Travel Photo Diary: Inside The Breakers Mansion, Decorated for the Holidays

Note: This post was originally published on November 26, 2018 and may have been edited for clarity and updated with new information

The most celebrated Newport cottage of the Gilded Age gets dressed for the holidays

Each year, The Preservation Society of Newport County hosts Holidays at the Newport Mansions. The Breakers, The Elms, and Marble House are decorated in full holiday splendor to celebrate the Christmas season. In addition to daily mansion tours, visitors can also participate in special Holiday Evenings or Santa Sundays.

I visited The Breakers mansion last week to see New England’s grandest oceanside estate. Built by the Vanderbilt family, The Breakers is a monument to the grandeur of the Vanderbilt empire, as well as the pinnacle of America’s Gilded Age.

After visiting so many different chateaus in France—Versailles, Fontainebleau, Chantilly, Chambord, and Chenonceau to date—it’s interesting to make the connections between the original French historical design and architecture versus the historicist interpretation in Newport.

I’ve already done this tour at The Breakers a handful of times, but it’s the most beautiful to see The Breakers and the other nouveau riche “summer cottages” on Bellevue Avenue decorated for the holidays. I also feel like I pick up on new pieces of trivia from the audio tour.

Visit The Preservation Society of Newport County’s website to purchase tickets and learn more information on Holidays at the Newport Mansions and other year-round events.

PSNC WEBSITE

Interior Photos of The Breakers Decorated for the Holidays

The Great Hall

The Breakfast Room

The Dining Room

The Billiards Room

The Music Room

Bedrooms

Kitchen

FAQ

Is it worth seeing The Breakers decorated for the holiday season?

Yes, it is absolutely worth visiting The Breakers decorated for the holiday season.

Even if you’ve seen The Breakers before during another season, it’s a great way to get into the holiday spirit and feel inspired to decorate and celebrate the holidays at home.

What is Sparkling Lights at The Breakers?

Since 2019, Sparkling Lights at The Breakers has been an annual after-hours event during the holiday season that allows visitors to stroll The Breakers’ illuminated, decorated exterior and gardens. Visitors of all ages are welcome. The event begins at 4 PM.

Beverages and light refreshments are provided by Stoneacre Hospitality, the team also behind The Chinese Tea House at Marble House, The Carriage House at The Elms, Stoneacre Garden, and Stoneacre Brasserie.

The Sparkling Lights at The Breakers schedule typically begins Thanksgiving weekend and runs through early January.

Tickets for Sparkling Lights at The Breakers can be purchased online or in person, but it’s highly recommended to purchase your tickets in advance. Do not underestimate the popularity of this event—it’s become more popular with families visiting from around Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and any visitors staying in downtown Newport.

SPARKLING LIGHTS AT THE BREAKERS

Does my admission ticket for The Breakers during regular visitor hours also cover admission for Sparkling Lights at The Breakers?

No, you need to purchase two separate tickets to visit the interior of The Breakers and Sparkling Lights at The Breakers.

However, the good thing about this is that you don’t have to do both.

Are all of the Newport Mansions decorated for the holiday season?

In addition to The Breakers, Rosecliff, The Elms, and Marble House are open during the holiday season and decorated for the holidays. To visit these properties, you can book individual tickets or upgrade your ticket to visit additional properties in The Preservation of Newport County portfolio.

Rough Point, which belongs to the Newport Restoration Foundation, is also decorated for the holiday season and open on select evenings during the month of December.

On a personal note, Christmas in Newport is special.

In years past, I worked retail during holiday shopping strolls, helping clients find special gifts to put under the tree while serving cabernet sauvignon or homemade glogg (Swedish mulled wine).

There would always be a Christmas party somewhere at a friend’s house, just a stumble along Spring Street or Bellevue Avenue. If you knew anyone who worked at one of the major restaurants in town, you had to find a way to crash their holiday parties.

Nearly every shop is decorated with fresh garland and well-adorned wreaths. There are porcelain ornaments hanging on the branches—the real ones, not the cheap ones.

Even if the streets are buried in three feet of snow, it seems like every interior you enter is warm. Yes, obviously, the heat is blasting, and you’re numb from walking in the Newport cold, but there’s something else.

Maybe it’s the nice feeling you get from seeing at least one person you know and having a polite conversation about your holiday plans. Maybe it’s the laugh you get from seeing tourists inappropriately dressed for the weather and completely unprepared for the biting wind chill on a December night.

Maybe it’s that extra “splash of wine” you had before leaving the last bar, and how the corners of your smile slip more easily to meet your eyelids around midnight.

It’s always a bit strange coming to Newport as a non-resident. I never managed to stay in the state on a long enough, permanent basis to be an official Rhode Islander with the license plate, but this place still feels the most like home, wherever I am in the world.

Seeing The Breakers during Christmastime is a far cry from my old Newport nights, but the decorated trees, light, and warmth make me reminisce about what used to be.

Remember to visit The Preservation Society of Newport County’s website to purchase tickets and learn more information on Holidays at the Newport Mansions and other year-round events.

PSNC WEBSITE