Our Family 3-Day Holiday Escape to Newport

If I can’t actually be a Vanderbilt, I can at least tour their living room, right?

There is something undeniably magical about Newport, Rhode Island, during the holidays. It’s where Gilded Age opulence meets New England charm, all wrapped up in a bow of evergreen boughs and thousands of twinkling lights.

This past weekend, we packed up the car, the kids, my mom, and the “Nutcracker” dresses for a 3-day escape to the City by the Sea. If you’re looking to live your best life—with a stroller in one hand and a champagne flute (or a shot of much-needed espresso) in the other—here is exactly how we spent our weekend.

Day 1
A “Signature Move” & The Marble House

We hit the road around 11 AM and I immediately pulled one of my signature travel moves: I called the hotel while en route. Check-in at the Newport Beach Hotel & Suites isn’t technically until 4 PM, but I sweetly asked if our room might be ready early. The travel gods smiled upon us—it was ready by 1:30 PM!

We checked in, dropped the bags, refreshed the outfits (essential), and headed straight for arguably my favorite Preservation Society property: Marble House.

Kate’s Take: Do The Math on Memberships

We purchased a Preservation Society of Newport County family membership right at the door. If you are planning on visiting multiple homes, please do this math.

For our group of 5 (Aurora was free as she’s under 6), single tickets to The Breakers, Marble House, Chateau-sur-Mer, and The Elms would have cost us roughly $274. Plus, with single tickets, you often have to reserve specific time slots for The Breakers—a nightmare when you’re traveling with unpredictable toddlers.

The Membership was just under $200. We saved money, got 10% off at the gift shops (dangerous but delightful), and had the flexibility to breeze into The Breakers whenever we wanted.

Marble House: A Temple to the Arts

Built between 1888 and 1892 for Mr. and Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt, this “summer cottage” was inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles. It cost $11 million to build, and $7 million of that was just for the marble. It is opulent, feminine, and fierce—much like Alva Vanderbilt herself. The girls absolutely loved doing the scavenger hunt here, which kept them engaged while I ogled the ceilings.

And whatever you do, do not sleep on the Chinese Tea House. While you can indulge in a holiday brunch inside on select dates (chic!), we opted to admire the architecture from the lawn this time around. Flashback to 2021: during Arielle’s very first Newport adventure, this gem was hands-down her favorite. I suspect the scale felt a bit more manageable to a tiny human compared to the overwhelming grandeur of the “cottages.” Plus, that striking lacquer red? It demands attention—and you know we love a bold statement.

Dinner at The Red Parrot

And speaking of red … for dinner, we headed to The Red Parrot. I think this is Arielle’s favorite restaurant on earth solely because they serve Kraft Mac ‘n’ Cheese. She has such discerning taste. 😉

Honestly, it’s a win-win: great food and excellent cocktails for the adults, and a loud, lively atmosphere where no one batted an eyelash when Aurora had a mini-tantrum because she was overtired. Do yourself a favor and get the Ice Cream Nachos – delicious!

Note: We hoped to catch the Newport Illuminated Boat Parade, but high winds pushed it to Saturday. So, we called it a night early!

Day 2
Poolside, Retail Therapy, and The Spooky Side of Newport

Saturday morning started with a dash. We enjoyed the complimentary breakfast at the hotel with our swimsuits under our clothes (classy, I know). We were staying in the Historic Building, so we had to sprint across the street to the Suites building for the pool.

While Alex handled swim duty with the girls, I snuck up to the roof deck hot tub. Soaking in warm water two floors up while the wind whipped around? Glorious.

The Nap Struggle is Real

After washing the chlorine out of Arielle’s hair (she is a fish), we hit the town. We grabbed lunch at Empire on Bellevue Avenue and I had a necessary retail moment at Kristina Richards, where I picked up some adorable earrings.

Then, the wall hit. Aurora needed a nap. It was almost 1 PM, she was overstimulated, and we had plans. Alex, being the absolute hero he is, dropped my mom, Arielle, and me off at The Elms and took Aurora for a long drive so she could sleep.

