Newport is an awesome town!

 

After visiting Newport, I understand why the wealthy wanted their summer cottages there!  It is a beautiful town and I definitely want to go back.  We took a bus tour of the town, so we got to see the outside of all the gilded mansions and tour the Breakers.  

There was a boat show the weekend we were there

Not a guilded mansion, but the summer home Jacqueline Kennedy came to.  She was known as a Newport socialite and she and JFK got married in Newport.

After our bus tour, we decided to get lunch at Jay Leno's favorite hot dog joint and it did not disappoint!  We figured hot dogs were cheaper than lobster rolls and we could save money for our lobster dinner.

Then we did some shopping!  Jenn and I got sweatshirts and mom got a t-shirt.  I also found a glass store and bought a blown glass ball with a wave design on the side.  And of course I found a soap store!

We also walked into the International Tennis Museum.  They used to have big tennis tournaments there and people can still sign up to play on their courts.

I think you have to wear white when you play here

Another thing on our bucket list was the cliff walk.  This is a 3ish mile walk along the water and in front of the gilded mansions.  We didn't walk the whole way, but the part we walked had some pretty views even if you could not see the mansions.

It was a littel windy!

The back fence of Rosecliff

We ended the night with our last meal of the trip at a restaurant called the Mooring.  Our tour bus driver said he was never disappointed there.  We all decided to get lobster and it was a fun meal.  I will admit, though, that the lobster at the more casual restaurant with paper plates in New Hampshire was better.  

I would give Newport a 10 out of 10 for a town to visit in September.  Just the right amount of people and the most gorgeous weather!  We could not have asked for a more perfect day!

We ended our night at our convenient motel with a cute towel elephant.  

The next day was get to the airport and wait for our flights.  Because we were in New England, we had to get Dunkin Donuts in the airport!

And when we were in the Philadelphia airport, we had to get Geno's cheesesteaks!  Wit the wiz!

 

 We had had a great trip.  Good food and good times together.  So thankful to have had this time with my mom and sister.  Now to plan for our next adventure!

The Breakers

 

We were able to visit another gilded mansion on Monday during our Newport tour.  This summer cottage was built by a Vanderbilt and was more of a family home than just a party house like the Rosecliff.  They also kept the upstairs bedrooms and the kitchen set up like when they lived there.  And of course it was very elaborate and over the top with decorations on every surface.  

The Breakers

I would hate to be in charge of cleaning this house!

Very cool ceiling art

Billiards room and cues

The Vanderbilt symbol was the acorn and there were many acorns in the interior

 

This chair weighed jockeys 

More fancy staircases

Very tight location for a tub

Every bathroom had a stitz bath for people to soak after riding horses 

This tub was made of marble and had to be filled several times with hot water to make the tub warm enough for the water to stay hot.  It had 4 taps...a cold and hot and a cold and hot salt water.

He had his phone beside his bed just like people do now

This closet had hangers with long poles that they hung way high up to not get in the way of the shelves

The wife's bedroom

More housecleaning

More ceiling art

Cookware

They had a Downton Abbey like system of calling people from the kitchen 

Very big kitchen

The kitchen and the butler's pantry had tons of cookware and serving pieces

The playhouse was as big as some people's houses

Views from the backyard

The mansion's gate

The two mansion tours were very interesting, but I am glad I don't have to worry about that big of a house!