Day Trip to Newport, Rhode Island
The Newport coastline
My husband and I recently finished watching the first season of The Gilded Age, HBO’s new, sumptuous period drama set during the – you guessed it—Gilded Age. A couple of the episodes feature scenes set in Newport, and when we learned that these scenes were actually filmed on location rather than in some West Coast substitute for Newport, we decided to take a drive down to the Rhode Island town so that we might see the coastal views and opulent mansions for ourselves.
What follows is our one-day itinerary for Newport.
Morning: Travel to Newport
After a leisurely breakfast at home, we set off for Newport from Boston a little after 11:30am. The drive took approximately two hours, and we pulled into Newport a few minutes before 1:30pm.
Our first site in Newport — the Breakers
Afternoon: Develop House Envy and Then Get Some Walking in
Our first stop of the day was the Breakers, the former summer home of the Vanderbilt family. We purchased our tickets at the welcome center located by the estate’s main entrance, but this proved to be a misstep on our part. Had we bought our tickets ahead of time online, we could have gone straight into the house; instead, ticketless that we were, we had to wait in a painfully long line. So, if you are reading this post and planning on visiting the Breakers, be sure to purchase your ticket online in order to avoid waiting in a lengthy queue. I would also recommend looking into the different ticket packages, as well as memberships, that are offered, as it might behoove you to purchase a multi-house ticket or membership if you plan on visiting more than one mansion. We only had time to see the Breakers, so we purchased tickets for just the Breakers at $26* a piece.
*Ticket prices have increased since our visit. Please consult the Newport Mansions’ ticketing website for the most up-to-date prices.
The Breakers’ Grand Staircase
Once we had procured our tickets, we made our way down the driveway toward the Breakers’ front entrance. Shortly after entering the house, our tickets were scanned, and we were provided with a printout that contained descriptions of each of the rooms that we would see during our self-guided tour of the mansion. We were allowed to move at our own pace throughout the house, which as someone who likes to frequently stop in order to take photos, I quite appreciated.
The Morning Room
To say that the Breakers’ rooms are lavish feels like an understatement; they are palatial. Gilded ceilings, intricate murals, marble fireplaces, platinum leaf wall panels, and jaw-dropping ocean vistas are but a few of the mansion’s extravagantly exquisite features.
Fireplace and seating area inside the Music Room
Even the kitchen, with its large, imposing cast iron range and gleaming copper pans, is a sight to behold. The two-story butler’s pantry, which houses an impressive dishware collection, is also not too shabby.
The kitchen
After finishing our tour of the house, we made our way outside and explored the grounds, as well as took a moment to simply enjoy the property’s unobstructed view of the Atlantic coastline. Perhaps more memorable than the view though was the Children’s Cottage, the former playhouse of the Vanderbilt children. It is a playhouse in name only though, as I am fairly certain that my entire apartment could fit inside it.
The Children’s Cottage
In total, we spent about an hour at the Breakers, and overall, I enjoyed our time there. My only complaint is that I would have liked to have seen more of the house, including the servants’ quarters and guest rooms.
By the time we wrapped up our tour of the Breakers, we were starting to feel hungry, so we hopped back into our car and drove to Thames Street for lunch at Midtown Oyster Bar. The food was decent, albeit a tad pricey. I likely would not go there again, but I do not regret having eaten there.
My husband’s oyster po’ boy sandwich from Midtown Oyster Bar
Refueled, we left the restaurant and then walked down Thames Street for a little while. The street is in the heart of downtown Newport, and it is lined on either side with shops, restaurants, and historic buildings. It is a great spot for window shopping, as well as shopping in earnest.
Looking down Thames Street
After ambling along Thames Street for a spell, we once again got back into our car and drove to the starting point of the Cliff Walk, a scenic walking trail that skirts along the Newport shoreline. The trail runs for 3.5 miles; although, we only walked about a third of it.
The Cliff Walk
The path boasts stunning views of the ocean, as well as the historic Newport mansions. The portion of the trail that we walked was paved, but there are unpaved sections of the trail, including areas that require you to walk and climb over rocks. A roughly 20-foot stretch of the trail is also currently closed due to structural damage, but a detour is in place that allows you to bypass that section in order to continue along the Cliff Walk (visit Newport’s website for more information).
By the time we exited the Cliff Walk and returned to our car, it was after 5:00pm, so we buckled up and began our two-hour trek back home. We so enjoyed our time in Newport that we are already planning a return trip to visit more of the mansions and maybe even walk the entirety of the Cliff Walk.
Summing It up: The 3 Wheres
Where We Went
The Breakers
Thames Street
Cliff Walk
Where We Stayed
As this was a day trip, we did not stay in Newport.
Where We Ate
Lunch
Midtown Oyster Bar
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below!
