The Breakers Reviews

We pre-bought a 3 venue pass with a morning entry time within an hour of opening. The parking lot gets full fast. That is the deciding factor. Our travel schedule put us visiting on a Saturday. We did fine parking and touring before the crush. You will get in loads of walking, stairs, standing, and lines to view this mansion. It was well worth the planning and walking. Afterwards we walked down the cliff walk to the next access point before we came back to our car.

Took the Breakers tour thru a trolley tour that started at the Newport transportation center. Tour includes the Breakers and was worth it. Almost two hours in the mansion. Do not miss this opportunity to see how the ritzy lived.

How well you like these mansions really depends upon your personal taste. Unfortunately, I found the Breakers to be decorated in a most over-the-top style that I couldn't quite see the inhabitants living in comfortably. There are exceptional pieces of artwork but everything together was just too much. You really don't know what to look at as every detail and design is fighting each other.

The only other drawback was that the mansion was very crowded. The other homes are much more user-friendly.

The home is full of "gilt"...hence the Gilded Age. Reminded me of Buckingham Palace and Versailles. Download the free app so you get a really good understanding of the art, the construction and the use of the home.

We purchased our tickets online in advance and arrived shortly before the mansion opened, joining a short line of patrons waiting outside. I recommend purchasing your tickets in advance; the process was easy and it reduced the amount of time we spent waiting in-line.

The home and gardens are lovely and well worth your time when visiting Newport! It’s a self-guided tour; if you wish, you can download an app and listen to commentary in each room you visit. There’s also some signage and staff/volunteers throughout to help you and answer questions.

The interior of the home is gorgeous! It’s truly a gem of the Gilded Age, lovingly maintained. Rooms on the main floor are ornate and feature French and Italian interiors. On the second floor, the rooms have quieter decor but feature interesting artwork. As you tour, you learn more about the lives of the Vanderbilt family, for whom this served as a summer home. I do wish you got to see some of the servants’ quarters, but the tour does end in the kitchens, which were fascinating.

The outdoor areas are lovely; you could bring a picnic, and this would be excellent! We had room to roam on the large lawn, with its stunning view of the waves breaking against the coast. The gardens themselves were not very ornate, but the views were spectacular and it was nice to stroll and enjoy the summer weather.

Overall, a really lovely visit; put this on your ‘must do’ list when visiting Newport.

Very nice, especially during Christmas time. It’s really awesome to have the audio playing to tell you what your seeing.

The entire thing was amazing! Definitely give yourself a lot of time to see everything. I felt like I was walking back in time or living in a movie.
However, I wouldn't recommend this for young children. There's a lot of walking and looking at furniture and décor.

A beautiful mansion and grounds. By today's standards it is hard to imagine what similar craftsmaship would cost. $29 adult admission. Avoid the food cafe as the selection is limited and the price ridiculous. $15 for a sandwich...$50 for 2 adults and a child.

We arrived at the address and there is a parking lot just in front for visitors. We visited on a week day at the end of August - not crowded at all. This is a beautiful mansion and grounds. There was a audio tour provided with a downloadable application and good WIFI at the entrance. Unfortunately, the WIFI was on and off at the mansion but they provide information sheets so we we were able to follow. It is interesting to see how the family lived. We visited in August on a humid day so appreciated the winds from the bay. We also walked a bit at the back on the Cliff Walk.

We loved the town! And free hop on hop off bus! We did the cliff walk and other sights...wish we had known the bus was free sooner, it would have saved us so steps.

This is what you do when you have so much money that you cannot think of any other way to spend it. You may think that this is old money, and this mansion is a museum. However, the neighborhood is full of this kind of mansions that are called home (or vacation home) by the current aristocracy.

We went during a weekday in March and found plentiful parking, and could have some rooms to ourselves as we went through the tour. We used the app and earbuds for the tour and that was an excellent option. Note to folks who used their phone speaker for the audio — use headphones! Nobody else is on the same track and trying to listen to our tour while being subjected to your tour is just ridiculous. I can’t imagine what it like during the busy season. The opportunity to view Gilded Age opulence during the current issues with wealth inequality was revealing. I would recommend this tour.

Crazy! The conspicuous consumption was ridiculous in this place. The downloaded self guided tour was great and informative. It also offered additional stories if you wanted. Room after room of every single square inch decorated.

Exquisite well preserved memento of the Gilded Age. There's a free trolley take you to each mansion.

Totally worth the time and price to visit. Even got my husband to come along-it wasn't too girlie for him after all. We all learned so much.

The Breakers tour was very interesting, and the decor was fabulous. The building itself was grand and the grounds well kept.

Plan your visit! We recommend avoiding summer weekends, as the parking lot gets rather full with both cars and buses. My wife and I arrived early on a weekday and found no problem parking, but later in the day the Breakers started to get increased traffic, especially when tour groups and schools filed in. Bring your headphones or Airpods, as downloading their App is almost a necessity; it is user friendly, as it lets you set your own pace by determining what you want to hear; it also filters out the surrounding chatter. Your tour will be more meaningful knowing of some family history. The 70-room Breakers was built in 1896 as a summer residence for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, a member of the wealthy Vanderbilt family. He died from a stroke in 1899 at age 55, leaving The Breakers to his wife Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt who outlived him by 35 years, dying at the age of 89. By agreement with the Society, it wasn't until 2018 that family members vacated the third floor. There is a stocked gift shop at the end of your house tour; be sure to walk the grounds and view the children's playhouse which predates the larger mansion by two decades.

Loved this house! I bought a 3 house tour package online to avoid any lines. There were no lines and the houses are so large that there is no issues with social distancing. We downloaded the app in advance and the individual house we were going to visit. Wifi is slow at the houses, so I really advise you to do it in advance. Please bring you earbuds or headphones to listen to the magnificent audio tours. It's was so distracting when people put their phone on speaker mode turned up the volume so that their entire group can hear.

This house was the most beautiful in my opinion. I like seeing where the show, The Gilded Age is filmed.

Touring the inside of the Breakers was an experience that is hard to describe to someone who has never been. The lasvishness and luxury left you speechless. The Newport Mansions app to download to your phone was a bit difficult to figure out at the start of the tour but once we got the hang of it greatly added to the tour experience. We were happy that we chose to visit the Breakers on out Newport trip. I would recommend this as a can't miss stop on a Newport visit.

Great House to visit - You can get a ticket and do the lawn and outside one day and the house the next if you are short on time. We had the elephant display their during our visit. You can also walk along the shore. Great store on the house and the rise and fall of greatness.

This is a must see, en eye-popping look at the Gilded Age.

Bring ear buds. The tour commentary is on an app which you should download to your phone before you arrive. Then use ear buds to hear it. The system worked well for me.

The Breakers and Marble House have elevators for those who can't walk stairs and the employees were right there to help when we needed the elevator.

I grew up in Newport and have toured the Breakers and the other Newport mansions many times over my 69 years. Sometime ago the tours were all lead by a live guide who spoke English. In recent years and including my recent visit to the Breakers, the tour has been encapsulated on an audio guide. The audio guide is included in the admission. The audio guide does allow one to listen in many languages. It also allows the listener to explore various rabbit holes that provide additional flavor of life in the gilded age. However, the information provided is scant when it comes to describing the furniture, the artwork and the people in the pictures. The previous live guides provided lots of background on what you were seeing and could answer questions. As I listened intently to the audio guide, I found it difficult to follow which room I was supposed to be in.
Despite my nostalgia for a better tour experience in the past, I always tell visitors to see the Breakers if they want to tour a mansion. The Breakers went seamlessly from being a Vanderbilt summer home, to a house rented to the Preservation Society for a nominal fee to a house owned by the Preservation Society. It is in excellent physical condition, the furniture is original and wall and furniture coverings have been carefully copied or restored. The grounds are well maintained and beautiful.

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!

We had a fabulous tour at The Breakers! Started in the pretty cafe with an excellent coffee and toured the mansion at a steady pace. The complimentary audio tour was excellent and provided so much information! A sweet ending in the reasonably priced gift shop. Highly recommend.

We were overwhelmed with the beauty and grandeur of the Breakers, from the grounds to the home itself. It was nice to see history intact. Watch the ‘Gilded Age’ on HBO if you can to get a taste of life when the property was built.

My husband and I toured several of the famous Newport mansions, but the Breakers was the most highly recommended. Because of COVID, you were recommended to do the audio tour or take a paper handout, and the audio tour was awesome! Lots of history, lots of stories, it really took you back to that time and gave such good information about the Vanderbilt family. It was also not super crowded, which made the experience that much better. I would absolutely recommend seeing this to anyone. It's a little over the top by today's standards, but it was still fascinating to see how the super rich lived back then.

Off season, rainy day, that's when its the Best. During high season it's crowded, much attention goes into not to step onto anybody. But, it's a whole different experience when you are almost alone within the mansion. It's a great building, many details intact. Always worth a visit. Btw, during winter time, it's the only mansion accessible.

nice historical tour of one of the largest mansions, the grounds and the mansion were very well kept.

Beautiful place! Audio tour from phone. Lives up to it's reputation. Would definitely recommend when you visit Newport!

Enjoy the Gilded Age! This is a premier destination to enjoy the feel and experience of the Gilded Age, made more famous recently by the HBO series of the same name!
It is easy to navigate, it is lovely, and it is accessible for all. We spent two hours enjoying our walk through time and the amazing and palatial creation known as the Breakers mansion.

Amazing! This was a bucket list item and now I have done it. The audio tour in their app was perfect in helping me understand the family and more about the house. I got there right when it opened and it didn't feel too crowded. If you already have your ticket you can walk right in. Very impressive place to visit.

I saw all of the homes Newport Preservation oversees. Breakers is the most spectacular. The audio tour on the app was wonderful. Beyond the tour the additional information makes the home come alive

Wonderful place! Gorgeous The Breakers is absolutely breathtaking, an architectural masterpiece that transports you straight into the grandeur of the Gilded Age. Every room is filled with intricate details, lavish décor, and history that makes you pause in awe. The ocean views from the grounds are just as stunning as the mansion itself.

The audio tour was easy to follow and added so much context to the Vanderbilt family and the lifestyle of the era. Walking through with family made it even more special there’s something for everyone to admire, from the craftsmanship to the sheer scale of the estate.

If you’re visiting Newport, this is a must-see. It’s not just a tour, it’s an experience of beauty, history, and elegance that leaves you inspired.

The epitome of Gilded Age mansions, spectacular! Make sure you download the app for the audio tour, it's very good and gives you the option to dig a little deeper and hear more history if you have the time, so bring your headphones. The gold and platinum wallpaper and water feature spiral staircase were particular favorites of ours. Our group of four adults spent about two and a half hours checking out the house and grounds, we loved it.

And very intricately carved at that. Speaking with the staff gave a lot of depth to the visit. Quite the dazzling experience as expected!

Great example of the Gilded Age. However, even on a Monday morning, it was crowded. Walking through the large rooms wasn’t much of a problem as the marked “paths” were fairly wide. The smaller rooms and second floor were terrible. Despite multiple signs reminding everyone to socially distance, there were literally lines of people going through the upstairs. People would stop in the middle of the “path” to read the pamphlet or listen to the audio. That stopped the entire line of people and no one could even pass or get out of line. Very claustrophobic and definitely no social distancing. Maybe they should be limiting how Many people can be inside at once , offer guided tours, or require masks to be worn.
oing through the upstairs. People would stop in the middle of the “path” to read the pamphlet or listen to the audio. That stopped the entire line of people and no one could even pass or get out of line. Very claustrophobic and definitely no social distancing. Maybe they should be limiting how Many people can be inside at once , offer guided tours, or require masks to be worn.

