Newport, RI and local questions can be asked here.

[delighted2sail]

We are a couple from Melbourne, Australia who are going on a 10 day Canada/New England cruise on Sept 21 out of NYC. I have a couple of questions regarding Newport, RI.

 

1. Where does the cruise ship dock, or do passengers come ashore on a tender?

 

2. If they use a tender where does the tender arrive?

 

3. Is public transport available at this spot?

 

4. Are there internet cafes in the area?

 

Thanks.

We're on the same cruise! Have you signed up on the Norwegian Roll Call (Jewel)? See you in September.

[jagsfan]

OK,so we disembark and walk to the NGC, buy our mansion tickets and board bus #67.

1)when we go to board the bus taking us from Marble House to the Breakers, do we pay

again, or is it pay one price ride all day?

2)would we be better off joining the Preservation Society ($100 for 2), or buying individual

mansion tkts at the NGC?

3)do we tour in the order in which we arrive......or as with the Preservation Society, would

we go to the head of the line since we would have our tkts already.

4)I know the walking in the mansions will be extensive, but how much walking from bus

to mansion and back is involved. I can't walk more than a block or two, and cannot stand

for very long.

The money might come out roughly the same as a Princess shore ex, but I'd rather go in

the morning and get back to the ship....packing time.

Thanks for any help.

[SailBadtheSinner]

You should buy a one day pass which is good for unlimited rides for 24 hours.

1) just show your pass.

2) & 3) if you join the Preservation Society, you go to the head of the waiting line. Is that benefit to you worth the cost of joining the Society? Will you ever be returning to Newport, another consideration? As for order, I would do the Breakers first and any others in order as they are on Bellevue Ave.

4) The bus stop for the Breakers is just about opposite the front gate. Here is a pix from the front gate to the Breaker's front door.

 

The other mansions are at least that far except for the Elms & DD's Rough Point which are closer, but I don't know the locations of the bus stops to the other mansions.

 

You could buy the tickets on line: http://www.newportmansions.org/page3553.cfm

 

BTW, the route map for the #67 bus provides a very general location of the mansions served by that bus; the bus makes additional stops beside those on the schedule. http://www.ripta.com/schedules/view.php . Also, if you do a Google map of Newport and center it on Bellevue Ave, as you increase magnification, bus stops will show.

 

 

 

SBtS

[jagsfan]

SailBad, thank you so much. That's just the info I needed. I don't think it's the cost of

shore exs, it's the time involved, loading the coach, unloading, waiting, etc.

I'd rather get in get out get on with my life. Oh wait, that's a commercial.

My DH and I actually stopped to see the Breakers on the way to Cape Cod once. He was

going to wait while I toured....bought my ticket, went in, and then found out it was a

half hour wait before the tour started. Decided I didn't want to make him stand around that

long, so I got a refund, and have been wanting to go back ever since.

I'm looking forward to Newport and hope to see more of it.

Mimi

[GoYouBlues]

We're on the same cruise! Have you signed up on the Norwegian Roll Call (Jewel)? See you in September.

 

Yes, I just signed up to that (Julie and Andrew). See you soon!

[mainecooncat]

That is so nice of you to offer your "expertise"(CC members are sooo nice!)

 

We will be arriving 9/12 on the Jewel. We for sure are walking the cliff walk and would like to see at least one of the mansions. So if we only get to one, everything I read says to do the Breakers?

 

So for first time visitors is Ocean Dr. a 'must see'? I see a bunch of tours for the 10 mile Ocean Dr and I wasn't sure. If it is we thought of doing the tour and getting dropped off at the south end of the cliff walk. Walking and coming out to do one of the mansions and going back and finishing the cliff walk and catch the trolley back to the dock? Any thoughts??

[jkw2765]

We will be in port on Sunday, October10. I am thinking about taking the Amazing Grace Tour of the harbor and then the Newport Railway train ride. The website for the harbor tour is vague. Can you see the mansions from the water? Do you have any input on either of these tours? Thanks for your time!

[SailBadtheSinner]

Here's the home page for the train: http://www.newportdinnertrain.com/index3.html

is lunch included with the train ride because the train is called the Newport Dinner Train? I have not done it, but it looks like you could have a good time. The train is located about a 5 – 7 minute walk from the tender dock.

 

Yes, you can see the backs of some of the mansions at a distance and from sea level, but you can see the fronts, much more interesting IMHO, of many of the mansions simply by walking Bellevue Ave or the backs, up close, by walking Cliff Walk. I would not do the tour just to see the backs of the mansions but if you enjoy being on the water in any boat, power :( or sail :D , then it is worth it.

