One Day in Newport, RI

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Newport, RI served as a popular summer getaway town for the rich and famous. New York City business tycoons built lavish mansions in Newport. Great Gatsby style parties were held. Today, 11 of these opulent mansions are preserved in Newport. Many people travel here to visit the mansions and get a glimpse inside the lives of these historic millionaires.

In addition to the mansions, Newport is also known for its beaches. You can spend your time enjoying the coastal views along the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk. Swim, surf, or lounge on the popular First Beach or one of the many other public beaches in the town.

One Day in Newport, RI- The Adventuring Millennial

So, if you are thinking about visiting Newport, RI, keep reading. I spent a long-weekend exploring Rhode Island. I split my time between Providence and Newport. But, if you only have one day in Newport, RI, you could easily see the city’s main sites. Most of the mansions are within walking distance of each other and are close to the Cliff Walk.

In this post, we will look at everything you need to know to plan the perfect one day in Newport, RI. If you are wondering which mansions to visit, how to visit the mansions, or where to eat, keep reading. I’ve got you covered!

Ready to get going? Let’s explore Newport, RI!

Getting Here

Drive

If you have a car, it is pretty easy to reach Newport:

3.5-hour drive from NYC
2-hour drive from New Haven, CT
1.5-hour drive from Boston, MA
45-minute drive from Providence, RI

Train

To get here by train, you will first need to get to Providence. The Amtrak Northeast Regional trains run between Boston, New York City, and Providence. From Boston, you can take the train to Providence. Once in Providence, take a RIPTA Bus 60 or Peter Pan Bus to Newport.

If you are arriving from NYC, take the Amtrak to West Kingston, RI. From here, you can take the RIPTA 64 bus to Newport, RI.

Bus

Peter Pan buses travel between New York City, Boston, and Newport. The trip from New York takes about 4 hours and from Boston, the trip is close to 2 hours.

Fly

The best airport to reach Newport is actually in Providence. Fly into the T.F. Green Airport (PVD) airport and then drive or take a bus to Newport.

Where to Stay

If you are only spending one day in Newport, RI, you don’t need to worry about finding a place to stay. But, if you want to extend your trip or stay overnight, consider looking for a place in Middletown, RI. This neighborhood is across Easton’s Bay from Newport, but it is still very easy to reach the main sites from Middletown. Plus, Middletown is close to the main public beaches, First (Easton’s) and Second Beach.

Transportation

Drive

With a car, it is easy to get around Newport. But, head’s up, traffic and parking can be an issue. Everyone wants to visit the mansions, so finding a spot to park can be tough. Most of the mansions have their own parking lots, but these do fill up. We found a spot in The Breakers parking lot in the morning and stayed here when we visited the other mansions.

You can also use Lyft or Uber to get around if you don’t want to worry about driving and parking multiple times.

Bus

Newport offers a public bus and trolley system. You can buy a 1-day bus pass for $6 that includes unlimited rides until 2 am the following day. The 67 Bellevue/Salve Regina Univ trolley route stops at the Newport Visitors Center and multiple sites along Bellevue Avenue (where many of the mansions are located).

Walk

Overall, Newport isn’t the most pedestrian-friendly city I’ve visited, but it works. I was surprised by the lack of sidewalks on many of the main roads. A lot of people were walking on the side of the roads and the drivers seemed prepared for this. You will see crosswalks, but not a lot of sidewalks.

But, you can easily walk between the mansions from the Cliff Walk or Bellevue Avenue (which does have sidewalks).

Good to Know

Most people who spend one day in Newport, RI want to visit the mansions. (That’s why I went!) Before your visit, decide how many mansions you actually want to visit. Also, think about how many you can realistically fit into one day. There are 11 mansions open to visitors. A few of the mansions offer self-guided tours but the rest required a guided tour. Each self-guided tour took me about 1-hour to get through.

When you decide how many you want to visit, look at the ticket options. You will see that most of the ticket options include The Breakers. This is the main property and the one most people want to see. If you only want to visit The Breakers, you can buy a $26 ticket. Or, you could purchase a Breakers Plus ticket for $32 which gives you access to The Breakers and one additional property. I opted for the $38 Newport Mansions Experience ticket. This gave me access to five properties. If you plan to stay for a few days or live close enough to come back, this might be the best option for you, too. The ticket never expires so you don’t have to visit all five of your available properties in one day.

Ok, now that we have a basic overview, let’s look at the fun stuff! What you are actually going to do in Newport. Ready? Let’s dive into this one day in Newport, RI itinerary.

Enjoy Breakfast at CRU

1 Casino Terrace

To start your one day in Newport, RI head to CRU Cafe for breakfast. This cozy local cafe has a nice selection of coffee, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and omelets. CRU has a pretty large dining room and an outdoor patio, but it did get crowded while I was there.

After breakfast, it’s time to visit our first mansion of the day, The Breakers.

Visit the Breakers

44 Ochre Point Ave

The Breakers is the centerpiece of the Newport Mansions. I suggest going here first because it is the most popular mansion to visit and the parking lot will fill up.

The Breakers was constructed between 1893 and 1895 for Cornelius Vanderbilt II. He was the grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt who made the family fortune in steamships and the New York Central Railway. Cornelius Vanderbilt II was his heir and, as of 1885, the president of the New York Central Railway.

The Breakers was a modest 70-room summer “cottage” for Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his family. It sits on a hill overlooking the breaking waves of the Atlantic Ocean, which inspired the mansion’s name.

When you arrive at the Breakers, head to the ticket counter (or purchase online in advance). At The Breakers, you can purchase your tickets for all of the sites. So, now is when you need to decide if you want to visit more than one mansion.

