Ten Great Things to Do in Newport Rhode Island

Bannister's Wharf Could Take Your Whole Day

The marvelous and luxurious Clarke Cooke House on Bannister's Wharf in Newport, a legendary spot for Newporters and visitors to meet and greet, is renowned for its innovative cuisine. In this 18th-century building visitors can dine in romantic elegance on The Porch, high above the assembled yachts, or casually relax at harbor level in The Candy Store. For the smart set there are intimate cocktails at The SkyBar. When winter settles upon us, the fireplace warms and The Bistro is cozy with dark wood and leather. The temperature is always high on the dance floor of The Boom Boom Room. Pick a pleasure.

Bedroom Farce and Other Light Fun at Dinner Theater

The Newport Playhouse & Cabaret Restaurant presents dinner and light theatrical fun, just right for vacation. Among the plays to be presented with dinner this season are "Bedroom Farce," "Over the River and Through the Woods,” "No Sex Please, We're British," "Pajama Tops," and "Goodbye, Charlie." You get the idea. In addition to the shows, this is a place to eat well. The Cranston Herald wrote, "If you can’t find something you like in the huge selection, then there is no buffet that will please you. Look for the specialties. The chef makes a delicious hot and spicy roast pork dish that I could have filled up on." Phone: 401-848-PLAY.

Cliffside Views Are Out of This World

The Newport Cliff Walk is a 3.5-mile elevated, winding path along Newport's shoreline with breathtaking views of Narragansett Bay and the rocky coves below. The walk runs from Bailey's Beach to First Beach, with public access points at Bellevue Avenue, Ledge Road, Marine Avenue, Ruggles Avenue, Ruggles Avenue, Sheppard Avenue, Webster Street, and Narragansett Avenue. The walk skirts the edges of some of the city’s mansions, including Beechwood, Rosecliff, Marble House, The Breakers, Ochre Court, and Rough Point. The latter half of the cliff walk has unpaved sections and rugged paths. All manner of people, from little children to oldsters, stroll the walk at their own pace, some enjoying the view from the heights, some clambering down to the rocky shoreline below.

Climb a Rock

Get to the west passage at Beavertail State Park in Jamestown for a day of fun clambering around rocky cliffs, peering into sea life in tide pools, and settling down with a picnic for a spectacular sunset.

Colonial Classic

White Horse Tavern in Newport is historically a 17th century tavern, but that word doesn't convey the present-day tone of this classiest of Newport dining establishments. The décor is sumptuous and the menu is first-class. It is the place to impress a visitor or Newport. The building itself is a classic of colonial Newport construction with its giant interior beams, small stairway hard against chimney, tiny front hall, and cavernous fireplaces. Great for formal or romantic occasions.

Distinctive Wines in an Island Setting

Newport Vineyards in Middletown provides an example of excellent wines and hospitable vineyard operators to be found in the Northeast. This is a family owned winery, founded in 1978. Since that time, the winery has grown to 50 acres of varietal and hybrid grapes. Visitors are offered public tours at 1 and 3 pm, seven days a week. These include a tour in the vineyards, a behind the scenes look at the winemaking process and a tasting of five wines. The winery features an art gallery and retail shop with wine accessories and signature clothing. Private tours are available. The winery hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday noon-5 p.m. year around. Phone: 401-848-5161.

Game, Set, Match

Tennis buffs, step up to history and make your mark. From May through September, the public is welcome to play tennis of the courts of the Newport International Tennis Hall of Fame (13 grass courts, one clay court and three indoor hard courts).

Gilded to the Rooftops

Visit any of the mansions that grace Newport's rocky shoreline and stately avenues. Built as summer cottages by the plutocrats of the Gilded Age, the mansions -- the Breakers, The Elms, Marble House, Rosecliff, and more -- are impressive artifacts of American social history in spectacular natural settings.

Lighthouse Keeper for a Day

Rose Island Lighthouse, in Narragansett Bay just outside Newport Harbor, visitors may tour during the day and learn about the lives of lighthouse keepers’ families. The lighthouse museum is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Adventurous explorers can spend a night in the keeper’s house, eating and sleeping in the same rooms occupied by keepers’ families for more than 100 years. If you are spending the night at the lighthouse the first floor of the lighthouse gets to be yours from 4 p.m. until 10 a.m. the next day. Comfortable beds are provided; food, transportation, and refrigeration are not.

Watch the Windsock

Whether it is made of newspaper and rags or titanium and mylar, your kite is welcome to join the crowd at Brenton Point State Park, a gorgeous bayside park overlooking the point where the Narragansett Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean.

Interested in visiting? Check out our Newport Vacation Rentals »