Newport, Ri -- What's To Do Without Taking A Ship's Tour

[Maraprince]

Anyone have some suggestions on what to do in Newport,RI without taking a ship's tour?

 

What is available in the way of local transportation or tours?

 

We will arrive in Newport on 10/24/07 around 8AM but will have to tender in and back.

 

Thanks.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[SailBadtheSinner]

Anyone have some suggestions on what to do in Newport,RI without taking a ship's tour?

 

I would suggest doing some research here: http://www.captainvic.com/top100/capvt100.htm

 

Pick & choose what interests you; make sure to read the guides on the left side of the page.

 

Here are some random suggestions:

• Visit the oldest Synagogue in North America ... Touro Synagogue ;
  
• Do Ciff Walk.......... http://www.cliffwalk.com/
  
• Visit some Manisons........... http://www.newportmansions.org/
  
• Visit the Tennis Hall of Fame........ http://www.newportmansions.org/
  
• Stop by the International Yacht Restoration School .......... http://www.iyrs.org/
  
• Walk the Newport waterfront & then shop on Thames St.

What is available in the way of local transportation or tours?

 

Here is a bus schedule; a bus #67 will get you to some of the destinations listed above; the others are within walking distance................

http://www.ripta.com/schedules/view.php

 

Tours.................. http://www.vikingtoursnewport.com/index.htm

 

 

Enjoy your cruise & Newport.

 

 

SBtS

[jckvpa0]

I had a summer home 15 min from there and love New Port !

 

It depends on what your in the mood for and just where is this port in you cruise ? Like another poster already posted there are many things to do in New Port. Me personally, I would let the masses get off the ship then stroll off and just walk around town and grab a nice leisurely lunch!

[Maraprince]

It is our first stop! We get on in Cape Liberty NJ on 10/23 and arrive in Newport on 10/24.

 

I like the idea of doing a leisurely stroll around the town. I have been here before and the one thing I hated was the tender ride to and from. Once we were in town, it was fine. Can't see myself rushing to take an 8:30 AM tour when the ship anchors 8AM!

 

It the Cliff Walk easy to get to from where the ship's dock in town or do we need to take a bus to get there?

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[Maraprince]

Forgot to ask...will many of the shops be open in the area since it is past the summer season?

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[jckvpa0]

The Cliff walk is to far to walk from downtown. There is a great old Mansion that is also a hotel on the walk that would be great to take a taxi and have a drinks and lunch. The view of the water is breathing. Have watched the tall ships from and here when I was younger. As a matter of fact my two sitters were waitresses here when they were teens. So give you the name already, I would if I could remember it, I've been wracking my brain to try to remember. I do a search and get back to you.

 

There are many shops open all year long in Newport.

[jckvpa0]

Ok I knew Cliff was in the was in name somewhere, actually the name was changed a few years ago. Here is link to their website, I would call and see if they are open when your in port.

 

http://www.newportexperience.com/oceancliff.htm

[willysgrandma]

Are there any car rental places near the pier?

[Martita B.]

Thank you soooo much for the "Ocean Cliff Hotel" suggestion as to luncheon. I'll be in Newport on Oct. 20th-a Sat. and will plan to have lunch there!

Also do a 'lit "stroll a'round" downtown Newport. I've been to the Mansion's and loved seeing them, but this time in port, we'll plan something different.

Thanks again!

Martita B.

[SailBadtheSinner]

The Cliff walk is too far to walk from downtown…….

 

I don’t completely agree with that: I have the distance at approx. 1.75 miles, part of the way to uphill. So depending on how young your legs are, it is doable but very dependent on what your other plans are.

 

You could always take a bus #67 (Bellevue / Salve Regina University) which will get almost there and you could enter CW at another entry point (but not the start). Since you would be going away from the tender dock if you walk south on CW, you should plan on taking the same # bus back.

 

 

Ok I knew Cliff was in the was in name somewhere, actually the name was changed a few years ago. Here is link to their website, I would call and see if they are open when your in port.

 

http://www.newportexperience.com/oceancliff.htm

.........................................

Thank you soooo much for the "Ocean Cliff Hotel" suggestion as to luncheon. I'll be in Newport on Oct. 20th-a Sat. and will plan to have lunch there!

 

The Ocean Cliff Hotel is not on CW but past Fort Adams state park on Ridge Road on the way to Brenton Point Park and is not walkable from the tender dock. You will need a taxi to get there & back

 

 

Are there any car rental places near the pier?

