Newport, Rhode Island was on my summer to-do list, but I didn’t make it there until the very last weekend of official summer. I know I was in Newport years ago, but I don’t remember much about it so it felt like visiting for the first time. With blue skies and temperatures around 70 degrees, the day couldn’t have been more picture-perfect for exploring the Gilded Age mansions and rocky coastline of this small New England city.
I started my day at the Corner Cafe. I had eyed the French toast with maple pecan butter online, then changed my mind and got the berry stuffed Portuguese French toast instead. It was good, though my mind couldn’t stop thinking about the maple pecan butter that I wished I had gotten instead.
After breakfast, I headed to the waterfront to take some pictures before the streets got too crowded. I wandered up and down several of the wharves, marveling at the mix of fishing boats, yachts, and even a cruise ship.
Then it was off to see how the other half lives. I drove over to The Breakers, the summer home of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, his wife, Alice Gwynne Vanderbilt, and their 7 children. To say the home is opulent would be an understatement. Every room is filled with chandeliers, marble, and tapestries. I wouldn’t want to live like that, but I can understand the appeal. I’m now interested in watching “The Gilded Age” series, as much of it was filmed in Newport.
After walking the grounds, I set out for a walk on the adjacent Cliff Walk. The Breakers is so named because of the waves that break on the rugged coastline below, though they were pretty tame during my walk today. I walked all the way to the North End of the Cliff Walk at Easton’s Beach and then back to The Breakers.
My afternoon included a ride along Ocean Drive. Ocean Drive is a winding 10-mile road along the ocean and has breathtaking views of the rocky shoreline around every bend. I first stopped at Brenton Point State Park, at the southern tip of Aquidneck Island. It was there that I indulged in a local favorite: Del’s frozen lemonade. I sat on the seawall with my lemonade as I watched the passing sailboats.
My only other stop was at the Castle Hill Lighthouse. It is a short walk from the parking area to the short lighthouse with its commanding views of the Atlantic Ocean and Narragansett Bay.
Once I finished my drive, the crowds had arrived in downtown Newport. I was able to find a spot near where I parked this morning (free, and just a short walk to the waterfront) and headed off to Brick Alley Pub. The pub has an eclectic mix of decor and from my vantage point at the bar, I enjoyed looking around at all the license plates and memorabilia lining the walls. My meal was not particularly memorable and consisted of clam chowder on which I burned the back of my tongue and an incredibly bland baked cod. In their defense, the menu did call it “simple baked cod”, but it was a little more simple than I was imagining.
After dinner I decided to head home. Once again, I was reminded that you don’t have to travel far (or long) to experience that feeling of being on vacation. I would love to return to Newport and explore a couple of the other mansions in the future.
Traveling with Laura 