Chateau-sur-Mer is a landmark of High Victorian architecture, furniture, wallpapers, ceramics, and stenciling. It was the most palatial residence in Newport from its completion in 1852 until the appearance of the Vanderbilt houses in the 1890s. It was the scene of memorable entertainments, from the "Fete Champetre," an elaborate country picnic for over two thousand guests held in 1857, to the debutante ball for Miss Edith Wetmore in 1889. Chateau-sur-Mer's grand scale and lavish parties ushered in the Gilded Age of Newport. Chateau-sur-Mer was built as an Italianate-style villa for China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore. Mr. Wetmore died in 1862, leaving the bulk of his fortune to his son, George Peabody Wetmore, and a generous allowance for his daughter, Annie Derby Wetmore. George married Edith Keteltas in 1869. During the 1870s, the young couple departed on an extended trip to Europe, leaving architect Richard Morris Hunt to remodel and redecorate the house in the Second Empire French style. As a result, Chateau-sur-Mer displays most of the major design trends of the last half of the 19th century.

The house offers tours.

This small country estate in Portsmouth was purchased in 1877 by Thomas E. Brayton (1844–1939), Treasurer of the Union Cotton Manufacturing Company in Fall River, Massachusetts. It consisted of seven acres of land, a white clapboard summer residence, farm outbuildings, a pasture, and a vegetable garden. Gardener Joseph Carreiro, superintendent of the property from 1905 to 1945, and his son-in-law, George Mendonca, superintendent until 1985, were responsible for creating the topiaries. There are 80 pieces of topiary throughout the gardens, including 21 animals and birds in addition to geometric figures and ornamental designs, sculpted from California privet, yew, and English boxwood. Green Animals is the oldest and most northern topiary garden in the United States. Mr. Brayton's daughter Alice gave the estate its name because of the profusion of "green animals." She made the estate her permanent residence in 1939. Upon her death in 1972, at the age of 94, Miss Brayton left Green Animals to The Preservation Society of Newport County. Today, Green Animals remains as a rare example of a self-sufficient estate combining formal topiaries, vegetable and herb gardens, orchards, and a Victorian house overlooking Narragansett Bay.

The site offers tours.

Commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1899, architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles. After the house was completed in 1902, at a reported cost of $2.5 million, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted fabulous entertainments here, including a fairy tale dinner and a party featuring famed magician Harry Houdini.

The mansion offers tours.

Unprecedented in the nation, the grand hotels in French Lick and West Baden Springs—both listed in the National Register of Historic Places and located one mile apart in southern Indiana—offer a window on the grand hotel era of the early 20th century and the tradition of "taking the waters." Guests from Al Capone to FDR, Bing Crosby to Helen Keller, captains of industry and pampered socialites, came to imbibe the waters and take spa treatments, enjoy sports and entertainments, and test their luck in the casinos. Today, the restored French Lick and West Baden Springs Hotels still draw visitors for the same pursuits. Like Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, and Hotel del Coronado in San Diego, French Lick and West Baden Springs offer overnight accommodations in an atmosphere steeped in history.

The hotels offer tours.

The Eudora Welty House served as the residence of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Eudora Welty (1909-2001) for 76 years. The Welty home retains the author's own belongings, set as she lived among them. Welty authored short stories, novels, and her memoir. She is best known for her novel The Optimist's Daughter, a story of family and loss. Her stories and novels depict life in the South.

The house offers period rooms, gardens, tours, and archive access. Reservations are required for both tours and archive access.

The C.M. Russell Museum is dedicated to the art of C.M. Russell, an artist who painted landscapes of the American West during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum offers five permanent exhibits of Russell's work spanning his entire lifetime as well as galleries devoted to other artists who also portrayed the West. Visiting exhibits include information on Native Americans, bison, and the culture of the West.

The Museum offers field trips free of charge to school groups and homeschoolers. Themes for school tours include C.M. Russell, Montana history, Native American life, current exhibits, and a special 5th grade tour. Special school tours and activities are available during Native American Awareness Day (the 4th Friday in September). All field trips include a hand-on activity.

Woodlawn Plantation was once home to George Washington's nephew Lawrence Lewis and Lewis' wife "Nelly." The Federal main residence was completed in 1805 according to the design of William Thornton, architect of the national Capitol. During the Lewis' residence at least 90 slaves lived on site. In 1846, the property passed on to two Quaker families, the Troths and Gillinghams, who wished to prove that abolition of slavery would not destroy the Southern economy. To this end, they hired Caucasian and free African American farmers to work their land, rather than relying on slave labor. Their actions were unique and highly controversial during their day.

The plantation offers period rooms, guided tours of the residence, group tours, and private teas. Groups of 10 or more are required to call at least one day in advance for reservations and confirmation of availability. The second floor is not wheelchair accessible. Tea programs are available to groups of 12 or more in April through December.

The Stranahan House was originally built in 1901 as a trading post for the Seminole and area settlers. Shortly thereafter, the structure was used as a post office, town hall, and community center. Between 1906 and 1971, the site served as the residence of Frank and Ivy Stranahan. Frank was postmaster and a banker and businessman, while Ivy taught. The home has been restored to a 1913 through 1915 appearance, and is furnished accordingly.

The house offers period rooms, one-hour guided tours, educational programs for students, an outreach program for students, guided group tours, and guided Scout tours. Group tours are by advance notice. The website offers student activities.

The Pruyn House is a circa 1830 Greek Revival and Federal-style home, in which Casparus Pruyn and his family lived. Pruyn was both a businessman, with strong ties to Dutch interests, and farmer. In addition to the home, the grounds offer a smokehouse, potting shed, reconstructed barn, 1910 schoolhouse, well house, woodshed and privy, and gardens.

The house offers period rooms and gardens.

Wealthy Kentuckian John B. Wornall built the John Wornall House in 1858. The home was built in the Greek-Revival style of architecture and became known as "the most pretentious house in the section." The home has been restored to its state immediately after it was built, and is open to visitors year round.

The home offers guided tours, special events, summer camps, and educational trunks. The website offers a history of the home, visitor information, and a calendar of events.