A must-see. When coal magnate Augustus Van Winkle decided to build a summer retreat on the Rhode Island coast, he certainly picked a lovely spot. Take a tour of the opulent English Country Manor, beautifully restored and featuring interesting tidbits about the Van Winkle family. I loved the bedrooms upstairs, with their elegant turn-of-the-century wallpaper and furniture. The postcard display in the Billiard Room gives you a window into a young woman's Grand Tour of Europe.
Outside, you'll find 33 acres of landscaped grounds. Mrs. Van Winkle was quite the garden aficiando, it seems. The sprawling lawn faces Narragansett Bay, and is edged with a mind-boggling variety of trees and shrubs from near and far. Don't miss the bamboo garden--walk through and hear the leaves tinkling above you.