Very small landmark where the first Puritan settlers landed in Portsmouth, RI. There is parking at…read morethe entrance and a very short walk where you will find a shaded glade with a running brook and a small waterfall, memorial benches scattered throughout, and an herb garden in memory of the late Anne Hutchinson and Mary Dyer. Very peaceful little spot!!

Good. Had a good time looking at the old buildings and seeing the tools that they used.read more

Ready for an adventure kiddies? Then come to Fall River and see the aging ruins of the Old Fall…read moreRiver Ice House. But please, be discreet. Signs around the entryway state that fishing, boating, swimming and camping are strictly prohibited. But ever since I was a child I always wondered what the old Medieval looking ruin had to offer the not so faint of heart. Now as an adult literalist, I interpret the absence of a no trespassing order as something akin to an invitation. One side of the structure can be seen on the right while driving north on Route 24 coming from 195. Take exit 5 and follow Eastern Avenue then take a left onto New Boston Road. At the end, turn left onto Willow Street which turns into Ruth Street (over the freeway) and then Meridian Street (in a very short distance). Park on Hannah Street or Bergeron Street and then walk back toward whence you drove and go around the left of the fence across the road. What awaits you on the other side is a lonesome path long neglected over time. Weeds and trees flourish between cracks in the crumbling asphalt. Once past the noise from the street, an eerie quiet sets in. A short walk will lead you to the northern shores of the pond. Continue along and watch for the ruins on the right. Inside you will find excellent photo opportunities and a remarkable example of structural decay and a forest gradually reclaiming lost ground. Vines ensnare the surrounding trees and creep alongside the walls of the massive building. The colossal inner chambers are full of trees and enormous stones that have given way to time. Interesting exterior brickwork nestled among stones can be seen as one moves along the southern edge of the building closer to the shore. One wall bears the scar of what may have been a large lightning strike. Most of the walls have soaring vacancies in the stonework that may have once held windows or doors. Sadly, there is some graffiti, but it's a minor distraction in such an exciting place. After you've had your fill of the ruins, continue along the path and feel the eyes of the forest upon you. Low walls of stone accompany you throughout most of your journey and it would be difficult to get lost. Bear left when the path splits about a half mile after you've gone over the causeway (it can be difficult to discern) and you will eventually return to Meridian Street. Do NOT forget your camera!

Stunning & majestic grandeur at 360 degrees for these historic mansions. Amazed and grateful that…read morethese have been restored for us to view this piece of lavish history. We joined the Historic society for the well worth is discount and toured 3 homes in a day, which is just the right amount. A must in the self guided audio tour via the mansions phone app. It really adds to the history of the mansion and gives great insight to the families and their world. Please explore these fabulous gems when in the area. Can't wait to see the rest!

Visited the Newport Mansions for the first time during the holidays to see all the beautiful lights…read moreand decorations!!! I visited The Breakers and The Marble House (third mansion is The Elms). Each house was lit up with Christmas lights, as well as a Christmas tree in each room. Also bought tickets to see "The Sparkling Lights" outside on the lawn. The mansions are absolutely grand, elegant, and filled with history!! They all cost money to enter, but there is a free audio tour for each one (bring a headset). I loved learning about each one! Short and sweet summaries of each room as you walk through the houses, with the option to listen to extended versions (for you history lovers). Each mansion has parking close-by (although the website claims you can easily walk from one mansion to the next, they are quite far, especially in the winter). I stopped in for a simple day trip, but lots to see and eat in Newport if you have more time! Another tip would be if you're there to see the Sparkling Lights, earliest admission is 4:30 pm, make sure you're in line by 4:15 pm (it gets long FAST)!

Chateau-sur-Mer is a different style of Newport mansion. It's beautiful but not in the traditional…read moresense of gilded age mansions. It's more Addams Family gilded age castle, if that makes sense. It's filled with treasures including the beautiful silk wall paper. It's a must see.

Château-sur-Mer was built in 1852, much earlier than the other Newport mansions one can tour. It…read morebegan as an Italianate style year-round home, but was later renovated in the French Second Empire style. The arts and crafts interior is ornate, featuring many natural scenes. The tree of life mural, in particular, weaves its way not only up three flights of stairs, but also through the ceilings in the great hall. It's worth the time to download the audio tour and listen to it throughout the house. We visited in early April right after it re-opened for the season. Château-sur-Mer is not open year-round. Because it was off season, there were few people touring while we were there. The home is gorgeous and can be seen in about an hour or so--more if you walk the grounds. It was raining when we visited, so we skipped the outside.