Stunning place with so much history and grandeur! One of the best cottages in Newport to visit. If you’ve not been and are considering it, definitely come and add this home to your itinerary!

Terrific audio tour we were able to download in advance! One suggestion, not everyone has a phone to download it on. It would be nice if audio tours were available on site for renting.

Amazing, the self-guided audio tour was phenomenal. I would say if you use the audio tour and listen to absolutely everything it would take about an hour and 15 minutes if you go right through it. Absolutely worth the visit.

Home is absolutely stunning, but they allow so many people in at once you really feel like a herd of cattle and it really takes away from the experience.

No matter how many times I've been to the Breakers, it continues to be amazing. Be sure to savor the details from the acorn and oak leaf insignias, the grotto under the main stairs, and the playhouse, among many others. No trip to Newport is complete without seeing this beauty from another era.

My wife, sister and her friend visited on a Monday.

I have seen the Breakers a couple of times before. Always great to see!

But...they no longer have audio players. You have to download an app onto your smart phone for the audio tour. Headphone or earbuds are a MUST! to enjoy the experience to the fullest.

Beautiful and awe inspiring architecture art and location. House is in great shape and so are the gardens. Parking was easy. We are fans of the gilded age show and was an entertaining visit!

What a magnificent place! All the splendor of the gilded age. Really enjoyed the home and grounds. Gift shop was great , picked up a few books

Beautiful mansion nestled among all the other iconic Newport mansions. Did not have time for the indoor tour but walked around outside briefly. Stunning mansion. Grounds maintained beautifully.

This was my first trip to Newport and it wouldn't be complete without seeing the Breakers. It is worth the visit. The self-guided audio tour via their app is well organized and provides helpful information.

Stayed in the Newport/Middletown area for 4 days. Traveled with my college aged architecture student. We enjoyed seeing the bay via sailboat our first night after some seafood and live music. Stayed at the Pell Hyatt, the staff was so friendly and the workout facilities were excellent. We did a trolley tour to learn more about the history of the area on day 2 followed by some shopping and strolling around town. Days 3-4 we made good use of our mansion passes, and took in The Breakers, Marble House and The Elms. As we left, we waved goodbye to the Rose Island Lighthouse. We both had a fantastic time! The place is so picturesque, and the people were all very welcoming. It was a wonderful place for great conversations, relaxation, no rush…. Blue skies, crisp white sails and yachts on the ocean, opulent historical homes, charming shops, and amazing restaurants. Would definitely recommend!

Beautiful home! Could have stayed all day. I used the app and listened to the history and details on building the home. Went around the holidays and everything was so festival and beautifully decorated.

Great tour. Download the app BEFORE YOU GO. Makes your visit easy and without delay. Remember to take HEADPHONES. The app does a great job on details and allows additional options if you wish.

Hard to believe people lived in this luxury! It would be nice to have tour guides, but there were people available to answer questions in some of the rooms. And a printed sheet is provided, as well as an audio you can download on your phone. It wasn't too crowded and you can easily see everything and every room. I highly recommend this experience.

Great tour of a timeless glimpse into the past. The staff on the tour were very informative. Have devices and earphones ready to listen on your own phone for the tour.

Wonderful way to step back in time and learn about the Gilded Age in America! The house is spectacularly cared for and maintained, the staff is so helpful and knowledgeable, and the grounds deserve dedicated time to wander and soak in the views!

Beautiful House preserved from the Gilded Age. We bought our tickets online and stopped at visitor center. No instructions. We walked up to house and there was a sign to download the audio app for the tour. There was no wifi and my app wouldn’t load. I shared with my husband but it would have been better to have had it on my phone. There were no instructions ahead of time and if they had stated to do so in visitor center it would have been much easier. The only disappointment in an otherwise beautiful tour.

Wow. Incredible. iPhone guided tour and air pods worked great. An absolute must see. Tour took about ninety minutes and so glad we decided to do it.

Though a self-guided tour - this was a magnificent building. Being fans of Downton Abbey, we were glad to visit this historic venue. So many things just amazed us - used only two months out of the year, 48 servants, spectacular views, so many modern conveniences. The self-guided tour - along with the volunteers in the facility - truly added to the experience. Certainly a portrait of a bygone gilded age!

The Breakers is the Summer “ Cottage” of the Vanderbilt family. It is a beautiful example of how the ultra rich lived in the late 19th Century. Amazing marble, frescoes and tile.

We visited 3 mansions but if you only do one, this is the one to do.
Amazing view, good tour, one of the largest homes.

I had touring the Breakers on my bucket list for sometime. The parking was free and very easy to find, simply walk across the street to enter the estate. I purchased my tickets at the welcome center, with no lines or crowds. Other ticket purchase options is online, or in the parking lot is a sign with a QR code to use to purchase tickets, that download right to your phone. I bought the trio (3) mansion tour tickets ($46), You do not have to tour all in one day, in fact you have no time limit, just need to keep your ticket to scan at each mansion. I toured the Breakers and it was absolutely beautiful. You can download on your phone app, a free self guided tour. There is a photo of which one to download at the Welcome Center, why buy one, when you can use a free one that is recommended. There are lots of employees present almost every room, full of knowledgeable and happy to answer questions. Restrooms and a snack/lunch area as well as a little water/lemonade beverage cart outside on the grounds. I walked to the other mansions I chose to tour and it was very hot out. There is a free trolly that runs every 20 minutes, which I highly recommend OR parking was not an issue at all in any of the mansions. I highly recommend a visit.

It's hard to wrap your head around all the mansions in Newport, because every single one is so over-the-top. The Breakers takes that to the next level. The Under the Breakers tour is excellent and it's wonderful to be able to see the workings of the house and where the staff made all the "magic" happen. The tour has limited space, so get your tickets online as soon as you know your plans. The main house tour is easy, as you can either read the signs in the rooms; get a printed guide; or use your phone and headphone for the audio tour. We like that there are options. The docents, as with the other mansions, are so knowledgeable and very friendly and helpful. What an amazing place.

Incredible mansion that started the Gilded Age. The Breakers is a must see on a trip to Newport. The tour is self-guided, but the information sheets are helpful and the employees in each room are very knowledgeable. A few members of our group even decided to take a trip to Biltmore after visiting!

This is a time visit but they certainly do not rush through once you get inside. So this is how the other side lives. Everything was beautifully decorated for Christmas and you could easily spend two hours in the house and in the gardens.

Make sure to download the free mentions app so you can listen to the history behind each room, picture or decoration. This makes the trip very much more worthwhile.

The gilded age is sure seen at this mansion. Awesome mansion and gardens. You go thru many rooms. You also get to walk the grounds! Price was $58 for my wife and I.

The Breakers is a magnificent piece of history. Stepping inside is stepping back in time. Everywhere you look, there is something to catch your attention. So much attention to detail! Take the time to look at the ceilings and walls. It took true craftsmen to build and decorate The Breakers.

This home is amazing! It’s beautiful and historical. We downloaded the Newport Mansions app and listed to the guided tour. It was a game changer! I highly recommend using it!

It was great to see how the other half lived. The beauty and the treasures were unmatched. It was interesting to be able to have a self guided tour to make the visit that much more interesting and to learn about specifics that I didn't know.

It was amazing to see the extraordinary wealth. The detail in architecture was stunning. The vast property came to life with the excellent audio tour

An absolutely spectacular property! Hats off to the Preservation Society for maintaining the building and property. It is 1st class all the way.
One thing that struck me is that this 138,300 square ft mansion was built for the Vanderbilts in 2 years - way back in the late 1890s. Imagine trying to have something of that size built in that time frame today - even with all the equipment and technology we have today.
An audio tour of the mansion (which is very well done) is available. I also believe a guided tour/s may be available.

This place is amazing. The views and gardens are stunning. Hard to believe this place was built in two years, in the late 1800's. I can't imagine parties. You can download an audio tour on your phone. 138,000 square feet!

We took the Beneath the Breakers tour. It was ok, but a little disappointing in comparison to our behind-the-scenes tour of The Elms. We ended up actually skipping touring the upstairs as a result (we'll do it another time), but we did enjoy meandering the grounds.

Been many times but not in several years. This was the first time we didn't have a tour guide. (Maybe COVID?) We actually enjoyed and learned a lot from the easy-to-access tour via the app. Good pace. A lot of bonus information. Glad we went back.

My boyfriend and I had a lovely time at the Breakers Mansion. The parking lot across the street was very convenient. We were some of the first people there and the staff was kind and accommodating. We love to go on tours by ourselves, so we actually loved that we didn’t have a tour guide, but there was audio available for those who wanted a guide!The rooms were beautiful, the artwork was magnificent, and the views were outstanding. We had a wonderful experience and would recommend it to anyone interested in art, history, or just a nice experience!

What a beautifully preserved property. Reminiscent of a bygone era. Hard to imagine what it was like living during that time.
Parking is difficult. It wasn't particularly busy when we went, but we did a few laps around the parking areas before parking over by the college and hoping for the best. It was a weekend, so we weren't sure if the college cared about parking passes. We weren't the only ones doing so. We were there just over an hour and did not receive a ticket, so that was nice.
The self-guided tour allows you to take your time. They also had some app you could download on your phone for an audio tour, but cell service wasn't great to download it. They allow you to take pictures which is awesome.

We drove into Newport, Rhode Island and saw the sign, "Welcome to beautiful Rhode Island" and it truly was. Gorgeous sailboats were in the beautiful blue water, their white sails gleaming in the sunlight, and the sky a majestic cerulean blue.

We soon took the wonderful trolley tour which featured a look inside the Breakers. Stepping inside the "Gilded Age" mansion was like stepping into the pages of "The Great Gatsby," with beauty so majestic it was almost indescribable.

In those days of enormous wealth, money flowed like dewdrops, and The Breakers reflects the golden beauty of gorgeous paintings and furnishings. One chandelier in particular was incredibly huge and gorgeous, and the kitchen had plates and glassware to the very top of the ceiling. The Breakers is a glimpse into a world of glorious loveliness. It is a trip to a dream world, and one I would heartily recommend to anyone.

Not to be missed stunning home. Room after room will leave you speechless. Note to photographers - they do not allow flash and many of the rooms are a bit dark, so be prepared. The tour is self guided and can be downloaded on your phone or they provide written info (in various languages) available when you enter. If you go during the holiday season, the mansion is wonderfully decorated outside as well with lights in addition to the trees etc inside.

Wow! Absolutely the most beautiful home I've ever seen! We took a lot of photos & enjoyed walking through the home pretending to be a Vanderbilt.

We were part of tour group and this attraction was part of our tour. It's among the more lavish Newport mansions and there is definitely a lot to see. You can download an app for an audio tour, or just follow along the tour path. In many ways, this reminded us of the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC (closer to our home). Every room, hallway, open are, etc., has so much detail to see. After you tour the building, don't forget to step outside to the back area where you can overlook the cliffs. If you think you missed something, the gift shop has plenty of books and souvenirs to catch you up.

