I was born and raised in the beautiful seaside town of Newport, RI. This is a beautiful town that I didn’t truly appreciate until I considered leaving here. Then I took a ride around the town and saw things in another light.
Newport is busiest during the summer months, usually May through September is busy with the weekends being even busier. There is plenty to do here, theres miles of sandy beaches and a huge ocean out there for the water lovers. Theres also motorboat and sailboat tours of Newport Harbor, a must for a first time visitor to Newport.
For those of you who don’t like the water and would prefer to stay on higher ground, theres plenty of shopping to be done. While you’re downtown, theres beautiful Brick Market Place, a collection of unique shops, on Thames Street. Also on Thames Street is Bowen’s and Bannister’s Wharf for more unique shopping. If you continue walking uptown, you’ll come to historic Bellevue Avenue, here the stores are more upscale, and again, the majority of the stores are unique. There are 2 shopping centers on Belleview Avenue as well, with some well known stores.
While on Bellevue Avenue, be sure to check out some of Newport’s famous mansions. They are open every day in the summers and weekends year around. There are several to choose from, including Marble House, Beechwood and Belcourt Castle, which is rumored to be haunted.
If you continue along Bellevue Avenue, you will end up on the historic Ocean Drive. This is a beautiful ride and something you must do if you’re in Newport. It takes about a half hour to ride from one end to the other and on a clear day you can see for miles.
There are plenty of restaurants here in Newport. Even the pickiest eater will be satisfied! There are french, italian, chinese, and mexican restaurants as well as several family type restaurants, pizza and ice cream parlors and coffee shops and cafes. Trust me when I say you won’t starve in Newport!
There are plenty of places to stay here as well. There are several well known hotel and motel chains as well as the more personal bed and breakfasts.
Visiting Newport is something you should do if given the chance. Its a beautiful town with alot to offer for all ages.