The Breakers

Awesome place that has been well maintained over the years. The people who work there are very knowledgeable and friendly. They are clean newer bathrooms, and it is wheelchair accessible. The whole structure is marvelous and we get to see how the rich people of past used to live in the summer months. The property is large and in the back you can walk around the big yard overlooking the ocean.

Visited June 2025 | Spent ~3.5 hours The Breakers is a breathtaking mansion and a true masterpiece of the Gilded Age. We spent about 3 to 4 hours here, and every minute was worth it. The audio tour was incredibly informative and easy to follow, blending history with personal stories that brought the Vanderbilt legacy to life. The architecture is grand and luxurious, with intricate details in every room—from marble fireplaces and gilded ceilings to hand-painted murals and imported furnishings. The Grand Hall is just jaw-dropping! The ocean views from the rear lawn are stunning, and you can imagine the opulent parties that must’ve taken place here. The grounds are beautifully maintained, and there are plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the ocean breeze. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the whole experience felt well-organized and peaceful despite a moderate crowd. Pro tips: • Definitely get the audio guide—it enhances the experience immensely. • Wear comfortable shoes as there’s quite a bit of walking (both indoors and outdoors). • Allow at least 2.5–4 hours if you want to explore at a relaxed pace and soak it all in. • Photography is allowed indoors (no flash), and there are so many photo-worthy spots. Would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Newport—whether you’re into history, architecture, or just want to enjoy a beautiful day by the sea.

This mansion is truly impressive. Every room is extravagant, featuring gold accents, marble, and elaborate details throughout. The ocean view from the back lawn is unreal. The tour was well organized and kept my attention throughout. If you appreciate grand history and magnificent houses, this place is a must visit. It’s definitely worth stopping by, no question about it.

A fabulous place. Talk of luxury, you have it here. We wanted to visit a few of the mansions. I took the membership of the preservation society. That gave us free access to all the mansions without any time restrictions. The Breakers is the most opulent of all the mansions. The pictures are a testimonial to their luxurious lifestyle.

Not sure if $60/person was worth it, but the house and surrounding property are awe inspiring. A cool look into the opulent American history of a not all together terrible family. We pre bought our tickets and selected a time so we didn't have to wait, but it was still very crowded. And we arrived about 30 minutes after our selected time and they still let us right in!

A must if you like mansion tours or American history. Plenty to see and enjoy. We did the self guided audio tour that comes free with a ticket. It took a 90 minutes and we listened to all the bonus content and walked around outside. The pace of the audio tour was engaging without being boring, and you can skip the extras if you want. I would highly recommend the first time slot of the day, and going mid week. When we got there 10 minutes early, we were 3rd in line. It felt like we had the entire place to ourselves, we could take photos of just us and really take in the rooms. When we left the parking lot was full, and lots of people inside. The gardens and lawn out back are not much, but the view and back drop make for some great pictures.

This mansion was pretty awesome! It's very beautiful. I wanted to touch everything and look in every nook and cranny. But u can't and that's understandable. We heard someone getting a "tour" on their phone as we went threw. Wish we would have done that. Think it would have been a better experience knowing more about it then just reading simple signs and seeing stuff.

We had an excellent day at The Breakers. Google recommends 1-2.5 hours, however we felt this would have left us rushed. We spent ~1.5 hours casually walking through the house itself, and we weren't even listening to an audio tour. We enjoyed a lite bite at the café on-site -- be forewarned this is the only food available on the grounds, let alone nearby. We were lucky to be welcomed onto the property by Dina, as she was able to quickly explain the benefit of investing in an annual membership. We found that it met our needs and then some -- such a plus!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

The Breakers is one of the most popular mansions on Bellevue. The grounds are beautiful and the inside is exquisite. My favorite time of year to visit is late summer and when it is decorated for the holidays.

A beautiful mansion paying homage to the gilded age , definitely a must see for anyone in Newport . You are immediately transported back in time once you step foot inside . You can download a guided tour it's very simple and listen on your phone . The experience is amazing give yourself at least an hour and a half ! There are also members of the historical society who supervise the grounds and if you have any questions you can ask them ! A unique gem !! And worth visiting

Such an incredible and historic landmark in the area. The architecture and attention to detail were amazing. The inside was spectacular as well. When visiting the area, this is a must see!

