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What to See & Do in Newport RI | |
| There is plenty to see and do in Newport, and in summer lots of people come here to see and do it. Reserve your hotel, motel, inn or bed-&-breakfast room well in advance! | ||
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Map of NewportHere's a map of Newport with major points of interest. Newport MansionsThrough the efforts of the Preservation Society of Newport County, many of the marvelous houses we can tour today were preserved. Several other notable houses are privately maintained and open to visitors as well. More... Newport BeachesNewport's beaches are of two types, public (open to everyone for a fee), and private (open to members only, "Keep Out—This Means You!"). More... Washington SquareRight downtown between Thames and Spring streets, next to the Brick Marketplace shopping mall, is Washington Square, the center of colonial Newport, surrounded by historic buildings. More... Historic Houses of WorshipBecause Rhode Island allowed so much religious freedom, many religious groups suffering persecution came here in early times. Thus Newport boasts a number of firsts. Touro SynagogueThe Touro Synagogue is Newport's most famous early house of worship, built in 1763. More... Trinity ChurchTrinity Church is a beautiful pre-Revolutionary church built from plans by Sir Christopher Wren. George Washington is known to have worshipped here. More... Quaker Meeting HouseGreat Friends Meeting House was the home of the largest Quaker meeting in the country in colonial times. It has been restored to its character in the early 1800s. More... Museums
The Newport Art Museum has changing exhibits in a house (1862) designed by mansion architect Richard Morris Hunt. More... Museum of Newport History in the historic Brick Market building on Washington Square tells you all about the city in one of its prime landmarks. More... National Museum of American Illustration is housed in Vernon Court, a fine Gilded Age mansion on Bellevue Avenue, so you get to see Golden Age works of art in a compatible setting. More... The International Tennis Hall of Fame in the Newport Casino (1880) is w here that the first national tennis tournaments were held. Major professional tournaments are played here during June, July, and August. More... OutdoorsThe Old Stone Mill in Touro Park is a bit of historical mystery: was it built by vikings? More... Take a drive (or ride your bike, if you're in shape) along Newport's 10-mile Ocean Drive. The scenery is beautiful, with parking, walking, and picnic areas. More... For walkers, the pedestrian equivalent of Ocean Drive is Cliff Walk, a footpath running along the shore and the edge of the "front yards" of the mansions on Bellevue Avenue. More... On a peninsula jutting into Newport Harbor, Fort Adams State Park, named for President John Adams, offers several attractions. The fort's defenses are some of the most impressive in the country. More... Shopping in NewportIt's great, and there's plenty of it along Thames Street, the wharves, and in the gift shops of the great mansions. More... Christmas in NewportOne of the best times to visit is in December, when the town and the mansions are lavishly decorated for Christmas, admission lines are short or non-existant, and prices are lower. More... Organized ToursThe Newport History Tours sponsors many 1-1/4-hour walking tours of historic Newport year-round, departing from the Newport Historical Society Museum & Shop at the Brick Market, 127 Thames Street (map). Tours depart weather permitting. Space is limited, so it's good to reserve in advance. More... Should you want to get the "lay of the land" before heading out to see individual sights, take a bus tour of the town, Ocean Drive, Bellevue Avenue, and other districts. You don't necessarily have to take a tour that stops and goes through a mansion, although those are offered as well.
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The Elms mansion on
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