Weekend In Newport Rhode Island
My best friend and I planned a trip to Newport and we had such a fun time. A few friends had recently visited Newport, and it seemed like the East Coast version of Newport Beach. Right up my alley! I highly recommend spending a weekend in Newport.
We took a red eye from LAX on a Thursday night and landed in Boston on Friday AM. Our plan was to do a road trip to CT and throughout MA (ending in Boston) so we booked roundtrip flights in/out of Boston. Boston is one of the closest airports to Newport that has direct flights from LAX anyways.
When we landed in Boston, we took a 1.5 hour Uber drive (it was around $130 total), which wasn't bad.
We planned to work during our road trip, so we worked a full day from the hotel on Friday and a half day on Monday. If we didn't work both days, we could've done everything we wanted by Monday. I say that because even though Friday & Saturday were super busy, Sunday & Monday nights were dead. Everything closed pretty early and it felt like we were the only ones out! This could've been the time of year we went (October), but I've heard weeknights are usually pretty quiet.
You can have a productive long weekend in Newport. So even though we spent 4 nights in Newport, I condensed this guide into 3 nights.
Weekend In Newport
Day 1
41 North Hotel
This hotel was a bit of a splurge, but I loved it. I also thought it was in a great location for everything we were doing during our weekend in Newport. It was right by a bunch of great restaurants and just a 4 minute walk to the wharf area that also had restaurants/shops. We had a harbor view room and it was gorgeous. The hotel also has a great bar/restaurant and outdoor patio area. I heard there is a rooftop that's open during the summer as well, but I didn't see it when we were there. The breakfast options at the hotel were great (I loved the crispy potatoes).
Cliff Walk/40 Steps
We started the Cliff Walk at Easton's Beach and walked the entire thing. It took about 1.5 hours, and that included stopping along the way for a lot of pictures. The 40 Steps was closest to this starting point too. This is one of the most popular things to do during a trip to Newport.
Lunch @ Midtown Oyster Bar
After the cliff walk, we definitely worked up an appetite. We went to Midtown Oyster for lunch which was about a 30 second walk from our hotel. We got oysters to start (duh) and then split the clam chowder + lobster roll.
Sunset Cruise
We booked a sunset cruise in advance through Gansett Cruises. Even though it was super gloomy and there was not really a sunset (lol) seeing Newport from the water was a great experience. It was about 1.5 hours and there was a cash bar. The cruise itself was ~$38/person.
Dinner @ Fluke
We had heard good things about Fluke, but it didn't initially make it to my itinerary. We ended up stopping in here when everywhere else we tried was booked and I'm so glad we came here. The food was SO good. We got the almond-filled dates to start. For the main meal, I got the Lobster, Duo of Saffron & Squid Ink Angel Hair Pasta, and OMG it was one of the best things I ate the entire trip.
White Horse Tavern
This is known to be the oldest tavern in America. We tried to stop in for a drink, but they were only allowing dinner orders at the time. It was still cool to stop in and see. I would definitely recommend trying to squeeze in for dinner (or drinks if they're allowing) during your trip to Newport.
St Mary's Church
Most famous for where President Kennedy and Jackie O got married. Even though we didn't go inside the church, we stopped by it on our way to the other part of town.
The Fastnet Pub
We wanted to find a fun sports bar to watch the World Series, and The Fastnet Pub was our top recommendation. This spot was really fun and lively.
Day 2
Brunch @ Diego's
Diego's is a delicious modern Mexican restaurant in the Wharf area. I was a little skeptical going to a restaurant that wasn't known for seafood in Newport, but I'm so glad we went here. We got the Grilled Bolos Benny + Tinga Chilaquiles + a side of the Duck Hash. It was all SO good.
