19 Gilded Age Mansions Across America You Can Actually Tour
America’s Gilded Age left behind a glittering trail of mansions built to impress, intimidate, and define status in stone, marble, and gold detail.
These homes were designed as statements, packed with grand staircases, ornate ceilings, and rooms meant for unforgettable parties.
Many still stand today, preserved as time capsules of a period when wealth shaped architecture into pure spectacle.
Even better, some of these estates welcome visitors, offering a rare chance to walk through the same halls once occupied by industrial titans and social elites.
1. Biltmore Estate
With 250 rooms spread across four acres of floor space, this French Renaissance chateau remains America’s largest privately-owned residence.
George Vanderbilt’s vision came to life in 1895, creating a self-sufficient estate complete with its own winery, farm, and forestry program.
Wander through the banquet hall with its 70-foot ceiling, explore the indoor bowling alley, or admire the priceless artwork hanging in every corridor.
The surrounding gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, offer miles of walking paths and seasonal blooms.
Address: 1 Lodge Street, Asheville, North Carolina 28803
2. Lyndhurst Mansion
Perched above the Hudson River, this Gothic Revival masterpiece showcases pointed arches, intricate stonework, and romantic turrets that look straight out of a fairytale.
Railroad tycoon Jay Gould purchased the property in 1880, filling it with European treasures and Tiffany glass.
Tour guides share tales of lavish parties and family drama within these walls.
The greenhouse, once the largest in America, still cultivates rare orchids and exotic plants.
Address: 635 South Broadway, Tarrytown, New York 10591
3. Marble House
Built as a birthday gift for Alva Vanderbilt, this Newport cottage required 500,000 cubic feet of marble shipped from Italy, Africa, and France.
The Gold Ballroom alone cost more than many mansions of the era, with walls covered in genuine gold leaf.
Alva later used the Chinese Tea House on the grounds to host suffragette meetings, transforming her symbol of wealth into a platform for women’s rights.
Address: 596 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
4. Hearst Castle
Newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst spent 28 years building this hilltop retreat overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
The estate features 165 rooms filled with European antiques, including entire ceilings transported from Italian monasteries.
Two swimming pools, one indoor and one outdoor, showcase stunning tile work and classical statuary.
Hollywood’s elite once partied here during the castle’s heyday as a celebrity playground.
Address: 750 Hearst Castle Road, San Simeon, California 93452
5. Hempstead House
This Tudor Revival castle sits on the Gold Coast of Long Island, where wealthy New Yorkers built summer escapes during the Roaring Twenties.
Daniel Guggenheim commissioned the 50-room mansion, which features hand-carved woodwork throughout.
The estate’s waterfront location offers stunning views across Hempstead Harbor.
Address: 127 Middle Neck Road, Sands Point, New York 11050
6. The Elms
Coal baron Edward Berwind modeled his summer cottage after an 18th-century French chateau, complete with formal gardens that rival Versailles.
Sunken gardens, marble pavilions, and precisely trimmed hedges create outdoor rooms perfect for leisurely strolls.
Inside, Venetian paintings and French furniture fill elegant spaces designed for entertaining Newport society.
Address: 367 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
7. Anderson House
Located in the Embassy Row section of Washington, this Beaux-Arts castle was constructed by diplomat Larz Anderson and his wife Isabel, who filled it with artifacts they had gathered while traveling the world.
Japanese silk wallpaper, Italian marble, and Belgian tapestries create an international treasure trove.
The ballroom hosted presidents and foreign dignitaries during the mansion’s social heyday.
Today it serves as headquarters for the Society of the Cincinnati, offering free tours to curious visitors.
Address: 2118 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20008
8. Morey Mansion
This Queen Anne Victorian was built by shipbuilder David Morey with every architectural detail imaginable, including turrets, gables, elaborate woodwork, and a tower with sweeping vistas of Southern California.
The craftsmanship showcases skills brought by artisans from around the world.
Stained glass windows cast colorful patterns across original hardwood floors.
Period furnishings help visitors imagine life in this Redlands showplace during California’s citrus boom era.
Address: 190 Terracina Boulevard, Redlands, California 92373
9. Grey Towers Castle
Sugar magnate William Welsh Harrison built this Gothic Revival castle inspired by Alnwick Castle in England.