The Breakers is wealth and opulence to the max, almost overwhelmingly so. Gorgeous on all fronts, inside and out. Great price when you combine this tour with another mansion tour. Has a nice little café to grab a bite too! Be sure to have your earbuds charged as the tour is through the mansion app.

We were blown away by the size and beauty of this mansion. I had never been here before and was taken back by the grounds. Just magnificent! Audio tour was great and worked flawlessly. We found it very easy to use.

The Breakers is a beautiful mansion, It has all that you'd want from a Vanderbilt home of the gilded age. The mansion is spectacular and well worth the visit. The self-guided audio tour (a downloaded app) was great, I appreciated the additional behind-the-scenes content you could access if you wanted to know more.

The Breakers house has a very different feel than the Biltmore in NC. The Breakers is more open and airy with a feeling of opulence and glamor whereas the Biltmore is larger and more imposing. The Biltmore screams, I have old money and I have a castle.

Only had time for one mansion so we settled on The Breakers. It was late in the day so we found parking easy and the mansion wasn't overly crowded. We really enjoyed our visit. Highly recommend doing the audio tour. It's easy to use and you learn so much more than touring on your own. Wish we had time to do more mansions.

It's pretty neat to explore such a grand home. I would definitely take a look ahead of time on the website and read the instructions of getting the audio tour app., and BRING EARPHONES. The audio tour is really helpful to give you more details and is specific to each room you're in. We knew about it ahead of time, but no one at the entrance mentioned it, which would be helpful for those who don't know about it. We got there with an hour left till closing and it was just enough time. When we went out to the yard we practically had the grounds to ourselves, it was great. Parking lot was right outside the gates, across the street.

The Breakers referred to as "unquestionably the most magnificent estate in Newport” back in 1883, still is today. The largest and most opulent house in the Newport is an unquestionable must see. Hard to believe that during the 19th Century, for about six weeks, America's elite summered here.

Flawless organized, the tour experience is captivating, adding a bonus to your already dazed eyes.
Free parking along with food and drinks available at the Garden Café would complete your marvelous journey in this jewel of the Gilded Age.

Enthusiastically recommended.

It was amazing to learn more about the house, the family, and the Guilded Age. Must do if you’re in Newport! Loved getting to spend extra time enjoying the yard/landscape. Kudos to Raymond (tour employee) who gave us lots of great additional insights!

Came here with a large group, the breakers is a stunning work of architecture from the turn of the 20th century. A lot of signs to self guide you through the Mansion

Basically mind-blowing opulence, architecture and finishing. Every room was interesting. Still can't understand why anyone wants to build or live in a castle, but this was as impressive and worth the visit.

We did a trolley tour that included admission in to The Breakers. They have a nice audio tour you can download on your phone and listen to as well. Beautiful - highly recommend.

This mansion is truly magnificent. Its construction is incredibly impressive, especially considering its age. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and took numerous stunning photos. The grounds are spectacular overlooking the ocean. The audio tour was informative and well worth the investment of time to experience a piece of history.

This was our first visit to Newport, and we loved touring The Breakers! The self-guided tour and app were wonderful—very informative and interesting. (Don’t forget to bring your earbuds.) Our kids are 11 and 15, and they both really enjoyed the tour, too. The information was interesting, and the tour kept us flowing from room to room really well. It took about an hour, and then we walked the grounds, which were gorgeous. The gift shop is also really nice. We went at 10 a.m., which seemed like a good time to go because we were able to find parking in the lot across the street, and the crowd wasn’t too heavy yet.

We visited the property on a Saturday afternoon. We did expect the place to be crowded but we were still amazed by the masses of visitors. We simply followed the line from room to room and listened to the audio guide in several languages at once as nobody bothered to use headphones. The staff was knowledgeable but I wish they would have tried to help with traffic a bit more.

The place is gorgeous and wish we had come at a less busy time.

The sheer size and attention to detail speaks volumes about the craftsmanship and demands of a wealthy elite class never seen before of since! The exorbitant styling and magnificent structures are beyond imagination. If you haven't been here, you should make the trip!

This was my first time doing any of the Newport mansions and The Breakers did not disappoint. It is a gorgeous place and feels like you're stepping back in time. The gift shop was great as well.

Extraordinary architectural feat, the opulence and craftsmanship are jaw-dropping and can overwhelm but fascinate at the same time. The tour is thoughtfully organized and self-guided with a handout, extensive signage, and an app, if you wish to hear a guide. There are also helpful guides and much to see along with a very large museum shop at the end. While the weather was not great for outdoor exploring, there was plenty to see indoors.

This was very crowded and the tickets are timed. Every half hour. Went on Monday at 11 am and the parking lot was packed no spots at all. Had to keep circling around until someone pulled out. Very stressful. When we returned after the tour about 2pm there were plenty of open spots. so i think mornings are the busiest there. the house is enormous and very interesting. the grounds are very beautiful with ocean view. it was a very nice experience. it was very crowded though.

Well worth the money but be sure to download the free app first and take your headphones for the guided tour. Had 90 minutes for the tour since we took this as part of the Trolley Tour but 90 minutes was enough time to tour the insides and walk around the exterior. Sound tended to break up the entire time and kept going back to the start but it was easy enough to get back where it left off. There is a hard paper copy of the tour if you want but the headphones were the best way to go.

We toured 4 mansions in Newport and this one is the best of all. It's hard to believe this was only a vacation home for a few weeks out of a year. When you walk into the house you will be amazed with the marble and wood interior and the furniture. The outside is just as pretty. You can get some great shots of the back of the house from the cliff walk first thing in the morning with no people.

Download the app so you can use the audio tour. The audio tour was very informative and includes audio of family and staff that lived and worked there. I would have missed a lot without the audio tour.
Did you know Mark Twain coined the term Gilded Age?
The Vanderbilt that built this house is the older brother of the Vanderbilt that built the Biltmore House in North Carolina.

Outstanding tour. For kids, do the scavenger hunt it will make it much more interesting to them. Download the tour app and off you go. very easy.

This is a readily accessible historic site from the American Golden Age. There is an audio tour that is accessible through smart phones so one may tour at your own pace. If in the area, it is well worth the entry fee.

Absolutely beautiful. A downloaded app gives you a complete narrative of each room. You can go at your own pace. Each room is fully decorated, at the end of the tour is the usual gift shop and a place to buy coffee and a snack. We were there on a rainy day, didn’t have time to explore the grounds.

The Breakers is always lovely, but some of the rooms are challenging (noise from AC ducts, or lack of a desk.) Big shout out to the extremely gracious and helpful Wilnise at the front desk who spent a lot of time checking different rooms and found me the perfect lovely quiet room in which I can work comfortably between conference sessions. Thank you Wilnise!!! Thank you too to Housekeeping who expedited getting a hot water kettle to my room ASAP rather than the next night - very much appreciated.

If you only have time to visit one of the historic mansions, then The Breakers is the one. I recommend seeing Marble House is you have time to visit two.

Tours of the massive and ornate estate are doing via a phone app that allows you to go at your own pace and linger in places you want to and breeze through spots that might be as interesting.

Highly recommend.

Newport was great we did the cliff walk, the Breackers lihgt show, visited the shops downtown. prices are high and I would not want to go peek season as the crowds would be too much for me!

This is a must see when in Newport- this house is amazing considering the age and the amenities they had!

So my family went to the breaker in June of 2024 and it was amazing. The Breaker mansion the Vanderbilt estate was large and it has many floor that we have toured around. The largest part of the mansion was when we walked in to the lobby or some sort. Omg it was so huge and I can't believe it. It has stunning design and that what I really loved about it. Their were many parts to the entire of the mansion and I got to say it was breath taking. We have explored the rooms and each rooms designed was different in the mansion and it has very old fashion concept. The mansion just by the look unique and filled with interesting history that is really good to explore about. I would definitely recommend to visit in New Port RI.

Spectacular! Don't miss this one. The Breakers is the summer "cottage" of the Vanderbilt Family. Your visit will give you is a peek into not just a home, but the history and lifestyle of a bygone time. The home itself is spectacular in it's grandeur and opulence. The architecture and artwork are gorgeous. Very European. The family stories are captivating. The grounds and adjacent cliff walk are remarkable. The informative tour is self guided using an app or a paper handout. There is a lot of bonus info on the app if you're interested. Give yourself a solid two hours if you're going to do the cliff walk and grounds.

I visited The Breakers in April 2022. I arrived in the parking lot at 9:30 am and there were plenty of parking spaces. The Breakers opened at 10 am and I was able to buy my ticket. I bought a ticket for one mansion for $26 with the option to upgrade to a second mansion for another $8. It was not that crowded during the opening at 10 am but became very crowded later. I did the self-guided tour - the Great Hall and Staircase, various rooms (such as the Parlor, Dining Room, Bathroom, Bedrooms, Kitchen and many others), stained glass, fancy chandeliers, a view of the ocean, etc. It was such a fantastic place. If you can visit only one mansion, choose The Breakers. There was a nice book and gift shop. I recommend getting here early like I did. Later on it was much more crowded and there were not any parking places in the parking lot.

We had one day in Newport, and visited The Breakers and Elm. From a photographic point of view, if you just can do one do The Breakers. (But better do both.)

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.

Amazing building and grounds. Self guided tour so can take your time and not feel pressured to move on. Walked the grounds also and were totally awed.

If you are close or passing by the Newport, RI area, this is a must-see house. I have been here before, but this time did the audio tour app on my phone. I would highly recommend doing that, as we heard so much more about the house and its amazingly detailed features.
The tour takes you through each room and has information beyond the basic things. Plan about 2 hours total to take the tour and then to explore the grounds outside, especially on a nice day.
This is a must-see in Newport!

When you think of mansions, the Breakers would be top of the mind. Gorgeous setting (overlooking the breakers). Amazing details throughout the house — obviously no expense was spared. Be sure to listen to audio tour as you walk through the house. And ask questions of the docents — they’re very happy to share. If you can just pick one mansion to visit in Newport, go to the Breakers. (The Garden Cafe had a nice lunch selection.)

This exquisite mansion certainly deserves its reputation as "the one to see if you're only going to see just one in Newport." Definitely go, and make sure to do the audio tour (bring your mobile phone and headphones). We did the audio and got a lot out of it.

Would not miss this one if you're in or around Newport.

See how the ultra rich lived many years ago.
The size of the mansion equals the size of the ego of the original owner.

Visited about. 20 years ago and feel that the house is not as well shown as it was in the past. While the online tour is a good idea it takes way too long to download and then is very disruptive hearing everyone’s phone repeating the same information at different times.
Also the docents in the building were not that interested in interacting with the visitors. Finally I think that a senior citizen discount, if only a small one would be a good idea. You give a discount to children who probably aren’t really interested in the houses, There should be something for seniors who are interested in the houses.
I’ve been to quite a few of the Vanderbilt mansions and am afraid to say that the some of the others do a much better job.

Saw this several years ago on a bus tour - enjoyed it more this time at my own pace - the recorded tour is worth downloading. Because of ticket pricing, you almost certainly will do this one if you'd like to see two other mansions in the same day - yes it can be done without (too) much strain. Parking at this house is inevitably full; resign yourself and park a few streets away. I selected Marble House and Chateau Sur Mer to fill out the ticket. The three are walkable even on a fairly hot day - though I enjoy walking and am in decent shape. Back to The Breakers - it is very, very grand. Designed as a showpiece and it lives up to expectations. Can be slightly crowded despite timed entry. But you can always let groups pass through - eventually it becomes spread out and you can get good shots. There are more in depth tours, and I'd love to see the (former) private residence. Next time perhaps. But it is limited and no photos - I mean really. Normally that's a pass for me, but here probably an exception.

