Add dates

The Breakers, NewportFamily-friendly activities

Our most recommended The Breakers, Newport Family-friendly activities

Newport: Newport Mansions Ticket - 1, 2 or 3 Mansions

1. Newport: Newport Mansions Ticket - 1, 2 or 3 Mansions

Visit the Newport Mansions and discover the “summer cottages” that provided the ultimate backdrop for "The Gilded Age" - a society centered on sport, fashion, and parties set in spectacular natural surroundings. Learn the history of each mansion and its owners. Start your visit by picking up your mansion tickets at the Welcome Center at The Breakers. For combo tickets, save 23% on two properties or 32% on three and select which properties you would like to visit. Download the free multilingual audioguide app before you arrive to make the most of your self-guided tour or get a paper guide if you do not have a smartphone. Start by visiting The Breakers, the grandest mansion and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial preeminence in turn-of-the-century America. Explore the 70 rooms of this Italian Renaissance-style palazzo. Then visit the 13-acres of grounds, along with a Stable and Carriage House (open daily). With 2 or 3 Mansion Tickets, besides The Breakers, you can also choose to visit either: - Marble House, inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles, with over 500,000 cubic feet of marble and a Chinese Tea House in the gardens. (Open Daily except June 21 & 22 2023, and October 30 – November 17, 2023) - The Elms, modeled after the mid-18th century French Chateau d'Asnieres outside Paris. (Open Daily except October 30th – November 17th, 2023) - Rosecliff, modelled after the Grand Trianon at Versailles (Open Daily September 1st – December 31st 2023; except September 21st – 25th 2023,) - Kingscote (1834), a landmark Gothic Revival style mansion, and the first of the “Cottages” (Open May 30th – July 30th 2023 only)

Newport: Scenic Trolley Tour

2. Newport: Scenic Trolley Tour

Hop aboard an old-fashioned trolley and explore Newport, Rhode Island during this 90 minutes scenic tour. Begin your day meeting at the Visitor Center of Newport where you will be greeted by your tour guide. Begin your adventure as you set off into Newport to enjoy the charm of the historic downtown area and restored homes to glorious mansions on the water. Take in the rugged beauty of Ten-Mile Ocean Drive and the fabulous mansions along tree-lined Bellevue Avenue. Enjoy viewing homes and architecture from the Modern Age to the Gilded Age. During this narrated tour you will view over 150 points of interest including Historic Thames Street, The Newport Waterfront, The Breakers, Marble House, and Rosecliff.  Upgrade your ticket and visit the historic Breakers Mansion located on the elaborate estate of Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Breakers is the grandest of Newport's summer "cottages" and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial preeminence in turn of the century America. Take in the lavish decor and waterfront views as you tour the property grounds. The additional mansion tour will last about 3 hours.

Newport: Cliff Walk Self-Guided Walking Tour

3. Newport: Cliff Walk Self-Guided Walking Tour

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map. Note: This 1+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Cliff Walk in 1-2 hours. Embark on a scenic cliff walk along a 3.5-mile trail along the eastern shore of Newport Rhode Island. Use your audio guide which has been created by local guides, curated by creative writers, and narrated by professional voice artists. Begin the tour at Easton’s Beach. As you walk down the path, see Gilded Age mansions representing an era of lavish wealth and unbridled excess. Hear the stories of the Vanderbilts, Astors, and other American millionaires behind mansions like The Breakers, Marble House, Rosecliff, and others. After the walk at 40 Steps, continue to the Ochre Court. Discover the second-largest of Newport’s famous mansions, built for banker and real estate mogul Ogden Goelet. Finally, end the tour with scenic views at Bailey’s Beach.

