Featured Destinations
Newport
A sophisticated and elegant city that is clearly nautically oriented, Newport is the mecca of East Coast cruising. Its fine-dining restaurants, stunning scenery, high-end boutiques and rollicking pubs attract all kinds of people. Everyone has a good time here.
Fifty years ago, only the toughest of sailors ventured into town. In the early 1970s, the Navy controlled 31 miles of shoreline and 6,000 acres of shorefront. Sleazy bars with all their unsavory sideshows flourished, especially after dark. Getting a tattoo and a few broken bones were signs of respect and toughness. The waterfront, then known as “Blood Alley,” is today’s Bannister’s Wharf — one of the most attractive commercial areas in a very attractive and commercial town.
Perhaps the most dramatic period in Newport’s history was the turn of the 20th century when it became the unchallenged summer playground for the nation’s ultra-rich. An entire social fabric formed around elaborate dances, dinners and overblown picnics — one of which was dedicated strictly to canine pets of the wealthy — all as competition among well-heeled hostesses trying to outdo each other. Families like the Vanderbilts, Astors, Belmonts and others built famous “cottages” here that now draw tourists year-round for a look at high-society life in the Gilded Age. With World War I, the lavish spending that characterized Newport society slowed severely, and the stock market crash of 1929 was more than anyone could bear. The Navy moved in quickly and enlarged the tiny training station on Goat Island, and then continued the influx by building the Naval Air Station on nearby Quonset Point.
Today, the Newport Naval Station (NAVSTA) in the city’s north end serves as a “Navy Center of Training Excellence,” supporting nearly 50 United States Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and Army Reserve commands and other federal government activities. NAVSTA is also the home to Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Division Newport, which is one of two Navy full-spectrum research, development, test and evaluation, engineering and fleet support centers for submarine warfare systems and many other systems associated with the undersea battlespace.
Maritime activity of a different sort brought international attention to Newport in 1983. The United States had held the America’s Cup for 132 years when an Australian 12-meter arrived in Newport with a “winged keel” to take it away. Interest mounted around the world as the legality of the keel was challenged and deemed fine. The Australians shrouded the keel when not racing, adding to the suspense as they moved on to the finals and edge-of-your-seat racing with the Americans. After much ado, the Australians won the coveted Cup and exposed the innovative keel.
What they did not take from Newport was its status as a yacht racing mecca. The city still is home to a die-hard community of racing sailors, as well as a fleet of vintage 12-meter Cup competitors you’ll see in the harbor.
Newport’s draw today is not much different from its privileged past. Midnight struck the balls more than a century ago, yet the summer estates of America’s wealthiest still attract scads of people — not for lavish parties, but for guided tours and general gawking at pristinely maintained mansions.
The downtown area’s dense waterfront bleeds into the streets with a boater’s touch upon every attraction. Whether you like jazz, cycling, architecture, history, shopping, dining, pub crawling or yacht racing, it’s easy to understand Newport’s reputation as one of America’s most popular cruising ports.
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Things to See and Do
You could spend an entire summer trying to see the sights here, and there’s plenty for everyone — no matter what your interest or spending limit. For a crash course on the goings-on, get to Discover Newport (23 America’s Cup Ave.; 401-849-8048), just a few blocks north of Bowen’s Wharf and the Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina. This visitors’ center is located at the city’s public transportation hub, where you can take buses for going farther afield. Our recommendation is to join one of the trolley tours that provide narration on the sites and history of this place. At the same time you’ll get your bearings about the peninsula. Some offer hop-on-and-hop-off at different points of interest.
For a lift from any mooring, hail Oldport Marine Services (401-847-9109; VHF 68), which runs the Harbor Shuttle. While you’re aboard, quiz the captain about local knowledge, both at sea and ashore. They have stops at Perrotti Park, Bowen’s Wharf, Ann Street Pier, Sail Newport, Fort Adams and Goat Island Marina.
One or two of the superyachts you see in the harbor may rival the mansions ashore, many of which are managed by the Preservation Society of Newport County (424 Bellevue Ave.; 401-847-1000) and open for tours. Anyone who can appreciate art will adore the famous Vanderbilt estate, The Breakers (44 Ochre Point Ave.). The Elms (367 Bellevue Ave.), which was built in 1901 at a cost of $1.4 million, is another one you may tour. Have the cameras ready for drive-bys of the Marble House (596 Bellevue Ave.) and Rosecliff (548 Bellevue Ave.), both of which are just south of Salve Regina University (100 Ochre Point Ave.; 401-847-6650), one of America’s prettiest college campuses.
All of these landmarks abut the Cliff Walk, a 3.5-mile-long path along the ocean from Easton’s Beach and Easton Bay southwest to Lands End and Bailey Beach. Be advised that south of The Breakers the pathway ends, where you’ll walk along a rocky beach instead of a sidewalk.
