The seaside city of Newport, Rhode Island showcases its Gilded Age history, glistening coastline and wealth of boutiques and eateries. The wealth in Newport is apparent upon first arrival but it’s a welcoming wealth of old and new money without any snobbery. Newport, Rhode Island is as much a typical, working class New England coastal town as it is (and was) a respite for the wealthy. While mansions stand tall and ominous along Bellevue Avenue, they are also inviting to the curious who can catch a glimpse at how the other half live.
No matter the season that you visit Newport, RI, there is plenty to do. The locals are welcoming and want to know more about you, rather than talk of themselves. And the scenery, both natural and architectural, will have you wanting to return in every season. Here are the top things to do in Newport.
The Breakers Mansion in Newport, RI; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
Things to Do in Newport
1. Tour the Newport Mansions
Many visit Newport, RI purely to explore the history and wealth of the Newport Mansions. Visitors could spend an entire long weekend touring all of the mansions and still want to return for a second visit. Due to the pandemic, currently only two of the 10 public mansions are open for the public to visit, but The Breakers and The Elms do not disappoint as the main thing to do in Newport.
The Breakers, the grand dame of the Newport Mansions, was a Vanderbilt “summer cottage.” The 70-room mansion was inspired by Italian Renaissance architecture and completed in 1895. The grounds were purchased for $450,000 in 1885, that’s $12.8 million today, for the land! The youngest of Cornelius Vanderbilt II’s children, Gladys, eventually inherited the property and she leased it to The Preservation Society of Newport County for $1 per year. The Preservation Society eventually purchased the property and it’s furnishings in 1972 with the stipulation that the family is still permitted to continue to live on the third floor of the mansion, which is not open to the public.
The Elms (which closes to the public in the winter months after the New Year) was completed in 1901 for about $1.4 million ($28M today!). It was the summer residence for a Philadelphia coal baron Edward Julius Berwind and his family, and only used 8-12 weeks out of the year. Berwind hired Philadelphia architect Horace Trumbauer to design The Elms and Trumbauer modeled it after a French chateau.
Both The Breakers and The Elms are now designated National Historic Landmarks and open for the public to tour. Visitors must now download an app in order to listen to the self-guided audio tour (audio devices and headphones are no longer provided to visitors) or a paper script of the tour can be provided. Both tours give visitors a history of the families who lived there, details behind the construction, and a sense of every day mansion living from those who lived there and those who worked there — all while walking along marble floors and under opulent chandeliers and mosaic paintings.
Related: Newport Rhode Island Hotels: Best Locations
Helicopter Views of Newport, RI; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
2. Take a Helicopter Tour
Seeing Newport, RI from the sky is the absolute best things to do in this coastal city. Newport Helicopter Tours are not just for the wealthy. While these helicopter tours are certainly not cheap, I wouldn’t call them overly expensive either. The most inexpensive tour offered is under $100 per person. They have also taken all of the COVID-19 precautions with limiting trips to two people and the pilot only. Masks must be worn at all times (even for photos) and there is a plexiglass between the pilot and passengers.
The mansion helicopter tour gives flyers a different perspective of how large the mansions are below, as well as seeing them all lined up down the coastline. Newport Helicopter Tours also offers Lighthouse Tours, Sunset Tours, night tours to Providence, RI and more. Hop outside your comfort zone and experience Newport in a unique way. The views alone do not disappoint with this thing to do in Newport!
Related: Go Live Your Story Outside Your Comfort Zone
Cliff Walk views in Newport, RI: Courtesy of Courtney Elko
3. Stroll the Cliff Walk
Getting outside, even if it’s a little chill, is a great thing do to in Newport. The Cliff Walk lets you breath in the salt air of Narragansett Bay while admiring the rocky cliffs below but also allows for a peek at some of the Newport Mansions as well.
The Newport Cliff Walk is a 3.5 mile (one way), mostly paved trail. The paved trail runs along the Newport coastal cliffs but parts of the walk are over more of rough trail on natural, rocky shoreline. Excellent views of The Breakers mansion, and other Gilded Age beauties are easily visible from the walk.
Be sure to make a visit to the Forty Steps along strolling the cliff walk as well. The Forty Steps, which are steps to nowhere, are situated at the end of Narragansett Avenue. Originally built in the 1800s, servants of Newport Mansions were said to gather at the Forty Steps to dance and hang out in their down time. The steps were originally constructed out of wood but were damaged by hurricanes over the years – most recently by Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The Forty Steps were rebuilt as granite steps and reopened in 2014 for all to enjoy. They offer a beautiful vantage point of Narragansett Bay, a great place to begin your cliff walk journey or a place to do some fishing off the cliffs.
The Newport Cliff Walk runs from First Beach at Memorial Boulevard to Bailey’s Beach at Bellevue Avenue. There are public access points at Bellevue Avenue, Ledge Road, Marine Avenue, Ruggles Avenue, Sheppard Avenue, Webster Street, and Narragansett Avenue. Parking is limited in these areas, especially during the warmer months. Proper footwear is suggested.
4. Ride the Rail Explorers
When you want to get your exercise, Rail Explorers is the perfect thing to do in Newport. Rail Explorers are pedal powered vehicles that ride on vacant railroad tracks. They have four, steel wheels and four (or two) seats, each with their own set of pedals. Riding is hands free, and requires no experience or attention to traffic. You can take photos and video while pedaling.
The rail bikes only operate on unused train tracks so there’s no need to worry about train traffic. Two tour guides ride with you in the front and the back of every tour group, and the group easily spreads out along the tracks once everyone starts pedaling. So everyone can go at their own pace.
There are several Rail Explorer tour options in Newport, all with great railroad views of Narragansett Bay. Sunset tours, brunch tours and fireside tours are among a few of the options. The longest of the tours runs about six miles, and 90 minutes. Kids and families will love this thing to do in Newport. It’s a unique experience that easily combines exercise, sightseeing and being outdoors away from screens.
Boutiques along Bowen’s Wharf in Newport, RI; Courtesy of Courtney Elko
5. Shop and Eat Along Bowen’s Wharf
The shopping and eating in Newport is a must, and Bowen’s Wharf is the epicenter along the water. Once a commercial port and vital trade post in Newport in the 1700s and 1800s, Bowen’s Wharf today features restaurants, shops, boat tours, a marina and festivals (in non-pandemic times). The shops run the gamut with souvenir stores to higher end boutiques and everything in between. Excellent lobster rolls, clam chowder, Mexican food, grilled pizza and more can be found in Newport. The Newport International Boat Show, Bowen’s Wharf Seafood Festival and Christmas Tree Lighting all take place along the wharf too, when there isn’t a pandemic going on, of course.
Strolling along the brick and cobblestone of Bowen’s Wharf allows you to take a peek back at history, while people watching, shopping, eating and enjoying the Newport coast.
Watch My Newport Mansions Instagram Highlight
