An Off-Season Weekend Itinerary to Newport, Rhode Island

Newport in Rhode Island is a known warm-weather destination on the east coast. The problem is, the warmer it gets, the more people flock to this beautiful destination. I recently needed a weekend getaway that would satisfy my travel itch. Against all online travel advice, I decided to go and visit Newport, Rhode Island in the winter. Most travel sites say to wait until it gets warmer to enjoy this place, at least until the spring. I don’t doubt that the city is amazing during that time, but I wouldn’t let the winter stop you from visiting.

Is Newport worth your time in the winter? For sure. Lucky for you, I tested it out and I’m happy to share my tips and the perfect Newport weekend itinerary with you.

My two-day Newport itinerary is not for the traveler that likes to sit and relax at the hotel for hours on end. It’s designed for an explorer like me. Someone who wants to see a decent chunk of the city in the short amount of time there visiting yet still pausing at each spot to enjoy it.

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Quick Newport Logistics

Getting around Newport

The city of Newport is located on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. The 3.5-hour drive from New York goes by in no time. Once you cross the Pell Bridge, you’ll enter the “touristy” zone of Thames Street. If you’re staying in that nook of Newport, you’ll be able to get around on foot. Note that the Newport Mansions and the Cliff Walk are located in the other, more eastern part of the city. To get there you’ll need an uber or the city bus. Your two public transport options are Bus 67 which will take you to all the mansions side or Bus 63 which connects you to the northern part of the city. Between Memorial and Columbus day you can also take the harbor shuttle for some awesome port views.

How long and where to stay in Newport

It’s not surprising that Newport is an expensive city. It’s one of the oldest resort towns in the US and used to be a small playground of the rich of the rich. One of the perks of traveling there off-season is the good chunk of money you can save on your accommodations. In the summer, decent centrally located hotels can easily range from $300 and up a night but off-season you can stay for half of that.

A couple of more-known places in town are gorgeous but will cost ya a good amount. No matter what you end up choosing based on the size of your wallet, I recommend it being close to Bowen’s Wharf. While it’s the most touristy area, you will like it for being the livest part of town. Remember that winter is not busy to begin with so staying far away from the center to save a few bucks might not be the way to go. With a short amount of time in the city, the last thing you’ll want is to be far away from the action. I stayed at the Cleaveland House Inn, a small family-owned bed and breakfast. It was a budget option near Thames Street but I loved the ambiance and how helpful the staff was! The parking lot was super convenient too as it allowed me to park 3 minutes away from the main part of town.

Booking.com

As far as the length of your stay, a long weekend is sufficient to see the highlights of this town. I arrived around noon on Saturday and left on Monday after checkout. It was a good amount of time allowing me to catch all the major spots and still relax a little. In the summer, 3 days would be recommended not to rush the experience and account for the delays caused by more people.

Budgeting in Newport

Things add up quicker than you think in Newport. It’s easy to spend a decent amount of money even in a short amount of time as a weekend. Here are some examples of what you should expect to spend there. A hotel will cost you around $150 a night, that being on the cheaper side. For meals, breakfast can be $20-30, a good lunch with drinks about $60-100 and if you want to splurge on dinner, that’s another $100+ per night. The mansions entry is also $26, and I imagine you wouldn’t want to skip that. That’s just the basics of what you can expect to pay and that’s pretty pricey my friend. And unless you’re carefully planning the more budget spots, you will get stuck paying the prices I just listed. So no, Newport is not a cheap destination.

What to wear in Newport during the winter

I think it’s safe to say that everyone’s hesitation about traveling to Newport Rhode Island in the winter is the weather. When I visited, the temperatures were around 25 to 40 degrees during the day. That’s pretty chilly for a town on the water but I was quite surprised that it wasn’t brutal compared to how that same temperature feels in New York or even Boston. When packing, I would consider warm and comfortable shoes first. You will regret having your feet cold because you decided to wear cute winter boots. For the amount of exploring, make sure to prioritize comfort and warmth over everything else. You’ll also need a heavy winter jacket, hat, and gloves. Don’t forget the standard warm sweaters and thick pants for underneath. I know this sounds like common sense but you’d be surprised how many tourists walk around shivering because they wanted to look good rather than be warm.

Newport Rhode Island Travel Guide

I spent two days in Newport this February and I am here to show you that you can have an amazing time there even in the winter. My plan included seeing the highlights without trying to squeeze too many things in. There is a ton more you can do in-season too but if this is your first time in Newport, my plan should be a good start for you. This is your two-day travel guide for Newport Rhode Island.

