Newport RI

[MyKoko10]

Has anyone taken tours of the mansion's without using the ship excursions?  What else is there to see?

[TMLAalum]

Try the coastal path.

We toured the mansions on a land trip:

Home | Newport Mansions

Some of the less opulent mansions may have less crowds than those on the ship tour, and are worth touring.

This website should help you decide if you can DIY:

Newport Rhode Island USA Cruise Port (whatsinport.com)

[princeton123211]

On 1/27/2024 at 4:12 PM, MyKoko10 said:

 

Has anyone taken tours of the mansion's without using the ship excursions?  What else is there to see?

 

Super easy to do on your own- zero reason to use a ships excursion in Newport unless you have onboard credit you are trying to burn. 
 

You can purchase tickets for most mansions through this website: https://www.newportmansions.org. The Breakers (the largest and lost popular) is a separate ticket or you can buy a ticket that provides access to it and another mansion of your choosing. Unless you are infatuated with this time period I would suggest really only doing one other one than The Breakers for a quick one day visit. To purchase tickets for Doris Duke’s Rough Point mansion there is separate ticketing through a different preservation organization. 
 

You can walk to Bellevue Ave and the mansions but it’s a hike- The Breakers is about a 45 min walk from where the tenders drop you off. You could walk there (and see things along the way) and take an easy Uber back. 
 

Plenty to see and do downtown along the water- lots of restaurants, bars, and shops either before or after touring.

[Nitemare]

You can walk, uber, or bus to whichever mansion(s) you want to visit.

[80sGal]

Reviving this thread!  Although I know there are no guarantees of weather -- is it still generally warm enough to do the long walk to the mansions in mid-October or has it become chilly and unpleasant by then?  (Temp tolerance varies based on what one is accustomed to ...  Kentucky gal here).   TIA!

[ms sjsky]

4 hours ago, 80sGal said:

Reviving this thread!  Although I know there are no guarantees of weather -- is it still generally warm enough to do the long walk to the mansions in mid-October or has it become chilly and unpleasant by then?  (Temp tolerance varies based on what one is accustomed to ...  Kentucky gal here).   TIA!

We did the walk last October, I think it was the third week.  Wore a jacket and had it off and tied around my waist on the walk back! Temp was in the low 50s when we started and 60s when we ended! Wear layers and bring a backpack!

[princeton123211]

5 hours ago, 80sGal said:

Although I know there are no guarantees of weather -- is it still generally warm enough to do the long walk to the mansions in mid-October or has it become chilly and unpleasant by then?  (Temp tolerance varies based on what one is accustomed to ...  Kentucky gal here).

From Kentucky you'll be fine-- usually it's a nice crisp Fall day by that time. 

[Mangrove Snapper]

5 hours ago, 80sGal said:

Reviving this thread!  Although I know there are no guarantees of weather -- is it still generally warm enough to do the long walk to the mansions in mid-October or has it become chilly and unpleasant by then?  (Temp tolerance varies based on what one is accustomed to ...  Kentucky gal here).   TIA!

 

We were there last year on 10/8.  The early morning was chilly due to the wind.  We did a sightseeing tour which started with a boat ride and that's where the wind was most noticeable.  But it warmed up significantly by lunch and it was great weather for walking around.  I'd also recommend layers. 

[slidemaster5]

FYI - I posted these comments this week for a Princess roll call for September 2024. I currently live in RI. Replace the below weather comment with: October - High will be in the 60s early part of the month dropping to high 50s by month end. Nights 10-15 degrees cooler. In the fall the weather changes often and gets influenced by the wind direction - warmer if the wind blows from the land, cooler if the wind is blowing from the sea. 

 

Newport

 

In General

Climate/crowds: Labor Day weekend expect 75-80 degrees weather. Don't be surprised if it is humid since we do have hot humid summers here but usually cooler on the water. Expect crowds if the weather is nice since this is the traditional end of tourist season so the streets will be crowded by late morning. (Locals often avoid this weekend since parking gets difficult - obviously not a cruiser issue.) Newport is probably the OG of seaside towns and has a feel similar to Charleston, SC or Savannah, GA. 

 

Downtown

Most of the shops and restaurants are clustered in the downtown area which consist of America's Cup Avenue and Thames Street which run parallel along the Bay. America's Cup is along the Bay and Thames Street is just east of it a block away. My understanding is that tenders drop off at Perrotti Park which is on America's Cup Avenue. Shops and restaurants start at Perrotti Park on America's Cup and go about a half mile or so southward. Thames Street shops and restaurants start about a 1/4-mile further north. 

 

Restaurants

For the locals (Rhode Islanders) Newport is very popular year-round. The wife and I have two favorites we take people to: Brick Alley Pub on Thames Street which has the pub and tavern feel and The Mooring which is seafood (has meat options). The Mooring has great views if you get an outside table since it overlooks the Bay, and you are in the midst of a wharf / boat slips. Brick Alley is a 5-minute walk (.2 mile) east from Perrotti Park and The Mooring is a 7-minute walk (.3 mile) south down America's Cup. There are plenty good restaurants around. I strongly suggest making reservations no matter where you plan on going. Make them at least a few weeks out. As a point of reference, I tried to walk into Brick Alley on a weekday in the summer and there was a 1 hour wait for lunch.

 

Excursions

One word - yikes! The last excursion listed (Newport Scenic Schooner Cruise) is a great example. I took family last June on the same schooner and it is $45 a ticket. They want $129. You can actually book the same time they are showing and save yourself $84 per person and still have the safe return guarantee, LOL.  Mansion tickets run $25, $38, $46 for one, two, or three mansions respectively if you want to compare. Now, you would have to uber/taxi to avoid the walk (about 45 minutes) but you get the point. 

 

Points of Interest

Various boat rides (as discussed above) are generally from Bowens Wharf is about 5-minute walk from Perrotti Park down America's Cup.

 

Mansions - if you do one, I suggest the biggest and most famous - The Breakers. Marble House or Rosecliff are also good options. (I haven't been to Rosecliff and may go this summer. This mansion is the most "filmed" - True Lies/The Great Gatsby(1974)/Heaven's Gate/Amistad.) 

 

If you are into cultural or are of the Jewish faith, Touro Synagogue is the oldest surviving synagogue in the country. (5-10 minute walk from drop off).

 

If you like sports - the International Tennis Hall of Fame is there. (20-minute walk from drop off point)

 

The Cliff Walk which runs a total of 3.5 miles is scenic. The easier (flat sidewalk part) is the first mile or so and wraps around the Breakers. Some points literally require rock hopping so that is not for the casual walker. If you want to walk the flat part have them take you to the end of Narragansett Avenue which dead ends at the ocean. Uber/taxi since it is a 45 minute walk from Perrotti Park.