Timing Question for Newport/Mansion Tours/Lunch

We arrive in Newport at 7am on a Sunday, I realize we have to tender. If we decide to take the bus to The Breakers, do an early tour, walk the Cliff Walk to Rough Point, possibly do the servants tour at the Elms, where is there a place for lunch? We won't spend a ton of time seeing the mansions but taking into consideration, lines, walking on the Cliff Walk and seeing two mansions, I feel like it will be at least 2 or 3 before we are finished. Am I overestimating? Is there somewhere to grab a snack?

Thanks!

The Breakers opens at 9AM unfortunately the first public bus departs from the bus terminal at 9:40AM on Sunday; the schedule is here.

My suggestion is that you have a really big breakfast and get ashore as soon as you can after that. Whenever you land, walk one block north to the transportation center. Depending on what time you get there, hire a taxi or board the route #67 bus to take you to the mansions and Cliff Walk.

If the Breakers is open when you arrive, tour it. Keep this in mind, groups arriving on a tour bus (cruise ship excursion) get priority over walkup visitors.

After the Breaker's tour, exit the Breaker's grounds and enter CW from either of the bordering side streets to the Breakers.

Once on CW, I would only walk as far as the walk is paved. Once the pavement ends, it just becomes a path over stones, boulders, on seawalls, and sometimes no path at all. How old are your legs??? and don't wear flipflops.

The further you walk on CW, the further you are away from food and the Elms.

From wherever you complete CW, get to Bellevue Ave which is a bus route. Take the inbound bus to either the Elms or a restaurant near the Tennis Hall of Fame. You can get food and ice cream at the Newport Creamery across from the THoF. NC is not fancy but the food and ice cream are good.

Depending on how much time you have left, you make the call as what to do next.

As for your time estimate, if you do CW to Rough Point, it is looow.

SBtS

Please try to do early. Main drag is BELVIEW...IF you have time...look for RUGGLES Avenue...van give you a confirmed left or right turn....HOWEVER if you are driving away from downtown. RUGGLES on your LEFT..look for Salve Regina College. .just about on the corner of BELLEVIEW AND Ruggles...only landmark I can give you....ANYWAY. .once you find yourself on Ruggles..on the right you will find a FRENCH CHÂTEAU looking home. "Seaview Terrace"...went to school there...also...if you are old enough to recall DARK SHADOWS from the 60's....the CLIFF WALK side of the home was used as the initial exterior shot.

The INN at Castle Hill is wonderful...

The SUMMER COTTAGES. are spectacular! My favorite Marble House..

I think you can make reservations for individual home tours..not really sure. Worth checking into

Please try to do early. Main drag is BELVIEW...IF you have time...look for RUGGLES Avenue...van give you a confirmed left or right turn....HOWEVER if you are driving away from downtown. RUGGLES on your LEFT..look for Salve Regina College. .just about on the corner of BELLEVIEW AND Ruggles...only landmark I can give you....ANYWAY. .once you find yourself on Ruggles..on the right you will find a FRENCH CHÂTEAU looking home. "Seaview Terrace"...went to school there...also...if you are old enough to recall DARK SHADOWS from the 60's....the CLIFF WALK side of the home was used as the initial exterior shot.

 

The INN at Castle Hill is wonderful...

 

The SUMMER COTTAGES. are spectacular! My favorite Marble House..

I think you can make reservations for individual home tours..not really sure. Worth checking into

The OP is visiting Newport on the Regal Princess, and will be using public transportation.

SBtS

The Breakers opens at 9AM unfortunately the first public bus departs from the bus terminal at 9:40AM on Sunday; the schedule is here.

 

My suggestion is that you have a really big breakfast and get ashore as soon as you can after that. Whenever you land, walk one block north to the transportation center. Depending on what time you get there, hire a taxi or board the route #67 bus to take you to the mansions and Cliff Walk.

 

If the Breakers is open when you arrive, tour it. Keep this in mind, groups arriving on a tour bus (cruise ship excursion) get priority over walkup visitors.

 

After the Breaker's tour, exit the Breaker's grounds and enter CW from either of the bordering side streets to the Breakers.

 

Once on CW, I would only walk as far as the walk is paved. Once the pavement ends, it just becomes a path over stones, boulders, on seawalls, and sometimes no path at all. How old are your legs??? and don't wear flipflops.

 

The further you walk on CW, the further you are away from food and the Elms.

 

From wherever you complete CW, get to Bellevue Ave which is a bus route. Take the inbound bus to either the Elms or a restaurant near the Tennis Hall of Fame. You can get food and ice cream at the Newport Creamery across from the THoF. NC is not fancy but the food and ice cream are good.

 

Depending on how much time you have left, you make the call as what to do next.

 

As for your time estimate, if you do CW to Rough Point, it is looow.