After purchasing your ticket, head to the house. You will be given an audio guide (that is included in the price of your ticket) and you can tour the house at your own pace. The audio tour lasts about an hour. Be sure to explore the grounds before leaving The Breakers and moving on to the Cliff Walk.

Walk on the Cliff Walk

The Cliff Walk is a 3.5-mile trail that follows the Newport shoreline. You can spend your time exploring all of the Cliff Walk or using part of the trail to connect you to the next mansion. The next mansion on our list is Marble House. To get here on the Cliff Walk, leave The Breakers and turn left on Ochre Point Ave. Turn right on Ruggles Ave and walk until you reach the Cliff Walk. Once on the path, turn right. You will stay on the trail for about 0.4 miles. Exit onto Marine Ave and turn left on Bellvue Ave. Walk for about 0.5 miles on Bellvue Ave until you reach the Marble House.

This option doesn’t give you a ton of time on the Cliff Walk, but it gives you a taste for this beautiful trail. If you don’t want to use the Cliff Walk now, follow the map below to walk between The Breakers and Marble House.

Explore Marble House

596 Bellevue Ave

Marble House was the impressive summer home of Alva and William Kissam Vanderbilt. William gave Alva the mansion in 1892 for her 39th birthday. This 50-room mansion cost $11 million (over $300 million in today’s money) and more than half of this was spent on marble for this house.

Alva Vanderbilt divorced William in 1895, but she owned Marble House. She remarried to Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont and moved down the street to another mansion on Bellvue Ave. She later reopened Marble House and used it to host women’s suffrage rallies. Alva Belmont was a prominent figure in the women’s suffrage movement and was known for being strong and outspoken.

When you visit Marble House, you will be given an audio guide (just like the one at The Breakers). This tour also takes about an hour to complete.

Lunch in a Tea House

The Chinese Tea House at Marble House is a seasonal option for lunch. Overall, I was a bit surprised by the lack of options here. You can grab snacks, like yogurt, fruit, and granola bars. They also offer three different cold lunches each day, which included sandwiches and a salad when I visited.

Another option is the Garden Cafe at The Breakers if you wanted to eat before heading to Marble House. This cafe basically serves the same options.

The food really isn’t bad and it’s very convenient to grab lunch at one of these spots if you want to keep touring the mansions and don’t want to deal with driving out of the historic district and trying to find parking again.

Tour Rosecliff

548 Bellevue Ave

After lunch, make your way to the third mansion of the day, Rosecliff. This is a short 8-minute walk from Marble House. Simply leave Marble House, turn right on Bellevue Ave and walk about 0.2 miles until you reach Rosecliff.

Rosecliff was built between 1898-1902 for the silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs. If this mansion looks familiar, you might have seen it in the 1974 The Great Gatsby or 27 Dresses. This mansion features a large ballroom and was used for many over-the-top Gilded Age parties. Today, you can rent out the mansion for weddings.

You will also get an audio guide for the Rosecliff tour. This mansion is a bit smaller than the last two, so the tour won’t take you as long. In addition to the mansion, this tour features an art gallery. The exhibit changes but when I visited, the mansion featured a John James Audubon exhibit.

Once you finish touring Rosecliff, you might be a bit tired of touring historic homes. But, if you have time for one more, I suggest moving on to The Elms.

Bonus (if you want): The Elms

367 Bellevue Ave

The Elms mansion is a 1-mile walk from Rosecliff, so you may want to drive. The Elms was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Julius Berwind, who made their fortune in the coal industry. This house was finished in 1901 and features a beautiful sunken garden on the grounds.

Again, you will get an audio guide when you tour The Elms. This was my favorite of the four mansions, so if you have time (or want to swap it out for one of the others) I highly recommend trying to get to this one.

Enjoy Some Afternoon Ice Cream

181 Bellevue Ave #4

If you need a pick-me-up after touring the historic homes, treat yourself to some delicious ice cream at Newport Creamery. This location features an outdoor walk-up-window so join the line while you decide on your flavor.

Drive Past Historic Sites

If your car, take a detour before dinner to visit a few additional historic sites in Newport. This was a popular summer destination for two American presidents: Joh F. Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower.

St. Mary’s Church (12 William St.)- On September 12, 1953, John F. Kennedy married Jacqueline Bouvier at St. Mary’s. The church is only open during Mass and 15 minutes after Mass for visitors. So, you will likely only get to drive past and see the outside of the church. On Tuesdays in the summer, you can purchase a ticket to attend a presentation inside the church about the historic wedding.

Eisenhower House (1 Lincoln Dr)- This historic mansion was used as the Summer White House for President Dwight D. Eisenhower. It is now part of Fort Adams State Park and is used for weddings and other events. Drive past the outside if you want to get a closer look.

Dinner & Drinks

Getting hungry? Let’s talk about Newport’s dinner options. There are some great spots in the Newport Historic District.

White Horse Tavern– This restaurant comes up on almost every list you’ll read about Newport. White Horse opened in 1673 and is the oldest tavern in America. If you are looking for more of an upscale dining experience, head here for contemporary American cuisine.

Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant– Brick Alley is a more relaxed pub that has been voted both the “Best Restaurant” and “Best Bar” in Rhode Island. We waited about an hour for a table, but it was worth it.

If you want to get out of the historic district, consider heading over towards Easton Beach.

Diego’s Bodega– This spot has delicious Mexican food, a great drinks list, and view of the water.
Flo’s Clam Shack– If you want fried seafood, head to Flo’s. You can’t miss the large shark outside. This is a popular and relaxed spot that was established in 1936.

Especially if you pick one of the last two restaurants, you could end your evening with a sunset stroll along Easton’s Beach.

I hope you enjoyed this one day in Newport, RI guide. Are you planning a trip here soon? Or, did I leave off some of your favorite places in Newport? Let me know!