The stone fortress features battlements, towers, and a great hall with soaring ceilings that echo medieval grandeur.
Now part of Arcadia University, the castle welcomes visitors year-round.
Students attend classes in rooms where Harrison once entertained Philadelphia’s elite, blending education with architectural preservation.
Address: 450 South Easton Road, Glenside, Pennsylvania 19038
10. The Breakers
Seventy rooms of Italian Renaissance grandeur, from the music room’s gilded decorations to the Great Hall’s lofty ceiling, may be found in Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s summer villa.
Craftsmen from Europe spent years creating carved limestone, mosaic floors, and ornate plasterwork.
Ocean views from the loggia remain breathtaking, just as they were during grand Gilded Age parties.
Address: 44 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
11. Searles Castle
Mary Hopkins, widow of railroad magnate Mark Hopkins, commissioned this limestone castle as a wedding gift for her second husband.
The Great Hall features a massive fireplace imported from a European castle, while stained glass windows bathe rooms in colored light.
Now serving as a private school, the castle offers limited tours that showcase Romanesque Revival architecture at its most dramatic.
Address: 380 Main Street, Great Barrington, Massachusetts 01230
12. Mill Neck Manor
This Tudor Revival mansion on Long Island’s Gold Coast, with beautifully landscaped gardens that extend to the waterfront, was constructed by financier Benjamin Moore.
Half-timbered facades, leaded glass windows, and English-style gardens create an atmosphere straight from the countryside of Britain.
The mansion now serves as a school for the deaf, continuing a legacy of education and community service.
Address: 40 Frost Mill Road, Mill Neck, New York 11765
13. Rosecliff
Silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs wanted a mansion perfect for parties, and architect Stanford White delivered this gem modeled after the Grand Trianon at Versailles.
The heart-shaped staircase and ballroom have hosted everything from Gilded Age galas to modern movie productions.
White and gold decorative elements create an airy, romantic atmosphere throughout.
Address: 548 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
14. Villa Zorayda
Boston millionaire Franklin Smith fell in love with the Alhambra Palace in Spain and recreated a portion of it in St. Augustine using coquina and concrete.
Moorish arches, intricate tilework, and a sacred cat rug (supposedly containing nine cat hairs) create an exotic atmosphere.
This quirky mansion predates most Gilded Age construction, built in 1883.
Address: 83 King Street, St. Augustine, Florida 32084
15. Old Westbury Gardens
Surrounded by 200 acres of magnificent gardens, this Charles II-style home was built by financier John Shaffer Phipps and his wife Margarita.
The house contains family furnishings, sporting trophies, and artwork collected during extensive travels.
Outside, themed gardens include a walled Italian garden, rose garden, and woodland paths that change with the seasons.
Address: 71 Old Westbury Road, Old Westbury, New York 11568
16. Chateau-sur-Mer
This Victorian palace was constructed in 1852 by China trade businessman William Wetmore, whose son eventually converted it into a French Second Empire showpiece.
High Victorian Gothic interiors feature ornate woodwork, elaborate wallpapers, and a stunning central hall.
The mansion pioneered many modern conveniences, including central heating and hot running water.
Address: 474 Bellevue Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
17. Patterson Mansion
Newspaper heiress Cissy Patterson hosted Washington’s power elite in this Italian Renaissance palazzo near Dupont Circle.
Marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and a grand staircase set the stage for political intrigue and social maneuvering.
The mansion later became the Washington Club, continuing its tradition of hosting influential gatherings.
Today it operates as a private event space, though occasional tours reveal its storied past.
Address: 15 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
18. Carson Mansion
During a slow time, William Carson, a lumber baron, kept his people busy by having them construct this Queen Anne Victorian beauty.
The result combines every architectural style imaginable: turrets, gables, intricate woodwork, and a tower that dominates the Eureka skyline.
Now a private club, the mansion’s exterior alone justifies a visit to Northern California.
Address: 143 M Street, Eureka, California 95501
19. Ochre Court
Ogden Goelet commissioned this French chateau overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, creating Newport’s second-largest mansion.
The three-story great hall features a grand staircase that makes an unforgettable first impression on visitors.
Salve Regina University now owns the property, using it for administrative offices while preserving its architectural significance.
Address: 100 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, Rhode Island 02840