Castle Hill Inn
This is probably one of the most iconic spots in Newport. Even though the inn is pretty pricey to stay at, you can still enjoy everything it has to offer without staying there. We got a bottle of wine from the restaurant, took it down to the lawn area, and sipped it in the Adirondack chairs overlooking the water. Since it was pretty cold out, we were the only guests outside and there wasn't a problem grabbing a chair. However, it gets more crowded and livelier in the Summer. This is another must-do during your trip to Newport.
Clam Chowder/Drinks @ The Black Pearl
After Castle Hill Inn, we came back to the Wharf area and got drinks + tried the famous Clam Chowder. It was definitely worth the hype. This spot (and the entire wharf area) was pretty lively for a Sunday afternoon too.
Lunch @ Clarke Cooke
This is another iconic spot. We went during an off hour so it wasn't very busy. We got to sit next to the fire (which was perfect for the gloomy day) and it was SO cozy. They make a great espresso martini + we got the Warmed Brussels Sprouts Caesar that was insanely delicious. It sounded weird to us at first, but we all agreed it was SO good.
Dinner @ The Mooring
We got to The Mooring a little before sunset and it was really cool. It was an easy 3 minute walk from our hotel too. The food was amazing. We got the bag of donuts (which I thought was a dessert when I was told to order it, but it's an app). They were SO good. One of the top things I ate during our trip. We also got the spicy tuna tostada and oysters. For the main meal, we got the Lobster Ravioli special + the scallops.
Benjamin's
We walked here after dinner and grabbed a drink in the bar area. It was super lively and fun.
One Pelham East
This is where we ended the night. It's a fun dueling piano bar where you can go with big or small groups.
Nikolas Pizza
Since we at dinner on the earlier side, we were pretty hungry by the time we got back to the hotel. The front desk recommended we order from Nikolas pizza and it was delicious. The pizza was good, but the mozzarella sticks were amazing. If you're looking for a late night snack during your weekend in Newport, I highly recommend!
Day 3
Ocean House in Watch Hill
This place was HEAVENLY. On our rode trip from Newport to Mystic, we got a last minute recommendation to go Ocean House + drive around Watch Hill. I'm SO glad we did this. After driving around and drooling over the huge houses in Watch Hill, we went to Ocean House. It's a gorgeous hotel on top of a hill overlooking the ocean. We grabbed a glass of wine + the charcuterie board + the most delicious crisply spiced pumpkin rolls. On our way out of Watch Hill, we also drove by Taylor Swift's Newport, Rhode Island house which was right down the hill from Ocean House. I HIGHLY recommend going to Ocean House during your weekend in Newport.
*We did this on Day 4 of our trip to Newport, but I included it here because it's something you could squeeze in with the rest of this day's itinerary. The only reason we did it another day was because we wanted to see it on our way out of Newport.
Newport Vineyards
This spot was about a 15 minute Uber ride from our hotel. It was raining when we went here, so we didn't get to experience the outdoor area at all. That being said, it was still super cute and the wine was delicious.
Dinner @ 22 Bowens
This spot was SO yummy. They make a great martini with blue cheese olives, which paired well with the most delicious steak. We got the Tuna Crudo, Oysters, and French Onion Soup for an app, which were all amazing.
The Quick List
Day 1:
Stay @ 41 North Hotel
Cliff Walk/40 Steps
Lunch @ Midtown Oyster Bar
Sunset Cruise
Dinner @ Fluke
White Horse Tavern
St Mary's Church
The Fastnet Pub
Day 2:
Brunch @ Diego's
Castle Hill Inn
Clam Chowder/Drinks @ The Black Pearl
Lunch @ Clarke Cooke
Dinner @ The Mooring
Benjamin's
One Pelham East
Day 3:
Ocean House in Watch Hill
Newport Vineyards
Dinner @ 22 Bowens
Looking for more?
*Check out my Newport travel guide post for my 3 must-dos during your trip to Newport
*Check out my Newport travel guide which includes where to stay, how to get around, 20+ things to do, and 30+ places to eat/drink during your weekend in Newport
*This post is not affiliated with any of the mentioned establishments.