Things to do in Newport
Welcome to Newport
Nestled on Aquidneck Island off Rhode Island’s southern shore, Newport maintains its roots as a holiday escape for railroad barons and other well-heeled East Coasters. Opulent mansions such as The Breakers are preserved to give visitors a taste of the Gilded Age lifestyle, while a plethora of food and wine options means anyone can dine like a Vanderbilt here. Another top thing to do in Newport is enjoy the Atlantic Coast itself, with its miles of sandy beaches and picturesque harbor where luxury yachts and fishing boats dock side-by-side against a backdrop of colonial homes.
Why you are seeing these recommendations
Top 15 attractions in Newport
#1
The Breakers
The Breakers, the crown jewel of the Newport mansions and the summer estate of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, is an architectural and social archetype of the Gilded Age. The 70-room, four-story structure was built in 1895 and designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt, who modeled it after 16th-century Italian Renaissance palaces.More
#2
Ocean Drive
The breathtaking Rhode Island shoreline unfolds along Ocean Drive, a 10-mile (16-kilometer) scenic road along Newport’s southern coast. Points of interest include the New York Yacht Club, Fort Adams State Park, Hammersmith Farm (where President Kennedy had his wedding reception in 1953), Brenton Point State Park, and Gooseberry Beach.More
#3
Marble House
The 50-room Marble House, one of the first Beaux-Arts structures in the US, was built between 1888 and 1892 as the Gilded Age summer cottage for William and Alva Vanderbilt. Inspired by the Petit Trianon in Versailles, the $11 million mansion made mostly of marble became a National Historic Landmark in 2006.More
#4
Newport Cliff Walk
Rhode Island’s Newport Cliff Walk traces the perimeter of the southern edge of Newport town, high above the crashing surf of the Atlantic Ocean. The 3.5-mile (5.6-kilometer) public walkway fronts many of Newport’s famous Gilded Age mansions, such as Astor’s Beechwood, Rosecliff, Marble House, the Breakers, Ochre Coure, and Rough Point.More
#5
Fort Adams State Park
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay, Fort Adams State Park is a popular recreation area for swimming, sailing, fishing, and field games. The park also has a historic character thanks to sprawling Fort Adams, and is the home of major music festivals each summer.More
#6
International Tennis Hall of Fame
The birthplace of American tournament tennis, the International Tennis Hall of Fame showcases a collection of more than 20,000 artifacts, including vintage photos, trophies, tennis equipment, tennis clothing, and video highlights of famous matches. The facility has 13 grass tennis courts and one clay court, all open to the public for play.More
#7
Rosecliff
One of the most recognizable mansions on Newport’s ritzy Bellevue Avenue, Rosecliff perfectly preserves the Gilded Age. Built around 1900 for Theresa Fair Oelrichs, a Nevada silver heiress, it was constructed specifically for parties—think The Great Gatsby, which is fitting, considering the 2013 film adaptation was in part filmed here. Today, the Versailles-esque mansion welcomes the public to explore its interior and historic rose gardens.More
#8
The Elms
Built as a summer residence, The Elms is one of almost a dozen properties cared for by Rhode Island's Preservation Society of Newport County. It was designed and constructed in 1901. Modeled after the mid-18th century French chateau d'Asnieres (c.1750) outside Paris, it cost the Berwind family approximately $1.4 million to build. (Calling both Philadelphia and New York home, Edward Berwind made his fortune in the coal industry.) After the house was finished, elaborate gardens were planted in the early 1900s.The house remained in the Berwind family until 1961. The Preservation Society of Newport County purchased The Elms in 1962 and opened it to the public. In 1996, it was designated a National Historic Landmark.More
#9
Rough Point
The southernmost estate on the famed Bellevue Avenue, Rough Point belonged to 20th-century heiress Doris Duke, who inherited the property at age 12. The English-style manor faces the Cliff Walk Bridge, with stunning views of the crashing Atlantic below. Today, you can tour the home decorated just as Duke had it, from the plant-filled glass solarium and tapestry-rich Great Hall to the formal gardens.More
#10
Bellevue Avenue
Leafy Bellevue Avenue and its surrounding streets are home to some of the most exclusive properties in New England. The affluent area is mostly residential, and encompasses many of the Gilded Age summer “cottages” built by such iconic names as Vanderbilt and Astor. These include the Isaac Bell House, The Elms, Marble House, and Kingscote.More
#11
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site
