Ok, so we are a Cape Cod Boutique Hotel talking about Newport? Why? Because we have so many guests that are on a tour of New England and Cape Cod is definitely on the list as is Historic Newport. Luck us, we lived there for 20 years so can give you the inside scoop!
So first for some history and fun facts, and then for some fun. The historic island city of Newport, Rhode Island is a mere 60 miles from Cape Cod so a comfortable distance for a day trip by car if you’re having a Cape Cod vacation at our boutique inn.
The city is home to the highest number of colonial buildings in the US and, most famously, to the Mansions (or summer cottages of the rich & fabulous to be more accurate!), that were built here in the gilded age of the early 20th century by those who liked to flaunt their hard-earned bling in an architectural way. The Breakers, built by the Vanderbilts, is the most well-known and ostentatious of the mansions, with its marble walls, gold embossed ceilings, platinum (excellent choice) panels and Baccarat crystal chandeliers.
But visits to The Elms, The Marble House (another Vanderbilt bivouac), Chateau-sur-Mer, Rosecliff, Isaac Bell House, Hunter House and Kingscote are also well recommended. Although the owners of all these mansions were clearly not struggling for the odd $1m, they each insisted on shipping their one set of family silverware with them where-ever they travelled. You would have thought that it would have been a mere trifle to raid the amply stuffed kitty and splash out on a back-up set of cutlery to avoid endlessly packing up the truffle forks, bouillon spoons, gateaux knives, lobster forks, caviar spoons and camembert knives but apparently when you have a favorite knife and fork then no substitute will do.
If wandering around the great Mansions and ascending and descending the many elegant staircases has not been enough to build-up your appetite, then head for the spectacular 3.5 mile cliff walk to take in the heady views, fresh air and great birdwatching opportunities. But remember to tread carefully as there are spots with deep vertical drops of 70 ft if you wander off the path! (There has been a lot of erosion in the past few years so there is a lot of repair work being done). Having hopefully survived the cliff walk it’s off to one of the several excellent restaurants in Newport. For casual fare
there’s no better spot than the Brick Alley Pub right in the heart of downtown Newport. For fine dining and a real treat the best recommendation is the Castle Hill Inn, which sits on its own private bluff looking out to sea. Exceptional food, great service and a stunning location.
If that wasn’t enough to entice you, Newport is also home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame so I wasn’t surprised to hear that there was a statue of a man named “Perry” located close-by. However, much to my chagrin, on finding the said statue I discovered that rather than being of that great English tennis star, Fred Perry, it was in fact the Brit-bashing US naval hero Oliver Hazard Perry. A man whose parents had originally named Oliver Danger Perry before realizing that he’d fast become a bore at parties forever announcing “Danger is my middle name” so, after consulting “thesaurus.com”, they elected for the middle name “Hazard”. It was also evident from the pose of the statue that dear Oliver had also been a subscriber to “Disco Monthly”.
MORE eats & experiential TREATS
- Pasta Beach on Bellevue Avenue. When we make it back to Newport, this is a must for us. Indoor and outdoor dining options (we love sitting at the bar) and you can enjoy a glass of wine and wonderful charcuterie board, or dive in for some amazing pasta dishes.
- The snack bar at Easton’s Beach (also known as First Beach). They have a double lobster roll at the best price you will ever find! Grab some lobster rolls and sit on the deck at the snack bar or mosey onto the beach to enjoy your lunch. (update: they *may* be demolishing the snack bar in 2024….tbd)
- Take the Jamestown-Newport Ferry for an afternoon trip to Jamestown. This is a great little ‘ferry’ service between Newport and Jamestown. Don’t hassle with the bridge and finding parking in Jamestown…just head down to the pier and experience a leisurely boat ride across the bay. Grab an ice cream or a seafood lunch right at the pier in Jamestown, or do a little shopping on the main drag.
- Dining on Broadway. I guess you could call Broadway the ‘main street’ of Newport since City Hall is there, but the locals sometimes call it restaurant row. There are lots of amazing restaurants on Broadway that spill out onto the street in the summer time. I could go on and on about them all, but here are a few we have visited A LOT over the years:
- The Fifth Element – Yummy, eclectic with wonderful entertainment. We always lean towards the apps.
- Salvation Cafe – They went through a major physical renovation year ago, but the food and menu are great and SO many choices for ambiance…it’s like several restaurant themes rolled up into one. Love the pad thai.
- Tavern on Broadway – Sit at the bar and enjoy the raw bar prepped right in front of you.
- The Fastnet – Yup. Your Irish pub. Great music, great fun, THE place to be for the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Newport.
- Perro Salado. Ok, it’s just off Broadway, but this mexican restaurant is amazing. Love the sticky pork ribs and blood orange margaritas! So glad we were in walking distance when we lived in Newport.
- Newport Vineyards. You are probably going to pass this on East Main Road on your way into or out of Newport, so why not stop by for a wine tasting, tour, or AMAZING meal at their restaurant?
So there is a bit of an insider’s scoop as to how to enjoy your time in Newport. We look forward to meeting you and sharing more of our Newport, and Cape Cod, experiences!
