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

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 for tasting, and adds 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 and celebrations of every kind.

Rough Point

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

Discover the Newport home of Doris Duke

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. Guided and self-guided tours are open to the public from April to November. More information available on the Rough Point website.

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.

Newport, Rhode Island - A Year Round Destination!

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

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.

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.

Stroll and Taste This Winter in Newport

This delightful summertime city is equally interesting in winter, especially for your taste buds if you sign up for the Newport Winter Foodies Stroll, off Friday and Saturday evenings at 6 p.m. beginning on December 3rd, 2021. Meet your guides at O'Brien's Pub on 501 Thames Street in Newport and walk to three different restaurants for a total of three courses, including wine pairings.

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