The Breakers is one of the many Guilded Age mansions you can visit in Newport. I passed by the mansion during my cliff walk and knew I had to see it closer in person. I booked The Breakers visit through Newport Viking Tours, which I highly recommend. The inside is beautifully preserved. Much attention to detail is provided for visitors to experience. This includes informational signs posted around each room where you can do a self-guided tour to learn more about the Vanderbilt family. There is also an option to do an audio tour. My favorite part was exploring the gardens outside. These are beautifully maintained and make for an epic photo opportunity. Definitely worth the visit!

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.

You can't visit Newport without touring some of the gilded age mansions! If time only permits one tour, be sure you visit The Breakers. Built as a summer cottage for the Vanderbilt family. The opulence is felt throughout! We had such fun waking through the various rooms and imaging a day in the life here. Once you've toured the house, leave some time to enjoy the water views taken in on the expansive lawn. You can even access cliff walk from the property so if you're looking to do both activities, you'll have the needed access. To tour the house and enjoy the lawn and gift shop, we spent about two hours onsite. Tickets can be purchased online in advance which I recommend doing to avoid the purchase line but know you can purchase on site if needed.

While overrun with tourists on Labor Day, it was still a wonderful glimpse into The Gilded Age. Download the audio tour prior to arrival, it makes the tour so much more interesting and informative!

Visited day before thanksgiving, and they advertised Holiday decorations inside and out. Not really. One decorated tree in each room. Main hall had a couple of trees, including one made by pointsettas. Also, we downloaded the app, but could not download the self guided tour, as there was no wifi in the Breakers. The website should have said that. Instead we had not tour, which at $29/person seems a big mistake by the Breakers facility. You would think they would appreciate repeat business by impressing guests. We walked the grounds and several of the sidewalks just dead ended, with no way to get to the Cliff Walk. Ok, but we have been to other mansions that were more impressive and four much more informative.

We only had time to visit one of the Newport mansions so we chose The Breakers which was a good decision. They had beautiful Christmas decorations setup throughout the tour in each room. The app you can download on apple or android provides a nicely narrated self guided tour. If you take your time, it will probably take you around 90 minutes to complete the tour. Of course there is a gift shop at the end of the tour. In a separate building near the entrance gate, there are restrooms and a place to purchase food and drinks. The adjacent parking lot is free and decent size so shouldn't be a problem finding a spot.

Talk about lavish lifestyle! The Vanderbilts knew the meaning of luxury and didn't disappoint. The grounds were well kept though some of it was blocked off due to construction/work on the grounds. The self-guided tour on the mobile app was easy to follow and full of interesting facts. It also looks like the Cliff Walk runs right next to it so this might be a 2-for-1 location if you're wanting to tour the cliff walk as well. Cheers!

This is one of the most popular Newport Mansions. I highly recommend making a visit. There is so much history in this mansions architecture and furnishings

September 2023-if you just have time to tour one of the mansions in Newport, RI this is the one. You'll want to download the mansions of Newport app to take the audio tour of the mansion. You can stop the audio to take pictures and enjoy the home. The tour takes about an hour minimum. So worth it! Afterwards you can browse their gift shop and grab a bite in their small cafe. Can't believe they used to call this a summer cottage!!

The biggest & grandest of all the mansions in Newport. If you only have time to visit one, The Breakers should be it! It's hard to believe that this grand & huge mansion is just a summer cottage of the Vanderbuilts during the guilded age. If you are into beautiful buildings & historic you will find this place fascinating and worth it. We got our ticket via Viator & part of the tour bus package for 45 dollars. we e were given 1hr & 15 min to min to explore which is enough time. Make sure to download the audio tour prior & bring your headphone to enhance your experience! Love this tour one of the highlights of our newport vacation!

Incredible. Can't say anything others haven't already. It's hard to believe this was a family home and not some swanky hotel. It's even more impressive that it was built in 2 years. If you're into history or old houses, this is a must.

