The Breakers

2^nd time here=- still what I remembered. The total glutten of living. Huge. Expensive. excessive. Pretty. Great views. Love it. Love it and love to hate it having grown up in fairfield county CT. I think it is the most well known of the mansions so most attended. They have changed since the first time here– self guided audio tours now instead of guided tours. Which I liked cause you go from room to room at your own pace and if you want to listen to more stuff you can… if not you can get the basics…

Knowing I was going to Newport I was told Ooh the Mansions, you need to see them inside, and I was always like Ooh just driving by would be cool…
But I was talked into touring & OMG I am soo glad that I was…
They are pretty on the outside but OMG just to see them on the inside is something totally different.
The detail & gold & artwork and crown molding of just all those old homes is crazy. To see where people slept and their items, was just really cool…
To just know the history of the house & the people that were in the same rooms made me feel all nostalgic.
It was beautiful.
Gift shops in the lower level offer many cute things (be careful you can spend alot without realizing)…
Def worth a trip when in Newport!

Opulent. Gilded gold. Beautiful. Nice audio tour. Lots of information. Go online to buy your tickets. Lots of walking. Take a lunch or snack and water for the car.

I would recommend buying the membership through the Newport society and then going to all the mansions, but would start at the breakers. You can either take an audio tour or just walk around yourself at your own pace, which is what was so nice about the place.

The Breakers is a must-​visit in Newport. We were visiting in the «off season» of April, but even so made sure to get there at opening to be the first ones through the gates at 9 am. This allowed us to have whole rooms to ourselves to enjoy as we traveled through this «cottage» with the audio tour headphones (which are great!). The mansion is breathtaking in its excess, a true, literal monument to the gilded age of the Vanderbilts. Whatever your expectation, you are likely to still be surprised by it when you’re there in the flesh.
Important note: previously they did not allow interior photography, but this policy has recently been updated. We were allowed to take as many interior photos as we wanted using our phones, with no flash, for personal use. With respect for this policy I am not posting any of these photos with my review as I’m not sure if that would be a violation, but it’s nice that they have relaxed on the matter in general.
I do wish they included the servants quarters in the tour. It was disappointing to realize as we stood in the pantry that the tour had ended when there were two floors unexplored. They may now use this space for some storage, or it may simply be too cramped to get tour crowds through. Including more of that contrast would have made this a better value for me. But, I’m still happy we went and experienced this time capsule by the sea.

If you’re passing through Rhode Island, definitely stop by Newport to see the mansions and cliff walk. Fun, relaxing and even educational way to spend 3 – 4 hours. There are 10 mansions in the area, all summer homes to the elites from the Gilded ages. The Breakers mansion is the biggest and most extravagant one. It belong to the Vanderbilts and name comes from the waves breaking on the rocks along the coast. If you ever wonder how Gatsby lived, this is it.
— Great for people of all ages, even kids! It’s an audio tour $ 20.99, available in different languages and in a family-​friendly format. The audio tour was really great, because you can go at your own pace, can skip, forward, go back, and listen in on certain details of your choice. Its mix of history and storytelling.
— If you love European architecture, history, or the Vanderbilts, definitely come here! If you don’t, I would still recommend it.
— If you don’t want to do the audio tour, you can always hike the Cliff walk, which is a 3.5 mile path along the shoreline. The view is gorgeous and you can see most of the mansions from the outside.
— Some reviews mention no picture taking inside the mansion, however, I had no problem. No one said anything about no picture during my tour. Maybe its recent development?
— There is a parking lot next the Breakers mansion. Its pretty big, but come early just in case it fills up on a busy weekend.

Wow, this was definitely a huge opulent display of European-​influenced wealthy/​royalty living. These estates are basically the American railroad tycoon answer to the estates of the European royalty. Giant, ridiculous, over-​the-​top. So much so that the families (that are still filthy rich) are unable to afford keeping them alive, so they were sold and now owned by the museum organization.
They have really well-​done audio tours that allow you to determine (and know beforehand) how much time you want/​need to spend there.
Cool place, good tour, good experience. Active learning about that time period.

I have lived in Rhode Island for 3 years and have admittedly never gone on a Newport Mansion tour until this one (shame on me)! This place was quite beautiful and full of history. I’m a sucker for a good historical tour and while I probably would have preferred either a live tour and/​or a tour where I could read more, the self-​guided tour through headphones wasn’t as bad as I expected. We did go with a group of friends who we don’t see all that often, so the it wasn’t as ideal to be engrossed in our own audio tours but we did take breaks and comment on many of the great things in each room. I also liked that they had a family/​kid version of the tour which my 7 year old daughter enjoyed.
I did find the price to be a bit more expensive than anticipated. At $ 24 a pop, I expected a tiny bit more but it’s Newport and this is the biggest mansion, so I suppose the price shouldn’t come as a huge surprise.
They truly keep everything in fantastic shape and it was an added bonus to see all of the Christmas décor and the mansion gingerbread contest winners included. The view of the ocean was also quite beautiful and I really enjoyed that you could walk along the grounds. If only it were a little bit warmer! All-​in-​all, it’s a worthy tour for anyone who enjoys history and for anyone visiting Newport.

