The Gilded Age Newport Mansions of Rhode Island fall into the category of the ultra-rich.
This is the kind of rich associated with absurdly large diamonds, gold plated silverware, butlers and ladies’ maids. The kind of over-the-top ostentation found only in the homes of third-world country dictators.
That’s the kind of rich you perceive in the Newport mansions that hosted the very wealthy in the time of the Gilded Age.
Visiting Gilded Age Mansions in Rhode Island
The Gilded Age
The Gilded Age is generally accepted as the period between late 1800s and about 1900.
It was an age of robust economic growth particularly in the utilities, transportation, and real estate sectors mainly in the northeast of the U.S.
This growth in income, accompanied by a relative lack of significant taxes, resulted in some of the greatest accumulations of wealth ever known.
“Old money” families like the Astors of Caroline Astor fame, as well as the “New Money” entrants like the Vanderbilts competed to showcase their unprecedented wealth.
Nowhere was this competition more visible than in the elegant mansions of the super-rich in Newport, Rhode Island.
These historic properties, called “summer cottages” by their owners were used as summer retreats from the major urban centers of the northeast U.S. especially New York. 
THE NEWPORT MANSIONS
There are about 9 spectacular mansions dotting Bellevue Avenue and one on Ochre Point in Newport.
These are maintained and operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County from where you can also purchase audio tours and tickets to see the Newport mansions.
But feel free to create your own self-guided tours. The Society offers a 3 and 5-house ticket and guide-led historical tours as well as a comprehensive view of each property. The most famous mansion, considered the jewel of the Vanderbilt fortune and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family, is The Breakers mansion on Ochre Point.
This is a 70 room estate reminiscent of a European royal palace with platinum encrusted wallpaper and rare alabaster inlays throughout the rooms.
The next most extravagant mansion is a toss-up between Marble House, designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, a Vanderbilt favorite, and Rosecliff, scene of some of the Gilded Age’s most fabulous parties and where The Great Gatsby was filmed. 
MARBLE HOUSE
Marble House is constructed almost entirely of, you guessed it, many cubic feet of marble, both inside and out.
It was built by one of the wealthiest and controversial personalities of the age, William Henry Vanderbilt II and his wife Alva Vanderbilt, the southern-born wife of railroad baron .
The mansion was modeled after the Petit Trianon in Paris created by Madame Pompadour, the mistress of French King Louis XV, and it really does look like a palace. The dining room alone is just stunning.
ROUGH POINT
Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt originally owned Rough Point, a masterpiece of architecture built between 1887 and 1891.
It went through several ownership changes until becoming a museum in 2000, as per the wishes of its illustrious owner, Doris Duke.
The mansion, which has historical significance, is currently home to an intriguing exhibition on Duke’s unusual life. A unique audio guide app provides a wealth of supplemental information to improve your tour experience.
On Halloween, there is an event called “ghostly encounters,” when the mood takes a thrilling turn. No spoilers so you’ll have to see it on your own.
BELCOURT
Belcourt is a private residence that was bought in 2012 for about $3.5 million by notable jewelry entrepreneur Carolyn Rafaelian.
With an extra expenditure of approximately $10 million, continuous restoration work has been done on the property. Timed tickets and guided tours are required for visitors to the mansion.
The tour guides tell interesting anecdotes about the current restoration project along with their personal experiences hosting weddings at Belcourt.
The stables and carriage room of the estate, which was first built in 1894 for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and his cherished horses, serve as its main focal points.
Visitors can explore the ancient bar, which is decorated with a gasoline pump, chrome chairs, a brass Harley-Davidson motorcycle, and 17th-century furniture pieces, throughout the tour.
The living area on the top level, which has exquisite stained-glass windows and a striking fireplace, is one of the house’s most notable features.
An organ installation furthers the beauty of this area. Belcourt is a charming location for all who visit because of its interesting history and continuing restoration.
THE ELMS
The Elms, a national historic landmark, was designed as the delightful summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind of Philadelphia, who were well-known for their prosperous coal industry enterprises.
This magnificent estate was created in 1901, taking design cues from the charming French Château d’Asnieres close to Paris. The Elms is a huge estate that resembles a castle and is filled with superb Oriental jades, French and Venetian paintings from the 18th century, and wonderful Renaissance pottery.
You can explore the painstakingly created gardens that emerged between 1907 and 1914 by meandering across the grounds.
They provide a glimpse of nature’s enduring fascination with their cascading terraces, captivating bronze and marble statues, vibrant fountains, a peaceful sunken garden, and an elegant carriage house.
The Elms’ history underwent a new chapter as time went on.
