The mansions of Newport and the Hudson Valley present a fascinating duel of East Coast rivalry. Newport, the “Queen of Resorts,” is where Gilded Age titans displayed their wealth on the water’s edge. These seaside palaces — The Breakers, Marble House, Rosecliff — are flamboyant and shamelessly European, each with rooms gilded, frescoed, and trimmed in gold leaf, designed by architects like Richard Morris Hunt and McKim, Mead & White. Newport mansions are playgrounds for the ultra-rich, set against ocean views, where ballrooms were grander than many New England homes. Contrast that with the Hudson Valley’s stately mansions. The Rockefellers, Astors, and Vanderbilts dotted the valley with estates like Kykuit and Hyde Park, yet these homes were more about family legacy than roaring parties. Hudson Valley estates blend into the rolling hills and river views; they’re built for contemplation and an almost pastoral escape. Architecturally, they favor classicism over flash, channeling restraint rather than opulence. In a head-to-head, Newport wins hands down for sheer splash but the Hudson Valley estates can claim victory for longevity and elegance.
Top 10 Newport Mansions
Newport’s mansions are marvels of ambition and architectural artistry, each a celebration of what it meant to arrive in Gilded Age America. The Breakers, Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s summer home, is a prime example of Italian Renaissance ideals brought to life on Rhode Island’s shore. With its massive columns, arched windows, and meticulously detailed rooms, the mansion shows a rare respect for European design paired with the American urge to make everything bigger and better. Vanderbilt and architect Richard Morris Hunt built a place that could stand shoulder to shoulder with the great estates of Europe. And then there’s Marble House, Alva Vanderbilt’s love letter to French opulence. Hunt worked his magic here, too, drawing from Versailles and loading every inch with marble and gold, but never tipping into excess. Instead, it’s a space where rooms feel balanced and thoughtful, combining grandeur with elegance in a way only Hunt could manage. Newport’s mansions are masterpieces that go beyond luxury; they’re the products of visionaries — both the people who lived in them and the architects who brought them to life.
10. The Elms
The Elms in Newport captures Gilded Age splendor with a distinctly French twist, standing in stark contrast to the quieter elegance of Hudson Valley estates. Built in 1901 for coal baron Edward Berwind, the mansion channels Parisian style — think Château d’Asnières — with its architect, Horace Trumbauer, making no attempt to hide the influence. This Beaux-Arts masterpiece shows off with formal gardens, statues, and reflecting pools, all tightly choreographed in an orderly rectangle. The Elms doubles down on opulence with salons draped in velvet and marble-clad corridors, a space designed for cocktail chatter and lavish dinner parties rather than quiet family life. The Elms is here to dazzle on the spot, an instant showstopper in Newport’s high society.
9. Rough Point
Rough Point is a Newport mansion with a personality as bold as its last owner, Doris Duke. Perched on the cliffs of Bellevue Avenue, it exudes an English manor vibe, all Gothic windows and stone arches that seem imported straight from the British countryside. Designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1892, the house is filled with antiques from Duke’s global jaunts, each piece chosen with a collector’s eye for history and rarity. Compared to the sprawling, river-view mansions of the Hudson Valley, like the Rockefellers’ Kykuit, Rough Point is more contained, more focused on opulent detail than open landscape. Hudson Valley estates were built for retreat; Rough Point was made for eccentric charm. Duke added her own flair, from the museum-worthy tapestries to the immaculate gardens lined with seaside views.
8. Marble House
Marble House is Alva Vanderbilt’s vision of grandeur, set in stone and built to stun. Designed in 1892 by Richard Morris Hunt, it’s all about Beaux-Arts drama: towering Corinthian columns, expansive terraces, and walls of marble. This wasn’t a cozy family retreat; it was a stage for Newport’s elite to see and be seen, with every inch designed to make an impact. Inside, the place doesn’t hold back. Gold-leaf ceilings, intricate moldings, and rooms that seem built for royalty — the ballroom alone feels like it was made for heads of state, not summer vacationers. Alva’s taste for European flair shows in every corner, from the mirrored walls to the heavy chandeliers. The house was built to rival European estates, making it clear the Vanderbilts didn’t come to Newport to play small. Compared to the sprawling, nature-blending mansions of the Hudson Valley, Marble House is pure, polished theater.