The Vanderbilt family's 'summer cottage' in Newport is a stunning example of Renaissance Revival architecture from America's Gilded Age, when aristocratic industrialists constructed European-style palaces along the rocky shoreline of the Rhode Island coast. The most renowned of the Newport mansions, The Breakers is the one to visit if you have limited time here. From the breathtaking Great Hall to the 2,400-SF Dining Room and equally spectacular Music Room, you'll discover new treasures around every corner, from period furnishings to classical art and Flemish tapestries. You'll go through 5 massive bedrooms on the second floor of the mansion, as well as the spacious Loggia that overlooks the rocky cliffs just beyond the lawn (hence the name, 'The Breakers'). The self-guided tour then winds back down the service stairway to take you though the massive kitchen and pantry. The route will take you about an hour, but leave a bit more time afterward to explore the grounds. The whole experience is like a whirlwind trip through a gloriously decadent era that now lives only on the pages of historical fiction or on TV screens (appropriately, scenes from the HBO series, 'The Gilded Age' were filmed in the house). And when your Breakers tour is over, save some time to stroll the nearby Cliff Walk for spectacular views of the Atlantic coast. Both are a MUST for anyone visiting Newport!

Went to sparkling nights and it was fun. The lights were nice and we enjoyed the walk around. It could be more for the price inside and out. The breakers are breath taking and I expected A bit more decorations beyond a Christmas tree in each room. The tour that you could download on your phone was excellent. I don't think they advertised it well and we were about the only people using it! It was the best part of the tour! For $84 dollars we were pleased but felt we paid a lot for the 90 minute reservation we could get to see the house and lights.

The self-guided tour had good information, it was very detailed and walk through a few of the rooms nicely. I liked that it was on an app. Luckily I had headphones on me, so I used those to listen. Unsure if they sell headphones there. I went in April and around 3pm, so it wasn't too crowded. I'm sure it looks really pretty in the spring and summer, but when I went all the trees were bare and no flowers. A couple years ago I toured the Biltmore and they had a great tour. It went through a big majority or the house and they even had on display manikins wearing authentic period pieces. It was telling a true story whole going through the mansion. As grand as this mansion is, the tour didn't cover many rooms. Just the bedrooms of the family, 3 main rooms on the first floor, and kitchen. I would have really liked to see other areas of the mansion. However, for the few rooms the tour did consist of, it made me feel like I was on the set of Netflix's Bridgerton or similar. Fun fact: I bought a 1-mansion ticket there in person and the lady said to keep my ticket for a future visit. No expiration date, so when I decide to come again and visit the same mansion, or a different one, I can upgrade to the 2-mansion ticket for $9 instead of paying $30+ again. Cool!

It's an interesting place to visit and guarantees a thoughtful experience for most. This used to be the primary residence of one of the most prominent families of modern America, the Vanderbilt family, known for their network of railways among other things. It's one of the biggest (or probably the biggest) house in the Rhode Island region. The first version of the house was wooden built and was destroyed completely in a fire in the early days. The current structure is made of concrete entirely. It was built to last and it exhibits the intended permanence. The house provides a glimpse of the family's preposterous lifestyle and conspicuous consumption, which was the trend in the gilded age. Whether you are fascinated by the gold and the glitter or disgusted by the vulgarity of it, you will step out with an opinion on the experience. The house is preserved and restored well by the Historical Society of Newport, making the visit worth the $30 spent on the entry ticket per person. The parking is free and there is an entrance to the cliff walk right near the house so you can kill two birds with a stone (read visit 2 places by parking at 1 spot!). The museum gift shop is decent with a range of silverware, books, hoodies, and other merchandise. The servant's section of the house was off limits which was a bummer! Overall, do visit and decide for yourself which end of the spectrum you belong to. Tip: Make sure to download the guide app to learn about the history and relevance of this place and enjoy the full experience.

Beautiful tour of the Vanderbilts' hone. Located right on the edge of the Atlantic Ocean.

