We enjoyed our little cruise with Amazing Grace. It was easy and no fuss. A great way to hear the…read morehistory of all the beautiful home and stunning boats. The tour guide was informational without being obnoxious. We enjoyed sitting on the top deck. The view is good from either side of the boat. We didn't order any beverages, but they are available.

We arrived in Newport mid afternoon for an overnight stay. Our teen sun wanted to go out on a…read moreharbor cruise and we did not know if that would be possible at the last minute. The staff at the Jailhouse Inn (definitely recommend) suggested we go down Thames to see if we could catch a last minute harbor cruise. We found the Amazing Grace booth and fortunately they had one more cruise going out that had space available. It was the most affordable harbor cruise we have had! The staff was great with a lot of knowledge of the area and the 1-hr cruise was perfect. And the picturesque view kept our teen engaged the whole cruise! Thank you to everyone who made this such a pleasant and memorable experience!

One of the best values in Newport. Tickets were very reasonable and drinks on board are only $3!…read more The crew was fun and informative. The tour covers much of the bay and the sunset on that particular night was outstanding.

Very comfortable and gave me exactly what I was looking for in terms of history and information of…read morethe Newport, port historic and interesting sites. The crew was super friendly and very down-to-earth. I recommend this trip for any newcomers to the area!

I can't give anything but 5 stars. I was on the island for the first time last month. Not wanting…read moreto drive, the plan was to rent bicycles to go around the island, thinking it would be fine. DONT DO IT. MOPED is the way to go. The island is bigger than you think I got talking to the guy behind the desk while filling out the paperwork and he was awesome. Very friendly and informative. Long story short... he ended up giving us 3 hours for the price of 1! If you have never been in control of a moped, don't worry. The more you relax, the easy it is. Before they let you ride away they just made sure you have the basics down. Ride down the street and back. I think renting a moped is a MUST do if you're on the island for a few days.

1 STAR -- Extremely disappointing experience…read more We reserved a brand-new Bronco convertible for 4 hours for $368.90 from Aldo's. Unfortunately, the experience was a complete disappointment and put a huge damper on our limited day on Block Island. We arrived at the moped/ bike pick up and driven to the car lot by an employee who almost ran into pedestrians on the way there. When we arrived at the car lot, we were told the Bronco we reserved had not been returned, despite being due back two hours earlier. The employee helping us was kind and apologized, and we were offered a Jeep instead. Since we were only on the island from approximately 11:30-5:00, we reluctantly accepted it so we wouldn't lose even more time. We were told, "There are a few lights on the dash, but don't worry about that." There were multiple warning lights, including tire pressure, traction control, ABS and check engine. Almost immediately after leaving, the Jeep stalled. It also had a cracked windshield, the windows didn't work, and the driver's seatbelt was extremely difficult to release. The Jeep stalled at least three more times during our rental. We called Aldo's immediately and were told a golf cart would be available in about 30 minutes. Half way through our rental, they offered us the Bronco, but by then we had already lost valuable time and didn't want to spend even more of our day driving back and forth to exchange vehicles. We asked to return the Jeep at the town location rather than drive another 15 minutes to the lot after a day of hell with this jeep. We were initially told no, but after asking if we could receive a partial refund due to the experience, we were eventually allowed to return it in town, with no mention of a partial refund. I also spoke to two employees, one which I believe is the manager, upon returning it and explained our struggles all day with the car, obtaining nothing more than an, "I'm sorry." We returned it 45 minutes early because we were done dealing with the vehicle. We were told we'd be refunded the difference between the Bronco and Jeep. The Jeep was quoted at $225/hour, yet we were charged $313.30. I called the manager, who explained that the charge included a 17% rental/sales tax and a 3.99% credit card fee, bringing the rental portion to $275.42. So they charged me incorrectly, and would refund us the 93.48 However, I still do not understand how the final charge was calculated or why the refund did not clearly reflect the difference between the two rentals. For comparison, the original Bronco charge of $368.90 included only $18.90 in tax, while the Jeep charge had $50.42 in additional charges.Upon writing this maybe they didn't apply the military discount that was applied to the bronco, to the Jeep? But if it was on my reservation I don't know how that could be. I would appreciate a clear, itemized explanation and appropriate refund. Most importantly, a vehicle with this many warning lights that repeatedly stalls should not be rented to customers. Telling a customer not to worry about multiple safety and mechanical warning lights is unacceptable. The initial employee was kind, but the vehicle condition, lack of communication, lost time and confusing charges made this an extremely frustrating experience. I cannot recommend Aldo's and would strongly suggest renting elsewhere.

We had such a great time on our trolley tour of Newport! Our guide, Carlos, was fantastic,…read morefriendly, funny, and incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Newport and its beautiful historic homes. He shared so many interesting stories and details and added just the right amount of humor to keep the tour entertaining. It was a wonderful way to see Newport on our first day there and learn about its fascinating history at the same time. We thoroughly enjoyed the entire tour and would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Newport!