Had to go to at least one Mansion when visiting Newport and this is the one to visit. It was busy but everyone was very curtious and things kept moving. Make sure when visiting to download the audio. A must visit when visiting Newport.

This was a lovely home, with a great audio tour, and I learned a lot! Overall, it was a bit pricey, but well worth the visit.

It’s not cheap to visit but there is a free car park (whilst you are there) and it is definitely worth the cost.
This is the most spectacular Gilded Age mansion, it’s so vast and amazing to think someone lived in this opulence.
The downstairs rooms are very different to upstairs, which is more reserved as they were designed by a different person.
You can either download an audio guide to your phone or use the information cards in each room.
Make sure you wander around the gardens, so as not to miss the cottage specially built for the children to play in (you can peek in through the windows).
Toilets are located at the café entrance in the same building where you also buy tickets.

We had toured this 1895 era mansion many years before, but not decked out for Christmas. It was spectacular on all accounts. The guided tours are gone, replaced by an online narrative, placards and a printed history. The amazing interior opulence was enhanced by period correct decorations, including many Christmas trees.

Admission was $25 per adult; free parking across the street. The location on Belleview Avenue is easy to find. Be prepared to climb many stairs to fully see all 140,000 square feet.

AMAZING! Loved touring the mansion and the audio tour was phenomenal! Did the Beneath the Breakers tour, which for me was just okay. I'm not that technical of a person, so I wasn't as interested in the heating and cooling and the water system.

Wow! What a fantastic "summer cottage". Huge, detailed architecture, amazing furnishings, and great views. Self guided tour.

Haven't seen opulence like this since I was at Hearst Castle in California as a kid. Well worth the admission price.

Even in the pouring rain, this tour was perfect. Obviously the home and furniture were beyond description…simply fantastic design, decoration and furnishings. The audio tour was just the right amount of detail ( bring your ear buds, download the mansions audio app before going)

the lady with short wavy brown hair was very rude to the visitors and kept barking at people to move on. shame as looked like it could have been a worth while visit. 11th September 2023.

Great experience for the entire family.
Took my two teenage daughters (16,19) to explore the mansion and the nearby cliff walk.
Visiting the mansion is unguided, however, there is an online audio tour that can be accessed for more information as you explore the property.
Café onsite, however the food is overpriced and mediocre at best ($15 for a cold Buffalo chicken wrap).
Perfect trip for any time of year and a really cool experience to witness the architecture of the Gilded Age.

We have visited this property about 6 times over the last 40 years and it never fails to impress. We manage to learn something new every time. We visited on June 1, 2022 and made use of the downloadable app to do the self-tour. The day was overcast but there was no rain in sight so we toured the grounds and also did much of Cliff Walk behind the mansion. I would definitely recommend a visit to this property for anyone who is in Newport, certainly for the first time. It is a must-do!

This was my second visit to the breakers and I was just as impressed the second time around! It is truly amazing to see how the elite ultra rich lived in the late 1800’s, and this was this summer home, lol!!

We visited on a weekday in August and it was pretty crowded. There is a self guided free audio tour that you can download on your phone so don’t forget to bring your AirPods, earphones, etc.

Tickets are $29 each for adults but if are planning on visiting two mansions then tickets are $38 each for two mansions of your choice. Plan on spending a minimum of 1.5 hours to really absorb everything.

There is plenty of free parking across the street or there is a trolley that you can pick up in town that will drop you off there.

If you only have time to visit one of the Newport Mansions make it The Breakers, you won’t be disappointed !

We loved touring this - the self-guided tour is easy to use and we loved being able to take the time to walk through the property at our own pace examining all the amazing things to see.

Opulent, over the top, indulgent example of the Gilded Age. Amazing what they built here. A must see when visiting Newport

Touring the Breakers to see how a few people lived during the gilded age. The mansion is stunning and preserved beautifully.

There are many things to do in Newport RI. However, by far the most popular thing is touring the famous mansions in the city.
The Breakers is a Gilded Age mansion built between 1893 and 1895 as a summer residence for Cornelius Vanderbilt II. The 70-room mansion, with a gross area of 138,300 square feet and 62,482 square feet of living area on five floors, was designed by Richard Morris Hunt in the Renaissance Revival style. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994.
We love house tours and this had to be one of the best. It helped that it was a nice sunny day with above average temperatures. It also helped that it was not busy. Later that day 30 buses descended on The Breakers from the 2 large cruise ships in port.
We purchased the Access Pass which allowed us to tour all of the Preservation Society properties that were open for only $70.00 each (and return as often as we wish for a year). Great deal!
The only downside was lunch at the cafe. It was overpriced and only OK. Wished we had chosen to go elsewhere.

No more guided tours, hurdled through so fast. Canceled membership after finding out 5 and older need to be vaccinated & booster.

This is a must see mansion. Not sure if it is a largest but just an incredible place to visit. You can’t imagine someone living in such a large home. The details in the workmanship in unbelievable.

We attended the Sparkling Lights at The Breakers on 12/26. The staff was very pleasant and helpful, greeting everyone. Unfortunately the parking was a nightmare. The lot was very dark, there were no signs or people to guide you down the narrow lanes while searching for a spot. At one point one of the lanes ended and all the cars had to accomplish 5 point turns to turn around all while other cars were still coming into the dead end searching for a spot. Upon entering the museum we were told the house closes at 6:30 although tickets clearly said 7pm. When we questioned this, the reply was “ that’s what we are being told to say”. When entering the mansion we were greeted by a huge crowd trying to snake their way through the rooms. The crowd was so large you couldn’t stop to take in the decorations. We left after 3 rooms. The outside display was very well done and the placement of refreshments and the fire pits was well selected. We enjoyed our time outside. However, we left very disappointed because we could not enjoy the inside due to the large crowd.

The Vanderbilt estate on Rhode Island is reminiscent of great gatsby at the turn of the century. The furnishings, marble, and gold trimmed decor were breathtaking. The tiled balcony overlooking the ocean was truly impressive. There was a children’s playhouse outback by the gardens to tour as well if you desired. Regrettably it was raining that august day so I didn’t spend much time out back.

If you want to see how the truly wealthy lived, this is a perfect example. Stunning entrance with grand fireplace and stairs, leather bound library, parlors and sitting rooms (I don’t have any of these in my house) abound on the first floor. And the closets are feats of engineering and design. Stunning views. A very nice way to spend quality time in Newport. And try to walk there from town, you will pass by a bunch of other mansions on the way!

Visited the Breakers and Marble Houseas part of a Viking Tour bus ride. 2 hours in 2 mansions and 2 hours of bus "touring" for a total off 4 hours. Well worth the money. Our bus/tour guide Larry was great,

Lovely morning and interesting tour. Want to go back soon. We live near the Biltmore so it was interesting to compare and contrast. Men died so young back in the day.

Go! We loved how the virtual tour allowed us to experience the mansion at our own pace. You get to see a ton of the mansion fully furnished. It’s totally worth it- make sure you explore the grounds too and cliff walk when you’re done!

The audio experience was wonderful in explaining the family and the construction of the Breakers. The grounds and views were fabulous.

The entrance of $29 may be tight for some but I felt the contribution to preservation of this era's building was well worth it. The building and furnishings are gorgeous. Parking is all around the property (and free). Don't forget to download the app on your phone to hear the room detail as you go along. It added a lot to our visit. Also follow the path around outside on the "scenic" path to see the full side of the house facing the ocean. Tip: Listen to the "extra" clips on your app at your leisure for additional fun! We listened to it while relaxing the following two evenings.

The gilded age in all its glory! Interesting history and well-maintained museum. The use of the app makes the tour a bit less interactive for groups.

I’m a preservationist by trade and all of the Newport Mansion tours are very well interpreted and preserved. This tour is especially good as it tells different views of Gilded Age decadence. Every detail of this house was carefully designed by the Vanderbilts and Hunt but it still feels like a home and even the staff spaces feel respectful to those who worked there unlike Marble House. Highly recommended and be sure to download the app!

Nice marble columns and carvings everywhere.
Not much indication of ordinary living like laundry, dining room etc. Seemed like decadence for decadence sake. No carriage house, no pool. What did these people do with themselves? Champagne and shrimp cocktail parties everyday?

We arrived early in the day, around 10 a.m. and the parking lot was full. We returned later in the day, around 2 p.m. and it had cleared out some. This is one of the premier Vanderbilt homes on Bellevue Avenue, and some rooms, specifically the Billiard Room and the Music Room, were used in the filming of the HBO series, The Gilded Age”. This is a self guided tour, with accompanying explanatory pamphlet, including main and second levels and kitchen and Butler’s Pantry. Highly recommend!!

This used to be a great tour. Now, they pump hundreds in and pump them out as quickly as they can. Long lines to get in, huge crowds inside. If you don't have a "smart phone" you are out of luck. They eliminated tour guides, who were really great at explaining each of the rooms and the family that lived there. Lots of great restoration since I was there last in the 1990s but the experience was abysmal. "Docents" stood around and berated you to either keep moving or leave. Very rude.
So- great restored home, really bad experience.

Initially we planned to just stroll the grounds & not tour the interior but decided to peek inside & it was definitely worthwhile! We didn't participate in a formal tour but the docents were great & informative, offering fun facts. Lots of opulence indicative of the era!

I lived close to the Breakers from 1985 until 1992, and had the chance to visit many times. It was nice back then with real live people as docents. Still a lovely place.

We visited The Breakers in Sept 2022 and really enjoyed it. There is 4-page document that you should grab at the beginning of the tour that guides you step by step thru the house and it is very detailed. We're not huge museum type people. We enjoy them to a point, but we don't typically spend hours and hours in every museum when we're visiting from out of town. The Breakers we enjoyed. You can go at your own pace and the info was really helpful. Highly recommend

This mansion has a self guided tour. You need to download an app to listen to commentary about the house and the people who lived here. Download the app before arriving at the mansion. The house is huge and fabulous. After the tour go outside and walk down to the edge of the cliff for a good view of the ocean. There is a parking lot across the street from the house that provides free parking. The mansion is amazing.

Very cool tour. Gave me a new perspective about how rich people lived back in the 1800's. The building and property are beautiful and it is absolutely worth the visit. Only problem is that it's a little expensive to get in and it gets real busy so parking can be limited.

I took the self guided tour that if you download the mansion app you are taken room by room in the mansion.

After touring the first floor, the tour said if you can’t climb the stairs, go to one of the guides. I did and was taken up to the second floor on the Vanderbilt elevator! Unbelievable!

The conveniences they added to this mansion was astonishing. If you love antiques and history, take this tour.

They have a great gift shop and cafe.

Wonderful history. Tour is self-guided but an audio tour as well as paper version of walking tour is available. Amazing photo ops galore! Grounds were well-kept. Would recommend.

Beautifully preserved, a slice of over the top history. Highly recommend downloading the Newport Mansions app on your phone and taking the free audio tour - lots of in depth information. Loved the kitchen!