The Gilded Age of the Vanderbilts. The Breakers is an unbelievable mansion that epitomized living a luxurious opulent life backed by immense wealth. In 1885, Cornelius Vanderbilt II purchased the property as a summer cottage for $450,000 ($13.6 million today). Seven years later in 1892, that mansion burned down. Can you imagine? Vanderbilt then commissioned famed architect Richard Morris Hunt to rebuild it as a splendid new mansion sparing no expense. The summer cottage was requested to be made as fireproof as possible. The structure, filled with brick, marble and steel trusses, had no wooden parts. Boilers were placed far away from the house in underground spaces buried in the front lawn. The interiors were so over the top luxurious. Marble was imported from Italy and Africa. Rare exotic woods and intricate mosaics came from countries around the world. The library mantel came from a chateau in France. The music room was commissioned by artisans in France, built overseas, disassembled and then reassembled and installed in The Breakers. Chandeliers were made from Baccarat crystal. It even had electricity. The footprint is one acre of the 13-acre oceanfront property. No wonder they had a call system located in the basement. When it was completed in 1895, it was the largest, most opulent of the summer cottages in Newport. Unfortunately, Vanderbilt only enjoyed the home for about 4 years. He died from a stroke in 1899 at age 55. He left The Breakers to his wife Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt who lived until 89 years. When she died in 1934, she left The Breakers to her youngest daughter Countess Gladys Széchenyi, because none of her other children were interested in the property. Really? In 1948, Gladys leased the property to The Preservation Society of Newport County for $1 per year and maintenance costs. In 1972, The Preservation Society bought The Breakers and most of its furnishings in 1972 for $365,000 from Gladys's daughter with the agreement to allow the Vanderbilt heirs to live on the third floor, which is closed to the public. Nice to be able to explore the expansive property including the beautiful oceanfront grounds. The Music Room is stunning. As are the dining room, billiards room and library. Climb the stairs to explore one of the seventy rooms where the family lived and played. Enjoy a concert in the huge elaborate ballroom which looks like the courtyard of an Italian Villa. Take a walk in the garden. Visit the cute children's playhouse. Visited using our NARM passes for free. Otherwise, buy a multiple property ticket as a single mansion entry is $29. Buy a guidebook to learn more about The Breakers and the other Newport mansions or download the free app that acts as a tour guide. Free parking was easy to find in the parking lot across from the iron entry gates.

A must see while in Newport! The rooms will wow you at the expansiveness and grandness of what once was just a summer home for a really rich family. The self guided tour was really informative and it is go at your own pace which I really enjoyed. It wasn't too crowded but there is truly enough space for all to go around.

I feel like this is one of the more popular mansions in Newport. We booked a trolly tour with entrance to the Breakers. Everything is self-guided so you can go at your pace. If you download an app and bring headphones you can listen to the tour but we did not realize so we didn't bring headphones. They also have printouts of information in all languages so you can read about each room in the house. The architecture is stunning. The history is really incredible. It's a gorgeous property with stunning views. Definitely a must see! Lots to learn about and you can take as long as you need.

Maybe it's my disgust with the American wealth gap, or maybe it was my attitude on the rainy day I visited, or maybe this kind of experience just isn't for me, but I found the whole Breakers scene to be highly skippable. There's a lot to love: the details and art ARE something to behold and there are amazing photo opps. I just wish I would have skipped paying for admission and simply walked the exterior grounds. The "museum?" (I don't really know what to call it) does very little to reckon with the past or comment in any way on the double meaning behind the opulence of the Gilded Age. $30 gets you inside the building with a sheet of paper you have to read as you go from room to room. If you bring headphones I believe there's also an audio tour. The experience was cramped and there's no real rhyme or reason to the people movement system. Maybe I am biased coming from the gold standard of the George Eastman Museum in my hometown (OKAY I am biased) but there is a lot of room for improvement given the cost of admission, though I am happy to support the organizing non profit. If you have the spare time and spare change, and also love Gilded Age architecture...go for it!

PROS: this is by far the best mansion I've ever been in. This is a huge mansion that's elegant with A LOT of history. This house has the best view of the ocean with a huge patio and backyard. The staff here is also very nice CONS: the website said that you can park for free on the property... that is not true. You have to park in a lot that's across the street that's cramped and always full. The place also closes very early OVERALL: if you have not seen this yet I would highly recommend coming to see it

This place was fabulous. I have seen the mansions before but this was my first time going into one, and we booked a trolley tour through Groupon that also included a ticket to the Breakers. I believe standard admission is $29 which is quite a lot but it would be very easy to spend two or even 3 hours there. We had an hour and a half because we had to go meet the trolley bus. I recommend using the bathroom at the visitor center when you arrive because then your next bathroom opportunity isn't until the end of the mansion. If you download the Newport Mansions app you can take a self-guided audio tour which was nice except the app kept crashing on my phone. Not sure if it's because I kept switching between that and taking photos with my phone. Definitely a unique place. I would like to come back at some point but I'll probably visit some of the other mansions beforehand.

