Newport Mansions Offers A "Rich" Travel Experience

Belcourt Castle, Newport, R.I. (photo by Eric)

Touring the Newport mansions in Newport, R.I., might seem like an obvious New England travel attraction, but it's definitely a "rich"  experience worthy of a visit.

Once "summer cottages" to the rich and famous from the Gilded Age (beginning in the mid-19th century), many of the Newport mansions  remain in great shape and available for tours. The Preservation Society of Newport County offers the majority of house tours, including The Breakers, Chateau-sur-Mer, The Elms, Marble House and Rosecliff. The tours can take up to 90 minutes, given the size, details and nuances of each home. My recommendation would be to see no more than two homes a day, as the experience can eventually become overkill.  By purchasing a multi-house ticket, you can spread out the visits on different days. Speaking of tickets, you can order online or on site at any participating house. Log onto the Preservation Society of Newport County web site for full details.

You can also take private tours of Newport mansions not owned by the Preservation Society of Newport County, most notably the Belcourt Castle.  The Belcourt is actually my favorite Newport mansion with its combination of old-world, French-style charm and Norman, Elizabethan English and country German design. The home showcases  Gilded Age "King" and "Queen" chairs and Russian crystal chandelier with 13,000 prisms in the main room, stained glass, carved oak wainscoting, grand staircases and a replication of a coronation coach.  Wow! You can request a tour through the Belcourt Castle web site.

Enjoy the tours, it's a definite highlight of New England travel!

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Weddings and Receptions, Newport-Style!

Article and photo by Eric H.

If you're in a knot trying to figure out where to tie the knot in New England, consider the Belcourt Castle in Newport, R.I., as grand and surprisingly affordable place for a wedding and reception.

This spectacular late 1800s, 60-room 17th century King Louis VIII hunting lodge replica surely impresses with its old-world, French-style charm and Norman, Elizabethan English and country German design. With a simply beautiful chapel with stained glass and high arched ceilings and the elegant by friendly main reception room's Gilded Age "king" and "queen" chairs and spectacular chandeliers, the Belcourt Castle resonates with character, uniqueness and charm.

What a perfect place for a wedding and reception! When attending a recent wedding and reception at the Belcourt, a friend told us that the total cost of the wedding and reception cost less than many other sites in the area -- amazing, given the famous, historic presence of the Belcourt.

Additionally because Newport is such a wonderful coastal destination with its famous mansions, beaches and fabulous variety of shopping and dining options, you might just want to "honeymoon" here , too, at esteemed, elegant hotels like Vanderbilt Hall, or the Chanlers at Cliff Walk.

Click on the link above to read the full VisitingNewEngland.com article on Belcourt Castle weddings and receptions. Also, the book, Secret Providence & Newport: The Unique Guidebook to Providence & Newport's Hidden Sites, Sounds & Tastes (Secret Guide series),is
a great way to learn about the "historic streets and tucked-away nooks of Newport."

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