Newport Stage Coach

DISCOVER NEWPORT’S GILDED AGE

A journey to Newport, RI is a magical experience any time of year: winter, spring, summer or fall.  This stunning coastal city overlooks Newport Harbor, Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, with breathtakingly beautiful seascapes and landscapes that stop you in your tracks.  The downtown streets are lined with art galleries and museums, amazing restaurants and charming neighborhood parks and squares, and of course, its historic mansions.

These days, Newport is more popular than ever, thanks to the hit PBS series, The Gilded Age, a look at America’s wealthiest families who created Newport’s high society in the 19th century.  The Gilded Age is directed by Julian Fellowes, creator of Downton Abbey, and was filmed in several Newport Mansion properties.  Season Two is set to air in spring 2023, and the excitement is growing.

The Breakers Great Hall Decked out at Christmas

“It’s always exciting to visit a place that you have loved on screen,” says Discover Newport Communications Director Francesca Donlan. “The grandeur and the historic relevance of the Newport Mansions is something you have to experience first-hand.”

To that end, here is how visitors can get a close-up view of the mansions, enjoy access to the breathtaking grounds and cliffside vantage points, and revel in the spirit of Newport!

Inside the Gilded Age Tour
Starting in spring 2023, the Preservation Society of Newport County launches its new “Inside the Gilded Age Tour,” introducing visitors to many of the locations used for filming the show, including The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff, Chateau-sur-Mer and Hunter House.

The Elms Dining Room

Reading the Gilded Age Greats 
Newport’s Redwood Library and Athenaeum has attracted literary legends like Edith Wharton, Henry James and poet Julia Ward, co-founder of the American Woman Suffrage Association. Today, the library is free to the public and offers lectures, exhibitions, fine arts displays and many educational activities.

Redwood Library and Athenaeum

Walk and Gilded Talk
The Newport Historical Society offers a variety of tours including “Golden to Gilded: From Newport’s colonial Golden Age to Gilded Age summer colony.” The tour runs from June to October and describes the transformation of the city and its people during that time.

Golden to Gilded Walk

Stroll on the Coast
Find a moment of serenity along the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk. Take in the panoramic Atlantic Ocean views, the sounds and sights of crashing waves, and stroll past many of the Gilded Age mansions along the ocean's edge.

Stroll Along Bowen's Wharf

Gilded Age Scandals
Newport Jaguar Tours offers a fun guided tour of the more scandalous stories surrounding Newport families during this era. A fleet of classic British motorcars is available for tours, and tours can be customized. Pets and cocktails are welcome.

Newport Jaguar Tours

Croquet anyone? Tennis?
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is prominently featured in Season Two of The Gilded Age. Visitors can step on the same grass grounds where croquet and tennis enthusiasts have played since 1880. A croquet pro oversees this classic lawn game played on the historic grass courts, while the tennis grass courts are open to the public.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame

Gilded Age Cocktails
Step into the bar at the sophisticated Vanderbilt Hotel and order one of The Vanderbilt’s specialty cocktails. Choose from a signature punch bowl or a seasonal bubbly large-format aperitif, which pays homage to cocktails from the Gilded Age. Try the Vanderbilt Martini with a splash of gold.

The Vanderbilt Hotel Dining Room

Read about more Newport stories here.

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