 

There is a Hertz Rent a Car @ 105 Broadway, Newport phone (401) 846-1645 or (401) 846-7439. Maybe you can arrange a pickup.

 

BTW, the tenders don’t deliver you to a pier; but floating docks which can hold about 4 tenders. You walk up a ramp to a small parklike area which borders America Cup Blvd.

 

 

………..Can't see myself rushing to take an 8:30 AM tour when the ship anchors 8AM!

 

It the Cliff Walk easy to get to from where the ship's dock in town or do we need to take a bus to get there?

 

You can take the same local bus to the Breakers or CW; you can get off the cruise ship at your leisure. You take the outbound #67 (Bellevue / Salve Regina University) bus for either. SRU & the Breakers are neighbors and both abut CW.

 

 

 

SBtS

[jckvpa0]

The Cliff walk is too far to walk from downtown…….

 

I don’t completely agree with that: I have the distance at approx. 1.75 miles, part of the way to uphill. So depending on how young your legs are, it is doable but very dependent on what your other plans are.

 

You could always take a bus #67 (Bellevue / Salve Regina University) which will get almost there and you could enter CW at another entry point (but not the start). Since you would be going away from the tender dock if you walk south on CW, you should plan on taking the same # bus back.

 

 

Ok I knew Cliff was in the was in name somewhere, actually the name was changed a few years ago. Here is link to their website, I would call and see if they are open when your in port.

 

http://www.newportexperience.com/oceancliff.htm

.........................................

Thank you soooo much for the "Ocean Cliff Hotel" suggestion as to luncheon. I'll be in Newport on Oct. 20th-a Sat. and will plan to have lunch there!

 

The Ocean Cliff Hotel is not on CW but past Fort Adams state park on Ridge Road on the way to Brenton Point Park and is not walkable from the tender dock. You will need a taxi to get there & back

 

 

Are there any car rental places near the pier?

 

There is a Hertz Rent a Car @ 105 Broadway, Newport phone (401) 846-1645 or (401) 846-7439. Maybe you can arrange a pickup.

 

BTW, the tenders don’t deliver you to a pier; but floating docks which can hold about 4 tenders. You walk up a ramp to a small parklike area which borders America Cup Blvd.

 

 

………..Can't see myself rushing to take an 8:30 AM tour when the ship anchors 8AM!

 

It the Cliff Walk easy to get to from where the ship's dock in town or do we need to take a bus to get there?

 

You can take the same local bus to the Breakers or CW; you can get off the cruise ship at your leisure. You take the outbound #67 (Bellevue / Salve Regina University) bus for either. SRU & the Breakers are neighbors and both abut CW.

 

 

 

SBtS

 

 

This post so confused me, who was answering who ?

 

Anyway I would not suggest walking to the Cliff House, it is a bit of a hike and the roads are very narrow with many curves.

 

I called the Ocean Cliff House and they said it will be open for lunch through Oct., It is so worth the cab fare to go there for lunch !

 

Here is the address and phone number if anyone is interested.

 

Ocean Cliff House

65 Ridge Road

Newport, R. I.

 

401-841-8868

[SailBadtheSinner]

Since my post, #10, seems to be your source of confusion, I'll explain.

 

Anything that is in italics in my post #10, the original not the one you copied into your post, is either a question or an opinion from another poster. All of the questions/opinions were from previous posts in this thread.

The first is from post #6, starting with "The Cliff Walk";

The second from posts #7 & #9, starting with "Ok I knew" & "Thank you soooo";

The third from post #8, starting with "Are there any car";

The fourth from post #4, starting with "Can't see myself".

 

I placed my answer/advice/opinion immediately following the question/opinion and my answer/advice/opinion is NOT in italics.

 

Sorry for the confusion that was not my intention:(.

 

 

 

SBtS

[elaineb]

I posted this to a similar thread above:

If you like tennis, the Tennis Hall of Fame is amazing and you can get transportation from the Gateway Visitors Center. From Gateway Parking, take RIPTA trolley #67 (yellow line) to the front door of the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The trolley runs every 20 minutes.