It was put up for auction in 1961 and eventually became the prized possession of the Preservation Society of Newport County in 1962.
With this change, the public was welcomed inside and The Elms earned its rightful designation as a National Historic Landmark.
Today, tourists from all over the world come to see The Elms, which is a monument to the lasting legacy of its past and the fascinating attraction that still entices adventurers and history buffs alike.
The Other Gilded Age mansion (in North Carolina)
The one other destination in the United States where the Gilded Age mansions shine in all their glory, is in the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.
This magnificent estate is the brain child of George Washington Vanderbilt, grandson of the original Cornelius “The Commodore” Vanderbilt.
It was completed in the late 1895. The architect was Richard Morris Hunt, who also built Newport’s Marble House, the entrance to New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and the base for the Statue of Liberty.
The landscape was designed by non other than Frederick Law Olmstead, who also designed Central Park and Prospect Park in New York City.
A peek into the past
The Preservation Society does a very nice job giving regular tours of the Newport mansions in Rhode Island throughout the year.
The tours feature the history and architecture of the homes and go into interesting detail on the personalities and perspectives of the major players.
Sprinkled throughout is a healthy dose of family gossip in the “Downton Abbey” style; why the heiress broke off her engagement to the man she loved, who squandered the family fortune or how the English duke made a marriage of convenience.
Alva Vanderbilt’s daughter, Consuelo, was one heiress that married royalty. In her case, the royal in question was the Duke of Marlborough, a relative of Winston Churchill.
Theirs was called the society “wedding of the decade” and family pictures are scattered about the rooms. These marriages of American heiresses to impoverished but titled Europeans was a major preoccupation of the age.
The tours also touch on the lives of the servants and what it was like to maintain the mansions and cater to the inhabitants. 
For those with an interest in royalty and the lives of the rich and famous, this is prime, fun territory.
For history buffs with an interest in 19th century US cultural history, a visit to the Newport mansions will provide a thought-provoking peek into the lives of the characters that personified the Gilded Age.
To maximize the mansion visits, some visitors prefer to park their cars at the Visitors Center and take the Newport Trolley Tours which visits all the mansions and runs continuously.
The Preservation Society of Newport County provides personal as well as audio tours. >It also offers spectacular backdrops for events at the Rosecliff mansion as well as Christmas holidays and other seasonal presentations at various mansions.
Make sure to see the Preservation Society’s full schedule.
Newport Harbor Area
You’ll enjoy the variety of first-rate seafood restaurants and the simple availability of street parking, which is made even more practical by a user-friendly parking app.
With the opportunity to sail on real America’s Cup yachts, sailing cruises continue to be alluring even in the chilly late October weather.
A waterfront tour is a charming pastime to treasure as the weather warms.
The Cliff Walk
The majority of the mansions are to your right (facing the Atlantic Ocean) as you start at the Forty Steps sign and down the stairs to the rocky shore.
Finding free street parking is easy, and you have the choice of paying at a nearby machine or using an easy app on your smartphone. Don’t forget to wear sturdy shoes!
The path is mostly flat and smooth, but there are some stones, dark tunnels, and soggy gravel along the way.
Watch carefully for the waves; we enjoyed a refreshing shower from the sea pounding against the wall.
Where to stay in Newport
It’s such a pretty place to visit, and hotels sell out quickly. We recommend booking well in advance at the Artful Lodger or the Inn on Belleview.
Why not plan a weekend getaway and combine your trip to the Gilded Age mansions of Newport, Rhode Island with a visit to Boston, MA. Boston is just an hour and a half away! And renting a car is the best way to get there.
Best Times To Visit Newport, Rhode Island
Discover Newport’s beauty between March and May and September and November for the best results.
May brings wonderful spring weather, and September heralds the welcome arrival of fall when you can best enjoy the autumn foliage.
Avoid both tourist crowds and peak hotel prices by taking a clear-sky tour of the renowned mansions.
Winter may bring cold and snow, but it also offers the best hotel deals, making it a desirable option for tourists on a tight budget.
The Newport mansions offer delights to the social history and architecture aficionado. It’s a great place to absorb Newport County’s architectural heritage from a Gothic revival style to an Italian renaissance-style house to a Chinese tea house.
You’ll have a great time deciding which is the best Newport mansion. The Newport Rhode Island mansions will not disappoint.
Want to learn about the mansions to enhance your visit? Check out these reference books.
Would you like to have lived during the Gilded Age?
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2 Responses
You state that Alva Vanderbilt was married to Cornelius II. That is not correct. She was married to his brother William K, although they later divorced.
Thank you for taking the time to bring this to my attention, John. The error has been corrected.