With mansions representing more than 250 years of social and architectural history, this tour combines all the highlights of the Newport scenic drive tour with a visit to one of the grand mansions. Passing through the historic colonial section, your scenic drive will take you along the world famous Ocean Drive where you’ll have spectacular views of Newport’s rocky coastline. Continuing to Bellevue Avenue, immerse yourself in a world of wealth and power as it existed at the dawn of the 20th century with a visit to one of the grand summer villas that defined the era known as the ‘Age of Beauty’.

Depending on local conditions, you’ll tour either the Elms or Rosecliff, both of which represent the height of gracious living and entertaining by America’s elite. Imagine yourself at a fabulous party in a magnificent ballroom or perhaps at a fairy tale dinner as your personal headset audio guide offers insight into the life and artifacts of this fascinating time in American history.

Newport is as famous for its coastal beauty, as it is for its architectural magnificence. Enjoy both on this tour that combines a spectacular stroll along the Cliff Walk trail with a visit to The Breakers, one of Bellevue Avenue’s most spectacular mansions. Begin with a nature walk along Newport’s famous cliff walk, resplendent with wildflowers, colorful birds, and interesting geology. This 1 1/4 mile stretch takes you on a path that runs between the rocky coastline and the “backyards” of many of Bellevue Avenue’s palatial cottages. As you walk, your guide will share the stories of America's "gilded age" and the cast of characters that made Newport one of the nation's wealthiest summer resorts. The walk will conclude at The Breakers (sometimes due to congestion, the walk will begin after touring the mansion).

From the 1870s to the 1920s, the Vanderbilts were one of America’s most affluent families and commissioned the most prestigious and expensive architectural firms to build a series of homes for them along the East Coast. In Newport, these homes, amusingly called “cottages,” are unparalleled in historic significance and beauty. Built during the period known as the “gilded age,” they’re now National Historic Landmarks. The Breakers is considered the grandest of all of the Newport summer cottages. Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt for Cornelius Vanderbilt II, this Italian Renaissance palace was completed in 1892 in less than three years at a cost of approximately $11 million, which would be over $200 million today! Originally constructed in France and reassembled here, the Grand Hall boasts 50 foot ceilings and has the largest room of any Newport mansion.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Newport, many of them iconic attractions that define the city. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie expert guide will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. Your pictures will be ideal for posting on social media and sharing in other ways.

As you walk and ride through Newport, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include:
• Bowen’s Wharf
• Thames Street
• Brenton Point State Park
• Cliff Walk
• Long Wharf Mall

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Newport.
• Follow tips from your selfie expert guide to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Pose on the Cliff Walk trail with the Atlantic Ocean crashing in the background.
• Wander down historical Thames Street and around bustling Bowen’s Wharf.
• Enjoy free time for shopping at Long Wharf Mall.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

OVERVIEW

Visit a family-owned farm that also produces premium wines and sample some of the year’s best releases. Greenvale Vineyards lies along the Sakonnet River and offers spectacular views of the surrounding pastoral landscape, but it is their exceptional product that sets this winery apart. While touring the vineyard, you will learn about the land’s historic preservation, the sixth generation of the family that operates the winery and how the grapes are grown free of herbicides, hand-harvested and processed using traditional means. Greenvale only produces a small quantity of wine that beautifully reflects the unique terroir, which is heavily influenced by the vineyard’s proximity to the ocean. The exact wines for the tasting will be chosen upon your arrival, but they may include a Bordeaux-style red, a Chardonnay varietal or a white blend made with Cayuga and Vidal Blanc grapes. The winery also makes an outstanding vermouth fortified with brandy.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour the vineyards of a family-owned-and-operated winery on the Sakonnet River.
• Enjoy scenic views while learning how the grapes are grown, harvested and processed.
• Savor a tasting of representative wines in the cellar of Greenvale Vineyards.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