Easton’s Beach is known locally as First Beach, which is great for children with its carousel and aquarium. Neighboring Middletown to the east has Sachuest Beach (also called Second Beach), which is next to the Norman Bird Sanctuary (583 Third Beach Road; 401-846-2577), a 300-acre refuge with 7 miles of walking trails, a natural history museum and a gift shop. As many as 250 bird species stop here during the spring and fall migratory seasons. It’s an ideal escape from the boat to observe nature and enjoy its quiet spaces. The Welcome Center is open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving; dogs are not allowed.
A detour just down the road, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge (769 Sachuest Point Road; 401-619-2680) is another highly recommended oceanside walk. This is also a great spot to see birds and wonderful sunsets. Night fishing is allowed here with a permit.
While you are away from downtown, kick back with a book at Redwood Library & Athenaeum (50 Bellevue Ave.; 401-847-0292) — the country’s oldest lending institution, founded in 1747. It’s less than a half-mile east of the waterfront. Visit just to find out what an athenaeum is. Next door to the library is the Newport Art Museum (76 Bellevue Ave.; 401-848-8200) in the former Griswold House. In addition to exhibits, classes and lectures, the building itself — completed in 1864 — is the nation’s premier example of American Stick Style architecture.
Four blocks south is the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum (194 Bellevue Ave.; 401-849-3990) in the historic Newport Casino. This was the site of the first national singles championship, held in 1881 — the precursor to the U.S. Open. Today, two world-class tournaments, the only professional events played on grass courts in the United States, are held on the grounds each summer. Thirteen grass courts are available for public use, so don’t forget your racket.
Call at least a day ahead for a reservation to see the Naval War College Museum (686 Cushing Road; 401-841-4052), which is one of 10 official U.S. Navy museums. Narragansett Bay’s naval heritage goes back to Colonial times. Founded in 1884, the school occasionally has lectures and events that are open to the public. You will need photo identification to enter the Naval Station, which is on Coasters Harbor Island, a mile north of the Discover Newport visitors’ center and the transportation terminal.
Steps from the bus depot, you will find the Museum of Newport History (127 Thames St.; 401-841-8770) in the 1762 Brick Market Building. It’s within the shops at Long Wharf Mall (401-619-1555), a block from the Harbor Shuttle Landing and two blocks from Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard. The museum is one of a bevy of historical sites managed by the Newport Historical Society (82 Touro St.; 401-846-0813). Just to the east is Washington Square, a park that sits at the north end of a mile-long stretch of Thames Street, which is a tourist magnet with its countless shops and enticements.
On the east side of the park is the Florence K. Murray Judicial Complex (45 Washington Square; 401-841-8330), a courthouse named for the state’s first female senator, judge and supreme court justice who was also a high-ranking officer in the Women’s Army Corps. Abutting it, the Old Colony House is the former Statehouse of Rhode Island. On May 4, 1776, the colony renounced British rule here — the first of the 13 dependencies to do so. A portrait of George Washington by Rhode Island’s Gilbert Stuart also hangs in the Georgian-style edifice. Stuart’s works of Washington have appeared on the dollar bill and postage stamps.
The longest surviving residence in Newport is 150 feet to the northeast at the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House (17 Broadway; 401-846-0813), built in 1697. Just a bit newer is the nearby Great Friends Meeting House (21 Farewell St.; 401-846-0813), which opened in 1699, the first religious structure in Rhode Island.
A block southeast of the judicial complex, the classical Georgian Touro Synagogue (85 Touro St.; 401-847-4794) is the oldest Jewish house of worship in the United States, and is considered one of the most architecturally distinguished and historically significant buildings of 18th-century America. The Newport Historical Society (82 Touro St.; 401-846-0813) abuts it. Also of note, and just as inspiring, is Trinity Church (141 Spring St.; 401-846-0660), three blocks to the southwest, which features a three-tier pulpit built in 1726 and an arcaded steeple.
Still haven’t gotten your share of history? The tour of Newport’s Old Quarter starts at the Bowen’s Wharf Pilot House (45 America’s Cup Ave.; 401-849-3478), where you’ll find information for attractions, restaurants, shuttles and more Here, you can get brochures and tickets to more than 10 heritage partners. They’re open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in season.
The Seamen’s Church Institute (18 Market Square; 401- 847-4260) abuts Bowen’s Wharf. It’s where anyone who takes to waterways is embraced, and it has been welcoming visitors since 1930. Their Crow Nest inn on the second floor has accommodations for as little as $50 a night for students in maritime trades. Its chapel honors the Christian saints associated with the seas, and there’s an on-site cafe for breakfast and lunch.
