Every year, the Preservation Society of Newport County transforms the Great Hall of The Breakers into a holiday spectacle that draws visitors from across the country. At the center of it all stands the showstopper: a 15-foot-tall Christmas tree constructed entirely from 150 individual poinsettia plants, rising beneath the room’s soaring ceiling like a crimson beacon of the season.
The poinsettia tree has become one of the defining images of Christmas in Newport. While dozens of decorated Christmas trees are placed throughout the primary mansions open during Holidays at the Newport Mansions, none commands attention quite like this living sculpture in The Breakers’ Great Hall. The room itself—designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt to evoke an Italian open-air courtyard—features walls of carved Caen limestone imported from France, elaborate gilt cornices, and a painted ceiling depicting a windswept sky. Against this backdrop of Gilded Age opulence, the vibrant red poinsettias create a striking contrast that consistently draws cameras upward.
For the 2025–2026 holiday season, Holidays at the Newport Mansions runs from November 22, 2025, through January 1, 2026. The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms are open daily during this period, generally from mid-morning through late afternoon. Chateau-sur-Mer participates on a more limited schedule, typically welcoming visitors on weekends. All properties are closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, with an early closure on Christmas Eve.
The Great Hall Moment Everyone Waits For
What many visitors do not realize is the level of horticultural care required to maintain a living Christmas tree indoors for the duration of the holiday season. According to the Preservation Society, the poinsettia display is carefully monitored and refreshed throughout the holidays to ensure the plants remain vibrant and healthy. The organization works closely with growers and horticultural specialists, in addition to maintaining extensive seasonal plantings, garlands, wreaths, and fresh floral arrangements across the decorated mansions.
Why It Hits You Immediately
The Great Hall serves as the primary entry point to The Breakers, meaning every visitor encounters the poinsettia tree almost immediately upon entering. The monumental space features alternating engaged and freestanding columns, a sweeping grand staircase, and the kind of meticulous craftsmanship that defined the Vanderbilt fortune. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, president and chairman of the New York Central Railroad, commissioned Richard Morris Hunt to design the 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo after the original wooden Breakers was destroyed by fire in 1892. Construction of the current mansion was completed in just two years, from 1893 to 1895, an extraordinary feat that included fabricating entire rooms in Europe and shipping them to Newport for assembly.
Planning a holiday trip to Newport? Staying downtown puts you close to the mansions, harbor lights, and cozy winter dining. Check hotel availability here.
Tips For Getting The Photo Without The Crowd
For visitors hoping to photograph the poinsettia tree, timing plays an important role. The Breakers operates on a timed-entry ticket system, requiring guests to select a specific arrival window when purchasing admission. Weekday mornings are typically quieter than weekends, offering better opportunities for unobstructed photos in the Great Hall. Advance ticket purchases are strongly recommended during December, when holiday visitation peaks.
Admission prices vary by ticket type and season, with options available for single-mansion visits as well as combination tickets that allow entry to multiple properties. Pricing and availability are subject to change, so visitors are encouraged to confirm current rates in advance of their visit.
Guests can enhance their experience by downloading the free Newport Mansions app, which provides a self-guided audio tour featuring perspectives drawn from historical letters, diaries, and archival materials. The app offers context for the mansion’s architecture, family history, and seasonal displays, including the Great Hall where the poinsettia tree serves as the visual centerpiece of the holiday experience.
Getting There And Making A Day Of It
Parking at The Breakers is available in the onsite lot at 44 Ochre Point Avenue, and the mansion sits adjacent to the Cliff Walk, allowing visitors to combine a holiday mansion visit with a scenic coastal stroll. Together, the historic setting, living poinsettia display, and seasonal décor create one of Newport’s most memorable winter sights—a blend of botanical precision and Gilded Age excess that defines the holidays at The Breakers.