I’m from San Diego and I thought it would be imperative to go sight see for at least a moment while in town for three weeks in Newport, Rhode Island. What better way to start a Saturday morning than to come to The Breakers. Easiest the best way to kill a few hours with an audio tour and to walk the grounds during a beautiful mild winter day!
First thing that I feel is important to disclaim is that I got in totally free. As a military member currently residing in Rhode Island, we were able to use our address on base to get a free ticket. Let’s say one of the people in the ticket booth was unhappy that we got in free, but the other was super nice and really wanted to help us get in free. Take that for what it’s worth!
I definitely took every opportunity to embrace myself in the history of The Breakers during the audio tour. I made one crucial mistake: I took photos inside that we not allowed. I got stopped by a staff member and was reminded of their policy. We could only take pictures of the huge poinsettia. I could understand that even if I was able to take tons of photos, they would never do justice to actually being in the mansion and living the gilded age inside. This is what I could respect for sure.
I hit ever audio station that I could and I was blown away of the history of the Vanderbilt family. The mansion itself was beautiful inside and out. It’s hard to explain in writing, but I can say without a doubt one of the most amazing buildings I’ve been inside in the United States. The tour route is very well done and took me and a few friends about an hour and a half to get through slowly.
Take the chance to walk the grounds and take a picture at the front gate! Also come early because it gets packed fast!

The Breakers is the ultimate of all the Newport Mansions. Extravagance gone mad is the only way I can describe it. Nice tour and beautiful views from the back property. Just a warning, they are VERY anal about taking pics here. I witnessed a woman taking pics from the rear window out onto the water. She wasn’t taking them of the mansion itself, just the view. The frustrated woman security guard came across a lot nastier than she had to be. Other than that, it is well worth the visit.

This is the second Vanderbilt mansion I’ve visited, the first being in Asheville, NC. Breakers is smaller, but I enjoyed the tour more. The audio tour was included in admission price and I highly recommend it. There’s so much history and information about the family, the furniture and decorations and the lifestyle. And oh what a lifestyle it must have been! Everything is over the top, as Alice Vanderbilt made it her mission to have the very best of everything. And the views are simply stunning. You cannot help but wonder what it would have been like to be a guest of the Vanderbilts, or better yet, to have lived there yourself. They say money can’t buy happiness, but it sure can get you a beautiful ocean view mansion! If your in the area, go check it out. It’s a pretty amazing glimpse at how the rich and famous used to live.

The Breakers tour is really well done. We toured another mansion, Rosecliff, and I preferred the tour at the Breakers.
It’s a self-​guided tour on an easy-​to-​use head set. You have to buy the tour to enter, but it’s worth it. You can skip forward as you like. The discussions about each room are an interesting blend of history and story-​telling. Most of the original décor and artifacts are still there. You tour the first and second floor, but can’t go to floors above that. Even still, you probably see 15 or so rooms.
There’s no photography allowed in the mansion, but on the second floor you’ll go through an outdoor porch area where you can take pictures, and you can take them outside as well.
Really solid gift shop. Three rooms of it, in fact. Books, ornaments, scarves and clothing, foods, dining ware, you name it. I thought it was moderately priced. The proceeds benefit the Preservation Society of Newport County.
Which gets to the ticket prices. When I got there and found out you had to pay to go into the Vanderilt’s mansions, I was like, come on, you have a bazillion dollars, why am I paying for this. But the homes are no longer owned by the Vanderbilts or their rich friends; they are owned and maintained by the Preservation Society. They have good deals if you’re up for seeing more than one — it’s about $ 26 for two or $ 33 for five. It’s not just mansions; there’s also the Green Animals Topiary Garden as one of your options, where the bushes are sculpted into animals. And they have kids ticket prices up to age 17.
So Sunday at noon is not the best time to see The Breakers mansion. Just way too much traffic. It will take you forever to get there, and it will be a little crowded inside. There is however street parking and a parking lot.

Amazing cannot even explain this place. Un-​freekin believable. It is hard to fathom that someone lived in this place. Everytime I’m in town it is a must go to. Also bring anyone from out-​of-​state to blow their mind. Highly recommended for anyone to see at least once. It could literally change your view of the world.
Vanderbilt!!!
The real American success story
A true hustler
Legit crime pays

I only had one afternoon in Newport so I decided to visit the Breakers, which is a must-​visit in Newport. It was definitely a great decision, and the $ 20.99 admission was well worth it! The mansion is enormous, and the sheer amount of marble, gold leaf, and even platinum used in the house is incredible. The tour is a self-​guided audio tour so you can go at your own pace and linger as long as you want. The basic tour took close to an hour but if you want some of the extra historical tidbits (e.g., what it was like growing up there, a servant’s life, etc.) then the tour will take you closer to 1.5 hours.
They don’t allow photos inside the house (which is actually a good thing because the crowds would be terrible with people trying to take photos of every single corner). You can, however, take as many photos outside as you want, even if you don’t have a ticket. Be sure to walk around to the back of the house for the garden and the beautiful views overlooking the water.