Newport, Rhode Island: Scenic Self-Driving Audio Tour

4. Newport, Rhode Island: Scenic Self-Driving Audio Tour

Discover the city known for its picturesque Gilded Age mansions on a self-driven audio tour. Found out how the rich in America made and spent their money at the turn of the twentieth century. This 12 mile-long tour covers the essentials of scenic Newport, Rhode Island, in 1-2 hours. Start from the Visitor Center on America’s Cup Avenue. Here, listen to the story of Gilded Age America and how it shaped the future. While driving, you will first see the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Next up is the Audrain Auto Museum before you start exploring the Gilded Age mansions. Marvel at the first among them, Edward King House, followed by Kingscote and Bellevue House. Continuing on the avenue, come across The Elms, Chepstow, Ochre Court, and then The Breakers. From there, proceed to Chateau-Sur-Mer, Rosecliff, Beechwood, Marble House, and Belcourt Castle before ending this part of the tour at Rough Point. From there, continue on Ocean Avenue and drive toward Crossways while enjoying the Ocean Drive and hearing its story. Next, listen to the story about Brenton Point State Park and Hammersmith Farm, the summer home of Jackie Kennedy, wife of John. F. Kennedy. On the last leg of the tour, drive and hear stories of Fort Adam, Beacon Rock, Bonniecrest, Ida Lewis Rock, and Rochambeau Monument. The tour concludes in the Irish District.

Newport: Motorized Yacht Sightseeing Cruise

5. Newport: Motorized Yacht Sightseeing Cruise

Enjoy a sightseeing cruise of Newport Harbor aboard a classic motor yacht and discover the city's coastline from the water. See waterfront mansions and former speakeasies, and hear interesting stories about the people who occupied these properties back in the day. Head to the meeting point and board the Rum Runner II, a classic yacht built in 1929 during the height of Prohibition. Learn about how the boat was originally built for 2 New Jersey mobsters and how she was used to elude the Coast Guard while smuggling contraband cases of rum and other alcohol. Cruise by Newport mansions and former speakeasies, lighthouses, islands, and many other points of interest along the waterfront, listening to interesting stories about them as you sail. Take advantage of the covered area or soak up the sun on the open section of the deck. Book your sightseeing cruise during a morning departure time to take advantage of the morning mimosa cruise and enjoy a complimentary mimosa to sip on during your boat tour.

Newport Cliff Walk & Ocean Drive Self-Guided Tours Bundle

6. Newport Cliff Walk & Ocean Drive Self-Guided Tours Bundle

Explore Newport on a self-guided driving tour via an app that functions as your own personal guide, audio tour, and map all in one. See everything this seaside town has to offer at your own pace. Learn about local history, take a scenic walk, and admire elegant mansions as you drive. Download the app, then start the tour at the visitor center. As you drive down Bellevue Avenue, known as the "most beautiful avenue in the world." See and learn about the gorgeous Gilded Age Mansions along the way, including The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff, Château-Sur-Mer, and more. Continue along Ocean Drive, featuring breathtaking vistas. Learn about Newport's historic past, and iconic American millionaires like the Vanderbilts and Astors. Then, park up and stroll along the famous Cliff Walk which features the raw, untamed, crashing waves of the Atlantic to one side and lavish Gilded Age mansions to the other. This juxtaposition creates one of the most beautiful scenic walks in the world.

From Boston: Newport Mansions Full-Day Trip

7. From Boston: Newport Mansions Full-Day Trip

Enjoy Newport on this van tour from Boston. See how the wealthiest families lived during the gilded age with a visit to the Vanderbilt summer home and the Elms Mansion. Along the way, enjoy some complimentary snacks and bottled water while reading over a provided Newport guide book. Begin with hotel pickup in a luxury minibus, where the approximately 2-hour journey to Newport starts. The first stop is the Breakers, the Vanderbilt family's summer home. Take a self-guided audio-tour and explore the 70-room summer cottage. Here, you can also spend some time exploring the cliffs on a scenic cliff walk. Next, it's back to the mini-coach for a bus tour of Newport, which passes St Mary's Parish, where John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were married in 1953. After the bus tour, visit America's oldest existing synagogue, the Touro Synagogue. With your free time, you can do some shopping or have lunch on the waterfront. If you're a sports fan, you can enjoy discount admission to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Finally, visit the Elms Mansion, where you can take a 90-minute self-guided audio tour. After the tour, return to the minibus, sit back, and relax as you enjoy the ride back to Boston.

