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

Hands-on fun on beautiful Narragansett Bay

Narragansett Bay is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth and Save The Bay connects you to it with hands-on and on-the-water experiences for families, groups, students and schools. Enjoy 360° views of harbor seals on winter Seal Tours. Get up close with hundreds of Bay critters year-round at the Exploration Center & Aquarium in Newport. Take in the beauty and history of Narragansett Bay on summer and fall Lighthouse Cruises. Enroll in week-long summer BayCamps that give K-12 students the perfect mix of fun and marine science education. Join Save The Bay in protecting and improving Narragansett Bay, keeping it swimable, fishable and accessible to everyone.
Boat tours depart from Newport, Westerly, and Providence RI.

Rough Point

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

An Heiress’s mansion is her gift to the public

The oceanfront estate of heiress Doris Duke was built by Frederick Vanderbilt in 1887 with the grounds landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead’s’ firm in 1890. It was then the largest summer house in Newport. In 1922, James B. Duke purchased the house then left it to his 12 year-old daughter upon his death. Upon her death in 1993, Doris bequeathed the estate to the Newport Restoration Foundation, which opened the estate as a museum in 2000. The house is decorated with French furniture, European art, Chinese porcelains, and Flemish tapestries. Open seasonally April – November. Check website for tour times and events,

Newport Vineyards

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

Raise a glass, have a laugh, enjoy the view

More than a place about wine, for more than 20 years Newport Vineyards continues its traditions of outstanding wines with daily tours and tastings, and adds Brix Restaurant, Taproot Brewing Co., The Marketplace, Tasting Room and Tank Room, and an expanded venue for public and private events. The vineyard is the largest grower of wine grapes in New England producing and bottling over 30,000 cases of estate-grown wine each year through sustainable farming methods on nearly 100-acres of historically preserved farmland. The region’s leading agritourism destination, the vineyards are alive with seasonal activities including music, comedy, annual festivals and celebrations of every kind.

Naval War College Museum

686 Cushing Road Newport, RI, 02841 Phone: 401-841-4052

See & learn the Navy’s role in New England, and in history

Want to learn about naval activities in the Narragansett Bay area in colonial times? Or how the science of naval warfare has changed from the time of the Greeks and Romans through the Civil War, both World Wars to today? Then head to the Naval War College Museum, free and open to the public, where naval battles and strategies come to life via changing art collections, exhibits and documents. Starting Dec. 14, learn about the Navy’s role in World War I from the new exhibit, “To Win or Lose All: William S. Sims and the U.S. Navy in the First World War.”
Year round hours: Monday -Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed weekends & federal holidays. Reservations required in advance for those without base access.

Newport, Rhode Island - A Year Round Destination!

Block Island Ferry - 866.783.7996 - Click Here to Sail Away!

What's Old Is New Again

Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and built in the 1890s for Alva Vanderbilt, Belcourt at 657 Bellevue Avenue in Newport is an ornate tableau reflecting the Palace of Versailles in France up to the Freemasons of America. Under new ownership, the mansion is undergoing a major renovation enabled by modern technology. By rerviewing historic photographs and using reclaimed materials, a group of experts is bringing Belcourt back to life, and he public can join guided tours to see the reclamation work as it moves forward. Tours are 45-50 minutes, followed by a 15 minute Q&A session.

Pedal the Rails with Rail Explorers USA

Personal train travel is so last century, it seems. Amtrak aside, lots of train tracks are being torn up to make biking and hiking trails. But here's an exception. Rail Explorers USA offers, for your exercise and outdoor fun, the “rail explorer.” It is a comfortable, pedal-powered vehicle with steel wheels, hydraulic disc brakes, pedals for each seat – and it rides on railroad tracks. You can enjoy a scenic ride along Aquidneck Island and aside beautiful Narragansett Bay with Rail Explorers USA. All trips depart from 1 Alexander Road in Portsmouth. 877-833-8588

Cruise Into Lighthouse’s History

At Rose Island Lighthouse, set on an island in Narragansett Bay just outside Newport Harbor, visitors may tour during the day and learn about the lives of lighthouse keepers’ families. Built in 1869, it is a working lighthouse just minutes away from the quaint colonial town of Newport. The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation offers private harbor and lighthouse tours aboard its boat, Starfish. The 90-minute tour takes visitors around Newport Harbor to Rose Island for a guided tour of the lighthouse. $175 by reservation only. Weather permitting and some restrictions apply. Tours are offered May through October. 401-847-4242.

Easton’s Beach Is Primo for Families

There is plenty to do on the streets and wharves of Newport, but when you are ready for a full-on beach day, join the Newport people at their favorite place, Easton’s Beach, also known a First Beach by local people, on 175 Memorial Blvd. This three-quarter-mile-long sand beach starts at the entrance to Cliff Walk, sweeping below the gaze of the elegant Chandler at Cliff Walk. Besides sun, sand, and surf, visitors to Easton’s Beach can enjoy 1950's-era carousel, a nature center run by Save the Bay, and Rosie's Beach Store, which rents out beach chairs, boogie boards and umbrellas in summer. Facilities include restrooms, showers, a shade pavilion, playground, skate park, picnic and grill area, bike racks, first aid, beach wheel chairs for persons with disabilities, a snack bar and two parking lots.

