Newport Newbie

We are traveling to Newport for a few days in mid April. We will be there from Sun - Thurs. I know NOTHING about the area! I need plenty of advice! So far all I know is that there are mansions and water.

What are my can%26#39;t miss items? What are the best places to eat? Is April still considered off season? Will anything be going on?

Also... what is the best way to get to the Amtrak station from the airport? I will be taking a train from Providence to NYC Thursday. Will a cab be too expensive?

Thanks in advance!

Newport Newbie

April is not the high season of Summer, but most of the shops, restaurants, and stores will be open, but not crowded (unless your visit falls during local school%26#39;s April Vacation)

For an overview of the city, go to:

www.gonewport.com

Along with the mansions, the Cliff Walk is popular if the weather is nice.

www.cliffwalk.com

also all of the wharfs and shops around Thames Street.

The best way to catch the train from Newport is actually from the Kingston Station, but you could go up to Providence as well. There are some cab companies and shuttle services. You can probably find the list at gonewport.com

Newport Newbie

Oh wait, I see you want a train from the Airport....then yes Providence is the closer station. Cab would be easiest, but you could take a RIPTA bus.

As far as where to eat, there are many choices that cater to many different tastes, and budgets. Check out the restaurant reviews in this site. They are a valuable resource particularly to a Newport newbie like yourself.

tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g60978-Newport_R…

Hope this link works. Enjoy!

In Mid April, the weather can be anywhere from cool to mild, so some activities might depend on the weather.

In nice weather, we like to take a sailboat tour of the harbor (not sure they run in Mid April), we enjoy a drive along the ocean (in any weather) with a stop to have a drink or lunch at Castle Hill.

The mansions are a great option for a rainy or chilly day since you%26#39;ll be inside and you could save the cliff walk for a mild day.

Newport has lots of restaurant choices, we like the Clark Cooke House.

I can%26#39;t help with public transportation as we always have a car.

Enjoy your trip!

Thanks all. This will get me started.

We%26#39;d also like to go into Boston if it%26#39;s not too far. How long do you think it would take by car to do a day trip into Boston? Would it be better to catch a train?

By car, it would be about 1 1/2 hours up to Boston depending on traffic of course.

The easiest way would be to take a bus from the visitors center. It takes you right into South Station in Boston.

As someone else mentioned, prepare yourselves for quite variable weather. April in Newport is not like April in the south; it can be mild and sunny and change overnight to a windy, raw and rainy.

You will have plenty of choices at that time of year for reasonably priced overnight accomodations, and restaurant off season ';Deals';. The local NCCVB (Newport County Convention and Visitors Bureau) website will give you most of the information you need to begin putting together a detailed itinerary.

I%26#39;ve been to Boston once before without a car and found the public transportation good enough to suit my needs. The bus sounds like it may work, but what about a Celtics game? If we were to take the bus from Newport to Boston is there public transportation to the game and back and does it run that late after the game?

Could it be safer bet to take a car since I will have a rental that week anyway?

Thanks for the tip about the weather. I will be taking along stuff that I can wear in layers.

If you%26#39;re going to a Caeltics game, unless it%26#39;s an afternoon game, the bus would not be an option. The last bus leaves at 7:30pm or 8:30 F,Sa, Su.

You could drive up to Boston and it would take about 1 1/2 hours, more if you hit rush hour.

You could also drive up to the Canton/Route 128 Commuter T station and take the Commuter train into town, or drive to the Braintree T-Stop and take the T in. Last Train out for the Commuter T is at midnight on weeknights and just after 11:00 on weekends.

If the schedules are too tight or not flexible enough, than yes a car is the way to go. It%26#39;s not too complicated a drive. (At least until you get into Boston)