Day 1

Your best bet is to start the day as early as you can. It took me under four hours to reach the city from New Jersey with only one rest stop along the way. Since I traveled off-season, my accommodation was able to check me in super early right before noon. We left the car in the parking lot on-site, freshened up, and headed straight out. Our carefully planned route ended up being just enough not to exhaust ourselves and feel accomplished at the end. This is what I will share with you for your plan and I hope that you can embellish this travel guide with your own stops as well 🙂

First Stop: Lunch time at Diego’s on Bowen’s Wharf

After hours of driving, the first thing I wanted is some tasty food and a cold beer. The perfect first stop on the trip was Diego’s, a Mexican spot with some cool vibes. A reservation on the weekend is a must because of the limited indoor capacity. There are three main dining areas, the outdoor heated patio, the lower indoor space, and an upstairs dining room with stunning views of the port. I made the reservation for the upper level and it was the perfect first experience of this city. The food was super tasty and the drinks were even better. A couple of shots of tequila got me ready to explore the town.

IMG 2741 United States — “I like the view. You do? You’re my best view”

IMG 2746 United States — “I like the view. You do? You’re my best view”

Next: Recharging and exploring the shops of Bowen’s Wharf

After an amazing lunch at Diego’s, I recommend spending some time in the Wharf. It’s such a cute area to explore for local shops and a nice lively vibe of the town. However, to stop yourself from losing stamina, you’ll need some caffeine. Newport has awesome coffee. Seriously, for probably having 6 cups there over the whole weekend, I did not have one bad one. On the Wharf, we ended up at the Coffee Grinder which has a cute outside area to sit on the water. The coffee was great but the prices were just nuts for two cups (close to $20 for black coffee). I made sure to enjoy some time on the little patio just to make it worthwhile.

Bowen’s Wharf has a ton of shops so explore it for as long as your heart desires. Make sure to walk near the boats and admire their winter beauty. This is also the spot from which a lot of boat tours leave. I did not see any running in the winter but as early spring approaches, that might change soon. If you travel in the future during the winter months, make sure to check if the Newport winter festival is back on.

Then an afternoon walk down Thames Street

Thames Street is a cute touristy street. The part you care about runs between Marlborough Street down to Wellington Ave. If you’re starting from Bowen’s Wharf, walk south (making a right out of Bowen’s) and explore the little local shops in Newport Rhode Island. I recommend making a loop there. There are so many boutiques and trinket shops. My favorite little shop was the Salty Babe for some new fashion trends. If you walk fairly far down, you should grab a drink at O’Brein’s a very known pub in the city.

Once you make your way back, stop at Kilwin’s for some out-of-this-world chocolates and ice cream. Another cool spot I recommend in that area is Brick Alley Pub. It’s super known but the decor and service make it worth stopping at for at least one drink. If you still have some energy left, there is another small shopping area at the Long Wharf Mall. It’s mostly retail chains and only a couple of local shops.

Oh and then don’t forget to relax a little

Now after half a day of exploring, you will need to rest a little before dinner. Make sure to take some time at your hotel to relax and enjoy some time for yourself. I’m always guilty of rushing and packing my schedule with things to do and forgetting to relax while on vacation. In Newport, I almost made the mistake of pushing through the schedule, but I stopped myself to pause even for a little. After driving almost 4 hours and then spending another 4 exploring the town, I didn’t realize how bad I needed a serious nap. I think you will do the same.

To end the day, have dinner at Mamma Luisa’s

There are SO many good dinner options in town that it’s hard to choose one. My go-to at almost any destination is always the best pasta in town. I found Mamma Luisa’s online and it certainly did not disappoint. The restaurant is located down on Thames Street, a little further away from the main touristy part. It’s inside an old house and serves delicious meals. Parking could be hard so Uber may be a good choice.

Just kidding, time for a night-cap

If you’re a drinker like me, finding a bar that’s open late could be a struggle. The Fastnet Pub was one of the only open spots near my accommodation for some late-night brews. Can’t say that it was a classy experience but hey, you need to see all the parts of town right?

Day 2

The first day was packed for us so sleeping a little later than expected was almost unavoidable. Especially after the nightcap stop. I wanted to stick to my travel plan and after a strong cup of coffee, I was ready for day two of exploring Newport Rhode Island in the winter.