 

 

SBtS

Thank you for pointing out the schedule for the bus! I hadn't gotten that far. If we decide to take a taxi to the Breakers, do you know if we can purchase a ticket for the bus from the bus driver or at a stop?

https://www.discovernewport.org

This might help !

Thank you for pointing out the schedule for the bus! I hadn't gotten that far. If we decide to take a taxi to the Breakers, do you know if we can purchase a ticket for the bus from the bus driver or at a stop?

From reading the RIPTA site, my understanding is that a pass can be purchased on the bus. Also, passes can be purchased online.

Here are the links which I used:

• purchase All Day Pass
  
• e-Fare
  
• Fares
  

Based on your plans that you first posted, I would go with the All Day Pass.

SBtS

We arrive in Newport at 7am on a Sunday, I realize we have to tender. If we decide to take the bus to The Breakers, do an early tour, walk the Cliff Walk to Rough Point, possibly do the servants tour at the Elms, where is there a place for lunch? We won't spend a ton of time seeing the mansions but taking into consideration, lines, walking on the Cliff Walk and seeing two mansions, I feel like it will be at least 2 or 3 before we are finished. Am I overestimating? Is there somewhere to grab a snack?

 

Thanks!

I am a Newporter, me thinks you're planning too much for one day, however your mileage will depend on your stamina. As someone suggested take a taxi to the Breakers and be there at 9 AM when it opens. Touring the cottage will take 1-1/2 hour or more depending on your interest. Suggest you then walk back north on Cliff Walk (behind the Breakers) to 40 Steps at Narraganset Ave. (About an hour or 3/4 mile, passing Salve Regina Un and several summer mansions.) Exit the Cliff Walk then walk west to Bellevue Ave. The Elms should be in front of you on Bellevue. After touring the Elms (about 1-1/2 hour) grab a taxi or the 67 bus back to the center of town. Many restaurants in the center of town. After lunch walk about the colonial houses in the center of the town. When you get tired the tender boats will be right there in the center of the town.

Please please please walk down past RUGGLES ave...and say hi to SEAVIEW TERRACE...French Chateau looking....spent many Summers there !

It's on Ruggles

Don't know if you are old enough to remember DARK SHADOWS. ..exterior shots of the house used in the opening

Please please please walk down past RUGGLES ave...and say hi to SEAVIEW TERRACE...French Chateau looking....spent many Summers there !

We will! Thank you! I've heard of Dark Shadows but a little too young to have seen it.

Please please please walk down past RUGGLES ave...and say hi to SEAVIEW TERRACE...French Chateau looking....spent many Summers there !

We will! Thank you! I've heard of Dark Shadows but a little too young to have seen it.

Hello all, I need some time management help... our cruise is set to arrive Newport at 7:00am Sunday on 05/21/2017 with a departure time of 4:00pm. Things we wanted to do was the Breakers, Cliff Walk and I thought about a noon sail( 2.5 hrs). Can I do this. I know Breakers does not have tour till 9:30am on Sunday and I have not bought tickets through excursions. Waiting on advice before booking the sail since it may be odd man out. Need some help on this one... Short time in Newport plus I have to get to try one of those famous lobster rolls I have heard so much about...

I just bit the bullet and reserved through Princess. Not really a cruise ship excursion fan, but the ease of the tender and access to Breakers was worth it to me. After I'll find some walking tour and lobster roll.

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Hello all, I need some time management help... our cruise is set to arrive Newport at 7:00am Sunday on 05/21/2017 with a departure time of 4:00pm. Things we wanted to do was the Breakers, Cliff Walk and I thought about a noon sail( 2.5 hrs). Can I do this. I know Breakers does not have tour till 9:30am on Sunday and I have not bought tickets through excursions. Waiting on advice before booking the sail since it may be odd man out. Need some help on this one... Short time in Newport plus I have to get to try one of those famous lobster rolls I have heard so much about...

I was unable to confirm the starting time of 9:30am. What is your source? My source has the Breakers opening at 9am.

Anyway, get there before it opens. Use a public bus, taxi, or UBER. Be there waiting for the Breakers to open, but bus tours are taken before walk ups.

I'm making an assumption that you'll finish your tour by 10:30am. Exit the Breakers and walk east on either side street that borders the Breakers to get to Cliff Walk.

If you walk north on CW, you go towards the start; if south, towards the end, part of that walk is unimproved. Also, there are very limited exits on the walk south.

I think what you want to do is feasible, but a lot will depend on when your tour finishes and how much of CW you want to see.

As for a lobster roll, any restaurant along the waterfront serves them. As for the best, IDK.

SBtS

I just bit the bullet and reserved through Princess. Not really a cruise ship excursion fan, but the ease of the tender and access to Breakers was worth it to me. After I'll find some walking tour and lobster roll.

 

Sent from my BLU STUDIO 5.5 HD using Forums mobile app

Thats a good point. We were going to do the mansion tour on our own but considering tour groups get priority over walk ups, we may need to consider doing a ship excursion for this.

