Explore golden age mansions and more in Newport, Rhode Island

Once owned by the Vanderbilts and their ilk, the opulent “cottages” offer both guided and self-guided options. Download the Newport Mansions app to your smart device before you go, and bring earbuds for a self-guided audio tour of The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, and Rosecliff. Or book a guided behind-the-scenes tour of The Breakers or The Elms. You can also visit Kingscote at your own pace and Hunter House on a guided tour.

Fort Adams State Park offers you the opportunity to tour its military fortifications with or without a guide. With a guide, see the officers’ quarters and underground tunnels. Without a guide, some areas, such as the tunnels, are off-limits. On Mondays, take a self-guided tour of the Eisenhower House, the White Summer Home during Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency.

Recreation has always played an important role in Newport. To learn more about sailing in Newport, visit the new Sailing Museum and the National Sailing Hall of Fame. The International Tennis Hall of Fame is also located here. If you prefer to walk, the 2.5-mile Fort Adams Bay Walk loops around Fort Adams, offering views of lighthouses and yacht clubs. The cobbled Cliff Walk combines sea views with views of Gilded Age mansions.