7. Rosecliff
Rosecliff is Newport’s version of a Hollywood set — designed to dazzle and purpose-built for grand entertaining. Commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1902, it’s modeled after the Grand Trianon at Versailles. Architect Stanford White took the elegance of French classical design and streamlined it for the American coast, creating a mansion that’s less fortress and more fantasy. The ballroom at Rosecliff is its crown jewel. One of the largest in Newport, it stretches the width of the house, with gleaming floors and walls of glass that spill light into the room, creating an airy feel far removed from the heavy European halls it mimics. Compared to the earthier Hudson Valley estates, Rosecliff is a theater of white stucco and sweeping terraces. There’s nothing subtle about it — Rosecliff was built to entertain, not blend in. It’s Newport’s ode to high-society sparkle, a place where everything, from the façade to the last chandelier, is perfectly staged.
6. Beechwood
Built in 1851 and later redesigned by Richard Morris Hunt, this Italianate palace was home to Caroline Astor, the queen of New York high society. Beechwood was her Newport headquarters, where she held court in summers, setting the social pace for everyone who hoped to matter. Architecturally, it’s both grand and grounded, with its limestone exterior, classical columns, and broad verandas framing views of the Atlantic. Inside, the ballroom — added specifically for Mrs. Astor — is the heart of the mansion. Every inch of this room was designed to impress, with high ceilings, mirrored walls, and intricate chandeliers. The mansion even had a designated receiving room, where Astor could conduct her legendary social rites, deciding who was in or out. Beechwood is a relic of a very specific social order, one where pedigree and propriety ruled. From its stately rooms to its manicured grounds, Beechwood embodies the elegance, ambition, and quiet authority of the Astor name — a place as formidable as the woman who reigned there.
5. Chateau-sur-Mer
Chateau-sur-Mer is the original Gilded Age mansion of Newport, long before the Vanderbilts and Astors arrived to up the ante. Built in 1852 for China trade magnate William Shepard Wetmore, it was Newport’s first taste of grand-scale opulence. Italianate in style, the mansion’s stone façade and symmetrical form set it apart from its flashier successors. Later, the house was given an elaborate Second Empire makeover by architect Richard Morris Hunt, adding towers, mansard roofs, and Victorian detailing that pushed it into architectural stardom. Inside, Chateau-sur-Mer is an experience in old-world craftsmanship. The Grand Hall, with its carved woodwork and stained-glass skylight, feels like a cathedral, while the rooms off it showcase a mix of exotic styles — Turkish corners, carved mahogany, and imported French wallpaper. The dining room, lined with Italian frescoes and gilt mirrors, hosted some of the era’s finest soirées, setting Newport’s social standard long before others followed suit. Where later mansions flaunted the exuberance of the nouveau riche, Chateau-sur-Mer established Newport as the summer capital of America’s elite.
4. Kingscote
Kingscote is Newport with a twist — Gothic Revival meets American whimsy, built for a Southern planter escaping the heat. George Noble Jones, a wealthy plantation owner from Georgia, commissioned Kingscote in 1839, making it one of Newport’s earliest “cottages.” Designed by Richard Upjohn, the mansion is all pointed arches, steep gables, and decorative woodwork. Later owner David King added the “Chinese Tea Room,” a flamboyant space decked out in pink silk wallpaper, bamboo accents, and porcelain curios.
3. Belcourt
Belcourt, one of Newport’s stranger architectural gems, is what you’d call a 19th-century power move in limestone. Built in 1894 for Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont, a banking heir with a taste for medieval grandeur. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the same architect who crafted The Breakers, Belcourt was created to suit Belmont’s two great passions: horses and European nobility. About 60% of the original floor plan was dedicated to his horses, while his quarters and receiving rooms took up a modest sliver by comparison. Belcourt’s exterior is textbook Newport — French manor meets medieval castle, complete with turrets, arches, and enough stately presence to rival any palace. But inside, things got stranger. Belmont’s man-cave vibe reigned, with suits of armor, massive chandeliers, and murals of knights in battle covering the walls. It was part hunting lodge, part homage to old-world chivalry.
2. Ochre Court
Ochre Court, commissioned by banker Ogden Goelet, is where French Gothic opulence meets oceanfront indulgence. Built in 1892, it’s the second-largest of Newport’s Gilded Age mansions, with 50 rooms spanning over 44,000 square feet, all draped in unapologetic luxury. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt (yes, him again), the façade looks straight out of a medieval château with turrets, spires, and intricate stonework. Inside, Hunt went for Baroque drama, layering Italian marble, stained glass, and enough gilding to keep Newport’s artisans decades. Vaulted ceilings rise high, walls are packed with paintings, and a grand staircase rolls down like it’s ready for a royal entrance. Goelet’s time at Ochre Court was brief; after 30 years, his family handed it over to the Catholic Church, who later passed it on to Salve Regina University.
