance Architecture 70 rooms! Tony Vanoy & Calliope stayed in the car! read more

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This was an out of this world experience to visit The Breakers! You may reserve your timed ticket online because of the popularity of this Newport Mansion. Parking is across the street amd free. It is also accessible by the cliffwalk on foot. Breakers is the most extravagant of all the Gilded Age Mansions in Newport. It belonged to the Vanderbilt family whose wealth came from railroads and steamships. In today's money they would be billionaires at the time of their wealth. It opened in the late 1890's. The entrance is the grand hall or ballroom and was the site of their big parties, dinners, weddings, debutante balls. From what I understand everything in the building was state of the art at the time having electricity, heating, plumbing, and one of the most advanced kitchens of the time. There is one or two rooms that were actually filmed in for the HBO series the Gilded Age, by which I am really enjoying right now. The billiards room, song room were equally impressive as well as the upstairs open air balcony that faces the ocean! I can go on and on about the luxury of this residence but it must be appreciated in person! I highly recommend coming here for a tour! Nothing short of impeccable opulence! read more

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What a cool place! this house is beautiful. Everything inside of it is about as elaborate as you can get. The grounds are beautiful and the views are something to remember. If you're in the area, this is definitely the place. You need to take a quick tour. You can do an audio tour as you go through the house and learn a lot of history and why they made the rooms the way they did. The unnecessary spending in this house for decor will make you cringe a bit but I suppose when you have that much money why not go all out. There does seem to be parking nearby, but the easiest thing is to just take the free trolley ride up and down, which comes about every 30 minutes and save yourself an Uber read more

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Visited, arguably, the best tourist location in Newport. The Breakers is a Vanderbilt masterpiece and a MUST SEE. the grounds are awe inspiring, adjacent to Easton Bay, and well maintained. The check-in process was easy, quick, and are self guided. You will be instructed on how to access the tour on your phone and it's very informative. Walking through this mansion is a dream. The opulence is extraordinary and as close to pristine condition as possible. I enjoyed seeing staff members in every room, in order to maintain order, and/or answer any questions. Don't forget to stop into the gift shop. It contains many Breakers items and Newport associated literature. Visiting The Breakers will never get old, the photos and videos that I will post will not do justice to what your eyes will behold, and enjoy every second that you will spend within this huge piece of history. read more

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For $32 you book a slot and can enter inside the mansion where Mrs. Vanderbilt summered. Nice and opulent and the top recommended mansion. You can book multiple mansions for a combo price as well. read more

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During the holiday season, The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms welcome visitors with spectacular holiday displays. At The Breakers, 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. In addition to the house holiday display, there is an outdoor holiday display called Sparkling Lights at The Breakers from November 22 to December 29, 2024 on select evenings. Admission is only at 4 pm, 4:30 pm, 5 pm, 5:30 pm and 6 pm. Gates close at 6:30 pm and the house and grounds close at 8 pm. Timed admissions tickets can be purchased online at https://www.newportmansions.org/. Tickets include access to the lavishly decorated rooms inside the house during the same visit. I bought 2 tickets for December 29, 2024 at 4:00PM ($40.00 each). On the day of our tickets, we parked in The Breakers parking lot which is right in front of The Breakers. There was very good signage to indicate where the parking lots were. A queue of people was already forming. Since Sparkling Lights is a special event and tickets are valid only for the date and time chosen, they allowed only 4:00PM ticket holders through. The line moved very quickly. There was a table with candy cane glowsticks so I took one. Once you walk into The Breakers, a 15-foot-tall poinsettia tree made up of 150 poinsettia plants is in the Great Hall. A staff member was available to help capture a holiday photo. I walked around the interior and really liked seeing all the decorated Christmas trees that complemented the décor and theme of each room. There was a Christmas tree decorated with cardinals, musical instruments, and so much more. After walking through the house, I went through the gift shop to exit to the outdoor 13-acre landscape. There were many lights and illuminated displays and opportunities to take photos. It was a beautiful stroll. I also stopped at the back terrace to check out the menu of holiday treats and adult beverages. I got a hot apple cider and a gingerbread cookie. I definitely recommend checking out The Breakers during the holiday season. You won't regret it. Staff were visibly present throughout the house and outside and happy to answer any questions. read more

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I had the chance to visit the Breakers in the summer of 2022 and honestly I loved the visit. The ornate nature of the property reminded me so much of my trip to Versailles. It blows my mind how a family had so much opulence in a time that was so difficult for the vast majority of Americans. You can really feel the inspiration of the Italian Renaissance in the architecture and styling of the building as well. read more

