kids at the White Horse Tavern? bad idea?

We are going to Newport for my father%26#39;s 65th bday celebration. I was there last year with my girlfriends and we all said that if we came back, we would eat at the White Horse Tavern. Now that I am indeed heading back, I was thinking of having my father%26#39;s bday dinner at that restaurant. My concern is my 20 month old son. He is very good in restaurants, I just need to know if this restaurant is slow in terms of service and %26#39;stuffy%26#39; in terms of clientele. After all, my son is 20 months! eek!

Can anyone advise?

Thanks!

kids at the White Horse Tavern? bad idea?

Yes it%26#39;s pretty ';stuffy'; old dark colonial style building, jackets suggested, slower service to allow diners to enjoy their time there....

kids at the White Horse Tavern? bad idea?

Hit reply too soon. I know that the times I%26#39;ve been there the upstairs has seemed more ';livelier'; in terms of noise and such...although it%26#39;s mostly been groups of adults drinking and having a good time at dinner making the noise.

You may want to check with them if the have a small private room for your dinner. Service is slower and in a more formal atmosphere at the White Horse, so if your son gets antsy he can move around the room without bothering other customers, and you can enjoy your meal also.

Overnight stay with small children

Hi!

Our little family (me, my husband and 3 boys - 1, 4 and 5 yrs) is planning on taking a road trip to visit family in Philadelphia at the end of June. We%26#39;re leaving the 24th and coming back the 1st. We plan to stop in NYC before heading on to Philly, but would like to make a stop at a beach on the way back. Our kiddies have never seen the ocean! And we have never been to Rhode Island, ourselves.

Can anyone suggest a good beach destination and accommodations for us? We%26#39;ll probably only be spending a day and night there before moving on.

Thanks so much!

Julia

A ghoulishly fun place for family! Monster Mini Golf!!

Hi everyone! I’m new to the forum; this is actually my first post, haha. I took the family on a weekend trip to Rhode Island this weekend and wanted to share about our favorite stop while there.

On Saturday, my wife and I were trying to think of something fun to do with the kids when my brother in-law (who we were staying with) mentioned a place called Monster Mini Golf in Warwick. We took a look at their website and decided that it looked like a good idea.

Monster Mini Golf proved to be a great choice. The whole place is a fun experience. When we walked in, my 7 year old son who loves monsters, lit up with a huge smile due to the fact that the indoor course is completely decorated with different monsters and other ghoulish creatures.

The course is not at all expensive to play with prices ranging form 5.50-7.50 based on the height of the golfer. So we got our putters and our balls and hit the links and had a wonderful time.

Monster Mini Golf was a great find, for any age. I found it to be better then a movie because it was cheaper, and it is also hard to keep children quiet and comfortable for the entire time of a movie.

My whole family loved Monster Mini Golf so I thought I would share, I hope people find my little review useful. I suggest checking out their website because they have 23 locations, there could be one near you. www.monsterminigolf.com

The Anchorage Building - residential - still exist?

In the early 1940%26#39;s my Grandparents lived in a building they say was called the ';Anchorage'; within walking distance to the Newport, RI naval base where my Grandfather was a trainer. They said it was new at that time and had 4 units. (Their apt. was 2 rooms). Can anyone tell me if this building is still around so I can photograph it when I%26#39;m on vacation there April 17-24? What street or address is it? I sure hope to find something out since I%26#39;ll be traveling there from Missouri.

The Anchorage Building - residential - still exist?

I%26#39;ve never heard of it. The Naval Base is pretty spread out and neighborhoods abut it in both Newport and Middletown. If it was in Npt, I am thinking it was/is close to the water, maybe near the Point neighborhood or Van Zandt St. which is fairly near the old Navy Hospital---and the newer Walmart. There is a Newport History Museum and the historical society, maybe they can help you out. Enjoy your stay- it looks like the weather%26#39;s gonna be nice.

The Anchorage Building - residential - still exist?

Thanks for some clues Hillside68. My mother and her sister were born at a ';Navy hospital'; there in 1941 and 1943. Would that be the old Navy hospital you speak of? Where exactly would that be - hoping I can drive by it? I%26#39;ve never been to Newport and my family has given me very little info. so any assistance appreciated.

I searched around the internet for you and came up with a ';Anchorage Neighborhood'; which is on Coddington Highway in Middletown. This is right near the Naval Base. I think it is (was) housing for the Base. It appears the whole property was about 28 acres and was for sale to a developer a few years back. An issue came up with contaminated ground soil and the developer and the Navy got into a fight over the sale. Anyways, I%26#39;m not sure ';what%26#39;s there'; now.

The Middletown Historical Society website may be of interest to you. It appears the Historical Society will be hosting a discussion on the bases history and impact on April 19th at the Library. You may find your questions answered there or by contacting the Historical Society.

http://www.middletownhistory.org/

Thank you WILL007. This surely must be what my ailing Grandmother remembers when she came up with the word ';Anchorage'; as their housing in the early 1940%26#39;s that my Grandfather could walk to from his trainer position on the Naval base. She said he walked to work on the base.