 

The second pix at the link below is an aerial shot of CW looking from north (bottom) to south (top) with the Breakers at the top left here: http://www.cliffwalk.com/

No mansion faces the water.

SBtS

[mainecooncat]

Can anyone answer my questions? Thanks

[Underwatr]

I think that The Breakers would be the one mansion to see. IIRC it's at the end of the Cliff Walk so it would tie in well with that.

 

I can't give any opinion of Ocean Drive. Haven't done it.

[SailBadtheSinner]

I do agree with the CC member Underwatr, previous poster, about seeing the Breakers. If you're only doing one mansion then make it the Breakers.

 

As for the location of the Breakers, it is located closer to the middle than either the start on Memorial Ave or the end.

 

My first concern is about doing the Ocean Drive excursion and requesting a stop. If the excursion bus does not have any scheduled stops along Bellevue Ave, will the bus stop at your request?

 

If it does, my next concern would be walking from the south end of Cliff Walk to the north end, distance of about 3.5 miles. The south third is unimproved. I recently have been answering questions from CC member smitty3000 about walking the entire CW in this thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1238527

I would suggest reading my posts in that thread and following any links I provided.

 

If you can request the excursion bus to stop, the stop should be a Marine Ave which is just north of the Rosecliff Mansion. Walk east on Marine Ave until CW and then turn north which would put the water on your right side. By doing this you'll miss the unimproved portion of CW.

 

As you walk on CW, you will eventually come to the Breakers; you really can't miss it. Exit CW at Ruggles Ave which is the south border of the Breaker's grounds.

 

As for Ocean Drive, I don't consider it a “must do” but if you have the time, do it. I wouldn't put first on my excursion list but I would prolly put it first on my drop list. Read post #7 in the above link for my answer to smitty3000.

 

SBtS

[gracecarmo]

SBtS: I am interested in doing the walking tour of Art Deco architecture. I looked at the tour on the web, and can't figure out if this self-guided tour can be reached easily from the pier. Do you know anything about it? (Newport).

[SailBadtheSinner]

Please provide more information of this tour. I did a Google for it, but nothing caught my eye. Do you have a link or ..... ?

 

 

SBtS

[gracecarmo]

Here is the link:http://www.citycenternewport.com/

 

I did download and print the walking map, but need to know location from pier...if it is walkable, or do we need to get transportation?

[SailBadtheSinner]

You have the wrong Newport, wrong coast :D; the cruise stops at Newport Rhode Island, not Oregon . Look at the bottom of the link you provided. Newport RI has many colonial era buildings, interested?

 

 

SBtS

[gracecarmo]

Well, Silly Me! I swore I typed in Newport RI....thanks for setting me right. And, yes, I would be interested in the colonial history, doing a self guided tour. Can you please steer me toward the proper link?

[SailBadtheSinner]

Newport Historical Society guided tours: http://www.newporthistorical.org/index.php/guided-tours-and-educational-resources/walking-site-tours/

not sure if they have DIY tour.

 

another, Newport History Tours: http://www.newporthistorytours.org/

 

Here is a list of Revolutionary period (and before) dwellings. All are within walking distance of tender dock:

REDWOOD LIBRARY AND ATHENAEUM. (1748-50) 50 Bellevue Ave

FRIENDS MEETING HOUSE. (1699) 21 Farewell St

HUNTER HOUSE. (1748) 54 Washington St

NEWPORT CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. (1860) Spring and Pelham Sts

OLD COLONY HOUSE. (1739) Washington Square

OLD STONE MILL. Touro Park

SAMUEL WHITEHORNE HOUSE. 416 Thames St.

SEVENTH DAY BAPTIST MEETING HOUSE. (1729) 82 Touro St

St. MARY'S CHURCH. Spring St

TOURO SYNAGOGUE. (1763) 85 Touro St, the oldest Synagogue in America

TRINITY CHURCH. (1725-26) Queen Anne Sq., Spring and Church Sts

WANTON-LYMAN-HAZARD HOUSE. (1675) 17 Broadway near Washington Square.

WHITE HORSE TAVERN. (1673) corner of Marlborough and Farewell Sts

ABRAHAM RODRIGUES RIVERA HOUSE. Washington Square

 

Not from the Revolutionary period but…..

