We booked a long weekend in Newport, Rhode Island a few months back to celebrate our babymoon! I wanted to squeeze in one more adult getaway before Baby #3 joins our crew. We planned the trip with our good friends who are also expecting a baby a few weeks after us. Newport is such a perfect getaway – it’s about an 1.5 hours from where we live in Connecticut and there is so much to see & do. There are great restaurants, shops, and beautiful scenery. I couldn’t have been more excited to have a little adult time away!
Friday Itinerary
We dropped the kids off in the morning at school and planned to get to Newport for lunch time. There is something so calming about driving over the Newport bridge gazing out at the boats on both sides. It immediately starts to feel like vacation!
We drove to downtown Newport heading down Thames Street toward Bowen’s Wharf. Rob has an electric car (a Tesla – which he is obsessed with! If you ever want more information on what he calls the “greatest car on earth”, reach out!), so we were able to find free parking off of Thames Street at an electric charger. It’s a win-win, the car gets charged for free and parking is free. There are limited spots available, but another option is the Marriott, which has reduced fees as well for electric vehicles. There are also tons of random parking lots in this area.
We parked and walked to the Bowen’s Wharf area and put in our names for lunch at Clarke Cooke House. Clarke Cooke House is such an iconic Newport staple. It gives you all the classic New England vibes. We met our friends for lunch and sat downstairs looking out the open air windows. It was the perfect start to our Newport weekend! After lunch, we grabbed some lemonade at the downtown Newport Lemonade stand and checked out all the shops in the area. A couple favorites in that area are Monelle, Kiel James Patrick, The Narragansett, and Saltwater Living. I grabbed a pretty white bracelet from Saltwater Living and Rob picked up some Riomar loafers at The Narraganset.
After freshening up and relaxing at our B&B, we headed out for dinner at Thames Street Kitchen. We got reservations on the patio and dined on small dishes. The food was really really good – fresh and unique! After dinner, we grabbed ice cream cones from Kilwin’s and sat on the couches at Hammet’s Wharf overlooking the water. The sun was just going down and it was the perfect spot to wind down the night.
Saturday Itinerary
After a light breakfast and a coffee from the Nitro Bar (loved their iced vanilla latte! so good!), we headed to Bellevue avenue to see some of the famous Newport Mansions. We decided to choose two to go see – The Marble House and Chateau-sur-Mer. The Marble House was beautiful with the hydrangea lined entry and marble details throughout. There is an audio tour that can be downloaded for free on your phone prior to visiting to learn more about the history of the home. After Marble House, we headed to Chateau-sur-Mer, which was a bit underwhelming after seeing the Marble House. There was also no audio tour so we walked through pretty quickly. On prior trips, we’ve visited some of my favorites – the largest of the mansions, The Breakers and RoseCliff.
After touring the mansions, we drove the scenic route along Ocean Drive to Castle Hill Inn for lunch. We didn’t have reservations so we grabbed seats at the Terrace Bar and Rob & I split the hamburger and fish tacos. Both amazing! After lunch, we grabbed drinks (mocktail for me) and lounged on the adirondack chairs on the Lawn. The views are incredible- the Lawn faces the water and there are sailboats passing by. The Castle Hill Inn definitely exceeds my expectations every time. It’s a must visit!
Later that evening, we had reservations at Restaurant Bouchard for a 5-course tasting menu. Restaurant Bouchard is a French restaurant with incredible food. We had a long leisurely meal (about 3 hours) dining on amazing eats. This is the type of dinner that you would not do with the kiddos! The restaurant comes highly recommended and I can see why!
Sunday Itinerary
On Sunday, we did some more shopping on Swinburne Row and Thames, stopping into Vineyard Vines and the Shore Soap Co. The Shore Soap Co. has some beautifully scented products. I got the Boardwalk Candle, bath bombs for the girls (in the scent Mermaid Kisses), Endless summer soap and net scrub, and a solid fragrance in warm sand. The warm sand scent literally smells like a day at the beach. It makes me incredibly happy! After shopping, we grabbed lunch at the Black Pearl by the water. We ordered lobster rolls (from Black Pearl’s lobster shack) and a virgin bloody mary. It was such a good ending to our weekend away!
Other Newport Favorites:
The Cliff Walk – The Cliff Walk is a 3.5 mile public access walk along the Newport coast. You walk past the back of all the mansions and it’s a fun way to spend a morning or afternoon.
Goat Island – The Gurney’s hotel is located on Goat Island, along with the Newport Harbor Lighthouse. I have this hotel on my list to stay at next time we go!
Boat Rides – There are a number of options to take boats out from Bowen’s Wharf, including the Schooner and the Madeleine. There are group rides and private options as well.
Restaurants – Other favorites and places that are recommended are The Mooring, Cru (for breakfast), 22 Bowen’s, Scarpetta Newport (on Goat Island), the Lobster Bar (for a casual lunch), and Scales and Shells. There’s really so many delicious spots depending on what you are in the mood for!
