Best things to do in Newport

Cliff Walk is a 5.6 km (3.5 mi) public access walkway that takes you along Newport’s shoreline. The walk is famous for its views, which combine some of the area’s most famous Gilded Age mansions with the striking natural beauty of the rugged coast. Though the majority of the walk is paved, the south end is not, and you will have to scramble on some rocks. It is important to wear walking shoes and tread carefully, as the fine sand that coats the rocks can make them slippery. Bring a bottle of water with you.

The Breakers was once the lavish summer home of the powerful Vanderbilt family. Today, the well-maintained property is a National Historic Landmark. You can wander through the two main floors and the kitchen wing of this 70-room, Italian Renaissance-style building. Admire the opulent furnishings and grand architecture designed by Richard Morris Hunt, one of America's most influential architects. Pick up an audio guide for more information about the mansion and the life of America's mega rich at the turn of the 20th century. Be sure to stroll through the grounds and take in the ocean views.

Driving along the Atlantic coast, imagine what life must have been like at one of the lavishing mansions on Ocean Drive Historic District, which were built in the 19th and the 20th century. Take the 16 km (10 mi) road atop the Atlantic Ocean, passing through luxurious neighbourhoods. Then park your car and snap some photos or take a tour of some of the mansions. See the gardens, stables, vehicles, stone sculptures, and fountains. Take in the open ocean views, listen to seagulls, and walk along the shore, where you can picnic.

If you enjoy getting off-the-beaten-path, walking and eating, this gastronomical food adventure gives you the opportunity to sample food from at least six restaurants in just one afternoon.

Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guides will lead you on a high-quality, fun, and tasty experience in a colorful historic neighborhood full of stories and tales, away from the heavily traveled tourist destinations. Along the way we will tip you off to the best shops and eateries within the neighborhood, which we invite you to visit post-tour. Our hope is this sweet and savory sampling of eclectic food tastings will leave you wanting to go back to share your new favorite eateries with your families and friends.

At the end of the day, you will be supporting small local business people working hard to achieve their dreams. And we will have fulfilled our mission of sharing with you some of the best little-known cultural treasures Rhode Island has to offer.

With Rhode Island Red Food Tours, you’ll gain new insight into the historical, architectural and cultural aspects of the city and learn the stories behind the chef’s creatively inspired cuisine.

We hope you leave feeling more like a local. “LiL Rhody” will surely be all the richer for having you be part of it!

See the opulence of the Gilded Age at Marble House. The mansion was finished in 1892 as a summer house for New York millionaire William K. Vanderbilt and his wife, Alva, one of America's leading suffragettes. It was one of the first examples of Beaux Arts architecture in United States; its front colonnade is often compared to the one on the White House. The interior features different styles, from French Baroque to Gothic Revival, and an array of exquisite materials, such as Siena and Nubian marble, bronze, gold, and velvet. Every step of the way, you'll encounter lavish furniture, paintings, and ornaments. Alva's personal favorite was the Chinese-inspired tea house. An audio tour is available, and it allows you to explore the house at your own pace.

A French-style mansion, The Elms represents the former summer residence of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind. The construction of the house cost approximately $1.5 million when finished in 1901. Berwind, who made his money in the coal industry, hired architect Horace Trumbauer to design the summer home in the same style as Chateau Asnieres in Asnieres-sur-Seine, near Paris. The cost of admission includes an audio tour that guides you through the house with details of day-to-day life. Opt for the "Servant Life Tour" for a picture of the servants' responsibilities; a knowledgeable guide will delve deep into the lives of the team who worked to run the household.

The Touro Synagogue or Congregation Jeshuat Israel (Hebrew: קהל קדוש ישועת ישראל) is a synagogue built in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island. It is the oldest synagogue building still standing in the United States, the only surviving synagogue building in the U.S. dating to the colonial era, and the oldest surviving Jewish synagogue building in North America. In 1946, it was declared a National Historic Site.
The first congregation was made up of Sephardic Jews, who are believed to have come via the West Indies, where they participated in the triangular trade along with Dutch and English settlements. They practiced a Spanish and Portuguese Jewish liturgy and ritual. In the late eighteenth century, when warfare threatened, the congregation transferred the deed and Torah scrolls to Congregation Shearith Israel in New York for safekeeping. Since the late 19th century, the congregants have been primarily Ashkenazi.

In 2012 the two congregations went to court to try to resolve which owned the synagogue and its contents, as the Newport congregation wanted to sell some items to raise money for restoration of the building. In 2017 the United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit ruled that the New York congregation owned it; as the US Supreme Court declined to hear the case, this ruling stands.

Current Exhibitions at the NMAI:

•Norman Rockwell & His Contemporaries: Fabulous Forties to Sensational Sixties

• American Illustration and the First World War

• Howard Pyle, His Students & the Golden Age of American Illustration

• The American Muse

• John Rogers: The Norman Rockwell of Statuary

Interact with an authentic environment and historical interpreters of Pilgrims at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, a living museum based and located on the first Plymouth colony. English Colonists originally established the settlement in the 17th century, and now the same grounds host this multifaceted museum. Witness everyday life in the 1627 English Village section of the museum, where the "townspeople" dress, speak, and behave like 17th-century Pilgrims. You also can explore a replica of the Mayflower II, watch a film at the museum's cinema, see craftsmen at work, and learn about Native American history in the region at the Wampanoag Homesite.

See one of the United States' largest outdoor beluga whale exhibits at Mystic Aquarium, and get close-up with sharks, sea lions, penguins, octopi, and other ocean critters. Get hands on at touch exhibits where you can feel a reptile, stingray, shark, or crustacean. For an additional fee, you can get even closer during an animal encounter program with an African penguin, beluga whale, or even feed stingrays. Children and grownups can take educational programs at the aquarium to find out more about the marine life and conservation practices. Bring your own food and dine at the outdoor picnic area or try out the on-site cafe, which offers burgers, pizzas, snacks, wraps, and so on.

Embark on an historical tour of Fort Adams State Park and take in the park's panoramic views of the harbor and Narragansett Bay. Choose from a guided tour of the fort's tunnels where soldiers used to patrol or or an above-ground one that covers the history and significance of the state park. Go swimming, boating, fishing, have a picnic, or watch a game of soccer or rugby on the fields here. There is also space to relax and watch the sunset. Jazz and folk music festivals take place periodically, so check the schedule before you visit.

The largest maritime museum in the world, Mystic Seaport Museum is home to a collection of historical ships and boats. Along with seacraft, a re-creation of a 19th-century fishing village is one of the attraction's most popular spots. The museum is housed in 60 historical commercial buildings where traditional crafts are still made the same way they were when the town was founded.