 

St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church (1852), 70 Church St, church where Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and John F. Kennedy were married.

SBtS

[Underwatr]

Amazon.com has some resources, if you don't mind packing along a book or two:

 

A Guide to Newport's Cliff Walk (RI): Tales of Seaside Mansions and the Gilded Age Elite

Newport: A Tour Guide

Historical Cities-Newport, Rhode Island (Kindle Edition)

 

No experience with these particular books...

Edited July 24, 2010 by Underwatr

[gracecarmo]

your info is exactly what I need. Thanks so much for responding. We will probably go with one of the guided tours.

[PA Blonde]

So glad to find a "native" to answer my questions.. On the last Monday in September we want to see Touro Synagogue and probably only tour one mansion - Breakers or Marble House. Walking is slow - and steps are a problem. How far apart are these areas from the dock?? and from each other??

Edited July 30, 2010 by PABLONDE

[SailBadtheSinner]

The general rule is, if you only can do one mansion then it should be the Breakers. The exception would be if you had previously toured the Breakers, then do Marble House.

 

Touro Synagogue is in walking distance from the tender dock. A distance of about +.3 miles, part way uphill, but not steep.

 

The Breakers is 2.1 miles from the tender dock. I would suggest a city bus or taxi. There is a bus stop almost in front of the Breakers. The distance from Touro Synagogue to the Breakers is about 1.9 miles.

 

To avoid the congestion on the street near the tender dock, it is best to walk one block north on America's Cup Ave to the Newport Visitors Center and catch the bus or hire a taxi there. You would take a route #67 bus (yellow line) to go to and return from the Breakers.

 

There is the schedule, route map, and fare info here: http://www.ripta.com/schedules/view.php If you look at the outbound route map at the link I provided, you will see that the outbound route only includes Touro St on which Touro Synagogue is located; the inbound route does not.

 

What you could do is take the bus (route #67) to the Touro Synagogue and then when done there, board the route #67 bus again and ride it to the Breakers. I believe there is a available a one day bus pass.

 

Just a note here, that when you are at the Touro Synagogue, you are just 2 blocks from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 70 Church St. This is the church where Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and John F. Kennedy were married. Worth a visit maybe?

 

 

SBtS

 

[PA Blonde]

The general rule is, if you only can do one mansion then it should be the Breakers. The exception would be if you had previously toured the Breakers, then do Marble House.

 

Touro Synagogue is in walking distance from the tender dock. A distance of about +.3 miles, part way uphill, but not steep.

 

The Breakers is 2.1 miles from the tender dock. I would suggest a city bus or taxi. There is a bus stop almost in front of the Breakers. The distance from Touro Synagogue to the Breakers is about 1.9 miles.

 

To avoid the congestion on the street near the tender dock, it is best to walk one block north on America's Cup Ave to the Newport Visitors Center and catch the bus or hire a taxi there. You would take a route #67 bus (yellow line) to go to and return from the Breakers.

 

There is the schedule, route map, and fare info here: http://www.ripta.com/schedules/view.php If you look at the outbound route map at the link I provided, you will see that the outbound route only includes Touro St on which Touro Synagogue is located; the inbound route does not.

 

What you could do is take the bus (route #67) to the Touro Synagogue and then when done there, board the route #67 bus again and ride it to the Breakers. I believe there is a available a one day bus pass.

 

Just a note here, that when you are at the Touro Synagogue, you are just 2 blocks from St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 70 Church St. This is the church where Jacqueline Lee Bouvier and John F. Kennedy were married. Worth a visit maybe?

 

 

SBtS

 

Thank you! thank you! This is just the advice we needed - and I think we'll have a nice (and still realxing) day in Newport!

[calbar]

thx for the info i'll be there in september and wanted to see a mansion,my sis and i are seniors on a very fixed income and have to be frugal on tours we do try to explore every port tho LOL,really appreciate everyones in-put

[catergirl]

which 2nd mansion would you recommend/chose? elms? marble? i know its an opinion, thats why i ask! thanks martha

[SailBadtheSinner]

My second choice would be Doris Duke's Mansion at Rough Point - http://www.newportrestoration.org/visit/rough_point/

 

The only downside is that it is the furthest mansion away from both the Breakers (1.3 miles) and the tender dock (2.6 miles). The mansion is located at the south end of Bellevue Ave.

 

I am not 100% sure on this but DD's mansion's bus stop may be on a seasonal schedule and would require a little more walking, about .2 - .3 miles.

 

 

SBtS