- Date of Travel: August 2021
- Length of Travel: 2 Days, 1 Night
- Travelers: Two Adults & One Child
- Type of Travel: Urban, Nature, Road Trip
This was an ultra-short trip with a sole goal: to walk the famous 3.5 mi Cliff Walk in Newport, RI. The promise of breathtaking ocean vistas along the path lined with impressive gilded-age mansions was duly fulfilled. But let’s get to it chronologically.
Newport, RI
The town of Newport, RI is full of New England’s charm, with its many 18th & 19th century historic buildings and a yacht-filled harbor. (I can’t believe we missed visiting the latter!) We parked at the municipal parking garage near Newport Marriott. (Tip of the day: if you ride public transportation and get a proof ticket from the driver, the parking for the day is only $2 no matter how many hours you stayed in the garage).
Touro Synagogue
We started our visit with the must-see Touro Synagogue, the oldest synagogue building in America still in use, built in 1763. (The congregation was formed about a century earlier when Jews started arriving to Rhode Island – a rare safe haven for religious freedom at the time). George Washington visited the synagogue in 1790, and his famous letter response to the congregation reinforced the ideal of religious liberty in American life.
Due to COVID restrictions, visitors are not allowed inside the synagogue; instead you can attend a half-hour presentation on their lawn, and then have a peek of the interior through the open door. Loeb Visitors Center next to the synagogue offers several interactive exhibits delving into the 18th century Newport.
We walked around a bit soaking the colonial architecture, and then had a delicious lunch at the plant-based Root restaurant and juice bar on Broadway (certified by Rabbi Mandel of Touro Synagogue). We then took an Uber to the starting point of the Cliff Walk.
Cliff Walk
The Cliff Walk has several sections, from fully paved and more crowded to unpaved to – most delightful – “rough” section, where you sometimes get to walk on rocks. In reality, none of the sections are truly challenging for an average person, and my hike-averse 10-year-old thoroughly enjoyed the walk. The natural beauty of the Newport shoreline was indeed worth the 4-hour drive from Brooklyn!
Visitors to Newport can visit several historic mansions (aka summer houses of the wealthy of the late 19th century), The Breakers being the most well-known and glitzy among them. We, however, chose not to tour the mansions on this trip.
Not far from the end of the Cliff Walk we got on the public bus, which took us straight to our parking garage. We then took a ride the Ocean Drive, passing more beautiful ocean vistas and busy Thames Street in the center of town.
After that, we headed to Providence, RI. Why? Because I have never been to Providence, and because a night stay in a Newport hotel averaged $400.
Providence, RI
We spent the night in the historic Hotel Providence, which features vintage furnishings and art throughout the building, and we enjoyed our high-ceilinged room. The downtown felt pretty dead before 9 pm, when we arrived.
Predictably, Providence, RI wasn’t as picturesque as Newport. Yet, it has its share of atmospheric neighborhoods. With no specific plans, we strolled through downtown, including the historic Benefit Street (with high concentration of original colonial houses), the Brown University campus, and the Riverfront. We also took an informative 1-hr boat tour with Providence River Boat Company, and learned about the history of the city and revitalization of its waterways.
Local Modern Orthodox rabbi from Lighthouse Kosher certifies a number of vegan eateries in Providence. It’s not a widely accepted certification, yet we decided to visit two of these establishments. Plant City is a food hall with varied and creative menu across its several restaurant options, with both outdoor and indoor seating. Like No Udder (kudos for the name!) is a vegan ice cream shop, and their house-made coconut and cashew-based creations are indistinguishable from any dairy counterparts.
On the way home we stopped at Olde Mystic Village in Stonington, CT for some browsing in this cute shopping village of 40 rather unique stores.
You could also take a very from Providence to Newport. It’s $10.
I and a friend took a similar but slightly longer trip totally by public transportation. We went on a bus to Providence, then took a ferry to Newport, than a ferry to Block Island, then another one to Long Island, and then a 3-hour trip back to NYC by Long Island railroad.
Doable, and gives an alternative spin on the itinerary. How many days was your trip?
I think 3 to 4