1. The Breakers
The Breakers is Newport’s heavyweight champ, the no-holds-barred Gilded Age mansion built by Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895. Designed by Richard Morris Hunt, The Breakers sprawls over 125,000 square feet with 70 rooms that take the idea of luxury and crank it to max volume. Outside, it’s an Italian Renaissance fortress with marble pillars and an endless ocean view. Inside, rooms gleam with gold leaf, marble floors, and ceilings that look more like they belong in a Renaissance palace. Walls are covered in silk and chandeliers drip from every ceiling. The Breakers was a message that the Vanderbilts were top of the social food chain. After Cornelius’s death, it stayed in the family until the 1970s, when it became part of the Preservation Society of Newport.
Top 10 Hudson Valley Mansions
Hudson Valley’s top ten mansions are lessons in how New York’s elite did “country retreat” without giving up a lick of luxury. The Hudson Valley mansions are stately gems, where vision and reverence for nature define every column and cornice. Kykuit, the Rockefeller estate, is the crown jewel here, designed with an appreciation for balance. Gardens cascade into the landscape, and terraces frame views of the Hudson, as if architect William Welles Bosworth set out to honor nature. Inside, it’s equally thoughtful: art-filled galleries, sculpture-lined hallways, and rooms that seem to breathe history. Then there’s Olana, the Persian-inspired estate of Frederic Edwin Church, one of America’s great landscape painters. Church oversaw every detail, from the Moorish arches to the hand-painted tiles. Set on a hill overlooking the river, it’s an artist’s vision made real, where every window frames a new landscape masterpiece. Unlike the Newport mansions, which feel ready for a crowd, Hudson Valley estates carry a sense of retreat. Each one a unique blend of architecture and landscape.
10. Wilderstein Mansion – Rhinebeck, NY
Wilderstein isn’t your typical Hudson Valley mansion; it’s a quirky, Queen Anne-style estate with a serious dose of personality. Built in 1852 and later expanded by Thomas Suckley, a cousin of the Astors, this place is an eccentric blend of Victorian and a dash of Gothic revival, set up right on the Hudson River. Suckley brought in architect Arnout Cannon for a big redesign in the 1880s, adding towers, porches, and stained glass. The inside is equally unique, packed with elaborate woodwork, Tiffany glass, and hand-painted wallpaper. The Suckley family wasn’t about velvet ropes and formal ballrooms; they wanted a cozy home with a touch of whimsy. When times got tough for the Suckleys, they held onto Wilderstein rather than sell out. In fact, the family’s most famous member, Margaret “Daisy” Suckley, lived here until 1991.
9. Clermont Manor – Germantown, NY
Clermont Manor, one of the Hudson Valley’s oldest estates, is a Revolutionary War survivor with some serious family roots. Built by the Livingston family in 1740, Clermont has seen battles, fires, and centuries of Livingstons strolling its halls. Georgian-style the manor keeps it classic with white clapboards, clean lines, and views of the Hudson. Inside, the décor features antique furniture, high ceilings, and enough historical portraits to remind you that these folks were founding-family material. During the Revolutionary War, British troops torched the place, but the Livingstons rebuilt. Clermont eventually became a museum, where you can wander through rooms packed with family artifacts and Revolutionary lore.
8. Montgomery Place – Red Hook, NY
Montgomery Place is all about charm and grace with a side of serious landscaping. Built in 1805 by Janet Livingston Montgomery, widow of Revolutionary War General Richard Montgomery, this Federal-style mansion sits gracefully along the Hudson River. Over time, Montgomery Place evolved, getting a Greek Revival facelift in the 1840s thanks to architect Alexander Jackson Davis, who added columns and style points. The interiors feature polished woodwork, well-loved furniture, and a cozy vibe that feels more like a refined retreat than a grand statement. But Montgomery Place’s real pride is its grounds — 200-plus acres of landscaped gardens, trails, and waterfalls. By the mid-20th century, it was handed off to Historic Hudson Valley, who opened it up to the public.
7. Locust Grove – Poughkeepsie, NY
Locust Grove is a genteel 1850s Italianate villa with a surprising tech twist. Built for artist and inventor Samuel Morse (yes, the telegraph guy), Locust Grove is equal parts Hudson Valley beauty and 19th-century geek chic. Morse picked this spot for its sweeping river views, then called in architect Alexander Jackson Davis to add the Italian-style arches, wide verandas, and that laid-back, villa vibe. Inside, it’s a blend of charm and comfort with book-filled rooms and understated art. There’s even a library where Morse dreamed up his Morse code. Today, Locust Grove is a historic site, where you can stroll the gardens or take in the river views Morse once admired. It’s low-key but loaded with history.
