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| 4 days in Newport with my bestie and my kids - mansions, seafood, and sunsets. |
Every year my friend Leanne and I plan a girls' trip somewhere new. This year's destination was Newport, Rhode Island - a place that had quietly climbed to the top of my travel wish list after I became completely hooked on HBO's The Gilded Age. After watching the extravagant mansions and imagining life during America's Gilded Age, I knew I had to see Newport for myself.
The twist? This year my two kids (ages 8 and 10) came along.
What I expected to be a history-filled getaway turned into one of our favorite family trips. Newport surprised me with how easy it was to balance historic sightseeing with kid-friendly fun. Between mansion tours, arcade games, swimming, seafood feasts, sunset cruises, and plenty of ice cream, everyone found something to love.
The biggest splurge? Definitely the food. We made it our mission to chase incredible seafood, creative cocktails, and as many sweet treats as we could fit into four days.
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| The crew - me, Leanne, and my kids (age 8 & 10) |
Where We Stayed
We stayed at Wayfinder Newport, which I chose for affordability without comfort and convience. The pool gave the kids a chance to unwind every afternoon, and one of our favorite perks was the complimentary shuttle to Bowen's Wharf. Not having to worry about parking in downtown Newport made exploring so much easier.
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| The outdoor pool was a big win for my kids. It also had floaties, loungers, and a pool bar. |
Day 1: Boats, Chowder & Golden Hour on the Water
We arrived in Newport around 1:00 p.m. and were lucky enough to get an early check-in. The kids immediately changed into swimsuits and spent some time in the pool while we settled in.
That evening we hopped aboard the hotel's complimentary shuttle to Bowen's Wharf and wandered through the shops along Thames Street.
For our first Newport meal, we chose Newport Chowder Company, where I highly recommend ordering the clam chowder with the lobster topper. We also made our first stop at Nitro Bar to see what all the hype was about - and yes, the nitro coffee lives up to it.
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| Chowder with a "lobster topper" |
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| Plenty of shops and eateries at the wharfs |
The highlight of our first day was a Gansett sunset cruise. As the boat cruised through Newport Harbor, we passed enormous yachts, Fort Adams, Castle Hill, and even got to watch the Monday night sailboat races. It was one of those experiences that immediately makes you feel like you're on vacation. We had originally looked into a sail - but most sailboats didn't allow children.
Back on shore we grabbed Ben & Jerry's, watched the sunset from the wharf, and caught the shuttle back to the hotel.
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| Monday Night sailing races in Narragansett Bay |
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| Sunset in Newport |
Day 2: Touring The Breakers & Walking the Cliff Walk
We kept breakfast simple with bagels and cereal at the hotel before heading to The Breakers for our 9:00 a.m. entry.
If you're visiting in summer, I highly recommend booking the first tour of the day. Parking was plentiful, and it felt much less crowded.
The self-guided audio tour is done through your phone. There is a children's version available, but each child needs their own device. I brought along a couple of old phones and downloaded the audio before arriving, which made everything much easier. Don't forget headphones!
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| You'll need to download the audio tour and have headphones |
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| The extravagance in The Breakers was impressive |
Even the kids really enjoyed exploring the mansion. The stories behind each room helped bring the incredible architecture and Gilded Age history to life.
After touring the mansion, we walked part of the famous Cliff Walk out to the Chinese Tea House before returning the same way.
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| Cliff Walk is long - we only did a section. |
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| Cliff Walk has some rocky portions. |
Back at the hotel we enjoyed packed picnic lunch and another swim before taking the shuttle downtown again.
The kids were thrilled to discover Ryan's Amusement Arcade, which quickly became one of their favorite Newport attractions.
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| Ryan Amusement on Thames was a kid-friendly break. |
Dinner that evening was at The Mooring Restaurant, where reservations are definitely worth making in advance. The seafood was outstanding, and it was one of our favorite meals of the trip.
After dinner we wandered Thames Street again, eventually finding the colorful umbrella-lined Swinburne Row.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans. A major summer rainstorm rolled in, soaking all of us before we hurried back to the shuttle and called it a night.