No tolls, almost unobstructed views-an almost MUST if you are traveling to Newport. Perfection!read more

A cool bridge with…read moregreat views I love going over bridges, especially really big bridges. I realize that some people think reviewing a bridge is stupid but real cool ones deserve to be reviewed. Here I am actually reviewing two bridges, the old Jamestown Bridge and its replacement the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge. Everyone calls the new one the Jamestown Bridge, just like the older one. The first bridge was built in 1940 and was the very first bridge to Conanicut Island. This opened things up for people living there because they didn't have to rely on just ferries any more. There were plans to keep the old bridge open for bikes and pedestrians but the old bridge was found to be in such lousy condition that they were afraid it would fall and end up killing people. So they finally got around to blowing it in April, 2006. The new bridge was completed and opened in 1992 and is much wider and higher than the previous one. Great fun to drive over and look at down at Plum Beach Lighthouse, Dutch Island, ships and the water. It's such a great view that it's difficult to keep my eyes on the road, so I frequently weave around a bit. Scares the hell out of my wife which is always cool. Unlike the Newport Bridge (Pell), there is no toll to cross the Jamestown Bridge. Unfortunately bikes and people are not allowed on the new bridge which is to bad because it would be a great place for a walk. It can get a bit feisty in the winter, especially during snow or ice storms, but the highway guys do a good job of keeping it passable so there really aren't that many fatal accidents. I've been over both bridges a zillion times and still love it. Crossing into Jamestown over the bridge is something I'll never get tired of. Here's a cool video of the demolition of the old bridge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2nGtVURPlE

This house is being beautifully and carefully restored. We attended their Colonial Life event and…read morehad a fabulous time! They had many reenactors on hand who were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. It was a great experience and we will definitely be back!

Coming from Aquidneck island, we drove over the Mount Hope Bridge to get to Warren…read more The bridge opened in 1929, so it's been around for a long time. It underwent more than $15 million in renovations between 1998 and 2004. Still today, it needs lots of maintenance and repair. It is in working order, but hopefully it will stay active with the proper care.

The history presented is very interesting. We didn't realize General Washington and many other…read moreprominent historical figures crossed to Aquidneck Island from this spot. The history display is presented chronologically and provides some interesting details. Cost: FREE! Time budget: 10 minutes

Ohhhhhh, what a beautiful place to visit! I would highly suggest to try and visit during sunrise…read moreand/or sunset. The views are spectacular, the landscape will leave you in awe, the gorgeous homes that surround this area are breath taking, the winding roads to go through this area are so enjoyable, and I'm certain, that you'll enjoy every second spent here. Even though it was cold and windy, I'm glad to have visited, and I highly recommend this experience.

Great drive, take in the coastline, the houses, the wildlife…read more Park at Brenton State Park, cross the road & watch the waves, the boats, the birds. Don't miss this drive!

Ahh, the City by the Sea…read more Did you know that Newport now contains among the highest number of surviving colonial buildings of any city in the United States? Me either but it's true. Did you know that Newport is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and a major United States Navy training center? Now you do. Did you know the Tennis Hall of Fame is located in Newport? How about that the Newport Country Club hosted the first US Open and the first US Amateur? Or that Newport is known as the sailing capitol of the United States? Or that John Fitzgerald Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier were married in St. Mary's Church in Newport? Or that the movie "The Great Gatsby" (1974 edition) was filmed in Newport? Or that on Bellevue Avenue is home to some of the most opulent, amazing mansions in the world? Or that The Whitehorse Tavern, the oldest pub in continuous service in the United States, can be found here? All of this and I have not even begun to mention the beaches, the great restaurants, the Newport Jazz Festival, the fun - and there is a lot of fun to be had in Newport. A great place to visit if you get a chance.

Everyone that I have encountered at this City Hall has been decent. While they aren't personable or…read morefriendly, they do complete their job in a timely manner. My major gripe with this city hall is that they have a misleading sign that points to a a wheelchair accessible entrance under the grand staircase outside. The lift you are lead to is the oldest, scariest, and SMALLEST elevator I have ever seen. There is absolutely 100% no way a wheelchair could fit inside it. Truly despicable! Government buildings need to be accessible to all individuals.

The hydrangeas at Marble House during the summer! Make your plans now. The flowers are gorgeous. A…read morememory you and your loved ones will definitely cherish forever!

I chose Marble House as my first mansion to tour on our most recent visit to Newport. On the Cliff…read moreWalk, you pass by all these historic mansions from the Gilded Age and my interest was piqued. Vanderbilt lore and how beautiful the house looked from the water and on the Cliff Walk path were why I went with Marble House. I bought tickets online from newportmansions.org and was able to print out my QR code at the hotel where we were staying. When you're on the website, you'll have different options. You can go to The Breakers and then add one (or more) of the other properties. With our timing, I bought the ticket where you can visit just one of the mansions. You can download the self-guided audio tour ahead of time (I recommend doing this). It app has a lot of content to select based on your interests - more history, more about the architecture, etc. I enjoyed listening to it even after our actual visit. Highlights for me were the Gothic Room, the Mrs. Vanderbilt's bedroom, and the kitchen. There's a gift shop inside with lots of Marble House, Breaker, and Newport items for gifts, etc. Also, don't forget to go out on the green and check out the Tea House.