Newport RI in March

[irishsharon]

Planning a weekend anniversary trip and need some suggestions on where to stay and what to do this time of year?We would like to keep the room rate at $150 per night. Dh and I normally go to Montauk(which is a beautiful beach town an hour from our home) but after 16 years I just want to try a different hotel,restaurants and walk on different beaches.

 

[irishsharon]

Excellent vacation. I hope you all have a great time.

Thank you

 

[cathigh10]

We really enjoyed staying at the Admiral Fitzroy inn. You can sign up for emails and they will send you special deals. It includes breakfast each morning and when we went we signed up for a package that included a $100 gift voucher for dinner at one of the local restaurants. It is also a good time of year to go to a couple of the mansions because it isn't too busy in March.

I don't know if you like to gamble at all, but there is the Newport Grand Slots right near there too which was also something nice to go do for a little bit.

 

[3boymthr]

Can't help with a hotel as Newport is a daytrip for us (about an hour away) we go there fairly regularly.

We love the big mansions. Definitely plan to spend at least part of one day hitting one or more of the mansions. Breakers is the most famous, but there are others which are just as spectacular. In addition to the Mansions there are a number of really old revolutionary war era sites to visit in and around the Newport area. Jacqueline Kennedy's childhood home, Hammersmith Farm, used to be open to the public but I'm not sure if it is anymore.

The best beach in Newport where there is public access and public parking available is Easton's beach which is just outside of town, there are also some private "member only" beaches but most of the public shoreline in the city of Newport is not "beach" rather it's either marina or rocky shoals that you can climb and explore. There are some great spots, but the best is across the street from Fort Adams State Park which is in Newport. Fort Adams is a great place to have a picnic when it's really warm, but it's usually very windy so it's also a great place to fly a kite and to watch kites being flown. Many weekends there will be dozens of kites of all sizes flying in the park.

We also like to walk the Cliff Walk which starts at the end of Easton's Beach. You can also access the Cliff Walk from a variety of the mansions.

The downtown area of Newport has a bunch of shops, antiques, nic-naks, t-shirts and upscale mall type stores and lots of bars and restaurants. It's a great place to visit. There is a Hall of Fame there - I think it's the tennis one (we've never been - not our cup of tea.).

 

[beansmom]

we LOVE the Adele Turner Inn...for $199 off season you can have a room with a private deck (the Harborview Spa Suite) with a large hot tub that overlooks the Harbor. It is wonderful. Very romantic and the owners and staff are lovely and so accomodating. The other luxury suite is the Tycoon Suite with a king-size 4poster bed, two person jacuzzi, sitting room and shower/steam bath==both rooms have gas fireplaces--tres romantique. A nice suite if the weather daunts you from the outdoor hot tub.

The Cliffside Inn is newly renovated and we LOVE the Loft Room there. The Cliffside is rich in history and was designed as a b&b by a man who truly loved the place. The new owners have done it proud. Breakfast in both places is yummy and filling...a wonderful way to start the day. Fireplaces in the rooms there as well. The Loft is a cozy under the eaves hideaway---perfect for couple time.

If a haunted b&b is more your style, the James B Finch is one of the luxury inns (the Adele/Cliffside/Finch used to be 'sisters' but were sold separately a few years back) that is quite luxurious. The Above and Beyond Suite is accessed by a hidden stairwell, has a hidden luxury bathroom and has a full kitchen. I have stayed at the Finch a few times and I can vouch that there is something odd going on there. It's a very nice place as well.

For food we like Thai Cuisine on Thames St as well as Yesterday's on Broadway and there is the White Horse Tavern for wonderful historical value. Sunday brunch at the Brick Alley is also nice. There is also a Barking Crab down by the waterfront and people swear by the Black Pearl over on Bowen's Wharf. Oh, and the Tea House behind the Marble House is quite something even if you just stop in for a cup of tea after touring the mansion.

I have been going to Newport for 7 years now, quite frequently. It's our 'home away from home'. If you do the mansions, I would do the breakers and the Marble House at least. The Cliff Walk is beautiful. Hopefully, Ocean Drive will be rebuilt by the time you get there.

Our favorite 'date' is to get a pizza at Via Via and take it down by the water and watch the waves while we eat. Easton's Beach is nice for walking even in the winter.

If I can help you with any other Newport questions, feel free to ask...here or PM. I consider myself a bit of an expert on Newport in some ways.