Are you ready for another full day of Newport activities? Because on the second day, you will get more of the Newport vibes outside the area of Thames Street. You’ll spend time outside for a good chunk of it so don’t forget to bundle up in your warm clothes.

Start your day with a filling breakfast

Before heading out for some more exploring, make sure to grab a good breakfast. I enjoyed the coffee and food at Drift Cafe right on Thames and also at the Cru Cafe located inside the town so that’s what I recommend to you. Other known spots that were recommended to me are The Corner Cafe, The Franklin Spa and The Hungry Monkey.

Then, grab a beer at Newport Vineyards

After breakfast, take a trip to a different spot 15 minutes outside the town, the Newport Vineyards. It’s a winery/brewery/restaurant. I did the beer tasting there instead of wine and it was good but crazy pricey for the amount you get. The food was ok too but nothing spectacular. The space is very large but I would make reservations a couple of weeks in advance as it’s a very popular spot. The grounds are pretty but in the winter there is not much you can do there aside from drinking at the moment. Although the place did not blow me away, I recommend grabbing a beer or a glass of wine and some small tapas. It’s still super awesome and is located a little out of the way, lets you see another side of this area.

Don’t forget to tour at least one Mansion

You can’t visit Newport and not see at least one of the famous mansions. Check out how to richest families in the states used to enjoy their summers at these grand estates. They’re known as the Gilded Age Mansions and they were built in the late 1800s. Their extravagant European decor makes them a super unique activity on the East Coast. Even if you’re not into history, I recommend visiting at least one of them on your Newport trip.

Unfortunately during my visit, only The Breakers was open. It was once the estate of the wealthy Vanderbilt family and is probably the most known mansion in the area. The current price as of February 2021 is $26 and the last entry is at 4 pm. Parking is super convenient on-site too and it’s free. There are no operating tours but through the NewportMansions app, you can listen to the audio tour as your walk around. Don’t forget to bring your headphones with you if you’re planning to do this. It’s scheduled to close between March 1st and May 27th again.

For the other mansions, The Marble House is scheduled to reopen on March 1st this year and the Green Animals Topiary Garden in early April. It doesn’t look like The Elms will open until the fall and The Rosecliff is not on the schedule this year. Check out the Newport Preservation Society for the most up-to-date opening information. If you’re curious about the history of the mansions, check out the full list of them here.

And of course, walk The Cliff Walk

Newport’s tourism is known for the mansions but also for the Cliff Walk. It’s a promenade along the eastern shore that is about 3.5 miles long. If you have the time doing the full round trip allows you to see multiple perspectives while also getting some exercise in. The main parking is around Memorial Boulevard at Easton’s Beach and also there are meters near the 40 steps point. If you’re planning to do a longer walk, I suggest parking in that area. However, if you’re visiting the Breakers, you can just park there and walk a street over to access the Cliff Walk from Ruggles Ave. Turning right towards the southern part has a little rough rocky terrain. That continues to Belmont Beach with a few more challenging parts of the trail being located at the end. The left, more northern part of Ruggles is lighter and has some amazing mansion views. The northern part is more crowded but also easier on the terrain.

Finish the trip with a beautiful sunset and a boujee dinner

First, don’t forget to rest a little after the mansions and the Cliff Walk. Then, if the weather is clear, make sure to head to the wharf to catch the sunset. There is nothing prettier than sailboats, calm waters, and that pastel sky with a bright orange or red sun coming down in front of your eyes.

For dinner, I recommend 22 Bowens, a fancy steakhouse with the perfect ambiance. It is a little pricey for an average traveler but worth setting some funds aside for. Other places that won’t disappoint but won’t break the bank are The Red Parrot, Midtown Oyster Bar, or Sardella’s.

Final Thoughts on a Newport Rhode Island winter

Newport Rhode Island in the winter or even early spring is an amazing idea for the following reasons:

1) There are no crazy crowds, allowing you to peacefully eat out, see mansions, and do the Cliff Walk.
2) It’s half the price of your accommodations.
3) Parking is available (almost) everywhere.
4) There is almost no traffic.
5) It feels like you have this whole city to yourself.

And while I will be returning in the summer, my winter memories of Newport will always be very special.

I hope you found this guide useful and that I showed you that winter should not be stopping you from visiting this destination.

If you have any recommendations or thoughts that you think are useful for this travel destination, I would love for you to share them in the comments!

An Off-Season Weekend Itinerary to Newport, Rhode Island