I visited this Mansion on my last day of my visit to Newport as I wanted to get in at least a little bit more of Newport’s history. My boyfriend and I were given headsets with an audio player so that we could tour the mansion at our own pace. I found it to be immersive and imagined how it was at the time that it was in use. It has some over the top décor (which is what you’re there to see, no?) but it was fascinating to know how symbolic and detailed Mr. Vanderbilt was.
Just so you know you can take pictures outside of the mansion and on the second floor balcony facing the ocean. You aren’t supposed to take photos inside (unless you’re into breaking rules).

What a beautiful property. When you first walk in, the mansion is absolutely breathtaking sitting on large grassy land overlooking the waters. The tour is accompanied by an audio guide that allows you to go at your own pace throughout the house. There’s no photography, so be sure to tuck your cameras away, however you can take photos outside of on the upstairs balcon.
You can tour the Breakers itself for $ 20.99 or get a $ 32.99 package deal where you pick any five mansions to tour.

This «summer cottage» of the Vanderbilt family is the size of the Casa Loma Castle in Toronto, Ontario. I keep calling it a cottage because it was what it meant for the Vanderbilt family, even though it looks and feels a gigantic home of some super riches. I mean the size of this cottage/​home is insane.
The place is meticulously maintained. The exterior is stone faced. I think the porch light at the wrought iron gate is about 4 feet in height. The interior is glamorously and expensively decorated and furnished. Each major room has a decorative theme. One may have ones opinion whether the interior decoration is in good taste, yet everyone must agree that no money was spared in creating this masterpiece of a home. If you are only going to visit one mansion, The Breakers is THE ONE.
Please note that the website and every promotion publication says there is a $ 26 Breakers Plus ticket that allows you to visit The Breakers and one more mansion. What is not stated explicitly is that you don’t have to commit to the Plus package right away. You are allowed to buy The Breakers only ticket for $ 21. If you feel like seeing more, you just keep your Breakers ticket, go to another mansion and pay $ 5 to upgrade to the Plus ticket. I like this better because after over 3 hours of audio walking tour at The Breakers, my feet were not up for the challenge of one more mansion.

We were only in Newport for the afternoon and had time for one mansion. After a lot of reading we settled on the breakers for a must-​do mansion. It lived up to the hype and then some. Many parts of the mansion are an incredible sight. There’s also some great history here provided through the audio tour. Pair The Breakers with part of the cliff walk (right behind it) to kill a good 3 – 4 hours.

It is a life goal and major bucket list item of mine to visit all 50 of the United States of America in my lifetime. With that said I am constantly researching and reading up on the most important things to see in each state. I have read many different articles that name the number one most important thing to do in each state and in almost every one the Breakers was named for Rhode Island. After visiting the Breakers it is easy for me to see why.
For starters seeing the mansion from the outside offers some amazing photo ops. The backyard has the best photo ops since the front is a bit obstructed by trees and stuff. When you go inside the mansion you really get to see what the Vanderbilt’s did with this massive «cottage» as they called it. I won’t spoil the tour for you but lets just say that practically everything was gold plated inside and the mansion has some extremely interesting features including a great hall complete with a fountain, artistic stone wall carvings to symbolize the Vanderbilt Railroad Empire, and a billiards room among many other rooms and spaces.
The tour is a self guided audio tour that is very easy to navigate and offers some very interesting insight into the lives of the Vanderbilt’s in Newport as well as important background information on the Gilded Age. Unfortunately no pictures are allowed to be taken inside the house which was a real bummer because the inside is just so grand. There is one spot in the house where you are on a second story large balcony terrace facing the backyard and Cliff Walk where you are allowed to snap a photo as long as you are facing away from the interior of the house. Otherwise they are very strict about not taking photos inside. There are old ladies posted everywhere that are just waiting to yell at you for snapping pictures so don’t bother lol.
You can tour the Breakers itself for $ 20.99 or get a $ 32.99 package deal where you pick any five mansions to tour. Definitely head to the backyard after your tour and just hang out and take in the view of the ocean and the house. Explore the property too.

Owned and operated by the Newport Preservation Society, the Breakers is simply gorgeous. We visited at the holidays and were able to see it dressed for the season with poinsettias, garland, trees and more.
The narrated tour (each person entering is given a headset to listen to the tour) is quite well done. It can be done quickly by following just the main tour, or each room had extra stories available to listen to for more about the Cornelius Vanderbilt family and their famous summer home.
A great place to visit and soak up history in the City by the Sea. My favorite rooms were the kitchen and pantry — the copper pots are just gorgeous!