The Anchorage was not just a building, it was an entire military housing complex built at the beginning of WWII on military-owned land next to the Newport Naval Base.

It is located in Middletown, off Coddington Highway, and can be accessed also from the West Main Road. It was turned over to civilian ownership a few years ago, underwent a significant renovation and is now leasing out housing to both military and civilian households.

The original buildings were four units, two up/two down, and look much the same from the exterior today. Thus, you can photograph to your heart%26#39;s content, and if your grandparents have a street address you may even find the same building. You may even be able to get into a unit if they are still showing them to prospective renters.

Good luck.

PS-The Naval Hospital is now closed, though the original buildings can still be seen from the street. It%26#39;s not near The Anchorage, so you will have to ask directions to get to the former hospital site when you are in town.

What region to stay in?

I%26#39;m getting more and more confused the more I read!!!

We%26#39;re going to visit Rhode Island the last week of October (2009). Where would anyone suggest that we make our home base? We are interested in seeing the foliage, but also the Newport offerings.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

What region to stay in?

Not sure whats do confusing but...if you go anywhere north of RI to see the foliage, by the last week it will have faded. RI is still ok then. You could stay anywhere in mid to Southern RI, check out Newport and take some country drives in the area, to say Westport, MA or Eastern CT. People don%26#39;t really go to Npt to see foliage, that%26#39;s not to say its not pretty here too.

What region to stay in?

Hi Hannah128,

Make your base wherever you wish. Rhode Island%26#39;s small size makes it quite easy to reach all of it, including parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut as well. As mentioned, the coastal areas are not where you want to go for foliage. They just don%26#39;t have enough of the right kinds of trees for good color.

My only concern is your timing. Last week of October will be cutting it very very close with regards to the end of the foliage season. Most years it%26#39;s at peak around the 3rd week of October for Rhode Island, Southern Mass. and Conn. and ends about a week later. Hopefully you will get to see some good color while you%26#39;re up here. Forget traveling too far north to see it as it will be past peak. If it%26#39;s still in peak around R.I., take a trip up the Blackstone Valley National Corridor just north of Providence for some great color. Southeastern Massachusetts is another good area to focus on, as well as Eastern Connecticut. Come back here when it%26#39;s closer to your trip and I%26#39;ll give you a link to a foliage map you can use to guage where the color will be and plan your roadtrips accordingly.

So, as long as you have a car and there%26#39;s still color to be seen, I wouldn%26#39;t worry much about where you make your base. You could make it in Providence, Newport or most anywhere else in R.I. I would advise against basing yourself in extreme Southern, R.I., in towns like Narragansett, since you will just have to drive further to see foliage. Anywhere else will be fine.

Thanks so much Will. Your reponse was very, very helpful!!

Hannah

Thank you for your comments.

Hannah

black heads

Beaches

Going to stay in Newport in August, where should I stay for access to the best beaches ?

Ta

Rob

Beaches

Then you would want to rent a place in the Briarwood Ave, Newport Ave area in Middletown. THere are some hotels in that area too. Its just a half mile or so from Npt.

Beaches

The best beaches (Second Beach and Gooseberry) are not really in commercial areas, you%26#39;d have to drive, bike, or take a trolley.

First beach has some hotels across from it, but it%26#39;s not the nicest beach for swimming...it%26#39;s ok for getting sun and walking, but better swimming is found elsewhere.

If you will be walking, try to find a place in Newport or nearby Middletown that is ';within walking distance'; (however you define that) to Easton%26#39;s (or First as it is also called locally) Beach. Middletown landlords can rent apartment/cottage units by the week and there are a number of such rentals near the beach as another poster has indicated. You can also walk to Second Beach from that neighborhood in Middletown, though its about a mile or so. Parking, however, is expensive, so walking is best if you can handle it.

Gooseberry Beach is on the Ocean Drive in Newport, and that city doesn%26#39;t allow weekly rentals (though some landlords do so illegally), and there is no nearby hotel, so a car and parking fees is probably necessary.

Third Beach is another option, even further out from Second Beach, and a car is necessary unless you are a real hiker. Third is great for young children since it is very calm. Second is best for body surfing most days, and board surfing at the west end.

Block Island for just 1 night

We are looking to stay in BI for one night in July or August. Does anyone know of a hotel without a minimum stay?

Block Island for just 1 night

If you are looking for a weekend night, then unfortunately most of the hotels %26amp; B%26amp;B%26#39;s require minimum stays of at least 2 nights. During the week you should be able to get a one night stay just about anywhere.

However, if you are looking for the weekend, and only can stay one night, then my advice to you would be to wait until the week before or possibly even the week of the night you want to stay and call then. Most times, the hotels and/or B%26amp;B%26#39;s if they have an opening, will take you for one night instead of losing out on renting the room all together. Also, you may get lucky that with the current state of the economy, some places might book you for one night now. Unlikely, but possible.