Get in Free: Newport Mansions Offer Newport County Residents Free Admission This Weekend

NEWPORT, RI— Christmas at the Mansions opened on Nov. 19, but this weekend, Newport County residents are invited to ogle the lights and decorations and take the tour for free.

Proof of residency, such as a utility bill or a driver's license, is as good as a ticket on Nov. 26 and Nov. 27. The offer is good for Jamestown, Little Compton, Middletown, Newport, Portsmouth and Tiverton residents.

According to the press release, The Breakers, Marble House and The Elms "are filled with thousands of poinsettias, fresh flowers, evergreens and wreaths."

There's a white candle in every window, dining tables set with period silver and china, plus 28 "decorated Christmas trees.

"Additional Highlights:The Breakers Great Hall will feature the iconic 15 foot tall poinsettia tree. Model trains, recalling the Vanderbilt family's New York Central Railroad, will be on display in the second floor loggia around three decorated trees. Plus, the trains will be operated by volunteers from the Little Rhody Division of the National Model Railroad Association."

And that's not all.

"At The Elms, the ballroom will be transformed into a Gilded Age streetscape, complete with sleighs, a topiary horse, trees and mannequins dressed in period costumes. For the second year, fireplaces mantels on the second floor of Marble House were decorated by regional garden clubs in a friendly competition."

The Breakers and The Elms open at 9 a.m., and Marble House opens at 10 a.m. Last tour admission is 4 p.m., and the houses and grounds close at 5 p.m.

File Photo Caption: The gates at Marble House