Early in the nineteenth century, southern plantation owners began to build stately vacation homes in Newport where they could come to escape the brutal summer heat of the South.  By mid-century, they were joined by wealthy Yankee merchants, who constructed even grander estates.  Of course, no Gilded Age industrialist could resist such a place, so by the turn of the 20th century, the nation's wealthiest families were spending their summers in Newport as well. Vanderbilts, Astors, Wideners—all had expansive estates in Newport.

    

After the Vanderbilts moved into the neighborhood in the 1890s, the "modest" 11,500-sq. ft. manor was eclipsed by far larger "cottages."  Arguably the grandest of Newport's mansions is The Breakers, the 70,000-sq. ft. house built in 1895 by Cornelius Vanderbilt, older brother of George Vanderbilt, the owner of Asheville's much larger Biltmore House. 
    

The Breakers (photo from Wikimedia)

Today The Breakers and several other mansions are owned by the Newport Preservation Society, which has opened them to the public for tours.  Under the terms of various wills through the years, the current Cornelius Vanderbilt heirs are still permitted to vacation in the upper floors of The Breakers while tourists file through below.

While the super-rich had their seaside estates, the rest of Newport was offered Cliff Walk, a 3.5 mile recreational trail that runs between many of the largest mansions and the sea.  Some of the estate owners built tunnels through their property to ensure it still had shore access while complying with opening the coastal walkway to the public.

   

In addition to the appeal of a couple of letterboxes hidden along Cliff Walk, the trail offered stunning views, both seaward and inland.  Being here in the off-season, we have enjoyed the lack of crowds on the path, as well as in restaurants and shops.  As in many expensive resort towns, low season prices are quite reasonable also, leading us to contemplate a lengthier Newport stay in the future.