Newport, Rhode Island, is often called the sailing capital of the world, but it’s so much more than just boats and beaches. Honestly, 48 hours in Newport isn’t enough time to fully enjoy its rich history of religious freedom, stunning Gilded Age architecture, and a culinary scene that goes way beyond clam chowder. Plan to stay longer.
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Where to Stay
I recently spent 48 hours in Newport and stayed at The Brenton Hotel, right on the harbor. It was the perfect base for me to explore, including their fleet of bikes you can borrow at any time.
Some family members will love that each floor has a station with local ice cream in a freezer and water refill stations, and I enjoyed a few frozen ices and ice cream sandwiches. The Library restaurant in their lobby has fantastic food from breakfast through dinner, and I enjoyed every meal there.
While the season for the Newport Gulls, the local minor league baseball team, had ended by the time I made it to Rhode Island, if you stay at The Brenton, you can get free tickets to watch the games across the street. Even if you don’t go, you can watch from the hotel’s rooftop bar, which has a fantastic view of both the field and the harbor.
How to Get Around
Once you arrive in Newport, it’s fantastically easy to get around. The downtown area is very walkable, and I actually walked up to the historical district and even to the Cliff Walk.
However, before you tire out your feet, make sure to take advantage of the free trolleys (look for the RIPTA trolley signs). They take you pretty close to everywhere you want to go and run from the end of May to the end of October each year.
I used my hotel bike to get to Fort Adams and a few other places in addition to just exploring, so I rarely felt the need for a car downtown. Parking can be a nightmare, but you will want a car to explore Ocean Drive.
Where to Eat
Mother Pizzeria was directly across from my hotel, and multiple locals recommended it. I’m a big fan of sourdough pizza, but don’t skip the salads or oysters when you visit.
My favorite find was the Newport Lobster Shack that I discovered when biking to find a sunset. It’s a co-op run by local fishermen, so you know the seafood is as fresh as it gets and it’s run like a food truck with seating. Grab a traditional lobster roll and enjoy it right by the water.
For a treat yourself dinner on the water, the concierge recommended The Mooring, and you pretty much can’t go wrong with anything on their menu. They have spectacular views, and the variety of seafood is sure to please everyone in your group. They have some of the best stuffed quahog in Newport.
Benjamin’s also has a great menu, but make sure that you ask to be seated upstairs, as that’s where you’ll get the views you want. The prices here are a little more affordable than many on the waterfront, especially their 12-2pm raw bar happy hour.
When I asked my Fort Adams tour guide for recommendations of where to head, he didn’t hesitate to send me to Malt on Broadway. This is a cozy little pub that’s often less busy than other restaurants on the water, and the food is tasty and fun without being pretentious.
Rhode Island has some unique dishes, so when you see them on the menu, go ahead and try them. Be on the lookout for a clear broth Rhode Island version of New England clam chowder, coffee milk that’s the state drink, cabinets that are a coffee-flavored type of milkshake, gaggers which are small hot dogs with unique toppings that originated in Greek diners and are also known as New York system weiners, and of course, Del’s frozen lemonade.
Day One
Start your visit with a focus on the history of Newport and some of what it’s most known for. This is a great way to get to know the city and the downtown.
Dive into History
Start your day at the Museum of Newport History to get up to speed on the city’s past. This small space is a self-guided bit of history and is worth spending a half hour or so to orient yourself, and you can also book a tour through the historical society located onsite.
From there, walk over to the Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue building in the United States, dedicated in 1763. Unlike many churches, you cannot simply walk in to see it and need to book a tour with the congregation to view it. The congregation was not doing tours when I visited, though this is changing regularly.
The Loeb Visitors Center next door showcases much of the Jewish history of Newport. They have a great overview and exhibits, so stop in even if you book a synagogue tour.
I took the Loeb walking tour that starts in their center with a presentation and hands-on exhibits on their second floor before exploring the history (Jewish and not) of the area. This is a minimal cost and sells out, so book it in advance.
I learned so much on this one-hour walking tour, and I’m glad that I did it. You can also visit the Loeb Visitor’s Center and explore their second-floor exhibits if you have less time for a suggested $5 donation.
Visit The Cliff Walk
No trip to Newport is complete without doing the Cliff Walk. This three-and-a-half-mile public walkway borders the shoreline, with the ocean on one side and the backyards of mansions on the other.
The trolley gets you here easily, though I walked from the downtown. On the path itself, there are the famous Forty Steps to get closer to the ocean if you like, so you can make this more or less strenuous of a trek.
