Holidays at the Newport Mansions will be more spectacular than ever this year, with a new outdoor experience, “Sparkling Lights at The Breakers: An Outdoor Magical Wonderland,” illuminating the mansion and its historic grounds with thousands of lights from Saturday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021.

For the first time, the exterior of The Breakers and its landscape will be awash in festive lights, including 28 spruce trees strung with holiday lights along the two driveways; The Breakers façade bathed in colored light; and illumination of the historic paths, shrubbery and trees in varied color schemes as visitors stroll the grounds.

The Children’s Cottage will be outlined in lights and visitors will be able to peek through the windows at Santa’s Workshop inside as holiday music fills the air.

“This new experience is going to be amazing,” said Trudy Coxe, CEO and executive director of The Preservation Society of Newport County, which owns and operates the Newport Mansions. “Jim Donahue, our curator of historic landscapes and horticulture, always puts on a beautiful presentation for the holidays, but he’s really outdone himself this time. People are gravitating toward outdoor experiences in the current climate, and ‘Sparkling Lights at The Breakers: An Outdoor Magical Wonderland’ will truly live up to its name.”

In addition, the interiors of The Breakers and The Elms will be lavishly decorated for the holidays and open daily except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. A total of 20 Christmas trees, decorations on every mantelpiece and many other festive touches will be coordinated with the décor of each room. And the 15-foot-tall poinsettia tree – always a visitor favorite – will return to the Great Hall of The Breakers.

Admission to both houses and their grounds, including “Sparkling Lights at The Breakers,” will be by the regular admission tickets; no special tickets will be required. Preservation Society members will be admitted for free with a valid membership card.

Because of COVID regulations, the traditional Holiday Evenings with live music and refreshments and the Sundays with Santa will not be held this year.

The Breakers and The Elms will be open seven days a week except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On Dec. 24, last tour admission at both properties will be at 3 p.m.

During holidays at the Newport Mansions, Saturday, Nov. 21, through Sunday, Jan. 10, 2021, The Breakers and its grounds will be open from noon to 8 p.m., with the lights coming on at 4 p.m. for “Sparkling Lights at The Breakers: An Outdoor Magical Wonderland.”

The Elms will open each day at 9 a.m. and last tour admission will be at 4 p.m. The house and its grounds will close at 5 p.m. The Elms Servant Life Tour will be offered daily at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

“Becoming Vanderbilt: An Exhibition at Rosecliff” will be open Thursdays through Sundays through Jan. 3. Hours vary; please visit NewportMansions.org/exhibitions. Rosecliff is open only for the exhibition; tours of the house interior and grounds are not available.

Regular tickets for The Breakers and The Elms will be good throughout the holiday season, including “Sparkling Lights at The Breakers: An Outdoor Magical Wonderland.” No special tickets are needed. Prices are:

• Breakers: $26 adult; $8 youth, ages 6-17; members free.

• Elms: $18 adult; $8 youth; members free.

• Newport Mansions Duo (Breakers and Elms): $32 adult; $9 youth; members free.

• Regular group rates apply for groups of 20 or more; email Groups@NewportMansions.org for more information.

Interior tours of The Breakers and The Elms are self-guided using the free Newport Mansions audio tour app. Guests are encouraged to download the audio tour prior to arrival and bring their own earbuds. For those who prefer not to listen to the audio, one-use printed scripts are available.

Tours are one-way direction only, and social distancing and masks are required.

For more information and tickets, go to www.NewportMansions.org.