Find great and fun things to do in Newport Rhode Island

Rhode Island > Newport > Things to Do and See > 60 Great Things to Do in Rhode Island

The pleasures of a visit to Newport are many and widely known. From its stunning harbor to gilded mansions, you’ll also find the International Tennis Hall of Fame, music fests, great dining and lodging and places to relax body and soul . Visit one of New England’s most popular vineyards, historic lighthouses, landmarks and homes and a revolutionary fort. Stroll Cliff Walk and romantic gardens, cruise the harbor and enjoy great places to swim, bike, experience wildlife and Newport’s provocative colonial history.

Save The Bay

Multiple Centers & Dock Locations Providence, Newport, Westerly, RI and Fall River, MA Phone: 401-272-3540

Explore Narragansett Bay through tours and interactive marine science center exhibits

Get to know Narragansett Bay up close and personal through activities and tours at Save The Bay. The nonprofit organization’s goal is to connect the community, year-round, to the bay. Take a daylong lighthouse tour and motor by up to 20 active and inactive lighthouse sites, stopping for lunch and exploration around Rose Island. Go on a tour to observe migratory harbor seals or on a 90-minute scenic ride down the Pawcatuck River into the bay for foliage and seal views. At the Exploration Center and Aquarium in Newport, an educational and engaging marine science center, visitors interact with three touch tanks and dozens of exhibits to learn about the skates, dogfish sharks, urchins, seahorses, turtles, crabs and lobsters that call Rhode Island home.
Boat tours depart from Newport, Westerly, and Providence RI.

Newport Vineyards

909 East Main Road (Route 138) Middletown, RI, 02842 Phone: 401-848-5161

Glasses of wine, pints of beer, full menu, amazing views: all the makings of a great day

There’s plenty to do at the Newport Vineyards these days – and all of it is enjoyable. It might start with your selection of a perfect cabernet, chardonnay or pinot grigio to sip indoors or outdoors while you admire the vineyard’s sweeping vistas. Or you might wander into the beer side of things with a flight of fresh brews from the Taproot Brewery, where you can also order off a full menu of shareable noshes, entrees and desserts. The award-winning vineyard also offers private winery tours and tastings and a full schedule of special events, from live music to days that feature specialty sliders on the menu. And, there’s a retail shop selling wine, beer, home goods and branded merchandise.

Rough Point

680 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-847-8344

Walk through this mansion and experience the eclectic collection of its last owner, Doris Duke

Built as a "summer cottage" for Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt in 1891, Rough Point Museum today tells the story of the life and legacy of its most recent owner - heiress, collector, and philanthropist Doris Duke. Walk from room to room, from the solarium featuring breathtaking ocean views, to the Kitchen with a deluxe 1920s cigar case and marvel in between at the eclectic collection. There are sumptuous Flemish tapestries, gilded French furnishings, vibrant Chinese export ceramics, stately portraits, and more objects that reflect the wide-ranging tastes of their collector.
Open seasonally March-early January - Gor information about operating hours please check the Rough Point website.

Fun Browsing & Shopping With The Lady

The Lady Next Door a vintage clothing and collectibles store on Water Street in Warren, is a condensed marketplace of the best and most interesting stuff from estate sales, flea markets, and thrift stores. Founded by a former prop master and set decorator for Trinity Rep theater group, the store, under newer ownership, offers delightful millinery, clothing, pottery, linen, toys and many other items. Fun browsing.

Newport, Rhode Island - A Year Round Destination!

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America's First Synagogue

Touro Synagogue, at 85 Touro Street in Newport, Rhode Island, built in 1759, is the first synagogue in America. Visitors of all religious and cultural backgrounds are captivated by the rich history on display at this National Historic Site. Thirty-minute tours of the building are available at times when services are not taking place, making this an interesting and fun thing to do on your Newport vacation. The stunning design of the architecture is fitting to the rest of Newport’s classic New England look. Visit the “Old Jewish Synagogue” and discover the history of this historic place. Tours are available July- September. 401-847-4794.

Get to Know Newport by Touring Local Restaurants

One of the most pleasurable ways to explorea new place is through its food. The Newport Foodies Stroll welcomes guests to this charming Colonial-era city by guiding them through a walk with stops at classic and well-loved dining spots. In less than 2 miles, guests will stop in at five locally owned restaurants near Lower Thames Street. The tour runs rain or shine May 1- October 30 on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Tours begin at 11:30 a.m. and noon and last 2.5 to 3 hours. These have become so popular a winter stroll has been added. Details at the stroll website.

goat hikes at simmons farm in midletown ri

You and a Goat, With a Leash in the Middle

You and a Goat, With a Leash in the Middle Simmons Farm at 1942 West Main Road in Middletown is happy to share it goats, pastures and fields, and views by offering goat hikes for the public. Admission of $10-$40 is all it takes to acquire a goat to walk on a leash. Bring one or two kids age 9 or younger. Farmer Karla leads the hikes, which include views of Narragansett Bay at the top of the farm, a busy brook and open pastures. Greet the pigs and Galloway cows. Dress in layers with comfortable shoes. The hike ends at the farm stand with a warm cup of hot chocolate. Choose your date and time.

Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown - Great Things To Do

Immerse Yourself in Bird Life at Sachuest Point

At 240 acres, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown is important stopover and wintering area for migratory birds. Nature- and bird lovers know this rocky peninsula as the place to see colorful harlequin ducks, loons, eiders, gannets, and, in winter, snowy owls. A walk on the three miles of trails around Sachuest Point reveals several habitats, including salt marshlands and steep rocky shorelines around the perimeter. Elevated observation platforms along the trails provide unobstructed views. The visitor center is an ideal way to begin or end a trail walk; creative exhibits tell you all about the land and creatures you will be traversing. You can get a permit for nighttime fishing. - Trail map - Brochure

State

Blackstone Valley

Block Island

Providence Warwick

South County