Learn to Sail in Newport Harbor

If you’ve had your fill of being mired on dry land while admiring sailboats skimming across Narragansett Bay, take the plunge and enroll in sailing classes in Newport Harbor. You are never too old to start, or old enough to stop; sailing is a life-long joy. Sailing schools offer a variety of levels of instruction. Sail Newport at 60 Fort Adams Drive in Newport offers sailing lessons for adults at all levels. 401-846-1983.

Green Animals Topiary Garden Charms Adults and Kids

This sweet topiary garden at 380 Cory’s Lane in Portsmouth is an outgrowth of a small country estate dating from the 1870s. It began evolving into the famous Green Animals Topiary Garden in the early 1900s when a property superintendent began sculpting the topiaries, now amounting to more than 80 pieces of topiary throughout the gardens, including animals and birds, geometric figures and ornamental designs, sculpted from California privet, yew, and English boxwood. It is the oldest topiary garden in the United States, and it hosts some annual events, including a children’s party. The garden is open daily from mid-May to mid-October.

Polo and Picnic Baskets in Portsmouth

Believe it or not, polo and tailgating parties do, indeed, go together. The Newport International Polo Series is conducted at Glen Farms on East Main Road in Portsmouth every Saturday evening from June to September. Play starts at about 5 p.m. (4 p.m. in September). Guests should arrive early, park along the field, and have sandwiches and Thermoses at hand when the action begins. As part of the ritual, spectators even get to walk out on the field and stomp down the divots during time-outs. It is really a lot of fun, whether or not you know the first thing about the sport. Phone: 401-846-0200

Family Tours at the Breakers Mansion

The Breakers, the historic Vanderbilt summer cottage at 44 Ochre Point Avenue in Newport, welcomes kids with a special family tour that welcomes and uses youthful imaginations. Visitors on the tour will meet Vanderbilt family members and staff, as well as fanciful creatures like the friendly dolphin hiding under the grand staircase, the lions of the Music Room and the dragons in the Dining Room. Spend a summer day in the life of one of the Vanderbilt children and meet the masters of the kitchen, Monsieur Le Chef and his colleague, The Butler. This 45-minute experience can be enjoyed by youngsters while parents take “The Breakers Revealed” audio tour, which follows the same route and timing. 401-847-1000.

Eploration center and aquarium by save the bay

Start Saving the Bay by Knowing the Bay

Save the Bay is a non-profit dedicated to protecting Rhode Island’s glorious Narragansett Bay. The organization also wants everyone to understand and enjoy the bay as much as the marine scientists do. This all leads to the Exploration Center and Aquarium, open to the public and located right ON Easton’s Beach, at 175 Memorial Blvd in Newport. Open year-round, this marine science center displays 40 species of animals from Narragansett Bay in touch tanks and dozens of exhibits. There is a new theme every month for activities like scavenger hunts, story hours, crafts, and science experiments. Build a future marine biologist in your family or come to simply slake your own curiosity. The third Thursday of each month is Feeding Frenzy, when you can help feed the animals. Admission is only $8. 401-324-6020.

Distinctive Wines in an Island Setting

Newport Vineyards at 909 E Main Road in Middletown Is a showcase of the excellent wines and hospitable vineyard operators in New England. Since its founding in 1978 this family-owned orperation has grown to 50 acres of varietal and hybrid grapes. Visitors are offered public tours every day. These include a tour in the vineyards, a behind the scenes look at the winemaking process and a tasting of five wines. The winery features an art gallery and retail shop, occasional Paint Nites, yoga sessions, clambakes, farmers market on Saturdays in season. Open year around. Phone: 401-848-5161.

Fort Adams Is a Window Into Colonial Warfare

For a tour of a beautifully preserved Revolutionary War fort, make a trip to Fort Adams on Harrison Avenue in Newport. During this tour, visitors may see the officers’ quarters and tunnels under the fort; visit a scenic overlook for views of Newport Harbor; and stroll the six-acre parade field and the complex outerworks; and learn bout more than 180 years of American history, military culture, architecture, and engineering. Check fort website for details on tour dates and hours. Phone: 401-841-0707.

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.

Cinema for Elite Tastes

People who love movies: do yourselves a favor and get out of those multiplexes that look and feel like a walk through the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. New England has a healthy scattering of proudly small, independent movie theaters that show new releases along with independent films, shorts, and other cinematic art that doesn’t necessarily include exploding helicopter scenes. Among these is the Jane Pickens Theater at 49 Touro Street in Newport, Rhode Island. This is a historic and glamorous movie house for a glamorous town and it is a fun thing to do on your next family vacation or romantic weekend getaway. It presents a mix of first run movies, documentaries and art films. And when you walk out after the show, you have lovely Newport all around you. 401-846-5252.

State

Blackstone Valley

Block Island

Providence Warwick

South County