Newport is built around two very different things: the Gilded Age mansions along Bellevue Avenue and the harbor town itself, with its sailing history and shops along Thames Street. A day trip usually means choosing one or two mansions rather than all of them, since each tour takes real time. The Cliff Walk ties the mansion district to the ocean and is the part most visitors remember.
| Distance | 80 miles from Hartford; 90 miles from New Haven |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 1.5-2 hours by car from Hartford or New Haven |
| Getting there | Car required (no convenient direct public transit from Connecticut); take I-95 north to Route 138 east across the Newport Bridge; parking in Newport: $3-5/hour downtown |
| Address | Visitor Center, 23 America's Cup Ave, Newport, RI 02840 |
How to get there
- Car via I-95 north (recommended)
- Limited bus connections via Peter Pan Bus
Location
Visitor Center, 23 America's Cup Ave, Newport, RI 02840
41.4901, -71.3128 View on map
Highlights
- The Breakers - the largest of the Newport mansions, built for the Vanderbilt family, and the one most people tour first
- The Cliff Walk - a 3.5-mile public path along the shoreline behind the mansions, with ocean views the whole way
- Thames Street - the main commercial street in downtown Newport, lined with shops and restaurants near the harbor
- Fort Adams State Park - a coastal fort you can walk around, with open lawns looking back toward the harbor
- International Tennis Hall of Fame - housed in the former Newport Casino building, relevant if tennis history interests you