If you're visiting Newport and planning to tour a mansion, The Breakers is the perfect place to start. It's the most iconic of the Newport mansions--massive, breathtaking architecture and decor, truly a glimpse into Gilded Age luxury. Like the other mansions, they offer an audio tour, and if you download their app and bring earphones, it's super easy to follow along at your own pace. Parking is conveniently nearby, which makes the visit hassle-free. One of the best parts? It's right on the water, and if you visit during the right time of year, you can easily make it a stop along the Cliff Walk. The views and history combined make for an unforgettable experience. Highly recommend! read more

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The Vanderbilt mansion is the epitome of the Gilded Age. It's the grandest of all the mansions in the area. Consists of 70 rooms. It was considered a "summer cottage". This was a stop on our organized motor coach New England fall foliage tour. Our tour guide leader purchased our tickets for all 48 of us, and we entered leisurely. You've got an option of downloading the audio app or picking up a handout at the start of the self guided tour. BIL downloaded the app. I picked up the handout which worked just as well. Access only allowed on the ground level, the second floor, and the basement where the kitchen was located. My favorites were the Great Lobby with the crystal chandeliers and the Upper Loggia where you can see the waves breaking; hence The Breakers. The Breakers is a National Historic Landmark. Upon completion of the tour your last stop is the gift shop. read more

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Me and my girlfriends came here while on a weekend vacation. We had to go to the biggest and the best of the mansions. The minute we stepped in, and we were blown away by the details and beauty of everything. There was no set tour so you could go pretty much where you wanted. The only downside I will say is that one of the workers told us no photos on the stairs. There was also a cute gift shop on the bottom floor. read more

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We visited in October after the touristy season but he was still packed. It's amazing to see The Lifestyles of the rich during the guided age. It was the Vanderbilts "summer cottage" w 70 rooms! There's a written guide but you can also download an audio in yr phone. We purchased 3 mansion tour for $48. This one is a must see. There's free parking in the area. We visited in October so it wasn't as busy as summer. read more

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I had wanted to tour some of the mansions here for over 20 years. We wound up being able to see two of them while on vacation this year, the first week of September. The Breakers was the second mansion we visited and it was incredible! I'm so glad we were able to see it. The tour on the app is great and so easy to use! We also bought tickets for two tours, which you can use different days. It was a nice option to have and one we took advantage of. Not only seeing the incredible rooms, furniture, ceilings, tile work and so many other details, but the views! Seeing the water through so many of the windows was almost dreamlike! It didn't look real. read more

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First time in Rhode Island and we wanted to do a mini tour of the area. I purchased tickets for the Newport Trolley Tour and it was the best!! Our tour included the tour of The Breakers which was the home of the Vanderbilt family ( Anderson Coopers mom is Gloria Vanderbilt). Beautiful, humongous home with a view of the ocean. Next to other mansions, but the size of this home is massive!! If you love looking at big, beautiful homes with history, I definitely recommend seeing this home. It's not a guided tour, but there are people around that you can ask questions. Definitely take time to look at the pictures and read whatever is written. read more

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This well-kept, sprawling mansion is one of my absolute favorites in Newport. My husband and I have ventured there numerous times over the years, and each time we go, we see something new. After purchasing our tickets, we were directed to a stand with informational pamphlets about the history as well as a QR code which takes you to a website that prompts you to download the app. We found it easy to navigate through the building and learned something new about each room. Each room in the house was based on a specific area of the world which makes this spectacular house a multicultural relic. After the tour, we checked out the famous Elephant Migration exhibit on the lawn near the cliff walk. It was worth the wait! When in Newport, check out how the 1% lived back in the day read more

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Great audio tour here with bonus material if you can take a couple of hours to learn about the history and the people who stayed / worked here. Christmas is a fun time to visit because this place was lavishly decorated inside and out. The staff was friendly and helpful. read more

WOW... WOW... The fact that it only took 2 years to build this mansion is impressive. All the fine details, absolutely stunning. Highly recommend buying a ticket and walking the grounds as well. The staff is so lovely and informative. We loved going to all the different unique rooms and reading more about the Vanderbilt family was neat. Highly recommend driving around near the area as well; AMAZING neighborhoods. read more

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Very nice building that highlighted extravagance and money. A great self guided tour with plenty of things to see. read more

The Breakers - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Newport, Rhode Island