Visiting The Newport Mansions During The Holidays
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It’s no secret that I LOVE historic houses. So naturally, I also love historic mansions. Newport, Rhode Island is home to multiple gorgeous mansions that were once summer homes to some of the richest families during the Gilded Age. And the good news is, you can tour many of them thanks to the Preservation Society of Newport County. The holidays are one of the best times to visit these mansions because they’re all dressed up!
Last year, I made it my mission to visit all of the Newport Mansions for the holidays (at least the ones that they have open and decorated for the holiday season). I started this mission at the end of November 2024 and finished it off in December 2024. The only reason I finished it in December was because The Elms didn’t open until then for the event.
When Do The Mansions Get Dressed Up For The Holidays?
This year, the Holidays at the Newport Mansions is from November 22, 2025 through January 1, 2026. That gives you plenty of time to see these mansions decked out for the holidays. The mansions that are a part of this event are The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, and Chateau-sur-Mer.
In my opinion, it’s worth going to all four if you’re able! To help save yourself some money, purchase admission for three houses (The Breakers plus two other mansions of your choosing). That’s what I always do to make the most of my trip. All of the mansions are very close to each other and it’s very easy to do them all in one day.
What You Need To Know Before You Go
- The tours of the mansions are self-guided. This means that you can go at your own pace through the house and take in all of the intricate details these luxurious mansions have. They have audio tours available. You will need to download the Newport Mansions app to listen to the audio tour. If you’re planning to listen to the audio tour, bring headphones to be respectful of other visitors.
- It can get crowded. The best advice I can give you to avoid the crowds is try to go during the week or go first thing when they open if you’re going on the weekend. When I’m planning to do three mansions, I always start with The Breakers because it is the most popular mansion and it always draws crowds. I get there around when they open and it’s typically not super crowded. Then, I make my way to the other mansions.
- Not all of the houses are accessible. You have to remember that these are historic mansions dating from 1852-1901. While they are museums now, the Preservation Society of Newport County has done their best to preserve them as they were. Out of the four mansions, The Breakers and The Marble House are partially accessible and The Elms and Chateau-sur-Mer are not accessible.
- It’s best to buy tickets ahead of time online. While you can purchase tickets in-person, I recommend buying tickets online. You can print out the tickets, or you can add them to your digital wallet on your phone. If you’re planning to use your phone to get into the mansions, make sure it’s charged. I’ll usually keep a portable charger or power bank on me if my tickets are on my phone.
The Mansions
As I mentioned earlier, there are four mansions that you can visit for the Holidays at the Newport Mansions. The four mansions are The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, and Chateau-sur-Mer. Below, I’ll give you a rundown of what to expect from each mansion and a little bit about the history of each!
The Breakers
The Breakers is arguably the most popular and well-known Newport Mansions property. My first visit here was for a school field trip when I was a child. I remember being absolutely amazed by the place. I’ve been many times since then, and it never fails to wow me.
The Breakers was built between 1893 and 1895. It was Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s summer “cottage” (I use that term loosely because this is 100% a mansion at 138,300 square feet with 70 rooms). But I guess when you’re one of the richest families in the world, it makes complete sense that your summer cottage would be a lavish mansion.
During the holidays, the inside of the mansion is decorated beautifully to complement the expensive décor and designs that are already present in the house. It feels a bit like being in a holiday movie as you stroll through the decorated mansion. Below are some interior pictures from my holiday visit to the Breakers.
In addition to being decorated inside the mansion, The Breakers also has decorations outside. The decorations are for the Sparkling Lights at the Breakers where the 13-acre landscape is decorated with holiday lights. This event happens at nighttime and you’ll need special tickets for this specific event. A ticket for this event includes admission to the interior of The Breakers.
Marble House
The Marble House was built between 1888 and 1892 . William Vanderbilt built the house as a 39th birthday present for his wife, Alva. William Vanderbilt was the younger brother of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who built The Breakers.
William and Alva Vanderbilt divorced in 1895. After, Alva married Oliver H.P. Belmont, moving down the street to Belcourt. Later, Alva reopened the Marble House and had a Chinese Tea House built on the seaside cliffs of the property, where she hosted rallies for women’s right to vote. You can actually still have tea here during your visit.
Below are some interior pictures from my visit to the mansion during the holidays.
The Elms
The Elms was completed in 1901. It was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind. The house features classical symmetry, ornate interiors, and advanced technology for its time, including one of the earliest electrical systems in a private residence. This is honestly my favorite out of all of the Newport Mansions.
When I’m not traveling, I’m proofing audiobooks before they get released. Before I had visited this mansion, I proofed the book Murder at The Elms, which is the 11th book in Alyssa Maxwell’s “A Gilded Newport Mystery” series. When I visited The Elms, it was fun getting to see the mansion where the story took place!
Below are some pictures from my visit to the mansion during the holidays.
Chateau-sur-Mer
This is the oldest mansion that’s a part of the Holidays at the Newport Mansions event. This house was built in 1852 and it was the most luxurious residence in Newport until the appearance of the Gilded Age Vanderbilt houses in the 1890s. This house has High Victorian architecture, furniture, wallpapers, ceramics, and stenciling.
Chateau-Sur-Mer was built as an Italianate-style villa by local contractor Seth Bradford for the China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore. William Shepard Wetmore died in 1862, leaving the bulk of his fortune to his son, George Peabody Wetmore, and a generous allowance for his daughter, Annie Derby Wetmore.
In the 1870s, George Peabody Wetmore had the house remodeled and redecorated in the Second Empire French style. As a result, the mansion displays most of the major design trends of the last half of the 19th century.
Below are some of the pictures I took inside during my visit to Chateau-sur-Mer for the holidays.
Are The Mansions Worth Visiting During The Holidays?
Yes, yes, yes! I think visiting the Newport Mansions during the holidays is something that everyone should do at least once. It’s truly a magical holiday experience. It can be done as a day trip, although I recommend staying in Newport for a longer period of time as there’s plenty to see and do during the holidays in the area!
You can also hop over to the next island over and visit Jamestown, Rhode Island (no boat necessary, there’s a bridge that connects them). It’s a bit more quiet than Newport, but still full of history. Be sure to check out the historic Jamestown Windmill and Beavertail Lighthouse at Beavertail State Park. They hang a wreath on the lighthouse for the holidays!
Wow these are absolutely stunning!! Lucky for me, I usually travel during the week so hopefully I wouldn’t have to elbow my way through as many crowds hahah. I love visiting Europe during the holidays, but turns out I don’t even have to go that far! I’ll have to add these mansions to my list for the next trip!
I’ve never visited Europe during the holidays, but I’d love to some day!
I have never been to Rhode Island and this is my first time hearing about the mansions. they sure are impressive, particularly for the times. It makes me curious why the Vanderbilt’s no longer own these properties. This would make a for a fun family activity and history lesson. Thanks for sharing.
Sometimes it’s because these older homes don’t have the modern things that the newer generations would like in their homes. Other times, it’s because the family can no longer afford the cost of the maintenance that comes with mansions of this size and age, which I believe is the case for these mansions.
I’ve always loved visiting historic houses, and the Newport Mansions look incredible during the holidays. I’d love to see them in person one day—definitely adding this to my travel list. The way you captured the festive details and architecture makes these mansions look even more enchanting—I can almost imagine walking through those halls decorated for the season. The photos are stunning!
Thank you!! These mansions are definitely worth a visit!
We never had a chance to tour the Newport Mansions when living in New England, but it sounds like a fun and festive way to enjoy the holidays.
It’s definitely a great way to enjoy the holidays!