 

[beansmom]

i'm pretty sure Hammersmith Farm is now private. and, yes, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is on Bellevue Avenue.

You can also do a sailing cruise out of the harbor and get the 'dirt' on Newport. There is also the Newport Dinner Train and the Old Colony Railroad. There is the Jane Pickens theater which shows more 'art' type films or limited release but it's in a lovely old building that was converted in 1923 to the theater. They even still have the old organ that was played during the silent movies. The American Illustrator's Museum is also on Bellevue.

oh, and weather permitting, be sure to go to Purgatory Chasm. We got married there overlooking the ocean...it's an incredible view.

The grounds of the Eisenhower house are a great place to watch the harbor, picnic and relax. (that's also at Ft Adams).

There is a pretty good Vietnamese restaurant in Middletown and Anthony's seafood on Aquidneck Avenue. If it's open, Flo's Clamshake across the street from Easton's Beach has great stuffies and fried clams as well as a raw bar. Cupcake Charley's down on Lower Thames has awesome cupcakes--they were on Cupcake Wars on the foodnetwork. Goodies by the Sea in the Brick Market (lots of shops...really fun to wander) has yummy chocolates.

If we DO stay at the Adele Turner, we usually pack a picnic and eat in our room--it's cheaper than going out usually and we don't want to waste any luxury time going out to eat. You can also order in from Thai Cuisine and they will deliver.

 

[beansmom]

btw, (i WILL shut up soon...lol)...the Cliffside is also being watched over by a spirit. According to my bff, the former owner-Beatrice Turner-is still there and very happy with what the new owners have done to breath new life into her home.

If you want the details on that spirit, PM me i will tell you the story...it truly blew me away.

 

[wekhogan]

We live in RI and boat a lot in Newport. I like it there in winter. Personally, we like hotels rather than inns, so we've stayed at the Hyatt on Goat Island, the Marriott on America's Cup Ave, Newport Harbor Hotel - anything by the water.

For breakfast, do NOT miss the Ocean Breeze Cafe. Best breakfast you will ever have - and make sure you try a muffin or two. Diner style breakfast at Gary's Handy Lunch is good, too. Both on Thames. Completely second the Brick Alley Pub rec - love it there. Mudville Pub is a great choice, too.

Taking a ride to Bretton Park is also much fun - usually lots of kites. Ocean Drive "the drive" is a beautiful drive. I believe a large section of the Cliff Walk was damaged by Sandy - check before you go.

If you like Italian, Puerini's on Memorial Blvd is really good. If you want a great steak, 22 Bowen is fabulous. And definitely try the chowder at the Black Pearl.

Have a wonderful time visiting the Ocean State. We dock at the Montauk yacht club every summer for a few days. Love it there.

 

[beansmom]

there's a great big chunk out of Ocean Drive as well...it was closed right past breton point between the point and King's Beach last time we were there (New Year's Day).

 

[irishsharon]

THANK YOU for all the great tips and suggestions.When we went to Williamsburg last summer with our kids I got such wonderful advice and I blow my dh away that I knew all the best places to eat and best things to do!!!Love all the wonderful people on the budget board Have any of you gone to the improv show? I also read about a beer and rum brewery(thought dh would like that) Also dh and I really love lighthouses would any be open during March.I normally stay at hotels so was just wondering if the inns have private bathrooms? I would LOVE to have a waterfront room.Thanks everyone

 

[Maybelle]

Newport is a beautiful place to visit any time of year, although be prepared, it will probably still be quite cold in March.

The mansions are beautiful, but check out the web site to see what will be open during your dates, as the hours of operation are seasonal for many of the houses. The bigger ones, and most commonly visited are generally open year round, but the smaller, and in my opinion, more interesting ones may not be.
http://www.newportmansions.org/
Also, if you are interested in visiting several of the mansions, or plan to come back within the year, sometimes it is a good idea just to purchase a membership to the preservation society. It gives you entrance to all the mansions for a reasonable price for one year, and the entire amount is tax deductible.


We have stayed at several Bed an Breakfast Inns in Newport over the years, and have enjoyed them all. They can be pricey, but you can often find deals off-season. I see many deals through sites like Living Social and Groupon, so you should check those out if you are interested in staying at that sort of place. Otherwise, the Newport Marriott is very nice, although pricey. They have a good restaurant there on site as well.