GO!! Don't think about it. Just do it!! This tour was so worth it. I would recommend going early in the morning, as soon as they open so that you get more time without all of the other visitors crowding you. There is parking (free) across the street from the property which is very convenient. The tour is self-guided and I'm not an audio tour kind of person, but the app with audio really helped add context to each room that I saw. I won't bother describing the house because you have to see it for yourself. But, one thing I did take care to notice, all of the little servant buttons on the walls in each of the rooms. If you watch "The Gilded Age" then you know that the story of the servants could be more interesting than the super wealthy folks who roamed these halls. I loved the grounds here as well. It's definitely a sight to behold. My second Vanderbilt house tour.

O.M.G! The interior of this 'cottage' is amazing. Some of the more 'public' areas (think showing off to the guests" have the detail of a European palace. So much detail in the furniture, columns, lighting fixtures, ceilings. Oh, all those lovely ceilings. I could have stayed there all day just soaking in all the details. I get it, I'm a bit over the top about the details. But maybe you are too. Somebody else out there must have a deep appreciation for the details. I can't be the only one. Family rooms, although they have very high ceilings which does not lend itself to being 'cozy', still have a ' homey' feel with family photos, individual bedspreads and other personal items. Except Mr. Vanderbilt. His office is in his bedroom. Dude, you're at the ocean, relax a minute. Although managing several railroads probably takes a lot of time. So there's that. Anyway. There are several 'modern' bathrooms, each with a huge tub and a 'sits bath' for soothing the tushie after a long carriage ride from NYC to the RI seaside. Those are fun. The back 'porch' is absolutely beautiful! The billiards room is a work of art. Both spaces have gorgeous mosaic tile artwork. High ceilings, supple drapery, furniture made for this home specifically, amazing light fixtures throughout, columns, stone work, mosaic, and of course family history. I would love an opportunity to stay in this home for a couple of days and drink in the experience of living in this work of art. The gardens here are not as extensive as other mansions, still, there are some lovely details on the outside of the home such as stone work, fountains and old trees so do walk the grounds. Other mansions offer larger or more ornate gardens if that is your jam. If you are interested in architecture, interior design, American history or 'period literature' (looking at you Downton Abbey and Jane Austen fans) this is the mansion in Newport you need to visit. But really, just get a multi-pass and see them all.

What a breathtaking Estate. The self guided tour is educational yet easy to understand. This location is by far one of the best kept Estates.

Amazing,amazing,amazing.Even in March,when the weather it's not the best I was still able to enjoy this beautiful mansion.My daughter and I had fun doing the scavenger hunt and listening to the app about this mansion on our phones. I would definitely love to visit during the summer or spring and visit the grounds.Very impressive and totally worth it!

This is the grandest/pioneer i think of all the houses in newport, RI. This is the main house that you need to go to if ever you plan to visits the mansions. Ticket could be bough in every houses but this one has a bigger ticket booth. Accepts credit/debit. Strollers cant go inside so they have a designated stroller parking space. Further information go to newportmansions.org

The Breakers is a Gilded Age mansion built between 1893 and 1895 as a summer residence for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family. This was the first of the Newport Mansions I've been to. It is a beautiful mansion and I loved all the artwork. My favorite was the second floor loggia. I loved the beautiful views of the ocean. There was great information on handouts about each of the rooms and in different languages as well. The Newport Mansion Store is also a great place to stop by. There are great souvenirs and we wanted to get a snack. We got a chocolate chip cookie and marshmallow was good. I really enjoyed seeing this mansion and I can't wait to see the other Newport mansions.

I don't necessarily think of myself as the type of person who is super excited about mansion tours, but I had a friend visiting from out of state and the breakers seemed like a perfect rainy Rhode Island activity. It was a bit expensive ($26/person) but I enjoyed it much more than I expected! When we went masks were still required but no one checked our vaccine cards (not sure if that's changed recently) and social distancing signs were around but not enforced. All the staff we talked to were friendly and eager to answer questions or give background information. I highly recommend listening to the audio tour as you go. The "cottage" is obviously huge and decadently decorated so it is fun to walk through either way but the tour provided context and interesting history of the family and the house itself. It was also the perfect length. A quick introduction to each room with optional more in depth segments if you wanted more information. It was the perfect balance of information and speed. I would definitely visit again, especially with future guests.