The Breakers was decorated for the holiday, but visit anytime to learn the history and about the mansions structure. The fireplaces are amazing as well as the view.

The Breakers was breathtaking! The self guided tour was easy to follow and the app worked great for the audio tour. I could have spent the entire day there!

Extremely accessible. The staff has done an amazing job planning for persons with walking disabilities! This is a gorgeous mansion with many interesting approaches with decor. Some of the ceilings are beautiful leather designs. The artwork is so interesting. The staircase is majestic! The fireplaces are very ornate. The grounds are beautiful and the view of the ocean is mesmerizing.

We recently went to the Sparkling Lights at the breakers. The mansion was decorated beautifully, and easy to find, however parking was difficult to know where to park and signage would have been helpful as well as signage of where to enter. The lights outside were very nice and walkable, the crowds were very friendly as was the staff. They had gas fireplaces outside and had advertised smores and beverages would be available. We expected to pay a nominal fee, however $10.00 for a stick, graham cracker, chocolate and marshmallow was excessive!! I felt bad for children attending who may have wanted a smore and did not get one due to the cost of one which would have covered about 50. I think it would have been tasteful for the cost to be a donation to a charity the Breakers had chosen and I am sure they would not have been left with all of the product and this post needing to be written.

An absolute must see.
Of the homes that were opened during our visit this was by far the most impressive. She still has the original furnishings and has been intricately restored giving the truest example of how life was lived among the elites of the era.
Download the New Port Mansions app for a great listening tour experience. Don't forget your headphones!

The awe begins at the incredible front gate. We didn't do the official tour, just wandered on our own so we had plenty of to ogle things and observe the details. It's absolutely worth a visit, if only to see how a genuine robber baron lived. If you have only the time (or inclination) to do one Newport mansion, this is the one you must do.

Worth the crowds to visit. The building is as grand inside as out. Plan ahead, buy tickets online to avoid long lines. Their ticket purchase QR code didn't load for most onsite. Also download the audio tour and bring headphones to avoid additional fees. While crowded, most halls were wide enough to easily move through the tour. Some bedrooms had smaller entrances/exits. If you want to hear about each open room, plan for at least 90 minutes. The outside gardens and nearby cliff walk are a must after touring.

What can you say about a beautiful mansion. It was spectacular inside. But it was used from July 1 and closed on September 1. We walked around and just was in awe of interior.

This mansion is like a real-life fairy tale castle, and touring it is like stepping back into the Gilded Age. The jaw-dropping architecture, the ornate details, and the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean are beyond words. But here's the thing – it can get super crowded, especially during the tourist season. Finding parking nearby can be a bit of a headache, and navigating through the opulent rooms can sometimes feel a tad crowded. Nevertheless, the chance to wander through this historic gem is something you won't want to miss, even if you have to share the beauty with fellow admirers.

Took the tour this AM. Parking is right across the street. Self guided “script” gives you plenty of info. So much of the building is Off Limits and not many docents to ask questions of.

I can't imagine living in such a "summer home" but it was great to get a glimpse into a different era.

The Breakers lived up to the hype! We got there by hopping on the free 67 bus. Every room was grand, had its own aesthetic, perfectly curated for each member of the Vanderbilt family when they lived there. The ocean view from the piazzo is just wow! I recommend taking in every detail you see, every corner, every curtain, ceiling details, rugs. I bought a postcard ($2.14) for each mansion I visited from the souvenir shop after my tour was over. The restrooms are clean. After the tour, we visited the Cliff Walks but it was way too hot in the afternoon for that so if you want to also visit the cliffs, go when it's cooler in the early evening.

The docents are wonderfully equipped to give all kinds of terrific information if you seek it out. We made a horrible mistake by not downloading the self-guided app on our phones beforehand. Highly recommend doing that and taking Bluetooth earbuds to listen. The written guide was rather abysmal at best. (We figured it out the best avenue to download by the time we were at The Marble House and it was more enjoyable). The house and grounds are stunning. If you've read several of the books about the Vanderbilts of that generation it will bring those books to life. A delightful way to spend 2 hours! Truly a glimpse at the Gilded Age.

The scale and uniqueness of this gilded age mansions make it one of the quintessential places to visit when in Newport.

Visited to see her decorated for the holidays and she did not disappoint! Parking was difficult - pack your patience- and some folks were driving crazily in the lot. Free admission for you and a guest with membership! Lovely to self tour, so beautiful and festive! Lovely gift shop as well!

Our admission for the 90-minute tour of the Breakers Mansion was included with our 3-hour Newport Tolley Tour of the city.

The self guided tour (you download an app) takes you through many of the rooms of the mansion and shows you how the rich lived back in the first half of the last century.

Very interesting.

An interesting experience. Bring ear buds/headphones to listen to the audio tour. The beautiful sun terrace overlooking the ocean was breathtaking.

Wowza! It is hard to comprehend so much wealth and what went into building and furnishing an estate of this size that was only used for the summer months. If you could only travel back in time and be a fly on the wall!

Tip - if you are able, visit during the week and reserve an early timed entry to The Breakers. If you choose to get the ticket with one or two additional house tours, you will be pleasantly surprised that you are not dealing with huge crowds. We had a 9:30 entry to The Breakers and then visited The Marble House and The Elms. If you only have time for one tour, definitely tour The Breakers.

Also, download the Newport Mansions app on your Smartphone and bring your ear buds for the audio tours -- much better than reading the plaques. And, they have "extras" if you want a deeper dive into the history and stories.

Loved seeing the beautiful furnishings and detail and hearing the history of the mansion would visit again

Remarkable mansion with details intact. The incredible craftsmanship represents a time in American history that is hard to imagine.

I came her on a day of solo Newport exploration. I had no idea what to expect, but knew that I had to visit. I had 3pm reservations and showed up at 2pm for the Cliff Walk (also highly recommend). I took the Cliff Walk and ended up at the Breakers at 2:45pm. I stopped by the Breaker's Cafe and had a little snack and some water. Then, I did the Breakers self tour. The tour sheets were very information and I enjoyed reading them. Each of the rooms was absolutely stunning and I enjoyed being taken back in time to the opulence of a GREAT wealth. The tour itself, rooms and grounds, took about an hour. I took many photos and videos as well. I definitely recommend this on your stay in Newport/Rhode Island.

We visited on a rainy day right after Labor day and did not find it crowded at all. The self guided tour was informative but I found it a little cheesy. My big complaint is that they do not enforce the use of headphones for the tour. Lots of people walking around BLASTING the audio tour on full volume made it hard to focus on our own.

What an amazing passage thru time! The opulence of the summer cottage is beyond imagination! If you have watched the Gilded Ages on HBO this is a must! We bought the 2 properties ticket and visited the Elms after. I would have done it the other way around, saving the best for last but neither home disappointed! I was totally mesmerized today imagining what life would have been like spending my summer months in these “cottages”

Visited in October 2022. Very nice tour of the mansion the Audio app for the tour worked very well. The entire mansion was very impressive.

Nice mansion to tour. Very crowded, but not overwhelming.
Large free parking lot directly across the street, but because of the crowds it was still difficult to find a spot. The information on the hand-out for the self-guided tour was very good. (Available in several different languages.) If you are going to see Marble House and the Breakers, I would start with the Marble House because the Breakers is much more impressive in terms of scale. I was surprised the landscaping wasn't more interesting/impressive, but the inside of the house is certainly a sight to behold. The cafe had a nice selection of grab-n-go salads, sandwiches, and chips, and even had hot New England clam chowder.

The Breakers is magnificent. The beauty of the building and the grounds are breathtaking. There are special guided tours, but for the regular audio tour, download the app and listen. No one wore earbuds, but it wasn't too noisy. We went soon after it opened and got a parking space and the building wasn't too crowded. However, by the time we left, shortly after 11, people were searching for parking. So, go early, and you will be able to find parking and will not be in the middle of a herd of tourists. We didn't even go on a week-end, so beware of turning up later.

Visited the Breakers for the Christmas tour and light display - what an evening. Loved that it was self-guided, so we could spend as much time as we wanted touring the rooms - and also outside. Would recommend walking around outside with a hot cider or spiked hot chocolate!

Wow! This home is amazing! Literally, I walked around with my mouth open! Ha! If you appreciate architecture, interior design, or history, plan to spend a few hours here. The lavish lifestyle of the Vanderbilt family during the Guilded age is on display here. The attention to detail in every room is mind blowing. Wood work, trim, moldings, wall treatments, flooring, furnishings, mosaics, fireplaces, stonework, artwork…. All amazing. The grounds are beautiful with lots of different features as well!

We had so much fun touring The Breakers in November. The home is kept up well, and we were able to tour a fair amount of it. I would love to visit again.

The Breakers is an architectural marvel, encapsulating the extraordinary opulence of the Gilded Age. Exploring this grand Vanderbilt mansion with its stunning interiors and meticulously maintained grounds is an awe-inspiring experience. The self-guided audio tour allows visitors to immerse themselves in the rich history at their own pace. For anyone interested in history, architecture, or simply grandeur, The Breakers is an absolute must-visit in Newport.

We only had an afternoon to visit the large mansions of Newport, RI. We started with this one, The Breakers, summer house of the Vanderbilts. Quite an amazing place. Entering the central two-story-high Great Hall after coming in the front door immediately impresses on one the power and wealth of the family. By the entrance into the hall was a large rack of guide booklets in various languages -- I thought I saw French, Spanish, German, and Chinese, at least. Signs guide one from one room to the next, following the order in the guidebook. After going around the sumptuous spaces of the first floor, we ascended a staircase to the more private rooms of the family. From there it was down a plain servants staircase to the bottom floor and the enormous kitchen and two-story butler's pantry
Be sure to note the detailed Roman-style tile mosiacs on the floors and ceilings of some of the rooms and outside porch areas.
On the bottom floor is an extensive giftshop, as well as the public restrooms.
There is an extensive lawn behind the house with views over the Atlantic (though I think the grounds of The Elms are more charming). The Cliff Walk walking path passes behind the house; however, there didn't seem to be any access to the path from the back lawn of The Breakers.
Overall, a grand exposure to the lives of the 19th Century's "rich and famous" -- well worth the price of entry.

Must see mansion in Newport. Very beautiful and it is being decorated for Christmas. It take about an hour to get through the house. You can then stroll the grounds and gardens as well.

The mansion is awesome but the 'tour' is not. Pretty brief for $29. pp. Even with wandering around outside for a while we were in and out in two hours. We toured previously quite a few years ago and we had actual docents who added fun facts and family gossip to the commentary. Now individuals set up the commentary on cell phones. My cell battery was only 1/3 full and another person did not have a phone on them. We didn't know this in advance but that's on us for not doing research in advance.

We went over a holiday weekend and it was very crowded, which made viewing a lot of it hard to do. Glad that a piece of history has been restored and maintained.

Take the local trolly tour to " The Breakers", home to the Vanderbilt family during the gilded age. Interesting history and one of the forty homes of the Vanderbilt family.

We took this tour as an excursion from a cruise ship. We downloaded the app before we got there and it worked flawlessly since it does not depend on wifi when in use. The app presents a great storyline and is perfect as the guide. If you have more time, you can listen to the additional stories on it. We listened to them later and still enjoyed. There is a bit of a line backup going upstairs due to the reduced space but otherwise the flow is great. And they let you take photos unlike the North Carolina property built by a brother of the same family.

just bring your food and your all set
2 bedrooms
2 bathrooms
well equiped kitchen
nice master bedroom with TV

The Breakers is not without reason the villa one “should see” in Newport. It is preserved with all the furniture, so you get a good impression of how extravagantly a lifestyle the families of the industrial giants ⁇ here, in the gilded age. In no way good taste or original, but so absolutely implemented!

