These "summer cottages" were no rustic cabins in the woods. They were 50- to 70-room estates with large stables, spacious lawns, gardens and greenhouses, immense palaces of marble, limestone and granite. Start with The Breakers, which just introduced a new family tour that describes a day in the life of a Vanderbilt child. Constructed in 1895 for railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, it took more than two years and a hundred workers to complete the building. Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, he died three years after his dream house was finished.
Back on Bellevue, you'll pass Chateau-sur-Mer, built for William Wetmore who amassed a fortune in the China trade, William and Alva Vanderbilt's sumptuous Marble House, and Rosecliff, the famed mansion designed by the illustrious architect Stanford White in 1900 and seen in the film, "The Great Gatsby." The Breakers and Marble House offer audio tours for families to view these amazing estates.
Newport, R.I. Attractions
Newport, R.I. Attractions
 | Explore the Mansions Newport, RI Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Go Shopping Newport, RI Newport is home to a slew of intriguing boutique shops. Alloy Gallery on Spring Street is owned by a Rhode Island School of Design-trained jewelry artist who displays contemporary wares created by her and her colleagues. Nearby, on the corner of Spring and Church, Macdowell Pottery features crafts, towels and women's scarves. More women's clothing -- blouses, dresses and jackets adorned with colorful summer prints, can be found at Tyler Boe, at Bannister's Wharf. The kids will like the quirky games, clothing, books and other odd miscellaneous knickknacks found at Pleasant Surprise on Thames Street. Close by is the Newport Historical Society Gift Shop, selling sea soap, shells, gardening and history books on New England, and my personal favorite, the Gurglepot, a jug that makes a gurgling noise when pouring water. Best For: Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Hit the Beach Newport, RI From center of Newport, take Memorial Drive east and you'll notice the beach on your right called Easton's or First Beach. Continue driving along the water into the neighboring town of Middleton and you'll reach one of my favorite beaches in all of New England, Second Beach, a stretch of sand so sublime we think nothing of making the 90-minute drive from our house in Boston for a day visit. Everyone rides the waves at Second Beach. Surfers are found to the right of the beach, near Purgatory Chasm, a deep cleft in the bedrock that rises above Sachuest Bay. Families grab their boogie boards and head to the center of the beach to try their luck. Singles and college kids can usually be found to the left, using their body to ride the crest. After swallowing gulps of the Atlantic, the crowds retreat to the spacious shoreline, only to jump back in the ocean when their bodies wilt under the relentless sun. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Stroll the Cliff Walk Newport, RI Rhode Island's most popular stroll is the Cliff Walk, a three-and-a-half-mile walkway that follows the rugged Newport shoreline on one side and the backyards of the massive Bellevue Avenue mansions on the other. Park your car on Narragansett Avenue near the walk and proceed to the right. Fences and hedges soon appear to guard the privacy of the summer estates, many surprisingly still in private hands. However, their backyards remain open to the sea and us voyeurs. Most impressive is the sight of The Breakers, the Italian-style villa commissioned by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1895. Another highlight is the Chinese-style teahouse at the Marble House. You'll see the red-and-gold lacquered pagoda just before you walk through the first tunnel. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Take a Sail Newport, RI Narragansett Bay's deep natural harbor is regarded as one of the finest cruising grounds in the northeast. On any sunny afternoon, you're bound to see hundreds of full sails coasting up and down the bay. Come summer, the prevailing wind is the "smoky sou'wester," the same breeze that drew the America's Cup Races to Rhode Island for more than 50 years, until America's defeat by Australia in 1983. Almost without exception, calm sunny mornings are followed by windy afternoons with the onshore breeze arriving between 12 and 1 p.m. By mid-afternoon, the wind can build to 25 knots or more, but the average speed is between 10 to 20 knots. You can experience sailing on a traditional schooner, but I suggest simply grabbing a proper sailboat with a guide. We booked a 34-foot O'Day with Sightsailing Inc. and for two hours, my daughter, Melanie, took the wheel and guided us along the coast under the watchful of Captain Ed, who gave us an in-depth history of the region. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Tennis Hall of Fame 194 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI • 401-849-3990 The affluent also liked to play a game of lawn tennis and designed a stadium in Newport, which housed the first U.S. Open in 1881. While the pros still come once a year for a tournament, the building now houses a museum dedicated to the best players in tennis history. Watch old clips of Bjorn Borg working the backline or Pete Sampras unleashing another monstrous serve, while seeing the fashionable dresses worn by women players over the years. When we were there last, a huge screen in the last room was showing the matches at Wimbledon live. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
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