Finally had the chance to tour the Breakers w/ our 2 daughters and 3 of their friends, and we all really enjoyed it. Just stunningly beautiful and extravagant. We downloaded the audio tour and brought our headphones, and was interesting to hear about the history and family. Walked down to the Cliff Walk after, the more "rustic side," which was great. Totally recommend.

If you are in Newport, the Breakers is a must see. Perfectly preserved....we did not download the app, but took one of the printed tour guide. I will say on the day I went it was crowded due to an event and parking was horrendous, but the mansion was worth the parking hastle.

A Newport institution. If you got to one place in Newport, go to here. Beautiful mansion. The audio tour is nice. Works fine. Gives you just the right amount of information, and then keeps you on your merry way. The staff is extremely helpful and very knowledgeable. Most importantly, they are enthusiastic. It makes you feed off them. Go there.

Awe-inspiring, inside look into Newport and Vanderbiltian (I know that's not a real adjective) history.. go go go there if you appreciate the excess of the Gilded Age. This was our second visit and this time you were able to purchase tix online, download an app and walk through this not so humble abode through a self guided (bring your ear buds) tour. It's interesting to be transported to that time and realize how tiny everything and everyone was (this coming from a 5'1 female) but the amount of detail and decor is endless! Take your time and take it in!!

A nice visit; wonderful architecture. They allow photography but keep extension poles and sticks away as the staff are quite militant and will yell at you.

Despite it being a gray and cloudy day, it was a wonderful and easy tour. Easy to just arrive and just buy the ticket upon arrival, but it was May and during the weekday so we had no problem. Thoroughly enjoyed peeking through the rooms and taking photographs. It wasn't very crowded that day, so we took our time and liked reading all the descriptions of the rooms and how the family lived. Before you take the tour, make sure you use the public restrooms near the entrance. There's a lovely small cafe here if you want something easy to get, though a sandwich cost an arm and a leg (hey, we don't all own mansions). There is a tiny gift shop at the end of the tour.

Always worth a trip any time of the year to see this impressive mansion, which always looks beautiful. Even more worth it is a trip to the Breakers around Christmas time! Every room is decorated with some sort of theme. It is amazing to see more decorations than you could ever imagine. Even more impressive is the Christmas light display outside on the property. A beautiful walk around the grounds fully decorated in an amazing light display. Be sure to get there early for the lights, as it tends to draw quite a crowd when the light display is happening! As for the rest of the year, it is still impressive to see all of these beautiful rooms and overlook the grounds during every season. Be sure and ask about a membership to the historical society, as it is truly a bargain if you are going to visit multiple properties.

This is a pretty spectacular mansion. Lots of little history tidbits about the glamorous life of the Vanderbilts. Tickets are about $26 per adult. You can follow along with a paper print out or use your phone for the audio tour. It doesn't take too long and if you go during the Christmas season the house will be all spruced up. The view from the back overlooking the ocean is absolutely magnificent. That alone is worth going for.

A big old house overlooking the ocean. Despite being ultra rich.... They dumped sewage directly into the ocean as evident from the now old crushed pipes from these mansions to the sea. A long past era of American royalty once lived and partied here. Now a preservation museum to save the past.

Such a beautiful mansion with so much history. We went during the lights display and it was incredible. It was not over crowded and very well planned. Employees are super helpful and everyone was respectful. Each room had its own Christmas tree and so many photo options. The walk through the grounds with all of the Christmas decor was amazing. We spent an hour and a half at the mansion and they even had hot coco and cider for the outside walk

Words cannot describe this mansion, which is part of the Mansions of Newport group. I copied this from the website ... "visit the largest and most spectacular of the Newport Mansions and learn about the extraordinary Vanderbilt family who lived there, from the extravagant society dinners they hosted to the games their children played in these gilded halls." We took the self-guided tour for $20, and it was well worth the cost. You won't be disappointed, and you'll want to visit other mansions in the area!