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Day One
Home » Rhode Island » Rhode Island Vacations: A One to Three Day Itinerary » Day OneNo trip to Rhode Island is complete without seeing the Gilded Age mansions in Newport. Begin your day by taking a guided tour through the most impressive of the mansions, The Breakers, located at 424 Bellevue Avenue. The Breakers is a 13 acre estate that has been designated as a National Historic Landmark. It received its name from the view of waves crashing against rocks. The Breakers was owned by one of America’s most prosperous families, the Vanderbilts, who used it as a summer cottage. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt commissioned the villa to be built in 1893. The construction included the transporting of European artisans to apply gold leaf among other artistic touches. The youngest of the Vanderbilt daughters, Gladys, inherited the house in 1934 and opened The Breakers to the public in 1948 to raise funds for The Preservation Society of Newport County. In 1972 the Preservation Society purchased The Breakers from her heirs.
If time allows before lunch, you may want to take in another mansion, and there are plenty to choose from. Each mansion takes approximately one hour to tour. Rosecliff is another great choice. Rosecliff is modeled after a French palace and has been used in several films including The Great Gatsby, True Lies, High Society, and Amistad.
For lunch, why not head down to Bowen’s Wharf? There are several good restaurant choices on the wharf. You may want to have a casual lunch outdoors. Take time to stroll along the wharf and visit the eclectic boutiques, jewelers, and galleries while on Bowen’s Wharf.
After lunch, tour Newport from the water onboard one of the Harbor Tours. The Spirit of Newport was built in 1987 and is a multi-decked cruise ship that can carry up to 200 passengers. You can choose to enjoy your tour from the main deck which is enclosed, or venture up to the observation deck which is only partially covered. Not only will you see beautiful yachts, sailboats, commercial fishing boats, and warships, you will also cruise past the Newport Bridge, Rose Island, Jamestown, Goat Island, Fort Adams, and Hammersmith Farm where Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis grew up. Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy hosted their wedding reception at Hammersmith Farm which was later referred to as the “summer White House.”
After a long day of sightseeing you may want to drop in to one of the local hangouts after dinner. Friends is a good choice if you want to visit with the locals and play billiards or darts.
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