Mariners should also peek into The Sailing Museum (365 Thames St.) and National Sailing Hall of Fame. They’re both in the Newport Armory, which adjoins the city’s Ann Street Pier. Four blocks south, the International Yacht Restoration School (401-848-5777) — known by its acronym IYRS (pronounced “Iris”) — restores classic wooden boats, keeping ancient traditions and shipbuilding techniques alive. In September, IYRS sponsors an annual Classic Yacht Regatta and the Parade of Classics, where more than 100 boats, all designed before 1955, strut their stuff.
New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court (5 Halidon Ave.; 401-846-1000) is the renowned organization’s on-the-water facility. Its neighbor is the Ida Lewis Yacht Club (401-846-1969), which is at the end of a long walkway on Lime Rocks. The club is named for a heroic lighthouse keeper who is officially credited with saving 18 lives — and, unofficially, many more — before her death in 1911.
The Ida Lewis Yacht Club is just west of King Park Pier, one of several municipal dinghy docks and drop-off locations spread throughout the waterfront. A better option is Oldport Marine Services (401-847-9109; VHF 68), which will take you from your mooring to downtown as well as to Fort Adams State Park (80 Fort Adams Drive; 401-847-2400)which is in the southwest corner of the harbor.
Fort Adams is the site of the Newport Jazz Festival in August and both the Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Music Festival in July. Boaters who are in the know anchor just off the fort to enjoy the music. Other events to mark on your calendar are the Preservation Society’s flower show in June and a wine and food festival in September.
The food festival occurs around the same time as the Newport International Boat Show, which is organized by the Newport Exhibition Group (800-582-7846) and centered on Newport Yachting Center (Commercial Wharf). Enormous tents teeming with just about every boating brand and product are spread along 14 acres of the waterfront. While the show runs Thursday through Sunday, most boaters-in-the-know think the best time to spend with the exhibitors is on the weekdays, when it’s not as crowded. You will also find the Newport Wooden Boat Show happening concurrently. The array of classic and modern vessels at the shows will have you dreaming about your next purchase.
If you want to make your boat-buying dreams a reality, make a call to the folks at Anchor Yachts (401-246-2100), and let their experts guide you on your purchase. Did you know that Rhode Island has no sales tax on boat purchases? When it comes to boat ownership, the Ocean State is one of the boat-tax-friendliest states in the country with no use tax, no property tax, and no tax on repairs, dockage and moorings related to the sale. The gregarious crew at Anchor Yachts can give you more details.
To see the cityscape from afar, Rose Island’s lighthouse and wildlife sanctuary are frequently open to the public through the Rose Island Lighthouse & Fort Hamilton Trust (1 Washington St.; 401-847-4242). You can visit via your own boat but only if you are able to beach it or are simply dropping off guests. No anchoring or tying up at the dock is permitted. Many people also come via canoe, kayak or dinghy.
Another getaway is a bike excursion from the waterfront to Fort Adams and all along the island’s south coast. The longest loop from downtown’s docks is about 10 miles with spectacular views all along Ocean Avenue to Bellevue Avenue. The tour buses do most of the route, too, but they don’t go into the nooks and crannies like Castle Hill Cove, home to a gorgeous inn and the Coast Guard.
Featured Marinas
Goat Island Marina
401-849-5655Newport Marina
401-849-2293Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard
401-846-6000
Restaurants and Provisions
The volume of choices for dining in Newport is staggering. Scores of people pour into an assortment of restaurants with ranging flavors and budgets. Fret not — finding something worthy of your appetite should be a breeze.
Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard has Belle’s Café (401-619-5964) for breakfast and lunch. This used to be a secret among Newporters, but their rave reviews went viral, and now we recommend you make a reservation. Across the bridge, Goat Island Marina has its Marina Café & Pub (3 Marina Plaza), where the eclectic menu is sure to please everyone aboard. It’s off the beaten path with great views of the sunset and goings-on about the port. This is also a stop on the Harbor Shuttle, one of the best ways to get around the port.
To the east in the heart of Newport, The White Horse Tavern (26 Marlborough St.; 401-849-3600), near the Old Colony House, serves a full menu of continental cuisine. The oldest continuously run tavern in the New World, the White Horse represents the best in fine dining. It also happens to be the most expensive restaurant in town.
Just northeast is Broadway, a hit with locals because you are not paying to dine on a waterfront. Among the neighborhood’s many restaurants, The Corner Café (110 Broadway; 401-846-0606) is a staple breakfast for residents. It also serves lunch until 2:30 p.m., and dinner Thursday to Saturday until 10 p.m. We love to gorge on their wood-grilled pizzas.
Keep walking up Broadway and you’ll find everything from rental cars and tattoos to flowers and wine. The public buses stop about every three or four blocks all the way up to West Main and East Main roads in Middletown, Melville and Portsmouth (see the previous chapter).