I was unable to confirm the starting time of 9:30am. What is your source? My source has the Breakers opening at 9am.

Anyway, get there before it opens. Use a public bus, taxi, or UBER. Be there waiting for the Breakers to open, but bus tours are taken before walk ups.

I'm making an assumption that you'll finish your tour by 10:30am. Exit the Breakers and walk east on either side street that borders the Breakers to get to Cliff Walk.

If you walk north on CW, you go towards the start; if south, towards the end, part of that walk is unimproved. Also, there are very limited exits on the walk south.

I think what you want to do is feasible, but a lot will depend on when your tour finishes and how much of CW you want to see.

As for a lobster roll, any restaurant along the waterfront serves them. As for the best, IDK.

SBtS

I was wrong regarding the opening time of the Breakers, it is at 9:00am. Couple of followup question? Where do you buy tickets? Visitor center?at Breakers itself? I understand that I may not get in early due to excursions from ship which may cause me to miss noon sail excursion. What would you recommend as a plan B to see if the sailing is out? Last, is there a site that shows you what ships will be coming in that day cruise wise? Maybe it would be better to sail in morning and reverse things till afternoon but wasn't sure if breakers gets more crowded in afternoon - thanks for all the info SBtS

I was wrong regarding the opening time of the Breakers, it is at 9:00am. Couple of followup question? Where do you buy tickets? Visitor center?at Breakers itself? I understand that I may not get in early due to excursions from ship which may cause me to miss noon sail excursion. What would you recommend as a plan B to see if the sailing is out? Last, is there a site that shows you what ships will be coming in that day cruise wise? Maybe it would be better to sail in morning and reverse things till afternoon but wasn't sure if breakers gets more crowded in afternoon - thanks for all the info SBtS

Good news, you are the only cruise ship in port that day. Here is the cruise ship schedule, but the title of the schedule is a misnomer. The title s/b 2017 Cruise Ship Schedule for Newport, RI, not 2017 Perrotti Park Cruise Ship Schedule.

Perrotti Park is a small park on the land side of the tender docks. The site is too small to build on so it became a small park. Search Google maps for Perrotti Park, satellite photo.

Since it is early in the season, I don't think it will be crowded. You can buy tickets at the Visitor Center, at the Breakers itself, or online.

Also, something to consider is an Audio Tour of the Breakers. If this is available for your visit, it could save waiting time. The only problem I am having with this is the sentence in the last paragraph of the link supplied; the sentence is - Please check the operating schedule to determine the type of tours in effect. I've checked the operating schedule but could not find any mention of Audio Tours. If you are interested in this, a call to the Breakers is in order.

SBtS

Good news, you are the only cruise ship in port that day. Here is the cruise ship schedule, but the title of the schedule is a misnomer. The title s/b 2017 Cruise Ship Schedule for Newport, RI, not 2017 Perrotti Park Cruise Ship Schedule.

Perrotti Park is a small park on the land side of the tender docks. The site is too small to build on so it became a small park. Search Google maps for Perrotti Park, satellite photo.

 

Since it is early in the season, I don't think it will be crowded. You can buy tickets at the Visitor Center, at the Breakers itself, or online.

Also, something to consider is an Audio Tour of the Breakers. If this is available for your visit, it could save waiting time. The only problem I am having with this is the sentence in the last paragraph of the link supplied; the sentence is - Please check the operating schedule to determine the type of tours in effect. I've checked the operating schedule but could not find any mention of Audio Tours. If you are interested in this, a call to the Breakers is in order.

SBtS

Thanks a lot... will take your advice...

Superdave57 which sailing tour are you looking at doing? I highly recommend going on Aquidneck through SightSailing. It is always a good time on this schooner with a fun crew. They are located on Bowen's Wharf.

Unless you are going to the Visitor's Center to get a bus or taxi (it is also under construction) I would get tickets for the Breakers at the Breakers or online to save a bit of time.

Superdave57 which sailing tour are you looking at doing? I highly recommend going on Aquidneck through SightSailing. It is always a good time on this schooner with a fun crew. They are located on Bowen's Wharf.

 

Unless you are going to the Visitor's Center to get a bus or taxi (it is also under construction) I would get tickets for the Breakers at the Breakers or online to save a bit of time.

I went with a company called On Watch Sailing... they were flexible with my time and only do a max of 6 so more private but Aquidneck was on my list. I am going to get tickets to Breakers and check into the Audio tour mention above. Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Has anybody tried to rent a car in Newport for the day?

Has anybody tried to rent a car in Newport for the day?

Where do you plan to go with the car? Otherwise, Newport Center is easily walkable.

SBtS

Where do you plan to go with the car? Otherwise, Newport Center is easily walkable.

SBtS

Cliff Walk, Turo Synagogue, White Horse Tavern, the Black Pearl (waterfront)