You’ll find plenty of locals out walking their dogs and enjoying the sunshine while sitting on benches along the path. It is the perfect way to see the sheer scale of the wealth here while enjoying the natural beauty of the coast. Wear comfortable shoes because parts of it are rocky and uneven.
Don’t Miss the Mansions
For a closer look at the Gilded Age, visit the mansions on Bellevue Avenue. Each of these 11 houses requires tickets to enter, and you can choose to do a guided tour at The Breakers or The Elms only or use the app at six locations for a self-guided audio tour.
The Breakers, the Vanderbilt family’s summer “cottage,” is the most famous of the mansions, and I was blown away by the scale of it. I chose to do audio tours, and the Newport Mansions app was fantastic. Note that you need to bring your own earbuds.
When you buy tickets, you can choose one property (not The Breakers), or The Breakers by itself or plus one or two other properties. Because they are so different, I definitely recommend doing at least The Breakers plus one property and two if you have the time.
The Breakers – because it’s so popular – has timed ticket entry, so make sure you know when you plan to visit. The good news is that the other properties allow you to visit anytime they’re open, and you don’t have to use your multi-property tickets on the same day (something I don’t think a lot of people realize).
Visit The International Tennis Hall Of Fame
Located right on Bellevue Avenue, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is the perfect stop before or after you head further down the street to tour the Gilded Age mansions. This is one of those unexpected gems you may not even know exists.
Even if you aren’t a die-hard sports fan, the architecture of its stunning shingle-style Victorian design makes it worth seeing on its own. Inside, the museum is packed with memorabilia and interactive exhibits that cover the history of the sport from its royal beginnings to modern day.
I was fascinated to find that the grass courts are still open to the public. You can actually book a time to play on them, or just do what I did and wander the grounds to watch others play on the grass, which is a rare sight these days.
Sunset and Cocktails
Newport has some of the best sunsets on the East Coast. One evening, I biked over the bridge to the Lighthouse Lawn. You can’t go inside the lighthouse, but it makes for a beautiful photo backdrop.
While you feel like you’re trespassing onto a resort you aren’t staying at, this is a publicly accessible area adjacent to the Newport Harbor Island Resort, but most people don’t seem to know about it, so you can enjoy it without the crowds and grab a drink from the Pineapple Club right there to toast the sunset.
I also biked a little further to Jay Martin’s Park, also known as Battery Park, to catch sunset another night with street parking and a much more neighborhood feel to it. There were great views from there, as well as a pier a little further along that was where I had the most competition with other people to catch the perfect view of the sun going down.
Day Two
After a long day exploring the Newport mansions, Cliff Walk, and history of Newport, it’s time to relax a bit with some more driving. This second day focuses on the attractions a bit further from the downtown area, though they’re still easy to get to via car.
Ocean Drive and Brenton Point
You definitely want a car for this part. Ocean Drive is a stunning 10-mile coastal route that takes you past some of the most beautiful scenery in New England.
You aren’t allowed to stop along the side of the road here for those photos you want to take, so make sure to stop at Brenton Point State Park. It is located at the point where Narragansett Bay meets the Atlantic, offering spectacular views.
The park is just on the other side of the road from the ocean, and it also has benches along the ocean for you to relax and enjoy the scenery. There is no cost to visit the park, and it’s a great location to bring a picnic and spend a good portion of your day.
It is also famous for its steady breeze, so bring a kite to fly. There are also plenty of trails for walking or running, or do what I did and find the best viewpoints for photos, then move on because there’s so much to try to fit into 48 hours in Newport!
Fort Adams State Park Tour
While you’re out that way, head over to Fort Adams State Park. It is the largest coastal fortification in the United States. They offer self-guided and group tours of the fort, as well as some specialty tours.
I recommend taking a guided tour, as it gets you into areas you can’t see on the self-guided route, including the listening tunnels. I am claustrophobic and was worried about the tunnels, but they were spacious enough that I was able to go through them without an issue.
My guide Tony had so much information I would have missed had I simply chosen a self-guided tour. This visit was a fascinating look at military history and engineering, and after the 75-minute tour, I was able to stay to explore more of the fort on my own for as long as I wanted until closing time.
If you have extra time, you can also catch a ferry to Block Island or Providence for a day trip, extending your adventure even further. The sunsets are spectacular, and this is a great time to book a sunset cruise from one of the many options along the harbor.
Don’t Skip a Visit to Newport
Newport surprised me. I expected fancy boats and lobster rolls, and I definitely found those. But I also found a city with a deep, complex history and a welcoming vibe that goes back centuries.
Take your time to enjoy the history, the food, or the water. You’ll never want to leave because 48 hours in Newport is just enough time to make you realize how much more there still is to explore.