Steps from the marinas is Thames Street, which is divided into what locals call “Upper” and “Lower” by America’s Cup Avenue and Memorial Boulevard (Route 138A). There is a mile-long stretch of bars, restaurants and stores to peruse. A post office and banks with ATMs are also along this north-south passage. If you are looking for a specific locale, the address numbers increase as you head south. Weekend pub crawls are fashionable, brides and grooms-to-be bolstered by notorious friends, sometimes in costumes (or no clothes at all). If you’re in dance mode, there are plenty of nightclubs to be found. Lines at the doors are a signal there is likely a band.
The Newport Blues Café (286 Thames St.; 401-841-5510) is the city’s premier live music and comedy improv venue, and there are dueling pianos at One Pelham East (270 Thames St.; 401-847-9460). Both are across Thames and America’s Cup Avenue from Oldport Marine Services (401-847-9109; VHF 68), which provides launch service to and from the moorings.
Pack the wet naps for the finger lickin’ barbecue goodness at Smoke House (31 Scotts Wharf; 401-848-9800), which is right at Oldport Marine. Their bacon bloody mary is a nice prelude to any eats. Next door is The Mooring (1 Sayers Wharf; 401-846-2260), where its menu is heavy on seafood and shellfish but with some great vegetarian options, too.
At Bannister’s Wharf (401-846-4556) to the north, you can dine in style at The Clarke Cooke House (401-849-2900) or The Black Pearl (401-846-5264). Both are renowned for their outstanding culinary treats and impressive wines. Sophisticated yachtsmen to scalawags will be as pleased as rum punch at either waterside dining establishment.
Sweet tooth sufferers rejoice, Kilwins (262 Thames St.; 401-619-3998) has all sorts of candies, chocolate and ice cream, as well as fudge, coffee and fruit drinks. It is on the opposite side of America’s Cup Avenue from Bannister’s Wharf, where a crosswalk makes it easy to access. We will warn you to be careful with the traffic here as there is no light. Many drivers in town are tourists and not always paying attention.
Bowen’s Wharf (401-324-4108) is a smorgasbord. More than 600 wines are on the menu at 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille (401-841-8884), a noted steakhouse. Diego’s Restaurant (401-619-2640) fuses seafood with Mexican fare in creative combinations like “guacamole del mar.” Add to that a seemingly endless list of craft cocktails that goes well beyond the basic margarita.
The Wharf Southern Kitchen & Whiskey Bar (401-619-5672) is a great place to meet for a drink and chow down on some flavorful fare, and The Landing (401-847-4514) has live music with fantastic views.
North of Bowen’s Wharf at the Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina (401-848-3310), Saltwater (401-847-9000) has spectacular views with delightful eats from breakfast to dinner. The music and drinks fireside keeps you toasty in an evening breeze.
In the Lower Thames area (south of America’s Cup Avenue), Forty 1 Degrees North (401-848-7950) has dockside dining with complimentary—and complementary—views. The handmade gelato will make your head spin at nearby Cold Fusion (389 Thames St.; 401-849-6777).
West Wind Marina (401-849-4300) on Waite’s Wharf is home to At The Deck (401-846-3600), a summer party spot where you can sit at the bar and watch the chefs prepare your meal. On the east end of Waite’s Wharf is O’Brien’s Pub (501 Thames St.; 401-849-6623), which welcomes dogs and is a favorite of many Rhode Islanders visiting Newport. Residents and summer employees also like to hang out at Zelda’s (528 Thames St.; 401-849-4002), who call themselves “the best little cafe between Bar Harbor and Key West.”
Away from Thames and its crowds, we suggest La Forge Casino (186 Bellevue Ave.; 401-847-0418). Its tables in front overlook shoppers on Bellevue while the back of the house serves up a courtside seat at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Across the street are A Market (181 Bellevue Ave.; 401-846-8137), a natural foods grocer, and CVS Pharmacy (181 Bellevue Ave.; 401-846-7800). A block south, there’s a Stop & Shop (250 Bellevue Ave.; 401-848-7200) supermarket. You’ll find barbers, beauticians and yoga among the various businesses and shops in this neighborhood of Bellevue Avenue, which is also served by the public bus. Many liquor stores in Newport will deliver to your boat.
Whether you’re looking to outfit a superyacht or a kayak, it’s easy to find gear. Newport Nautical Supply (186 Admiral Kalbfus Road; 401-847-3933) is located near the Naval Station and Naval War College. They are a mile north of the Newport Transportation Center, straight up Third Street. Even better, they’ll deliver their full line of new and used marine supplies. Also, in neighboring Middletown, you’ll find everything you need and some stuff you didn’t know you needed, at the 23,000-square-foot, flagship store of West Marine (379 West Main Road; 401-341-3580).