See Newport’s main attractions at your own pace by riding around town in a motor coach that allows you to get on and off whenever you please at the places that sound most intriguing. The vehicles will make continuous loops around Newport, following a route with 8 stops. As you approach each attraction, you will hear enlightening commentary about it so you can decide if it is one of the three that you will have time to visit. If not, just continue on to the next attraction. If there is an entrance fee, simply present your Attraction Pass and the charge will be waived. You might hop off for a tour of Gilded Age mansions such as Rosecliff, The Breakers and The Elms. If you enjoy browsing museums, there are top-notch ones with extraordinary collections devoted to sailing, art and the history of Newport. The International Tennis Hall of Fame is another fine option.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride around Newport in a motor coach and stop at attractions that sound appealing.
• Stay as long as you like at each attraction to enhance your understanding of it.
• Board another motor coach when you are ready and ride it to another attraction.
• Choose from a variety of well-known attractions as the motor coach loops around town.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at some of the Newport mansions featured in the HBO series “The Gilded Age” and come away with an insider’s understanding of this extraordinary time period. The guide will describe many of the fabulously wealthy people who lived in Newport in the late 1800s as you walk through their opulent “cottages.” While visiting The Elms – the summer residence of coal baron Edward Julius Berwind – you will notice that it was modeled after an 18th-century French château and decorated accordingly. Now a National Historic Landmark, it was constructed with non-combustible materials and featured the very latest technology. You will also browse The Breakers, the Vanderbilt family’s 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo. It too is a National Historic Landmark. As money was no object in its construction, Thomas Edison was hired to build its power station. The home also has more than 300 windows, many with commanding ocean views.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Tour two National Historic Landmark mansions from “The Gilded Age” HBO series.
• Hear fascinating stories about the wealthy families that built these Newport mansions.
• Get an insider’s look at the lavish lifestyles of the Gilded Age millionaires.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad. As the industrial revolution reached its zenith in the late 19th century, the Vanderbilts soon became the wealthiest family in America and chose Newport as their summer playground. Learn about the family empire and visit two of the grandest villas ever built in the United States. Completed in 1892, Marble House was modeled after the Petit Trianon at Versailles and took nearly four years to build with a total cost exceeding $11 million dollars.

Enjoy the stories of the elaborate parties of the gilded age and Alva Vanderbilt as you tour the public rooms and grounds of Marble House. Next, visit the grandest of Newport's summer ‘cottages’, the Breakers was inspired by the 16th century palaces of Genoa and Turin. Completed in 1895, the mansion is situated on a 13 acre estate overlooking a spectacular view of the rugged Atlantic coastline.

Enjoy a scenic harbor cruise to Rose Island where you'll have an opportunity to visit the fully restored lighthouse, see the remains of the 200-year old Ft. Hamilton and learn about the island’s role as an important wildlife refuge and bird sanctuary. En route to Rose Island, enjoy a scenic harbor cruise of Narragansett Bay. Your Captain will share with you the 350-year history of Newport, rich in maritime heritage, past and present.

First lit in 1870, the lighthouse was fully restored and is an inspiring example of classic American maritime architecture. A visit to this living museum offers insight into a bygone way of life. You'll have an opportunity to explore the station from the windmill to the cellar cistern and learn about the works and pastimes of lighthouse families through their own possessions and photographs.

Join your naturalist guide for a leisurely walk of the island. Due to its strategic location, Rose Island has an interesting history dating back to the Revolutionary War. Today, it plays an important role as a wildlife refuge and home to a number of migrating birds including Little Blue Heron, Black-crowned Night Heron, Great and Snowy Egret and Glossy Ibis.

Sail a sleek schooner around beautiful Narragansett Bay, admiring the coastal homes and landmarks, while learning about Newport’s fascinating history.

A short walk from the pier brings you to Bowen’s Wharf, where you will board the Adirondack II, an elegant 80-foot schooner with mahogany trim and teak decks. Although built in 1999, the vessel looks similar to a turn-of-the-century schooner, but equipped with today’s technology.

Once you settle in, off you will go; reaching speeds of up to 10 knots if the conditions permit. You can expect a lively, immensely comfortable ride around Narragansett Bay, made even more enjoyable with a mimosa cocktail or another beverage in hand.

As you sail through Newport Harbor, you will pass imposing Fort Adams, America’s largest coastal fortification and a National Historic Landmark. It’s quite the sight and especially intriguing once you learn its history, starting in colonial times.

The captain and crew will regale you with stories about Newport, the famous people that have resided here, and the landmarks that dot the shore. The Victorian-style home at Hammersmith Farm is one of the most renowned residences, as it was the childhood home of Jacqueline Bouvier and the site of the reception for her 1953 wedding to John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

The bay island due west of Newport is Goat Island, named for the goats that residents once pastured there. As you sail back to the pier, you may spot its lighthouse, built on the island’s breakwater in 1842.