Bring headphones to your mobile - there is free internet and an unmarked audio guide. Download it possibly in advance: NewportMansions.

An amazing property! The most luxurious out of all the Newport mansions, and for very good reason! The architect is simply stunning, and each room is carefully thought out and decorated. The back looks out onto the cliff walk, simply stunning views of the waves crashing.. aka the breakers. Highly recommend a visit!

As others have said the app is great.,we spent about 1.5 hours. Parking is easy and free. A quick cliff walk down to marble house is enjoyable afterwards

So glad to finally be able to see the inside of The Breakers this time around. It really is a stunning home and very well preserved. Unfortunately, I forgot my headphones and could not listen to the tour. Would be great if there were guides in each room to tell us some interesting facts!

We were there on a 95° day and the asphalt sidewalks were melting, so beware of that. Thankfully the home is air conditioned, and it also has WiFi.

The Breakers is a must see when visiting Newport. It is the most lavish and largest of the mansions. It gets pretty crowded but people move through it at a descent pace. The gardens are spectacular.

Disappointed the tickets sold out and we were unable to visit the house after parking and eating lunch there on this busy Saturday. I’m sure I’d rate the house 5 stars but we couldn’t even visit the gift shop.

We have done other tours of the Vanderbilt homes and this was not disappointing. We did a self guided tour and had a great time. It was pouring outside so we didn't get to tour the grounds, but that gives us a reason to come back and do it again. A must see if in the area.

From the time the docent welcomed us in, this tour was top notch. His wealth of information and historical tidbits made the tour! The technology that supported (and still supports) such a huge home and the intricacies of managing heat, electricity, water - everything it takes to make a home comfortable - was remarkable for its time. They thought of everything, including a wine cellar. What an amazing look back!

It's been 2-3 decades since our last visit; but the awe-inspiring magnificence of this structure immediately rekindled the impact we felt on our first experience here.
The level of craftmanship, creativity, detail and overall beauty is breathtaking; room after room of the highest level of artesian achievement.
People can differ on the issues surrounding the accumulation and/or
ostentatious presentation of wealth; but there is no disputing the result of letting skilled artists/workers have the resources to produce their highest aspirations.
One change from our last visit, was being able to take a self-guided tour at one's own pace; allowing time to immerse into each area as desired. Having mobility issues, it was a pleasure not having to keep pace with a guided group; and being able to rest as needed.
It was also very much appreciated that there still were staff throughout, offering additional information and/or assistance.
We revisited several mansions during our two days in Newport; as we had remembered, this was one of the most iconic of the era/genre.

It’s fun to see how the other half lived during the gilded age. Would have been a better tour had we used the audio tour. Also would have liked a guided tour option.

This exquisite mansion from the Gilded Age was decorated to perfection in Christmas attire. A different tree in almost every room with creative themes.
Soft Christmas themed music playing throughout the tour.
I dressed in Dickens era style including a top hat, scarf and cane.
My wife and I walked around feeling like for an hour this was our home!
We enjoyed the interaction with staff and visitors.
So pleased that the Preservation Society keeps this stately home in such great shape.
Recommend this visit as a Must to get into the Christmas spirit...

We visited The Breakers to attend their holiday light show. It was amazing! The grounds had fabulous light displays and spots for taking photos. The mansion was open for touring. The mansion was decorated for Christmas and just beautiful. The guides that were strategically placed were so informative. I want to go back in the summer to see the grounds and daytime views of the ocean. Definitely recommend the Holiday Light Show.

Superb and excellent guided tour via smartphone in French.
The most beautiful Mansion's house so don't do it second otherwise the others seem a little bland afterwards.

Beautifully maintained and a marvel to see. The self-guided tour led to many more questions. So many door...and where do they go? What's on the top floors? If I get a chance to visit again during the season, I would really like to take one of the extended guided tours that tell more of the story of the everyday life of the rich

By far the #1 attraction in Newport. This is one place surely not to miss. Way ahead of their time this place is a showpiece in every sense of the word. Very opulent and classic. It is something you will see in a French Palace. The residents here were filthy rich and it shows in every room. I especially loved the veranda on the second floor with the lovely view of the ocean. This was one of the first homes to use electricity, advanced plumbing and kitchen facilities. Tastefully done, the Vanderbilt's left no stone unturned with this place. Check out the hand-carved marble bathtub equipped with four faucets for hot and cold salt or free water. It is said that Mr. Vanderbilt had to fill and empty the tub three times to achieve the desired temperature (must have been rough). We were also told that Mrs. Vanderbilt wore at least three dresses a day (morning, afternoon, evening - also rough). Wow is an understatement here. Must see it for yourself to totally appreciate.

We are members so out tickets we’re only 25 each. Nonmembers is 40 and just not worth it. They timed your visit for entry. We bought our tickets ahead of time and our night was sold out. We started outside. The lights were ok but I could see the same amount or more driving around a neighborhood. I really thought there would be more especially for the price of the ticket. We tried going inside The Breakers but it was crammed with people. I have never seen the cottage so busy. We left and saw the cottage during normal hours the next day.

Wow! What can I say about this grand estate....beautiful! It's been awhile since I was here last and I was glad I went back. This is now a self-guided tour. Basically, you scan the QR code when you get your tickets and download the app. Once inside, open the app and hit the play button to hear the stories behind the rooms you are entering. Total tour will take about an hour, maybe a little over. You can also walk the grounds after and they have a really nice gift shop there. Would go back.

I am not normally one for a tour like this, but wife wanted to do it. It was excellent. Definitely do the audio tour. Great insights from the family, guests and staff.

😲 Touring The Breakers in Newport was like stepping into a Gilded Age fantasy. The ceilings soar 50 feet high, and the chandeliers are so massive I’m still trying to figure out how they even got them in the door, let alone hung them in 1895.

The platinum walls, tapestry rooms, and over-the-top furniture details had us gawking like tourists at Disney — except with way more marble. The bathroom was wild: a saltwater bathtub with four faucets (apparently spa day meant seawater back then). And yes, the “sit bath” had my husband rolling — he immediately christened it the Boutte Bodde. 💀

Opulence, craftsmanship, and comedy gold — all under one roof. The view wasn’t bad either. 😉

#TheBreakers #NewportMansions #CeilingEnvy #SaltwaterLuxury #BoutteBodde #VanderbiltVibes #GildedAgeGoals #RealEstateJodi #KnowledgeBroker

We planned on visiting The Breakers on December-6 for the last hour of the day (3-4pm). Our family traveled from other states to visit, and were excited about seeing the Holiday Decorations inside The Breakers.
We arrived at the gate exactly at 3:00pm. As we crossed the street, a gate guard began yelling that the entry was closed. I looked at my phone and saw that it was exactly 3:00pm. I continued across the street and said that to the guard; he responded with, "We don't want you here." He continued to be quite rude. I was so taken aback and told him my husband and I were members, and that our guests had come from out of town and specifically wanted to see the Breakers. He was unfazed, and told us to go to Marble House. I asked him if they also close the entry at 3:00pm and he said, "no." I knew this was not true, because I read about the schedule online. However, we decided to try the Marble House anyway, upon his recommendation, and because we had guests (my family) with us. It turned out that he just wanted to get rid of us.
I realize that this is a busy time of year for the Mansions. However, there is no reason for the kind of hostility and rudeness that we experienced at The Breakers. We arrived only 15 seconds after 3:00pm. I was especially embarrassed by the experience in front of my family. What a terrible reflection on the Newport Preservation Society for out-of-town guests!
I emailed the Newport Preservation Society about this issue, and received no response - none!
I would hope that this is an opportunity for some coaching in interpersonal skills with the staff, emphasizing the importance of the reflection they portray to the community and out of towners.
(I gave my review 2 stars, because of The Breakers holiday decorations.)

Very nice visit for the history and beautiful view from those rooms! I have visited it several times and always enjoyed the atmosphere!

This was my first time on this tour and it did not disapoint. If you are going to see one “summer cottage” this is it since it’s the grandest. You don’t only learn about the mansion but also the history of Newport.

I heard so many great things about The Breakers for YEARS so I knew I had to add it to my tour of New England. It was so gorgeous and cool. My entire group loved it. Even the ones that were like "'meh" about going. We did the self-guided tour and even though it was crowded, I felt like it was a really great experience.

Some helpful tips: parking is free to the right of the mansion. If you're going on a weekend, try to get there at open because it gets much more crowded. When you purchase a ticket, it is not for any specific time slot, you just go during open hours. There are bathrooms right when you enter to the left with a grab and go snack section.

We visited The Breakers in the afternoon, arriving at 12:30 for our 1:00 pm tour and easily found free parking across the street with plenty of spots. With no lines and a relaxed atmosphere, we had time to explore the beautifully maintained grounds before heading inside. We’d purchased discounted tickets online as part of the Breakers Plus 2 package, which made the experience even better. The one-hour audio tour was both informative and engaging, bringing the Vanderbilt family’s summer “cottage” to life with vivid stories and surprising details—like the use of electricity with gas backup and separate plumbing for fresh and salt water. The sheer opulence of a home used only for summer was astonishing. The Cliff Walk can be accessed just outside the mansion.

Beautiful home, the phone tour was very good. Marble house was simpler but elegant in its own way shorter tour compared to breakers

Beautiful! We visited almost all the Newport houses and Tea Breaker is really the most beautiful! Free parking on site.

Beautiful Christmas decorations INSIDE. We paid for the trio to see the Elms, Breakers and Marble House decorated for the holidays. Made the mistake of also purchasing the sparkling lights tickets which INCLUDE entrance to the breakers to do that self guided tour. So wasted a bunch of money there. Thought sparkling lights were outdoors only. On top of that, the sparkling lights are pretty disappointing. We are from NY so a little spoiled when it comes to Christmas lights decorations. Skip the sparkling lights. Do the trio tour of the internal decorations in the 3 mansions by day! Save yourselves $50-80! Hope this helps someone considering the website is not clear at all.

I am not one to gush over other peoples home or wealth, but damn, after seeing this I want to be filthy rich....just joking. I just want to make a point of how beautiful this place was. I went at the urging of my daughter in law and wife. It was amazing. Go see the grandeur of the gilded age. The "summer cottage" of the Vanderbilt's was designed with French and Italian architecture in mind. You can visit I think 3 floors and they will just amaze you in how beautiful each area was. The Butlers Pantry is really something I had never seen. The kitchen is the size of a normal apt. The tiles are amazing. The sculptures, and the carvings are everywhere. The tiles on the ceiling of the library are all different. Just amazing, I did not listen to the audio recording for the first 4 or so rooms, then I said I am going to start all over and listen and it was well worth it. The back patio is amazing. I am maybe over selling this, but it was well worth the time and money. Go.

To think of this house as a "beach house" is mind blowing. It's a beautiful mansion in a beautiful city. Be sure to do the "Cliff Walk" to see other mansions in the area for free while walking along the Rhode Island coastline. A trolley tour of the area also gives a nice overview and interesting history.