Newport: Ocean Drive Historic District Self-Guided Tour

8. Newport: Ocean Drive Historic District Self-Guided Tour

Take in the awe-inspiring views and cool breeze that have attracted visitors to Newport for centuries. Learn about the colonialists who first settled along the harbor and the stunning summer cottages wealthy industrialists built on a self-guided driving journey. Download the tour app and head out on a trip through architectural gems like Rosecliff, where scenes from The Great Gatsby and 27 Dresses were filmed. See Newport’s largest house, The Breakers, as well as Rough Point, which was owned by heiress Doris Duke. While cruising through the Ocean Drive Historic District, gain a deeper appreciation for the history of the area. Drive past a 19th-century fortification at Fort Adams State Park, President Eisenhower’s old summer residence, and the Monument to Portuguese Discovery in Brenton Point State Park. Take in the impressive architecture of The Elms, Marble House, Ochre Court, and the Belcourt of Newport, and hear about Newport’s colonial and Gilded Age history from the audio guide. Enjoy the flexibility of stopping whenever you feel inspired or need a break.

Newport's Cliff Walk: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

9. Newport's Cliff Walk: A Self-Guided Audio Tour

Immerse yourself in Newport via its famous Cliff Walk as you take this downloadable audio walking tour. Learn about the turn-of-the-century home of America’s fashionable society as you walk past their magnificent homes on a scenic stretch of shoreline. Take a stroll among the palatial estates and dramatic New England coastline of the Newport Cliff Walk. Download your self-guided audio walking tour and step back into America's Gilded Age with geo-tracked informative commentary. Hear all about the mansions you pass by, and the families who lived within them. Discover the story of Cornelius “The Commodore” Vanderbilt and the descendants who squandered it all within a few short generations. Be told the story of Caroline Astor, the empress of ‘The 400’ – New York society’s and, by default, Newport’s unofficial ‘who’s who’ list. Start at 40 Steps, and wind your way along the Cliff Walk, taking in mansions like the Breakers, Rosecliff, Belmont Estate and Rough Point. Encounter locations like the Chinese Tea House at Marble House and Ochre Point lookout as you go. Discover how these estates were built, and hear why so many of them were abandoned at the end of the Gilded Age.

Newport, RI: Cliff Walk Self Walking Tour and Scavenger Hunt

10. Newport, RI: Cliff Walk Self Walking Tour and Scavenger Hunt

Start by downloading the Action Tour Guide app, which will function as your personal tour guide, audio tour, and map. Note: In this bundle, each tour is 16+ mile-long and takes 1-2 hours to complete. Download this activity to your smartphone and make the most of Newport’s Cliff Walk. Follow clues and learn all about the area's history while walking along the scenic route. Start by the Forty Steps landmark, once a gathering place for the servants who worked in Newport’s mansions. Head to the Overlook for views of the Atlantic, or admire Easton's Beach. Witness Ochre Court, the Vinland Estate, and The Breakers, the most famous and largest mansion on the tour. Learn about families like the Vanderbilts and see Anglesea, designed so the ocean is visible from every side. Encounter Rosecliff, Beechwood, the Marble House, and more. Pause at the Chinese Tea House, Rough Point, and Land’s End. End your tour at The Waves, and the private stretch of sand at Bailey’s Beach.

1 activities found
Sort by:

You might also like...

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island

Frequently asked questions about The Breakers, Newport Family-friendly activities

What are other things to do than The Breakers, Newport Family-friendly activities that are worth visiting in Newport, Rhode Island?

The other unmissable things to do in Newport, Rhode Island are:

Other Sightseeing Options in The Breakers, Newport

Want to discover all there is to do in The Breakers, Newport? Click here for a full list.