Sometimes a visit to Newport, Rhode Island feels like taking a giant step into the world of The Great Gatsby. The mansions are otherworldly, great yachts and ships come and go from the harbors, elegant Victorian manors abound. Even time can seem to stand still in this land where the Vanderbilts and the Astors came to play in the early 20th-century.

Newport is a year-round vacation site, though it is unquestionably at its best June through September when the weather is at its finest. Come in September to catch the annual Newport International Boat Show the third largest in the country. The Newport Yachting Center, Oldport Marine, Bannister’s Wharf and Bowen’s Wharf all serve as showcases for the latest boating trends during the event. September is also the month for the Newport Mansions Wine and Food Festival. For four days famous chefs and vintners come to town giving cooking demonstrations, holding elegant dinners and, of course, pouring during grand tastings.

Those who would like to do some exploring might begin with a tour of some of the city’s spectacular mansions. If you have time for only one, don’t miss The Breakers, an extravagant summer “cottage,” once owned by the Vanderbilt family. Architect Richard Morris Hunt was hired to design the 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo, which was then filled to capacity with sculpture, fine art, furniture and fixtures imported from around the world.

Architect buffs will also want to check out the Touro Synagogue, the oldest in the country, spanning more than 500 years. It has an incredibly rich history, first as a refuge for Jews fleeing European persecution and then later as a meeting place for the Rhode Island General Assembly, Supreme Court and town of Newport. More history is to be found along the famed Newport Cliff Walk, a 3.5 miles public access trail which traverses more than 60 private properties including some of the Gilded Age estates. The Cliff Walk was first established by the Narrangansett Indians and then the colonials until wealthy New Yorkers began spreading their mansions along the undeveloped coastal shore line in the late 1800s. Today Cliff Walk runs from Bailey’s Beach to First Beach and has become one of the city’s favorite tourist attractions as well as a very good way to see not just the natural beauty of the region but also some of the magnificent homes as well.

On foot, bicycle, boat or even by car, Newport will charm the most discerning traveler. With its dose of history, lost-in-time mansions and modern sensibilities, this town truly has something of interest for all.