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It’s June in New England which means one thing and one thing only, it’s officially road trip season! Actually, I think an element that makes New England unique in and of itself, is how easy it is to jump into a car and explore picturesque New England towns without breaking the bank. Last weekend, my sister/photographer Tessa, and I decided to capture one of our favorite New England cities, Newport Rhode Island! 

I honestly don’t know where to start, Newport has so much to offer, but let’s just start with a little background, shall we? Originally found in 1639, Newport is filled to the brim with American culture and deeply rooted in colonial history, architecture, and hauntings if that floats your boat. Newport isn’t just known for its colonial history, if you fast forward to the Gilded Age, you’d find Newport in it’s peek. Around this time tycoons of industry, such as the  Vanderbilts,  adopted this seaside city to be the location for their summer ‘cottages’. Now, these cottages were nothing short of extravagant Versaille like mansions, in fact, we bring you along for our tour of Rosecliff Mansion in the video above.

None the less, between a rich history and delicious seafood, my sister and I decided to break down our ‘official’ New Englander’s Guide to Newport, RI for any of you interested in visiting this summer or fall! The video above shows you a play by play of our travel suggestions for 48 hours in Newport, so make sure to check that out, BUT to help you out we’ve also listed all the links to the places we’ve visited and extra recommendations below!

Okay, let’s get to it and make sure to leave a comment below with any additional recommendations! 

To Stay: 

If you’re planning a trip to Rhode Island, I would highly recommend staying at The Attwater Hotel in downtown Newport, From its intimate sizing to its nautical decor, we truly enjoyed every moment of our stay in this centrally located boutique hotel, We were lucky enough to get a room last moment that perfectly accommodated our needs. The room layout gave Tessa and I enough space for us not only to work and store our photography equipment for our Newport content but also a separate bedroom to unplug and relax, I mean, I did a whole room tour in the video above, so you guys can get a sneak peek inside of the atmosphere The Attwater Hotel has created.

Now if I’m being honest, my favorite part about this hotel was not the bedroom, but rather the shower. I’ve been gearing up to do a little home renovation and their shower gave me all the inspiration. Tessa was cracking up because I took about 1,000 pictures of it to keep for inspiration and to show my family and friends, and let’s just say so far everyone has approved. Besides being obsessed with their decor, the fresh hot coffee they had in the lobby all day long, and the sweet staff that directed us in the right direction for our photoshoots, made our stay all that more enjoyable. Tessa and I had a busy 48 hours in Newport so being in the heart of downtown and being able to walk to shoot locations like Bowen’s Wharf, Bellevue Ave, and the historical downtown area, from the comfort of the hotel lobby, made all the difference. 

Anyway if you don’t already know, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND! Now, this is the first Lark Hotel property I’ve stayed at but Tessa and I are excited to capture more of their New England properties throughout the summer and fall! If you’re headed to a New England destination station this summer check out Lark Hotels on their website or Instagram! 

To Do: 

+ The Mansions: visiting the Newport Mansions are a must. I don’t want to giveaway to much details but the lifestyle these Gilded Age social lights and business tycoons lived, seems straight out of the Great Gatsby. In the video above we actually bring you along with us on our tour of the Rosecliff Mansion. Not only is the Rosecliff Mansion one of my favorite mansions in Newport to tour, but it’s also the backdrop to a few famous movies you might recognize!  

All and all the price is about $17.00, per mansion tour, so I highly recommend purchasing a two or five house ticket pass if you are headed to Newport for the first time, as the passes actually don’t expire and having the passes on hand with you during your stay will save you both money and hassle in the long run. 

+ The Topiary Garden: Totally underrated if I do say so myself! You can learn more about our visit to the topiary gardens in this blog post! 

+ Shopping on Bowen’s Wharf: I mean, shopping right! I love taking a stroll down Bowne’s Wharf for some summer inspiration. Whether I’m popping into KJP’s Flagship Store or taking a peek inside the sailboat-filled art galleries, I always seem to leave Newport with a few more bags than I arrived with.

+ Berry Picking: Rhode Island has the best strawberries and now that they are in season Tessa and I made a quick stop at Sweet Berry Farm on the way home from the Topiary Garden! Not only did we pick some delicious strawberries but we also got freshly made ice cream, at their farmstand to boot. 

+ Dinner Downtown: We headed back to the hotel, to grab a quick coffee before changing our outfits for dinner! The fact that downtown Newport was walking distance from our hotel, made late night food runs a must. 

+ Visiting A LightHouse: Every good New England summer getaway has to end with a lighthouse photo! Tessa and I decided to bike over to Goats Island to get a picture with the iconic lIghthouse whilst watching the sunset over the Newport Bridge. It’s the perfect Instagram shot if you ask me! 

Places We Ate: 

+ Coffee Grinder Newport 

+ The Red Parrot

+ Brick Alley Club

+Diego’s

+ 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grill

+ Del’s Lemonade

& that’s our A New Englander’s Guide to Newport, Rhode Island! I hope you enjoyed this post and let me know if there is another New England seaside city you would like us to review next! xx Aubrey 

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