I throughly enjoyed my visit to the Breakers. I probably should've downloaded the audio tour which you can do if you download an app. There's a QR code at the entrance you can scan to do so. I think I would've enjoyed it more had I done so but I did read the pamphlet that they provide in various languages just inside the entrance. It give you a glimpse of the life of the very wealthy during the gilded age and as a history buff, it was fun.

This was the first of three mansions we visited in Newport, and the most extravagant one. We really enjoyed our time here, and we're very happy this is the mansion we started with. We enjoyed the app with the tour, and it took us about 1.5 hours to visit.

Many years since I had last seen the breakers. Beautifully festooned for the holidays. A nice change is that their is a free app to download on your phone to listen to a lot of information about the family and items in each room. Highly recommend a package of homes. A very good value also.

I came to Newport very off season (January) and so The Breakers was very quiet when I visited. In fact I had most of the rooms to myself, which enhanced the experience of touring such a work of art even more. The audio guide is excellent as well

Living comfortably is an understatement for this mansion. This was a summer cottage (far from a cottage) for the Vanderbilt family and it was only used 6 weeks during the year in the summer months. Despite using it minimally, there was fine attention to detail and each room was very opulent. The views from the second floor balcony were spectacular as were the finely manicured grounds, although most of the backyard was monopolized with cars for the car show that weekend. The disappointing part of this tour is that it is self guided . You had to down load the app to get any information and there were so many people and it was so loud that it was hard to hear what was even being said. Asking the “docents” any questions was fruitless, they did not seem knowledgeable and were very easily distracted watching people and making sure they were following the “tour” route. To the eye the Breakers is beautiful, but I wanted the history and it would have made it so much more appealing to me.

Could not get in, but this is one of the best examples of the summer “cottages” in Newport. Can be simply admired from the Cliff Walk or enjoyed as a museum

Hard to comprehend the wealth of the Vanderbilts and other families that built these homes and even harder to describe them. They are enormous - purely a status symbol. Beautiful to some, gawdy to others. It was definitely interesting to see this masterpiece and learn the history of the family. Would surely recommend a visit to the Breakers!

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.

Beautiful home to tour. Tour guides were kind and accommodating to a handicapped member in our group.

Outstanding. The Preservation Society has kept this place immaculate and a must see on my list. History comes alive when you visit both the Breakers and the Marble House. It’s hard to imagine people with that much wealth. Their lifestyles are truly unimaginable.

We loved our visit to the Breakers, we used the mansions app which made the visit so enjoyable! Take your time to download the app

We did the self-directed tour as part of our trolley adventure, but an hour wasn't really enough time especially because the house was very crowded. This is the second Vanderbilt Mansion I've toured, and it's just as over the top in decorative style.

Katie who works security is amazing! She made our visit 100x better. 10/10 would recommend this tour. Such a lovely mansion right on the cliff walk.

My trip to Rhode Island was amazing! I have never been to that part of the United States and after watching several episodes of Aerial America on the Smithsonian TV Channel, I was very excited to see and tour the Breakers. The mansion is amazing and to think it was built in record time and no modern technology or tools were used to build the mansion; the views are absolutely stunning and the tour guides were very knowledgeable and answered all questions. It didn't hurt that I also had my very first Lobster Roll while in Rhode Island!

Just to be clear, Rhode Island I will be back!!!

Sherry Cook

The Breakers is one of the great mansions of the United States. If people only have time for one mansion in Newport, this is the one they usually choose to see.

It follows the usual plan of mansions - First, public spaces on the ground floor, the most spectacular being a Grand Entrance Hall and the formal Dining Room. Other typical rooms that you'll see here and in other mansions are a library, music room and billiards room. The second floor consists of more private bedrooms, bathrooms and parlors. Finally, down again to the kitchen and pantries once you descend a smaller side staircase (of course, the staff would not be seen on the Grand Staircase ascending from the Grand Hall).

What sets The Breakers apart is that the architecture, although not necessarily the decor, is inspired by Italy. The most striking area might be the outdoor loggia on the second floor (curious, since the second floor tends to be at least a little less showy). It's absolutely gorgeous.

A must-see sight while in town.

Well done! Great audio guide (bring your own headphones) but also paper pamphlets to read. Very few other visitors late May, which was ideal for us. Free parking was just a short, flat walk to the entrance. We really enjoyed our Beneath the Breakers tour (additional $20 per person). We did this first thing and our awesome guide, Dale, gave us a few things to look for while touring the house after. We were there for about 3.5 hrs, one hour on the guided tour and another 2ish in the mansion and walking around the grounds (we listened and read everything on offer). Shout out to Cynthia for getting us into the tour at the last minute day-of!

My family and I have been to Newport a few times and have gone to a good amount of the mansions. This one is by far our favorite! No trip to the Newport area is complete without touring The Breakers!

this is the grand daddy of the excessive mansions. be sure to download the audio tour for the best experience. the opulence will astound you and the grounds are huge.

The Breakers had earned its storied reputation. However, be sure to download the audio tour in advance if you’re doing a self-guided option. This was a spur-of-the-moment visit for us, so we did not have an advance notice to download.

Once we were on property, the WiFi was going too slow to download the app and tour (too many people connected at once) so we had to go without it. They do have paper handouts in many languages that give the same information.

I’d recommend a guided tour, you’ll get much more out of your visit.

If you have a chance to tour The Breakers, you will not regret it. We toured the mansion as a part of a Viking Trolley Newport and Breakers Tour (which I also recommend) . The mansion and grounds are both magnificent. The tour which you can take by downloading an App or there are printed guides you can use. It was a very interesting tour in which you learn a lot about the Vanderbilts as a family as well as the mansion itself. Highly recommend!

Very friendly staff, good facilities, easy parking. The mansion is grandiose and well worth the visit to see how the very wealthy chose to live. Some original features such as a fountain under a staircase serving as an eye-catcher from one of the public rooms.
Too early in the spring to get the full effect of the gardens but very large property with great promise once in bloom.
Our only regret was that the servants' quarters were unavailable and there was no information about the living conditions and daily life of the staff.

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

We had the audio tour which we downloaded to our phone. We thought it was excellent. It has breaks between rooms to allow you time to look around at your own pace and you can opt for further information about a room at any time. The house is amazing and the tour gives some good in sight into the family and what life was like at this time in a mansion like this.

The house is wonderful. We went on tour that was only allotted a one hour time frame...wish it was more! Also wish there had been docent along the tour but still it was an excellent visit and we had a great time!

After getting hooked on the show "The Gilded Age" we decided that a tour of the mansions in Newport was in order --- and what a fabulous trip! The Breakers obviously displays over-the-top wealth that only a precious few families enjoyed more than 125 years ago. The architecture and decor of The Breakers is unimaginable even as you're standing inside and trying to absorb the jaw-dropping opulence where money was no issue. The view from the entrance/ballroom that looks out onto the ocean is amazing. Guides and security are present and willing to share details and information (we didn't bother with the audio tour). This is absolutely a MUST SEE experience in Newport. If you're a design or history aficionado you will be awe struck. Entry ticket provides access to the 1st and 2nd floors; a third floor tour is available in very small groups of 12-16 people but tickets are impossibly unavailable unless booked far in advance. The grounds are well-maintained by the Newport Preservation Society, and there's also a lovely "tea room" in a separate pavilion for a snack. Not suitable for young children.

A must see if you go to Newport to view the Mansions. I better deal to buy a multi-mansion pass. Doesn't take long to tour the house. Definitely recommend to download the app and tour before arriving. We liked they had a kid-friendly version of the tour for this house. They have paper handouts you can read if you do not want the audio tour. It was kind of annoying that people were walking around listening to the tour on their phones with headphones or earbuds, especially since the website mentions several times to bring some. It was distracting while I was trying to listen to my own tour (with my earbuds) and enjoy the mansion. The house and grounds are beautiful!

Visit on holiday weekend so crowded. We chose to down the app for self guided tour which was nice,until we were told to keep moving even though the explanation at the start of the app said take your time. One of the employees told us we had to move out of the room even though the app was still explaining the room that we were in. When we tried to explain that to her she was very dismissive.
Overall was a good attraction.

Visited in march of 23. Pure opulence. The ground are overwhelmingly beautiful and the craftsmanship astounding. They have a parking lot across the street and you can actually walk to the other properties. The ticket includes a tour of marble house also. It also nice to just drive through the neighborhood and see the other properties. Newport itself is beautiful and march is a good time to travel here. Right before the cold hits and the crowds. Would like to visit here again someday

Stunning!
Everyone that works there was very friendly.
The independent tour through the house is laid out very clearly and organized. Even when busy you are able to move from room to room as desired. I am so glad we did the Breakers tour.

Fascinating look into the gilded age of the Newport coastline. While interesting, the most noteworthy part of the self-tour was the Elephants on Parade Exhibit taking place, in part, on the expansive lawn overlooking the water. The house is certainly beautiful and there are some nice descriptive summaries of what each room includes. It was VERY crowded and at points, really congestive with a line that was at a standstill. We went on the middle of the day on a weekend so there are probably better times for crowds. Recommend buying tix in advance. The welcome center is one of the more poorly designed buildings I've seen. There is no exterior signage but the HEAVILY used restrooms are on the immediate left as you enter, the tix office is on the immediate right and the cafe is down to center at the back. EVERYONE gets funneled through a double door entryway with bathroom and ticket office jamming up both incoming and outgoing people. There is a restroom at the end of the tour so consider using that.

We stopped in during our cliff walk. It's pricey to tour? But the tour is nicely organized and you can use an app on your phone to do a self guided informational tour. It's really interesting and worth a visit. It only took us an hour to walk through.

What a stunning house, so opulent! There is a self guided tour written in different languages. There is also one available on your phone but as we were from the UK, this would have cost us a fortune in roaming charges as there is no WiFi.
A must to visit, even if you don't do any of the other mansions.

We brought a large motor coach group, 43 ladies, for a tour. This house is amazing. We had an appointment at 2, we got in right on time. All the people affiliated with the mansion were very helpful, answered our questions and gave us more info. This was a great mansion tour. I would definitely recommend.

Love the history and incredible building. Glad it’s open for public viewing and touring. Visited as part of our trolley tour….easy drop off and pick up!

The Vanderbilt’s “summer cottage” - The Breakers was a fantastic mansion to visit. We did a two-hour self-guided audio tour of this magnificent home. The house was built during America’s “Gilded Age” period and it shows the power and prestige of the Vanderbilts. The entrance area with the grand staircase was beautiful. We toured the 2nd version of the house since the 1st one was built from wood and burnt down in 1892. The architect was American Richard Morris Hunt. The tour went through many bedrooms, bathrooms, sitting areas, kitchen and grand hallways. The house contained hidden doors that connected bedrooms or favorite places for the Vanderbilt children. The mansion was under re-construction of the chimneys and roof so the photos of the exterior weren’t ideal but the interior photos came out beautiful.

We visited the Breakers on a rainy Tuesday morning. It is a gorgeous, imposing mansion. The house is laid out architecturally in such an open air manner with floor to ceiling windows, light pouring in, magnificent views of the oceans that its mesmerizing. The opulence is off the charts - the roof is something that is difficult to take your eyes off. We spent an hour gazing through the Breakers spellbound in the era of opulence of when this house was built. And the gardens looked lovely too. We didn't tour the gardens because of the rain but they looked great.

