Newport, Rhode Island
The coastal city of Newport, Rhode Island may be best known for its stunning Gilded Age mansions, once serving as the summertime retreat of America’s wealthiest families, but beyond its glamorous exterior, the city by the sea beckons those looking for an escape rich in history, culture, cuisine and more.
From peaceful strolls along the iconic 3.5-mile Cliff Walk to renowned seafood restaurants, cobblestone byways, and some of the oldest sites in the country, here’s how to spend your days at the doorstep of the Atlantic.
What To Do
CLIFF WALK
One visit is all it takes to see why people travel from all over to experience Newport’s 3.5-mile Cliff Walk. Recently voted among the 10 best hikes in the country by USA Today, this scenic stretch along the rocky coastline offers the serenity of the Atlantic on one side, and stunning Gilded Age architecture on the other.
Free and open to the public, make your way to Memorial Boulevard to begin a leisurely, paved stroll past Forty Steps, The Breakers, Salve Regina University, Marble House and more, or enter at Shepard Avenue / Ruggles Avenue for a more challenging path.
OCEAN DRIVE
Roll the windows down and soak in the ocean breeze as you make your way along Newport’s legendary Ocean Drive for 10 miles of commanding coastline. Journey by car or bike past iconic sites like Fort Adams State Park, home to the beloved Newport Folk + Jazz Fests; Hammersmith Farm, the childhood home of Jacqueline Bouvier and host to the reception of her wedding to U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy; Castle Hill Inn, the 40-acre Relais & Châteaux property known for its waterfront lawn dotted with Adirondack chairs; and more. Stop along the way at Brenton Point State Park to soak in the scenery.
BOWEN’S & BANNISTER’S WHARVES
Experience the heartbeat of the city at Bowen’s Wharf and Bannister’s Wharf, home to boutique shops, unparalleled seafood, colonial-era buildings, and idyllic views of Newport Harbor as your backdrop. Grab a seat at Clarke Cooke House, a Newport institution built by a sea captain in the 1780s where decades of sailing memorabilia line the walls; or step back in time at The Black Pearl, a Newport icon opened in the 1970s known for award-winning clam chowder and its outdoor patio overlooking Newport harbor.
TOUR THE MANSIONS
Photo credit: The Preservation Society of Newport County
Experience life of high-society in turn-of-the-century Newport at the Newport Mansions. Begin on historic Bellevue Avenue at The Elms, the first home in America to be wired for electricity, and the former summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind, whose fortune was made in the coal industry. Wander through elaborate paintings, tapestries, the Conservatory and outdoor grounds designed in French eighteenth-century style.
Continue your journey down Bellevue Avenue to find Marble House, built by William Vanderbilt as a (modest) 39th birthday gift for his wife, Alva. Inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles, it’s said that Marble House set the pace for Newport's transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent Gilded Age mansions.
Finally, the largest and grandest of the Newport Mansions, The Breakers was built from 1893-1895 as Cornelius Vanderbilt II's summer cottage. The 70-room Italian Renaissance-style palazzo was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and is considered a world-famous iconic image of the coastal city itself.
HARBOR CRUISES
They don’t call it the Sailing Capital of the World for nothing. Earn your sea legs when you board an actual America’s Cup 12-metre yacht for a sail with America’s Cup Charters, or soak in a classic Newport sunset aboard Newport Classic Cruises’ Schooner Madeleine, a 72-foot luxury 19th-century schooner. Help raise the sails and discover a kind of serenity that can’t be captured in words.
INTERNATIONAL TENNIS HALL OF FAME
Housed in the Newport Casino, a National Historic Landmark first opened in 1880 as a social club for Newport’s turn-of-the-century summer elite, step foot inside the International Tennis Hall of Fame where the first U.S. National Tennis Championships (now the U.S. Open) were held in 1881. Explore the historic grounds and grass courts where the biggest names in tennis have played, then head inside the museum for an interactive experience chronicling the history of tennis.
Where To Eat
WHITE HORSE TAVERN
Photo credit: White Horse Tavern
Originally opened in 1673, step inside America’s oldest tavern where oil lamps still illuminate the rooms and clapboard walls feel untouched by time. This 350-year-old building complete with gambrel roof arguably holds more history than any other in the city, having previously served as the meeting place of the Colony’s General Assembly, Criminal Court and City Council. Savor colonial charm and a fresh, contemporary menu among six cavernous fireplaces for added charm.
SCALES AND SHELLS
Locally sourced seafood in simplistic, bold dishes define the experience at Scales and Shells, an Italian seafood institution on Newport’s lower Thames Street. You’ll want to plan ahead at this no-reservations local favorite where most days, the line outside begins forming at 5pm; or skip the wait and enter through the door on the corner of Thames and Goodwin Streets to visit UpScales, the sister restaurant located upstairs, boasting its own menu tailored towards Italian grazing rather than a traditional formal dinner.
CLARKE COOKE HOUSE
Clarke Cooke House checks a lot of boxes off the classic Newport dining experience bucket list: it’s right on the downtown waterfront, the menu offers up classic, summer town staples like oysters, lobster, and summer sushi, and the walls are lined with endless sailing memorabilia. You’ll want to save room for their signature dessert, the snowball in hell: chocolate roulade and vanilla ice cream served in a goblet that's coated with Callebaut chocolate and coconut and topped with a sparkler— a menu staple since the 1970s.
FLORA
Photo credit: Gardiner House
Mediterranean cuisine on the Newport waterfront—few things sound better. Helmed by Chef Miguel Somoza, Gardiner House’s onsite restaurant, Flora, offers a vibrant coastal dining experience inspired by Somoza’s time cooking for royals. The menu celebrates local farms and fishermen, reflecting the rich culinary traditions of Mediterranean seaside towns from Saint Tropez to Capri to Marbella.
PASTA BEACH
Photo credit: Pasta Beach
Pasta Beach is all about simplistic, approachable Italian cuisine. Located on historic Bellevue Avenue, find a seat at the bar with views of the open kitchen and savor homemade pastas and pizza dough crafted by chef Gianluca, who hails from Sardegna, Italy.
MIDTOWN OYSTER BAR
Midtown Oyster Bar is the city’s largest working raw bar with three floors of dining space and two outdoor decks overlooking Thames Street and Newport Harbor. Settle in at a high top table in the first-floor tavern area for a casual, bar atmosphere, or head upstairs to the second floor for a lighter ambiance and views of bustling Thames Street below.
Where To Stay
GARDINER HOUSE
Photo credit: Gardiner House
Ascend the grand staircase up to the double front doors at this 21-room boutique waterfront escape on Newport’s Lee’s Wharf. Co-owned by local Newporters Howard Cushing and Wirt Blaffer, Gardiner House takes its design inspiration from The Ledges, the 1860s Cushing family mansion home, which has sat perched on a cliff overlooking the city’s member’s club, Bailey’s Beach, for 150 years, and whose grounds served as the setting for the spectacular garden parties spotlighted in HBO’s The Gilded Age.
Step inside the hotel bar, The Studio Bar, for a blend of art and design; indulge in the spirit of the Mediterranean under the culinary direction of Chef Somoza at the newly opened onsite restaurant, Flora; then retreat to your room where old-money elegance meets a contemporary flair.
THE VANDERBILT
Photo credit: The Vanderbilt
Tucked away on historic Mary Street in downtown Newport is where you’ll find the 1909 former mansion home of Vanderbilt scion, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt. Inspired by the rebellious spirit of its former owner, The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection, has been reimagined for the modern era with handcrafted details and flirtatious eccentricities. From secret parlors to mysterious, moody old-world still lifes, check in for a charming escape just steps from the downtown waterfront.
CASTLE HILL INN
Photo credit: Castle Hill Inn
Castle Hill Inn is arguably one of Newport’s most famous luxury properties, and for good reason. Commissioned in the 19th century by local marine biologist and naturalist Alexander Agassiz, the Relais & Châteaux property sits on a 40-acre peninsula overlooking the Atlantic Ocean just off Newport’s legendary Ocean Drive. Take in the sunset from an Adirondack chair on the iconic waterfront lawn, lose track of time at the onsite spa, or sink into the expansive tub in the Turret Suite with 320° ocean views from the room’s wrap-around windows.
For a special treat, follow the private trail that leads to Castle Hill Lighthouse tucked into a cliff overlooking the bay and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
HAMMETTS HOTEL
Photo credit: Hammetts Hotel
Experience the essence of Newport at the city’s latest luxury lodging property located on the downtown waterfront. Born of the desire to forge the mercantile history of Hammetts Wharf into the very pulse of the city, Hammetts Hotel offers 84-rooms outfitted with everything you need, and nothing you don’t. Rest easy on Italian linens before days spent exploring the best of the city and evenings spent soaking in the classic Newport sunset from a seat on the property’s waterfront deck.
THE CHANLER
Photo credit: The Chanler
If you’re looking for a stay oozing luxury and charm, you’ve found it. Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on Newport's famous Cliff Walk, The Chanler is a 19th-century mansion complete with twenty elegantly furnished rooms, each designed around a particular historical period. Indulge in amenities like ocean-facing rooms, private hot tubs, in-room spa treatments, complimentary car service and more.
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