Summer Cruising Destination: Newport, Rhode Island

One of the most iconic – as well as scenic and social – Northeast summer cruising destinations is Newport, R.I. Known as “The Sailing Capital of the World”, Newport is also a great place to visit in a motoryacht. Its historic waterfront is lined with marinas, as well as nautically themed shops, restaurants, bars and nightclubs, most within walking distance of your boat. Beyond the harbor, Newport also offers beaches, biking, hiking, and unique sight-seeing opportunities like touring beautifully preserved Gilded Age mansions. Book a slip or a mooring for a weekend or stay for a month – you will find plenty to see and do there.

The site of numerous local and international sailing regattas – and longtime former home of the America’s Cup races – Newport’s marine infrastructure is robust. Here is a list of the major marinas that offer transient slips:

• Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard (also a full-service yacht service and repair yard)
• Newport Yachting Center Marina
• Newport Marina at Lee’s Wharf
• Forty 1° North Marina
• Bowen’s Wharf Marina
• Bannister’s Wharf Marina
• Goat Island Marina
• Newport Harbor Island Resort Marina
• Newport Harbor Hotel & Marina
• The Marina at Brown & Howard Wharf

 

In addition, there are a limited number of transient mooring balls available for rent in Newport Harbor:

• Oldport Marine accepts advance online bookings.
• The City of Newport and Newport Mooring Service offer moorings on a first-come, first- served basis.

Due to Newport’s huge popularity as a cruising destination, however, it’s essential to book your slip or mooring ball well in advance, particularly during the season – or arrive very early in the morning, hail the Harbormaster on VHF Channel 16, and hope you are lucky.

 

Can’t-miss attractions

Founded in Colonial times, Newport is a wonderful town for walking. Thames Street (pronounced as it is spelled) runs along the waterfront, offering scenic views of the harbor and providing access to the various wharfs. Be sure to visit Bannister’s Wharf, a tourist mecca lined with upscale shops, bars and restaurants like the historic Clarke Cooke House, which is filled with sailing art and memorabilia.

Oldport Marine also operates a hop-on, hop-off Newport Harbor Shuttle, which lets you reach many of Newport’s attractions by water, enjoying views of classic sailing and motoryachts along the way.

It’s also fun to ramble along Newport’s cobblestone streets. Be sure to check out the Point district, which boasts the largest collection of colonial homes in America. Memorial Boulevard, one of the town’s main thoroughfares, leads uphill to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. If you love watching professional tennis, its museum is a must.

Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) Bus Route 67 links downtown with the majestic turn-of-the-century Newport Mansions along Bellevue Avenue. If you only have time to tour one or two, The Breakers is the grandest, while Marble House is the most ornate. Another popular pastime is to stroll along the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, a winding public path that runs beside the sea, offering spectacular views of the mansions in their park-like settings and the restless surf below.

Newport is an excellent bicycling destination as well, and it’s easy to rent a bike from the vendors downtown. The 10-mile Ocean Drive runs along the coastline from the waterfront to historic Bailey’s Beach, and you can continue your ride from there on Bellevue Ave. to Memorial Blvd., making a scenic loop. Sights along the way include Fort Adams State Park, home of famous annual summer jazz and folk festivals; Hammersmith Farm, First Lady Jaqueline Kennedy’s childhood home, and Castle Hill Inn, overlooking the entrance of Narragansett Bay. At the end of the day, the Inn’s Adirondack chairs, dotted across the its great lawn, make the perfect spot to enjoy a sundowner while watching the parade of boats sail past.