The Elms is stunning—modeled after the mid-18th century French Château d’Asnières. It was the summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind (coal tycoons), and it is famous for its incredible sunken gardens and the “Upstairs/Downstairs” tour depicting servant life. We obviously didn’t do that tour this time around, but it’s on my list for when the little ones are older!

Going Off the Beaten Path: Belcourt of Newport

After a stroll around Bannister and Bowen’s Wharves, we headed to Belcourt of Newport for a special Candlelight Tour.

If you know me, you know I LOVE all things spooky, so this was right up my alley. Our guide, Whitney Fourquet, was incredible. Belcourt isn’t your typical pristine mansion; it’s eccentric. This is where Jennifer Lawrence had her wedding reception and where Adele has performed!

History Lesson: Belcourt was the home of Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, and later, our girl Alva Vanderbilt (she married Belmont after divorcing Willie K.). It became a hub for the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Alva actually held rallies here! The house is full of the weird and wonderful, and Whitney perfectly balanced the history with the spooky vibes Arielle and I crave. A massive thank you to Whitney and David Bettencourt for the warmest welcome and for hosting us—it was truly a “pinch me” moment we will never forget. I can’t wait to spill more details on our time at Belcourt, so check back on my Instagram and YouTube!

Date Night at The Clarke Cooke House

After a quick drive to Goat Island to watch part of the rescheduled Boat Parade from the warmth of our car (genius move), we dropped the kids and my mom back at the hotel with pizza from Aquidneck Pizza & Bar.

Then, Alex and I headed to The Clarke Cooke House.

This place is legendary. It was packed, the energy was high, and the food was delicious. But let’s be real, I was there for the Snowball in Hell. Imagine a chocolate goblet filled with chocolate roulade, vanilla ice cream, and toasted coconut, drowned in warm Callebaut chocolate sauce.

We haven’t taken a vacation without the kids yet, so this little slice of alone time was everything. Thanks, Mom!

Day 3
Jackie O, Mac ‘n’ Cheese, and The Breakers

Sunday morning, Mom and I headed to St. Mary’s, Rhode Island’s oldest Catholic parish, for 8 AM Mass. This is where Jackie Bouvier married John F. Kennedy in 1953. As a lifelong Jackie O fan, seeing this beautiful, history-steeped church was a dream.

A Speed Run of Chateau-sur-Mer

We met the fam back at the hotel for breakfast, packed up, checked out, and hit Chateau-sur-Mer. This is a Victorian-era mansion, totally different from the Gilded Age palaces.

Mom Reality Check: You cannot bring strollers into the mansions. I get it (protect the floors and the antiques!), but it makes life tricky with an active toddler. What is usually a 90-minute tour became a 45-minute speed run as we chased Aurora. But we still saw it all, and Arielle crushed another scavenger hunt!

Lunch & The Breakers

We stopped for a photo op outside Royal Male on Spring Street to recreate a picture I took with Arielle years ago—so sweet to have both girls in the frame now.

For lunch, we pivoted. I wanted to go to Annie’s, but they hadn’t put their famous ceiling ornaments up yet, and I didn’t want to disappoint the girls. We ended up at Gas Lamp Grille, which saved the day with Mac ‘n’ Cheese AND Pizza on the kids’ menu.

Finally, we ended with the big one: The Breakers.

Kate’s Take: Save The Breakers for Last

It is the grandest, largest, and most over-the-top of them all. Built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, it has 70 rooms and looks like an Italian Renaissance palace. If you see this first, the other houses might feel “small” (which is hilarious, considering they are massive).

We got my favorite photo in front of the Poinsettia Tree—complete with the girls in their Nutcracker dresses. Even though Aurora was punch-drunk exhausted by this point, we got the shot!

We closed the place down just as they were setting up for the “Sparkling Lights” event (which costs extra, so we skipped it this year). We changed the girls into comfy clothes, drove through Providence so we could stop at the Roger Williams Park Zoo Holiday Lights Spectacular on the way home (more on this over my Instagram tomorrow), and pulled into our driveway by 8 PM.

Tired? Yes. Broke? Maybe a little. Worth it? Absolutely.

It’s not too late to start planning your trip for this year – or you can start making your itinerary up for next holiday season —and if you see a mom drinking champagne while chasing a toddler at Marble House, come say hi!