What a place! The story of the place is very interesting but what is really worth it is the inside of the house, its views and the surrounding garden.
We downloaded the guide from the entrance and toured the house at our own pace while listening to the history of this mansion.
The only disadvantage is the pricey ticket, 29$ per person is a bit too much.

We did the trolley tour and mansion tour and it was amazing! The mansion tour was self guided with a cell phone and was very well done.

Wonderful experience. Parking is plentiful and free. There is also an elevator for those unable to take the stairs to the upper floors of the house for touring. The docents were so friendly.

We arrived at 10:00 with pre-purchased tickets. As we entered, we saw the sign for the guided audio tour app with the QR code. Scanned it and it said 33 minutes to download. Inside, there was a small sign in the corner with WiFi info. Why not put the QR code and WiFi sign closer to the entrance. Or make it more obvious when purchasing tickets on line. The place was amazing, the audio tour was great - it just could have gone more smoothly in the beginning.

Such a beautiful place..nice tour with family. Lots to see and great pics. There's a small lunch area. You can do a scavenger hunt for kids.

The Breakers is the ultimate in Newport "cottages". The opulence of the Gilded Age is on full display here. One cannot help but think the builders of this, and other "cottages", had visions of Versailles and the grand French courts of Louis XIV, XV, and XVI. This is an absolute must see. The narrated guide, using an iPhone and ear buds allows you to view the property at your own pace.

Breath taking House which gives a superb sense of how the other half lived at that time. The lavish workmanship and no expense spared build is very obvious. Heating system throughout, together with intercom and hot/cold running water ( both fresh/sea water) were way before their time. Ostentatious is perhaps the best description I can think of.

Can’t miss the Breakers, but my one criticism is that you are not led by a personal guide. It’s a iPhone guided audio tour and something is missed. Nothing like a personal guide. Free parking is a plus!

We visited The Breakers on a Thursday in October. I bought tickets online, which allowed us immediate access to the house (without the ticket line). We arrived just after 10 am and there were available spaces in the parking lot (it was full when we left). Several buses arrived at the same time.

The mansion tour is self guided. There's an audio tour that's available via their app. I found it a little difficult to use. The narrative didn't always match the room that I was viewing ans some of them were a little long.

The mansion is gorgeous. The detail is some of the work is incredible and it's very well preserved.

After touring the inside, we walked around the grounds and out to the cliff walk.

This was an enjoyable visit.

Only shame was my phone wouldn’t download the tour. Shame also no room guides to ask questions…much like we have in the uk in National Trust properties

My husband and I spent the afternoon touring this magnificent home. Hard to believe this was only a summer home. The tour was self guided, but with the phone app, provided much more information than just walking room to room. You can tour the house, as well as the grounds. This is one of the more well known homes in Newport, therefore it was most likely the busiest. Even with the crowds, we still had plenty of opportunity to take our time in each room and take photos.

Magnificent property. Open to visitors; admission $29/adult Gift from Mr Vanderbilt to his wife on the 39th anniversary of his birth. Birthday. Located wonderfully on the seafront right on Cliff Walk. Huge park as a garden. Bus/trolley stops right outside the entrance. Cafe in the Welcome Center. In the house every room a feast for the eyes. Main hall with stairwell, billiard room, bedroom, dressing room ... wonderful. Impressive the covered outdoor seating/balcony overlooking the sea.
Gift shop must not be missing.

So appreciated the free app that linked to the audio tour! It was nice to be able to access additional stories after we'd toured the mansion. Content was just right: informative without being overwhelming. Nice to be able to look around at our own pace, too.

The grounds are great, the house itself fantastic. The tour audio is on your phone so you can reply the parts if you need to review something. Also had side stories about folks who lived or worked in the House. Well worth it!

Arrived on Tuesday the third week of September at the 10am opening and it was starting to get a crowd. We bought our tickets there with a duo ticket allowing a visit to another mansion later in the day. The cost of this was $38/person. To visit just the Breakers would cost $29/person, but only $10 for children ages 6-12. According to the brochure, if you visit 3 mansions, the cost is $46/person and $60/person if you visit 5 properties. There is free parking across the street, but the spaces filled up somewhat quickly. The interior view is stunning with attention to every detail of outstanding architectural design. The furniture is equally amazing in its style and character.

We used the app to guide us in our tour but they give you a paper description of the facilities as well. We spent about 1 1/2 hours on our tour which included taking photos and walking the grounds in the back overlooking cliff walk and the ocean view. This is well worth visiting for many visitors with varied interests and I highly recommend it.

A fun tour with a quick look into the house. I wish we could have seen more of the house and learned more about the workings of it. The audio tour is great with options to hear more then the standard tour and a separate one for kids. My 13 and 11 year old had fun, though they weren’t looking forward to the excursion. We walked the grounds and it was very nice. If you get a parking spot and are doing the cliff walk as well, parking is limited so I recommend keeping your spot and walking the block or two to a walk entrance.

They DO NOT ALLOW STROLLERS. You must park your stroller outside and hope it’s still there when you return due to preservation concerns. If you have small children or babies be ready to carry them up and down many, many flights of stairs. The staff was rude about this policy as well. Not the best for families with young kids, though I can see that it would be better for older ones as they even have a special tour for them which is nice. Overall very beautiful and interesting but also crowded with lots of people listening to the audio tour out loud. Also the ticket price is $29.

It's an amazing mansion. One can imagine the comfort of living in this home at the time, even with outdated furnaces, kitchens and restrooms. What's amazing is that the Vanderbilts had an even larger mansion in N.C.

Wow is what I say after touring this mansion. Such wealth is hard to imagine. the audio app was very nice to be able to move as I wanted

The staff is eager to answer questions. The mansion is stunning, but the inside tour is short. There is no access to the entire third floor, and like every Disney attraction, the tour ended in a gift shop. We found that slightly tacky. By all means, do not miss the attraction to get a first-hand look at the gilded age.

Excellent tour of this beautiful home. While it includes a self-guided audio tour and in-room information, the staff were available to answer questions and were very knowledgeable about the home, contents, and surrounding homes.

We did a self guided tour of the Breakers and thoroughly enjoyed walking around the historic mansion and grounds overlooking the water.

A lovely building with quite a bit of Vanderbilt history. The Newport Mansions have developed a great cell phone application to allow you to have a self-guided tour with your own device and headphones. Download it before you arrive!
The self-guided tour visits the lower floors, and includes the suites of the main Vanderbilts who occupied the home, kitchens and public spaces.
For those who love to visit the gift shop, this one is incredible.

We visited in the shoulder season, so the crowds were light, but the entry is timed year-round to spread out the crowds.

We recently took a self-guided tour of the Breakers Mansion. We purchased our tickets and downloaded the tour through the Newport Mansions app that we downloaded to our phones. The self-guided tour gives you so much insight into the building and history of the mansion.

The Breakers is an ostentatious house which shows you that money can buy you anything. It’s a shame that the government or state doesn’t make any contribution to the upkeep of the house as the entry fee of $28 per person is very expensive. Coming from the UK our stately homes are more affordable and if you get a ticket to Blenheim Palace or Windsor Castle your ticket last for the year.
The audio was very interesting and the the rooms in the house were magnificent but very over the top in design and materials. It is very opulent. It did make me feel sorry for the servants who had to much to do that they were constantly working whilst the owners of the house were playing tennis, going to the beach, entertaining and generally having lots of leisure time.

Another disappointment were the gardens and there were no formal flower planting and just lawns. The Italian interior was not replicated in the garden.

Stunning architecture and period peace displaying the elegance of the late 1800s and early 1900s gilded age. The self-guided app is free and fantastic.

We thankfully got tickets ahead of time to the see the holiday lights and mansion tour….it was absolutely magical!

We toured this home along with the Elms and Marble House. Breakers was by far the most opulent. It’s not my taste in a hole to live in, but wow the people who built it and made the designs have to commended on their artistic talent. The staircase and that area are incredible! Anyone going to Newport has to see this place.

If you can only visit one of the fabulous mansions in Newport it should be this one! The Gilded Age on display in every room.

There is a reason why the Vanderbilt’s cottage is at the top of the list of Newport’s sights. While other homes might be more personal and intimate, the Breakers was built to dazzle and boy does it! The Great Hall alone seems like it shouldn’t even fit in the house. Allow for a few hours so as to not be carried along by the crowd (which isn’t as bad as I imagined it might be) and you will get lost in the details and find ample opportunity to get pictures without other people in the foreground. I found the audio guide available via an app download a bit clunky while trying to take pictures at the same time but I found the printed guide to be quite comprehensive and I listened to the guide later. If you have questions the staff are very knowledgeable.

great underground tour - very cool and so informative - don't miss this one. Adds new dimension to touring the beautiful Breakers mansion.

Just gorgeous mansion, with huge property, and history of bygone era, lot of information of each room and information was provided with hard copy. and one can walk with its App download

Beautiful self-guided tour. Staff was informative to questions we asked. Grounds are well maintained.

This was just so wonderful to see, especially dressed up in all its Christmas finery . We felt like we had stepped back in time to an era of extravagance and wealth beyond anything I’ve ever seen before. Just gorgeous!

We had a great tour, the mansion was kept very cook thankfully because it was a 95 degree day. Make sure to stop by the cafe for lunch the sandwiches are amazin and huge portions!

So much opulence! The self guided tour was very informative and easy to follow. We weren't very impressed with the bedrooms, but the entertaining areas were amazing.

My husband and I did the 3 homes for a little under $100.00. The Breakers was our last stop and as they say you save the best for last. This house is beyond beautiful. Each room was just amazing so much to see. So glad to have seen it

We experienced the Christmas lights at the Beakers this holiday season with the outdoor lights and indoor tour. Good value at $40 pp

We visited the Breakers with our kids in April, this is now the mansion my son compares all big houses too. The house is really beautiful and so much detail in every part of the house. After we toured the mansion we walked along the Cliff Walk. It was a great way for the kids to get some energy out after patiently touring the Breakers. We had a wonderful time here.

I like a person guided tour but this was the best e-tour I’ve done. Very informative with more info as you choose for each stop. Tour takes 60-90 minutes depending and how much info you want. We did basic tour in about 60 minutes and walked around further and then walked the grounds afterwards.

This time we downloaded the Historical Society app and did the self guided tour, we shared my AirPods, better that walking around with you phone on speaker and disturbing everyone around you 😳. It’s always amazing to see and walk through where people in those days lived, one almost feels like it’s an intrusion especially look I into their bedrooms,closets and bathroom. It seemed like the tour was short, not seeing more of the other parts of the house, we heard there’s a you’re of the basement… we didn’t have the time to do that, the view and location is breathtaking.

Spectacular homage to 19th century wealth. Not a lot of historical interest other than the Vanderbilt family.

Download the app to have a narrator describe each room in the mansion. I especially liked the additional stories that you could hear from family members and staff. The detail from floor to ceiling is like a work of art. Worth a visit to see how the other half lived in a different time.
Parking available. Bathroom facilities at the entrance.

We went to the Breakers as part of our trolley tour. By the time we arrived we were both pretty tired from an active day. I was tempted to skip it but I knew the trolley wouldn’t be back for an hour.
The audio tour made all the difference. The house is amazing, although too opulent for my taste. But the audio explained each room as well as cultural and historical nuances. Without it, we would have just wandered around a large mansion