The sea draws me in like nectar to a bee, like a shot of whiskey to a merchant marine, like … home to the homesick. We all have places that we’d like to visit and Newport, Rhode Island is one of those for me. Maybe it’s the romance of the seafarer life. Maybe it’s that I just like to explore new places. I was just hoping that coming here wasn’t going be a big letdown.
I figured my first visit to Newport would revolve around all things wet — sip a cocktail while taking in the harbor views, sit by the cliffs overlooking the sea, maybe captain a yacht for a day. Wow, was I mistaken. Newport offers that and so much more.
Choose the Right Accommodations
Newport is a walking town and in order to take full advantage of what the area has to offer you need to get a B&B or hotel within a couple of blocks of the wharf. We stayed in the Black Duck Inn on Pelham Street. It’s not your typical B&B — it doesn’t have a wrap-around porch and isn’t adorned with knick-knacks — but it’s in a great place for exploring what Newport has to offer and it has free parking. There are tons of B&Bs and hotels in the area so finding one that suits won’t be difficult — but find one that offers free parking. Keep in mind that Newport is pretty small so exploring is easy.
Eats
Of course, every tourist destination has a variety of restaurants and Newport is no exception. We arrived around 9AM and needed some coffee and breakfast after a four hour drive. Luckily, we had a tip on a great breakfast place called the Hungry Monkey Cafe. After some stuffed French toast and a breakfast burrito we were on our way. We skipped lunch — too busy — in favor of an early dinner. Being in a coastal town, with fresh fish caught daily, we opted for … Italian food! Yep, strange but true. Sardella’s is located away from the bustling waterfront area just down the street from St. Mary’s Church where JFK and Jackie were married back in 1953. Over a carafe of house red we really enjoyed the eggplant fries, lasagna and ravioli. Maybe I’m just picky but I had to switch out the black ketchup for some Marinara sauce for the fries… I can tell you that there was enough food left over for a midnight snack and next day’s lunch — but the wine was gone.
Of course, we did have some seafood and watched countless clams and oysters shucked and swallowed. I still can’t figure out why people just swallow raw clams and oysters instead of chewing them. They’re really just drinking them, right? I still don’t get the whole idea of ingesting raw seafood. To me, it’s just bait.
The Summer “Cottages”
Yes, the cottages. Or, as most of us would refer to them, the mansions. I was drawn to Newport by the sea but many people are drawn to Newport by these remarkable displays of excess. Newport was the summer playground of many wealthy Americans throughout the years — the Vanderbilts, the Berwinds, the Wetmores and the Kings. The mansions sit along Bellevue Avenue and many of them overlook the beautiful Atlantic. We took in three over our two-plus days in Newport — The Breakers (an extraordinary display of wealth), Rosecliff (my favorite) and Chateau-sur-Mer. It’s a touristy thing to do, but don’t try to fit more than one in a day; it’s just too much to digest. The Breakers gets very crowded so get there early. Parking is available at each mansion or you can take the Newport Trolley along Bellevue Avenue. Tickets are available at each mansion.
Diversions
There are clearly other things to do in Newport. After strolling through the shops in Bowen’s Wharf, people watching on Thames Street and Broadway we sat in Touro Park and pondered the origin of the Old Stone Mill (aka the Newport Tower) while listening to Italian folk music being played during the Columbus Day Italian Festival. Some say the Mill was built around 1120 yet others claim it has colonial origins. Whatever the origin, viewing it is an interesting way to spend a few minutes. We also took in the Cliff Walk, The 40 Steps, Ocean Drive, Newport Vineyards and a comedy show at Studio 3.
Newport is also the home of the Newport Jazz Festival which takes place in Fort Adams each summer. It was also the home of the America’s Cup trophy for 132 years, when in 1983 the yacht Australia II took it from the Americans after 24 successful defenses.
Newport hit the spot for me. It was what I expected and more. Did I sit and sip a cocktail while taking in the sights of the harbor? Check. Did I sit by the cliffs overlooking the sea? Check. Did I assume the spirit of Commodore Vanderbilt and take command of a yacht? Not quite.
What I had was a weekend of highlights.
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