There are lots of great places to eat in Newport as well. Often Innkeepers are the best sources of information on where to go.

I would HIGHLY recommend taking the time to drive over the Newport bridge into Jamestown and driving into Beavertail Park. It is one of our favorite places to go. It is free and is a beautiful location to sit and enjoy the ocean or to walk out onto the rocks. It will still be quite cold in March, but it is an absolutely gorgeous location. We like Beavertail much more than any of the Newport beaches or parks. If you do go there though, be careful hiking through any tall grass. Beavertail has many deer and ticks are abundant there...and as with any location early in the spring is when they will start coming out again. If you stay on the rocks you will be fine.

You are going at a tough time of year...great because it is off-season and rates are better, but tough because lots of the great stuff Newport has to offer, like the harbor and lighthouse tours and such won't be running yet. But, you can still find many things to do.

BTW, just as an aside, someone in one of the posts above mentioned Purgatory Chasm, which is not in the Newport area. It is in Mass., over the RI line and not near the coast. Maybe they were thinking of Beavertail??

There are also several local wineries in the area, if you are interested in visiting them and doing a wine tasting.
http://newportvineyards.com/ http://www.greenvale.com/ http://www.sakonnetwine.com/trail.cfm

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Tink9295]

We stay in Newport every December for a long weekend. We usually stay at the Wyndham at Long Wharf. It's a condo/timeshare but we book justfor the weekend. We paid $172 at night during a busy time for a 2 bedroom unit. It has just been refurbished and is beautiful. It has a indoor/outdoor pool in case you're interested. It's a short walk to the center of town. They're so many things to do there. We never get tired of going.

 

[beansmom]

BTW, just as an aside, someone in one of the posts above mentioned Purgatory Chasm, which is not in the Newport area. It is in Mass., over the RI line and not near the coast. Maybe they were thinking of Beavertail??
.

um...NO. I was NOT thinking of the Purgatory Chasm in Mass. There is a Purgatory Chasm on the road between Easton's Beach and 2nd beach...pretty soon after you pass St. George's prep school--which, btw, is a BEAUTIFUL building. It looms like a medieval abbey on the hill if you look up from 2nd beach.

As i said...i got married on the cliff over looking the ocean at Purgatory Chasm in Newport (altho it technically is in Middletown). And i was there Oct 15, 2012 so unless they've moved it since then, it's in Rhode Island.

http://amyjane.hubpages.com/hub/Purgatory-Chasm

altho i truly wouldn't recommend the cliff-diving at the Chasm.

 

[beansmom]

probably not what you are looking for but you can actually stay at Rose Island Lighthouse in Newport Harbor. We are thinking about doing it this summer.

http://www.roseislandlighthouse.org/stay_overnight.html

a less elegant but more affordable lodging option is the Travelodge in Middletown. King rooms are about $50 a nite off season...the place is always clean, the staff always courteous and they have put new furniture in all the rooms over the last year. If you are going to 'do Newport', i wouldn't spend lots of money on a room...i'd use it on other things. Just a thought.

 

[flakypuff]

WOW you guys have great answers. There is nothing I could ad but I have a feeling I am going to spend a weekend very soon

 

[beansmom]

a very nice splurge could be a segway tour---they offer tours of Bellevue Ave/mansions or Ocean Drive. I would chose Ocean Drive myself.

http://segwayofnewport.com/segwaytours.html

 

[Snoozan]

These are all great ideas and happy to see them as my DSis and our DH's are planning a weekend trip in April or early May. I have stayed once at the Quality Inn-which was across the street from Easton Beach and we could walk to the beginning of the Cliff Walk from there. It's also next door to Flo's, which is a casual seafood restaurant that had the freshest fish I've ever eaten.

 

[drcmk]

Beansmom (and others),

Have you ever taken the glass blowing lesson at Thames Glass in Newport?

It looks like something my kids would love to do.

 

[beansmom]

sorry, we haven't. even after 7 years and numerous trips to Newport, we still always go home saying 'we should do XXX next time'.

i love newport. i felt i was home the first time i crossed the Pell bridge. My intuitive bff says i lived there in another life. I can believe it.

 

[imjustkellie]

Beansmom (and others),

Have you ever taken the glass blowing lesson at Thames Glass in Newport?

It looks like something my kids would love to do.

I did that 2yrs ago & would definitely recommend it. We made the paperweights & it was a cool experience