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Rosecliff, Newport, RI

Photo: n ole, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffDate NightRainy-Day Pick

Rosecliff

548 Bellevue Ave · Newport, RI

Why you should go…

Rosecliff was built between 1899 and 1902 for Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs, with Stanford White modeling it on the Grand Trianon at Versailles. You walk through the grand ballroom, the largest in Newport, and past the heart-shaped staircase, then head upstairs for rotating exhibitions of art and design. The house is lightly furnished, so the architecture does most of the talking. Scenes from The Great Gatsby and True Lies were filmed here.

  • #gilded age mansion
  • #historic house
  • #newport mansions
  • #film location
  • #architecture

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Rosecliff, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Marble House

    $25–$50

    Tour the Vanderbilts' 50-room marble summer house and its Chinese Tea House above the Atlantic.

    0.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Cliff Walk

    Free

    Walk a 3.5-mile shoreline path with the Atlantic on one side and Newport's Gilded Age mansions on the other.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Sport & Outdoor

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Bellevue Avenue Historic District

    Free

    Stroll or drive past Newport's Gilded Age mansions, several open for tours, along a landmark avenue of summer cottages.

    0.4 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Breakers

    $25–$50

    Tour the 70-room Vanderbilt summer house on Newport's cliffs with a self-guided audio tour of its gilded rooms.

    0.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Iconic

    International Tennis Hall of Fame

    Under $25

    A Newport mansion turned museum honoring tennis's greatest champions with interactive and immersive exhibits.

    1.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Tours
    Date Night

    Sightsailing of Newport

    $25–$50

    Newport Harbor sailing charters and sunset cruises from Bowen's Wharf.

    1.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours