There’s not another harbor district quite like the wharves and ports that give Newport its name. The food scene is a gourmand’s dream come true, especially if the gourmand in question is a lobster lover. The harbor also offers sailing trips aboard a variety of vessels, including a historically accurate reproduction of a late-1800s schooner.
Some of Newport’s Gilded Age estates are open for tours, and you can always get a peek at them from the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, which offers views over the pounding surf on one side and the opulent mansions on the other. Plus, the surrounding area is equally as charming, with stunning stretches of sand and Colonial-era sites worth a visit.
As always, check for travel restrictions and closures before planning your trip.
Friday: See Newport From the Sea
Spend your first day exploring the geographical feature that makes Newport famous: its seaside location. Start with breakfast Belle’s Café at the Newport Shipyard, a dockside spot with tables on the water, as well as indoor seating. Crab cake Benedict is one delicious way to kick off the morning.
You’ll also have views of a sleek array of yachts, antique sailboats and massive, modern-day catamarans. That should put you in the mood to set sail aboard one of the many types of vessels for hire at Sightsailing of Newport, located at Bowen’s Wharf, a brisk 10-minute walk away.
The Aquidneck is one of them, a historically accurate reproduction of a late-1800s schooner, offering landlubbers a tour that plies the relatively placid waters of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. And if you’re feeling bubbly, opt for the Aquidneck’s Morning Mimosa Sail (evening Champagne Sunset Sails are on the docket, too).
Back on dry land, Bowen’s Wharf is a great place to grab lunch. At the end of the wharf, the Lobster Bar offers 180-degree views of the water, as well as both “traditional” (dressed) and “naked” (no mayo) lobster rolls served on fluffy, brioche-style buns.
The “bugs” (New England speak for lobsters) are so fresh, you’re going to want to return for dinner, when travelers and locals alike flock for the sunset vistas.
The Skiff Bar is another harbor favorite. Fishermen’s ropes elegantly dangle from the ceiling above the bar, where guests watch ships roll in while tucking into shrimp cocktail and lobster sliders.
After lunch, continue down the waterfront to Thames Street, which traces the harbor’s coastline. Dip into the individual wharves along Thames, each one offering its own salty treasures and pleasures. For instance, Bannister’s Wharf, constructed in 1742, is now home to more than 20 shops.
And you’ll find the Whitehorne House Museum along the way, a stately, Federal-style home once owned by the philanthropist and tobacco heiress Doris Duke. Fans of 18th- and 19th-century decorative arts will enjoy viewing the home’s furnished, formal rooms and painting collection.
Not that you need an excuse to book a spa treatment, but after hours of sailing and strolling, a massage at the Bodhi Spa is going to feel good. This day spa, located on the stretch of Thames Street that veers away from the hubbub of the harbor, features a 2,000-square-foot Zen garden, a 104-degree saltwater pool and a full menu of scrubs, facials and hydrotherapy treatments.
Feeling fully relaxed? Good, because there’s just one decision left to make and that’s where to go to dinner. If you’re in the mood for modern Italian, check out Giusto, a sophisticated waterfront spot. Or opt for the Black Pearl, on Commercial Wharf, where the raw bar draws raves, as do the catch-of-the-day specials (depending on the season, lobster, clams and halibut may be on the list).
Finally, pop over to One Pelham East for some late-night dancing and dueling pianos.
Saturday: Stroll the Cliff Walk
The Cliff Walk is on everyone’s list of things to do in Newport — and for good reason: There’s not another stretch of Gilded Age estates like it in America. But first, breakfast.
CRU Café quickly gained cult status when it opened in 2015, thanks to what it calls CRU brews (very, very good coffee), as well as a seasonally refreshed menu of artfully prepared breakfast dishes, such as the “Bellevue Burrito,” made with white-bean chili.
CRU is located just a short walk from the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a Tudor tribute to the game, including exhibition-style courts, where small but high-end tournaments are played.
Constructed in 1880 for Newport’s summer elite (more about those fine folks later), it preceded Forest Hills in Queens, New York, as the venue for the soon-to-be-known-as U.S. Open. And even if there’s not a tourney to watch, it’s fun to visit the historic grounds and on-site museum.
Afterward, it’s a 15-minute walk down gracious Memorial Drive to the north end of Cliff Walk, a 3.5-mile path tracing the coastline and offering views over the pounding surf on one side and some spectacular estates — and their rolling green lawns and abundant gardens — on the other.
Pro tips: Download the Visit Newport app before you go for information about the sights along the way. While hearty types make it a round-trip excursion (a solid five-hour stroll), both the north and south ends connect to streets where you can pick up taxis and Ubers. And be sure to wear shoes sturdy enough to give you a firm grip on the walk’s rocky bits.
You can jump back on to Newport’s streets at several spots along the Cliff Walk, which gives you the chance to enter the estates and take a tour of their interiors — although this depends on the season, so check first. The most famous is the Breakers, the opulent 70-room summer “cottage” (in the parlance) owned by Gilded Age industrialists, the Vanderbilts.
Rosecliff is another elaborate manse, built by architect Sanford White to resemble the Grand Trianon at Versailles in France.
Not to be outdone, the circa-1888 Marble House is a tribute to the Petit Trianon, also at Versailles, and has an ornate Chinese Tea House on its grounds, serving — you guessed it — tea, as well as snacks.
Depending on the length of your Cliff Walk adventure, it may well be time for an early dinner. Take a break from the waterfront and head to Bar ‘Cino, a modern Italian restaurant in historic Washington Square, where the grilled pizzas draw raves. Afterward, it’s time for some live music.
Everyone knows Newport’s music scene comes alive during the Newport Jazz Festival held every July. But there is jazz, blues and live music of every genre at the pubs and cafés year-round.
The Newport Blues Café gets a thumbs-up from locals as a great place to close out the night. Housed in a circa-1892, multistory brownstone building, the café offers food, a bar, a dance floor and second-floor seating to watch the action from on high.
Sunday: Bike, Beach and Beer (or Sail)
You may be surprised to learn that Newport, located fairly far north along the Eastern Seaboard, offers compelling reasons to visit any time of year. So how you spend a Sunday in Newport depends a great deal on when you’re visiting. Beach? Biking? Brewery? All are possible, but do check recommended venues for closures, especially if you’re visiting between January and May.
Whatever the weather, breakfast comes first. Conveniently open at 7 a.m., the Hungry Monkey Café is a great choice for a leisurely breakfast or brunch, located in the heart of the Broadway district. Order up a tall stack of banana pancakes, French toast or Belgian waffles, all served with a bottomless carafe of coffee.
After breakfast and just a few blocks away is a bike-promoting organization called Bike Newport, renting wheels and offering cycling tours of the city. Bike (or walk) around your next whatever-the-weather attraction: the nearby Newport Historic District, a maze of cobblestone streets packed with fancifully painted Colonial homes built in the early to mid-18th century.
The Newport Art Museum is another year-round must-see, housing 3,000 works of art in a range of media, but specializing in paintings of seascapes, boats, harbors and other nautical scenes.
What’s next? Cycle or drive to Easton’s Beach, if it’s a sunny or summery day. This public beach, called First Beach by the locals, is on the spit of land that connects Newport to Middletown. At three-quarters of a mile long, it’s also the area’s largest beach and has the amenities necessary to stay and play all day: parking (for a fee), restrooms, showers, lifeguards and a snack bar and boardwalk.
Plus — lending an air of old-timey seaside fun — there’s a circa-1950s merry-go-round.
For a proper lunch, head to the far end of Easton’s Beach to find Tickets Bar & Grille, a classic New England eatery serving up lobster rolls, clam chowder, fish tacos and pizza, both outside and inside, with panoramic ocean views.
By late afternoon, the nearby Rejects Beer Co. starts pouring from its carefully curated menu of local beers. Located on Easton Pond in a converted garage, the bar has picnic tables and a cool, self-described “80’s basement vibe.”
More beer, please! Back in town, the Newport Craft Brewing & Distilling Co. has a seemingly endless menu of seasonal offerings, including their Bad and Boujee sour ale, hoppy Rhode Rage Double IPA and Three Hog Night, a stout with maple-bacon notes. P.S. You may want to return your bikes, if you rented them, before you hit this venue, just sayin’.
Or skip the pub visit and book (in advance) another sail, this one with America’s Cup Charters, which takes guests onto former racing vessels, including the Weatherly (1962 America’s Cup winner) and the circa-1937 Gleam. Opt for the two-hour ticketed excursion or book a charter.
When you return to land, you have several choices for your last supper — all housed in the same 18th-century harborside building, called the Clarke Cooke House.
The top floor, given over to the SkyBar, is a great place to take in the sunset. One flight down is the Summer Porch, a tented, summer-only, formal (jackets required) dining room, serving seafood, steaks and seasonal dishes.
On the main floor is the Bistro Bar with a similar menu but a more casual vibe. Clarke’s also offers a seasonal sushi bar and, for that nightcap, the Candy Store bar and café, where the owner displays his America’s Cup and sailing memorabilia.
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