Virgin Voyages' guide to Newport, Rhode Island

With palatial mansions featuring Gilded Age architecture, breathtaking sailboats rolling in, picturesque cliffside views, sprawling vineyards & a downtown area plucked from a storybook – Newport, Rhode Island is the coveted jewel of the East Coast.

NEWPORT

The Epitome of East Coast Opulence

Mansion-peppered coastlines standing high above rocky, Northeastern beaches. Yachts from all over the world sailing into the nearby distance. Gilded Age mansions that have housed some of America’s wealthiest and most famous families in history. Newport, Rhode Island’s elite vibes paired with down-to-Earth locals, incredible seafood, museums and opportunities for outdoor adventure create an unparalleled Northeast experience.

A historic harbor town that was designed for parking horses rather than cars, in Newport you can take a scenic cliffwalk with ocean views, though the views of the mansions you’ll pass by will be a breathtaking distraction. Enjoy a 10-mile ocean-view drive, fly a kite at Brenton Point State Park, lay out on the beach or try your hand at sailing. Visit the art or the auto museum, take a tour of one of the palatial breweries or winery vineyards and then head to one of the whimsical wharfs to indulge in the freshest seafood in New England. From world-renowned sailing regattas to pub-lined cobblestone streets – Newport’s effortless blend of maritime tradition and five-star coastal elegance make it a must-visit for any traveler.

Shore Excursions

Newport Novelties

Cliffwalks, coastlines & audacious architecture.

Scenic Drive & Gilded Age Mansions

Once a seaside vacation spot for generations of Vanderbilts, Astors, Morgans, and other New York elite, Newport's historic district features colonial, federal, and Victorian-style homes designated as National Historic Sites. Take in the glamorous facades of Trinity Church, Redwood Library, and St. Mary, the Gothic Revival church where JFK and Jackie O had their famous fairytale wedding. It also brings you along Newport's famous Ocean Drive, with its ten magnificent miles of commanding coastline.

The Vanderbilt Manors Marble House & The Breakers

With the help of the Newport Mansions app, you'll explore these feats of architecture at your own pace. Up first is the Marble House, inspired by the Petit Trianon, a chateau on the grounds of a humble little spot called Versailles — which William Vanderbilt gave his wife as a birthday present. (We've seen worse.) Your tour continues with The Breakers, the grandest of the Newport mansions, whose bespoke relief sculpture, colorful gardens, and handmade furnishings are a window into opulence.

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Newport, Rhode Island

Newport Cliff Walk and Tour of The Breakers

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Gilded Age opulence and a walk along the water

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport Historic District Walking Tour

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Colonial architecture & America's oldest landmarks

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A city of firsts

Newport’s home to the first ferry, first circus & first library!

Long after the sails disappear from the harbor and palatial mansions fade into the rocky coastlines you’ll forever remember your day in Newport, Rhode Island. Once a playground for the world’s elite to spend their summers, this historic harbor town, where history and understated luxury meet in a perfect balance, Newport is still an idyllic place to make memories. Listen to the rhythmic crash of the waves as you make your way along the cliffs, have a bite to eat while watching the sunset and the candlelit dinners come alive, savor a lobster roll dockside and dip your toes in Narragansett Bay. In Newport, the past enriches the present, making it the timeless, unmistakably New England jewel that it is.