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| Umbrellas on a rainy day in Newport |
Day 3: Cinnamon Rolls, Historic Taverns & Sunset at Castle Hill
Our morning started with one of Newport's most famous treats - a sourdough cinnamon roll from Co-Dough. Pair that with another nitro coffee from the Nitro Bar location at Equality Park, and I completely understood why people wait in line for both.
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| Co-dough sourdough cinnamon roll and nitro coffee drink |
The kids wanted another round at Ryan's Arcade while Leanne enjoyed some shopping before we met for lunch at the iconic Clarke Cooke House. I ordered the crab cake along with a classic Narragansett beer while soaking in the harbor views.
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| Lunch spot at Clarke Cooke House |
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| Great Lunch spot at Clarke Cooke House |
Dessert came next with frozen Del's Lemonade on America's Cup Avenue.
Yes...dessert before another pool break.
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| Frozen Lemonade on Dels |
Later that afternoon we headed to White Horse Tavern, America's oldest operating restaurant, serving guests since 1673. This ended up being my favorite dinner of the trip. The bacon-wrapped scallops were incredible, and somehow my son managed to finish every bite of his beef Wellington. If you go, don't skip the famous "Candy Bar" dessert.
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| A fancier attire and vibe at White Horse Tavern |
Because we had an early dinner reservation, we still had time to catch sunset at Castle Hill Inn. Before settling in on the lawn, we took the short five-minute walk to Castle Hill Lighthouse. Then we grabbed a set of Adirondack chairs overlooking Narragansett Bay. The chairs are first-come, first-served, so arriving early definitely helped.
Cocktails for the adults, Shirley Temples for the kids, sailboats drifting by, and one of the prettiest sunsets of the trip - it was the perfect way to end our final evening.
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| Castle Hill Lighthouse |
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| Relaxing spot on Castle Hill Inn Lawn - chairs are first come |
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| Waiters will come to you once you sit down for your drink order. |
Day 4: One Last Newport Food Stop
Our last morning was spent packing, squeezing in one final swim, and making one final food stop before driving home. We couldn't leave Newport without visiting Wally's Wieners, where we ordered the towering five-hot-dog and curly fry platter. Milkshakes made the perfect finale before we hit the road back to New Hampshire.
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| Wally's Weiners was a great lunch spot! |
Tips for Planning Your Newport Trip
- Make restaurant reservations: Some of Newport's most popular restaurants book up well in advance, especially during summer weekends.
- Visit midweek if possible: One of the best decisions we made was traveling Monday through Thursday. I'd seen videos of hour-long waits for Nitro Bar, Co-Dough, and restaurants around Bowen's Wharf. During our midweek visit, we experienced only short waits and a much more relaxed atmosphere.
- Take advantage of hotel shuttles: The complimentary shuttle from Wayfinder saved us both money and the hassle of finding parking downtown.
- Download mansion audio tours ahead of time: If you're traveling with kids, download the audio tour before you arrive and bring headphones. It makes the experience much smoother.
- Book tours early: We had hoped to take the Viking Trolley Tour during our stay, but it was already sold out by the time we looked. If it's on your list, reserve tickets ahead of time.
If you're traveling with kids...
- The hotel pool was absolutely worth it for afternoon downtime.
- Ryan's Amusement Arcade ended up being one of the highlights for both of my kids.
- Next time we'd love to visit the Audrain Automobile Museum and the Sailing Museum, which we just couldn't fit into this itinerary.
- If you're planning to watch sunset at Castle Hill, I'd also recommend bringing a deck of cards or a travel game for the kids. I brought a blanket so they had somewhere to sit on the lawn, and it worked perfectly while I soaked in the view.
Final Thoughts
Newport completely exceeded my expectations. I originally planned this trip because I wanted to immerse myself in the Gilded Age history, but I left realizing Newport is just as much a destination for families as it is for history lovers.
Whether you're touring opulent mansions, sailing past million-dollar yachts, eating incredible seafood, watching sunsets over Narragansett Bay, or simply letting kids burn off energy at the arcade and pool, Newport offers a little bit of everything.
It was the perfect mix of girls' getaway and family vacation - and I already know we'll be back.
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| Can't wait to go back to Newport! |
Want More? Check out my instagram for video and read my blogs about similar trips here:
1 Week Girls Trip in Southern Florida
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| Newport Rhode Island - perfect four days |
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