Summer Fun in Newport, R.I., With Kids (Yes, Really)
The Breakers, a Vanderbilt mansion, offers tours specifically for children.
Photo: The Preservation Society of Newport County
by Wendy Perrin
Who woulda thought that Newport's elegant turn-of-the-century mansions, built by the robber barons and their descendants as "summer cottages," could be child-friendly? But last week in Rhode Island I happened upon two that anyone sightseeing in New England with tykes should know about.
The Breakers, the 70-room palazzo built by railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt II in 1895, actually has a family tour geared specifically to children. Offered daily in summer, the tour starts at the Children's Playhouse. (Imagine having McKim, Mead and White design your kid's playhouse!)
The Vanderbilt tots used to hang out here in the Children's Playhouse. Our tour was led by the fabulous guide Ellen Sadlier (right). Aug. 14, 2007.
Our guide must have been a kindergarten teacher in a former life. Charlie, 5, and Doug, 3, were riveted by her stories about the Vanderbilt children, and especially by the silk-carpeted grand staircase down which the kids used to slide on sterling silver trays. (Speaking of Vanderbilt progeny, a bit of trivia I learned: Did you know that CNN's Anderson Cooper is Cornelius Vanderbilt's great-great-great-grandson?) A parent-friendly bonus: For ages 5 and under, the tour is free.
More on Newport's kid-friendliest "summer cottages," after the jump.
Green Animals, a country estate located two towns away from Newport in Portsmouth, has a Victorian house filled with antique toys.
The other kid-friendly mansion is Green Animals, famous for its topiary garden, which includes 21 animal and bird figures.
Doug's favorite topiaries were the bears.
The elephant and camel were also highlights.
A hit too were the rocking animals next to chairs for grown-ups who'd like to soak up the views of Narragansett Bay.
Anyone bound for New England with kids, stay tuned: Over the next few days I'll be bringing you more Newport advice and end-of-summer tips for road trips with tots.
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Thanks for all the kid-friendly ideas! I'm pasting them into my own family-travel-idea book for when I start traveling with mine!
Posted by: travelergwen | August 24, 2007 at 04:02 PM