6. Staatsburgh (Mills Mansion) – Staatsburg, NY
Mills Mansion is Gilded Age grandeur with all the trimmings and none of the subtlety. Built in 1895 by Ruth Livingston Mills and her banker husband, Ogden Mills, this place is what happens when you have wealth and zero interest in understatement. Architect Stanford White transformed their home into a Beaux-Arts palace, complete with columns, marble, and enough space for every single one of their high-society friends. Inside, it’s a masterclass in turn-of-the-century opulence — think chandeliers, gilded everything, and rooms decorated to the nines in European antiques. Mrs. Mills had a thing for French style, so the interiors lean heavily on Louis XIV vibes, with walls practically dripping in rich fabrics and detailed woodwork. But like many Gilded Age mansions, the Mills Mansion didn’t stay in the family forever. By the mid-20th century, it was turned over to the state, transforming from a private playground of the elite to a museum of bygone splendor.
5. Vanderbilt Mansion – Hyde Park, NY
The Vanderbilt Mansion in Hyde Park is the definition of Gilded Age swagger. Built in 1899 as a “country home” for Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt, it’s a 50-room monument to high society’s need for weekend retreats. Frederick hired the architects at McKim, Mead & White to craft this classic Beaux-Arts palace. From the outside, it’s all about symmetry and grandeur, with a limestone façade, columns, and sprawling gardens that stretch down to the Hudson River. The interior features marble fireplaces, mahogany paneling, and tapestries. Frederick and Louise used the place as a seasonal getaway, enjoying a taste of the countryside without ever sacrificing luxury. When the couple passed, and with no heirs in line, the mansion ended up with the National Park Service.
4. Boscobel House – Garrison, NY
Boscobel House is what you’d call a comeback story with a touch of Georgian flair. Originally built in the early 1800s by Loyalist States Dyckman, Boscobel started life downriver in Montrose before nearly facing the wrecking ball in the 1950s. Lucky for this Federal-style beauty, history buffs swooped in to save it, and now it sits on a bluff overlooking the Hudson in Garrison. The exterior is textbook Federal — symmetry, clean lines, and big, welcoming windows. Inside, Boscobel leans hard into elegance with fine period furniture, delicate woodwork, and some impressively restored plaster.
3. Olana – Hudson, NY
Olana is Hudson Valley’s artistic oddball, a Persian-inspired mansion designed by painter Frederic Edwin Church. Built in the 1870s on a hilltop overlooking the Hudson, it’s part art project, part architectural experiment, and entirely unique. Church wasn’t interested in copying European mansions — he wanted something that reflected his travels and his love of landscapes, so he went full-on exotic, creating a mansion that feels like it belongs halfway across the world. From the outside, Olana is all vibrant colors, arches, and intricate patterns — a mix of Victorian with Persian and Moorish influences that makes it stand out from anything else in the area. Inside, it’s just as eclectic, with Middle Eastern designs, global artifacts, and artwork covering the walls. Church’s personal touches are everywhere, from stenciled patterns to big windows perfectly framing the view, as if each one were a painting.
2. Lyndhurst Mansion – Tarrytown, NY
Lyndhurst is Hudson Valley’s Gothic Revival superstar. Built in 1838 and later expanded by railroad magnate Jay Gould, this castle-like estate is as dramatic as they come. Architect Alexander Jackson Davis went full Gothic here, adding turrets, arches, and enough spires to make it look like something straight out of a medieval fantasy. Inside, it’s a feast of dark wood, stained glass, and vaulted ceilings. Gould didn’t hold back on the decor—there’s intricate woodwork everywhere, antique furniture, and art that feels more Old World than New York. It’s opulent, but in a moody, atmospheric way that’s more brooding than blingy. Gould’s family held onto Lyndhurst for years, and it’s stayed remarkably well-preserved, eventually becoming part of the National Trust.
1. Kykuit – Pocantico Hills, NY
Kykuit, the Rockefeller family estate, is Hudson Valley elegance with a side of high society polish. Built in 1913 by oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, this hilltop mansion isn’t flashy; it’s refined. Designed by architect William Welles Bosworth, Kykuit blends classic stone architecture with Hudson River views. Inside features marble floors, hand-carved wood, and modern art that wouldn’t look out of place in a museum (because, in part, that’s what it became). The house has its own Picasso tapestries, sculpture garden, and art galleries, all collected and curated by future generations of Rockefellers who kept adding layers of sophistication. Over the years, Kykuit became as much a cultural site as a family home, with Nelson Rockefeller transforming parts of it into an art lover’s paradise. Now open to the public, it’s a chance to see how one of America’s wealthiest families lived in style without going overboard. Elegant, restrained, and filled with art, Kykuit is Rockefeller class turned into architecture.