In 1658, more than a dozen Jewish families, mostly refugees from Spain and Portugal, founded a Sephardic community. A century later, British-Colonial architect and local resident Peter Harrison designed a two-story Palladian house of worship for this community, the Touro Synagogue. It continues to serve Newport’s Jewish community today.More
#12
Chateau-sur-Mer
One of the many impressive Newport Mansions, Chateau-sur-Mer calls famous Bellevue Avenue home. Completed in 1852, it had a reputation for its parties, including the "Fete Champetre," an elaborate picnic for more than two thousand guests in 1857, and the 1889 debutante ball for Miss Edith Wetmore.Chateau-sur-Mer was built for China trade merchant William Shepard Wetmore. When Wetmore died ten years later he left the Italianate-style villa and much of his fortune to his son, George Peabody Wetmore.The son, who went on to a distinguished political career as Governor of Rhode Island and as a United States Senator, married in 1869. He and his wife, Edith, spent a stretch of the 1870s on extended trip to Europe. During their travels, architect Richard Morris Hunt remodeled and redecorated the estate in the Second Empire French style. It was then purchased by the Preservation Society of Newport County in 1969 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006.More
#13
Easton’s Beach
Easton’s Beach (also called First Beach is Newport’s largest sandy expanse, stretching for nearly a mile (1.5 kilometers with Atlantic surf. Locals and visitors gather here to swim, soak up the sun, and stroll along a boardwalk, while a 1950s carousel and weekly concerts entertain during the summer months.More
#14
National Museum of American Illustration (NMAI)
This fascinating museum specializes in the display of illustration artworks, as designed for books and other print media. Over 150 artists have featured works on its walls, including Norman Rockwell, NC Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, and Howard Pyle. In fact, it’s the largest collection of illustrated masterpieces in the world.The museum is housed in a former mansion, a stately American Renaissance building with architecture that is worth a visit alone. Vernon Court was designed in the style of a French chateau, and has a ballroom, marble hall, and other elegant rooms now filled with art. The illustrations offer lots of insight into American society at the time they were created, and often reflect social change, attitudes, and behaviors.The art that remains from this era captures a moment in time before electronics, when books and magazines were the main form of entertainment. The mansion even displays period furnishings and decorative arts to create an immersive experience that provides context and reflects the time of the art. Self-guided and guided tours are available.More
#15
Brenton Point State Park
Named for colonial Governor William Brenton, Brenton Point State Park is located where Narragansett Bay meets the Atlantic. Midway along Ocean Drive, it’s the stretch of land furthest south on Aquidneck Island. Be sure to bring a camera to capture the views.The land became a park in 1976. Complete with tables, it has all the makings for a perfect picnic spot. For visitors hoping to stretch their legs a bit, there’s hiking and walking trails. Strong ocean breezes make for great kite flying conditions. Wandering through the gardens and fishing are also popular activities. There aren’t any playgrounds, but plenty of open space to run makes it a nice spot to visit with kids.More
Explore Newport by interest
Trip ideas
Itineraries for your Newport trip
Top activities in Newport
Explore our promoted experiences
All about Newport
When to visit
A pair of world-class festivals—Newport Folk Festival and the Newport Jazz Festival—fill Newport’s summer with music. Usually hosted in late July or early August, they’re timed for sunny weather that’s also ideal for hitting nearby beaches for surfing, swimming, and sunbathing. Spring and fall bring milder weather, and June’s Newport Flower Show is a June highpoint.
Getting around
Both the compact town of Newport and many of its Gilded Age mansions are reachable by foot or by bicycle. But for the Ocean Drive and the rest of the Ten Mile Drive, you’ll need access to a vehicle. Your options are using ridesharing apps, taking a private car or rental, or joining a group tour—for example, one of the town’s narrated trolley tours.
Traveler tips
The Breakers might be Newport’s most iconic Gilded Age attraction, but you can beat the crowds by seeking out some of the coastal town’s lesser-known mansions. At Rough Point Museum, you can not only enjoy panoramic oceanfront views outside the English Manor-style estate, but also peruse East Asian art and craft objects from the private collection of the family of one-time owner and tobacco heiress Doris Duke.
Currency
US Dollar ($)
Time Zone
EDT (UTC -5)
Country Code
+1
Language(s)
English