Newport Bridge photo courtesy of pshutterbug on Flickr
Sometimes the best way to appreciate your hometown during the holiday season is to leave it. Boston natives and those looking to see and do something different around the city should head to nearby Newport, Rhode Island.
When the tourist crowds thin out and locals head for warmer climates, it’s the perfect time to enjoy having this seaside city all to yourself. Here are our favorite suggestions for things to do in Newport at Christmas time:
Visit the Newport Mansions
No street in Rhode Island is more synonymous with wealth and affluence than Bellevue Avenue. This home to many of the United States’ richest and most famous families includes posh summer homes for the likes of the Vanderbilts, Astors and Rockefellers. It’s a miles-long strip that showcases some of the most lavish homes in the whole of the country.
Christmas is of course an exciting and unique time of year for travelers to visit when many of these mansions are decked out in beautiful holiday decorations and light displays. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a guided day-long tour of the most well-known of Newport’s mansions, including The Breakers and Marble House.
Eat and Drink Downtown Newport
Some of the best restaurants in the state are right in the heart of Newport. Seafood lovers will no doubt want to check out The Mooring, 22 Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille and the new Midtown Oyster Bar for fresh oysters, shrimp, crab and quahogs (a local delicacy).
What’s more is the state’s top three beer bars are here as well. Lovers of Boston’s excellent pubs will want to head to Broadway for the likes of Norey’s, Pour Judgement and Fastnet Pub. Round out your trip with a with a bonus stop at White Horse Tavern. Built ‘before 1673′, it’s allegedly the oldest continuously run tavern in the United States.
Enjoy a Long Weekend at Castle Hill Inn
Tucked away at the far end of Newport’s famous Ocean Drive sits Castle Hill Inn. This enchanting hotel may well be the state’s best kept secret. During the summer months, visitors line the sprawling oceanfront lawn to admire views of the Newport Bridge while sipping white wine spritzers.
During the winter, guests often relax by the cozy indoor fire after a romantic dinner at the onsite five-star restaurant. Couples looking to splurge a bit are encouraged to spend the night or the weekend at the state’s most exclusive B&B.
- By Mike Richard
Things to Do in Newport at Christmas Time from Boston Things to Do