Fort Adams State Park
The Basics
The largest coastal fortification in the United States, Fort Adams served as a home to soldiers from 1824 to 1950. Today, visitors to the state park can explore the grounds on a guided tour of the officers’ quarters, defensive walls, overlooks, and tunnels. The Museum of Yachting is housed nearby inside a 19th-century stone barracks.
The Fort Adams Bay Walk, a 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) loop around the park, offers stellar views of the East Passage of Narragansett Bay and the downtown waterfront, as well as one of Newport’s best sunset views toward Conanicut Island. Most guided tours of Newport, including self-guided audio tours and day trips from Boston, include a visit to Fort Adams.
Things to Know Before You Go
The park is popular with families and makes a romantic evening option for couples.
Guided tours of the fort last around 75 minutes and include plenty of walking, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Park facilities include a gift shop, food concessionaire (summer only), and picnic areas.
Bring your camera for photos of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay from the scenic overlook.
How to Get There
Fort Adams State Park is located at the mouth of Newport Harbor, on the northern end of the peninsula east of Bellevue Avenue. Plentiful free parking is available. The park is also accessible by ferry from Jamestown and Providence.
Trip ideas
When to Get There
The park is open daily throughout the year from sunrise to sunset. Guided tours take place regularly throughout the summer months (Memorial Day through October) and on weekends during the rest of the year.
Music Festivals at Fort Adams State Park
While this popular state park is of historical significance, it’s perhaps more famous for its summer concert events. Some of music’s most legendary acts have graced the stages of the annual Newport Folk Festival (held each year in late July or early August) and the Newport Jazz Festival, which has hosted the biggest names in jazz and blues since 1954.