You can walk to the Gateway Visitors Center - many other tours leave from there for the mansions, etc. It will be on the same side as the dock. Facing the town from the dock, walk to your left a couple of blocks. You can't miss it - its very big with many buses parked on the side. Here is the page with the tours - many, many choices:

http://www.gonewport.com/nav.aspx?id=151

 

Here is main Newport tourism website:

//www.gonewport.com/contact/contact1.htm

 

If you like sailing, you could arrange in advance for a sail - they leave from Bowen's wharf. We have been on both the Madeleine and with Sightsailing:

http://www.gonewport.com/nav.aspx?id=198

 

If you are a nature buff, you could rent a car, buy a picnic lunch (Panera's is right across the street from the dock) and drive across the Newport Bridge to Beavertail State Park in Jamestown. It is a beautiful park on a rocky peninsula with views of Newport and the Narragansett Bay. My favorite place in RI.

Enjoy your visit to Newport - I know you will love it!

[poorsusan]

Or get the picnic lunch and rent a car and go to Brenton Point - MY favorite place in Rhode Island!! :p

[elaineb]

Susan - Yeah, love Brenton Point, too, especially at sunset!:)

[poorsusan]

(My avatar is Goat Island at sunset.)

[floatinrocks]

(My avatar is Goat Island at sunset.)

 

 

Your name (or whatever it's called) makes me so sad. Why poorsusan? Can you change it to something happy and positive? NOMB I know, just sayin'. Thanks for the tip.

[rman738]

Check with the car rental agency (Hertz) in Newport. I believe they are only open from 8 am until noon. One of their disclosures said that a renter would be responsible for payment until the next day for a vehicle. Again, you may wish to call them up regarding this.

[Rick02809]

There is another thread on Newport here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1073094

[amazinglife]

great info on Newport

[love2cruisegal]

Anyone have some suggestions on what to do in Newport,RI without taking a ship's tour?

 

What is available in the way of local transportation or tours?

 

We will arrive in Newport on 10/24/07 around 8AM but will have to tender in and back.

 

Thanks.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

 

After reading many posts in the past month or so, we will be on the Sept. 29 sailing and have already planned to visit the Breakers mansion and then walk to Cliff Walk. We will take the #67 bus which stops in front of the Breakers and after touring the mansion we wlll walk part of the Cliff Walk and take the #67 bus back to town. (You can google cliff walk and will see pics and also map of the walk.) This is the exact same suggestion as Sailbad above recommends. We will walk around town when we return. Looking forward to the walk as the pics look beautiful.

[elaineb]

After reading many posts in the past month or so, we will be on the Sept. 29 sailing and have already planned to visit the Breakers mansion and then walk to Cliff Walk. We will take the #67 bus which stops in front of the Breakers and after touring the mansion we wlll walk part of the Cliff Walk and take the #67 bus back to town. (You can google cliff walk and will see pics and also map of the walk.) This is the exact same suggestion as Sailbad above recommends. We will walk around town when we return. Looking forward to the walk as the pics look beautiful.

 

The cliff walk is amazing. Just a word of caution - be very, very careful on it, especially if it is wet. There are some hairy sections. Just be attentive and enjoy.

[mare73]

We were in Newport for the day in August and didn't want to do a ship excursion. Once we left Boston, we were told that our day in Newport was being extended by (I think) 3 hours. We had tender tickets for group 5 or 6. Once off the tender, we walked over to the Visitor Center and bought a ticket for the 3pm trolley tour with Viking Tours (earlier tours were sold out).

 

We then walked down Thames St. to Thames Glass and did some glass-blowing, making our own christmas ornaments. (we had a 1:30 appt.)

 

We then walked back to the Visitor Center to get on the trolley. It was a nice tour of Newport (note - this is not a hop on/hip off trolley).

 

When we were done with the trolley tour, we stopped for a bite to eat at Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant before heading back to get in line for the tender boats.

 

It was a nice day for us. We did stop in to a few stores on our walk up and down Thames St.

 

Enjoy your visit!

[emcee207]

Go to The Tennis Hall of Fame, then have lunch outside at "La Forge" over looking center court, grass. Gorgeous!

[marco]

If you are a "walker" Cliffwalk is not an unreasonable distance from where the tenders will discharge passengers. We have walked it several times. Make more a a "stroll" than a walk as there are some great sites along the way. The walk itself "Cliffwalk" will bring you along the ocean side of several mansions and it is quite lovely. Here and there, there are some steps to negotiate and some of them are not really "steps" but actually stones. However, you don't have to walk the entire walk and can turn off (or around). Cliff House, on the other hand, is quite a ways from where the tender pier is and not walkable.