Arrive in Newport, RI this afternoon to enjoy a tour and tasting at the Newport Vineyards.  Learn about the history of the Vineyards, the winemaking process and enjoy a tasting at the end of the tour.  Then check into your hotel for a two-night stay.

Enjoy a holiday dinner show at the Newport Playhouse & Cabaret Restaurant.  This dinner theatre is unique – enjoy a great buffet – a wonderful play and a fun-filled cabaret.  A holiday-themed comedy sure to entertain and lift your holiday spirit!  You will not be disappointed! (D)

This morning meet your local guide, Mrs. Astor, for a driving tour of Newport’s Mansions and travel back in time to the Gilded Age.  Mrs. Astor, was a prominent American socialite of the Gilded Age and the Grand Dame of Newport Society.  Enjoy a driving tour of Ten Mile Ocean Drive where the most famous of the “American Aristocracy” had built their splendid summer palaces.  You will also see Bellevue Avenue, which was the backbone of Newport’s Golden Age.  Here, the Vanderbilts and the top 400 of U.S. society and wealth congregated during the summer months.  Plus, see the stunning locations featured on the HBO Series, “The Gilded Age” which filmed in Newport.

Then tour the Marble House.  William Vanderbilt built Marble House as a 39th birthday present for his wife, Alva.  It was a social and architectural landmark that set the pace for Newport’s subsequent transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent Gilded Age mansions.  The walls of the ballrooms are gilded with 22 carat gold and the floors are marble.

Next, enjoy free time for Christmas Shopping and lunch on own at Bowen’s Wharf or Bannister’s Wharf.  Bowen’s and Bannister’s Wharves are the pinnacle of holiday shopping.  Here you’ll find cobblestone paths lined with a mix of local boutiques and artisans.  From Kiel James Patrick, Mandarine Boutique, and Anchor Toffee to the Newport Mansions Store and Primavera Newport, explore a variety of contemporary art, unique home collectives, clothing, accessories and artisan made gifts alongside exquisite galleries like Sheldon Fine Art and Anne Hall Antique Prints.

Late this afternoon, visit the Breakers Mansion, the grandest of Newport’s summer “cottages.”  It is a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial pre-eminence in turn-of-the-century America.  Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt (1794-1877) established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad, which was a pivotal development in the industrial growth of the nation during the late 19th century.

See how the “well-to-do” celebrated the holidays with spectacular holiday displays.  Nearly 30 Christmas trees are exquisitely decorated to complement the décor and theme of each room, like Mr. Vanderbilt’s tree in The Breakers, ornamented with trains and top hats!  Hundreds of poinsettias, garlands, wreaths and fresh floral arrangements add color, warmth and life.  As always, the 15-foot-tall poinsettia tree in the Great Hall of The Breakers – made up of 150 poinsettia plants – provides a perfect holiday photo opportunity.

Also included with your visit to the Breakers is the outdoor attraction – Sparkling Lights at the Breakers.  An Outdoor Magical Wonderland, this display contains more than 40,000 lights, and covers the three acres of The Breakers in the northeast quadrant of the 12-acre property.  The holiday stroll is guided by lighting along part of the historic serpentine walk that surrounded the mansion in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

End the day with dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

This morning after hotel check out, stop in Bristol, RI for Christmas at Blithewold Mansion.  Blithewold, a 33-acre summer estate with grand views of Narragansett Bay, is nationally significant in American history as one of the most fully developed and authentic examples of the Country Place era.  The property features a 45-room mansion filled with family heirlooms framed by a series of lovely gardens that range in character from mysterious to exotic and from poetic to practical.

Depart for home following your visit. (B)