My husband and I took this tour with our four teenagers, and we had a fantastic time! We were lucky…read moreto have a beautiful, clear day, which made the experience even better. Our trolley driver, Rob, was absolutely amazing. He was very knowledgeable about the mansions and shared so much interesting history along the way. He also gave us excellent recommendations for restaurants, nightlife, and parking. If you take this tour, definitely ask for Rob, he made the experience unforgettable!

Come hungry. Come thirsting for knowledge. Leave with a full belly and an enhanced appreciation for…read moreNewport. As a former resident of Middletown, some of my local knowledge has faded over time. Sue easily restored my love and appreciation for this beautiful port city. She was kind enough to do this for just two of us. A private tour! l enjoyed everything that graced my palate and really respected her thorough knowledge of the history. It was incredibly fun and interesting. There is a lot of walking, especially on a hot day, so you truly do earn each of the different tastes on this tour. These are not just small samples; they are full-sized portions. My favorite was hands-down, our first stop at the reef for clam chowder. It was so velvety smooth and creamy. Just delicious. But following that was a superb chicken sandwich with a light breading; a generous Italian restaurant serving ravioli, a salad, and prosecco; and finally some coffee along with two pastries. Since we were just a party of two we were given the opportunity to try both the rose' and the traditional prosecco at the Italian restaurant (in the Irish neighborhood!) What a kind gesture! Between our gigantic bites, Sue gave us an overview of the city. We even stopped on the grounds of the Elms to learn a little bit more about the history there. We had toured the mansion the other day, but honestly all of the mansions started to blur together, so it was nice to be refreshed on the family that originally owned the Elms. This tour went quite fast, but we were never ever rushed. It just went fast because we were having fun. I told Sue that if I still lived there, I feel like we would be friends! She was so approachable and knowledgeable. Oh! And another cool thing that she pointed out was the IYRS campus, which is the only one of its kind anywhere. It is a trade school for the repair and design of yachts. It is so specialized and so incredibly interesting. I had no idea this was here. All sorts of interesting things about Newport that I never knew. What a great way to spend the day! Pro-tip: park somewhere in the middle of Thames street. It starts at one end, but ends at the other side. We had parked at the end close to where it started and I had to be rolled back to the car. Thank you, Sue for such a fabulous afternoon. I cannot say enough nice things about your business. Bravo for a spectacular food tour!

I always enjoying going on food tours because I get to try different places and the local guides…read moreprovide insights and history of the area. I participated in the Newport Foodies Stroll on Saturday, August 17, 2024 from 11:30am - 2:30pm. The tour begins in front of the wave statue/sculpture at the intersection of America's Cup and Memorial Boulevard. There were some parking on Memorial Boulevard at on-street metered spaces but it is limited to a maximum of three hours, which didn't work with the tour. The nearest paid parking lot is located right next to Surf Club. It was $30 to park till 1am. This worked perfectly since we were spending the rest of our day in downtown Newport. At 11:15am, my group met our tour guide, Susan (Sue) Maxwell, and the other 6 people in our group. It was a group of 10 people total. After introducing ourselves, Sue informed us of the itinerary of the day and took our order for Wally's Wieners. We had the option of a Smash Burger or Wiener. Our first stop was the Sailing Museum & National Sailing Hall of Fame. Sue talked about the exterior of the building and what we could find inside. This was an opportunity for two people at a time to use the restroom. Then, we walked on Thames Street to Inpopnito for a sample of their Newport by the Sea popcorn, which is a mix of Newport Cheddar and Sea-sprayed Caramel popcorn. This was so good that I went back to the store after the tour to purchase a bag. After, we went to Virgin & Aged Gourmet Oils & Vinegars to try their Fig Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic Olive Oil. The Garlic Olive Oil is their most popular one. I really liked it and could imagine dipping bread into it. We came back to Virgin & Aged Gourmet Oils & Vinegars after the tour to purchase some oils and honey. Because of the tour, we get 10% off our purchases. Next, we walked to Wally's Wieners and we walked right upstairs and were seated right away. The restaurant was very busy with customers. Wally's Wieners is named after the owners golden doodle Wally and have been operating a successful hot dog cart since 2019. When demand for their hot dogs went up, they opened the storefront on Thames Street. I got to try the wiener with ketchup, mustard, relish, diced onions served on a butter grilled martin's potato roll. It was really good. After that, we walked to The Reef for Newport Clam Chowder with clams, potatoes, onions, cream, and dill. This is a mix of Rhode Island Clam Chowder ("clear") and New England Clam Chowder (includes milk or cream). Personally, I prefer a more creamy clam chowder but the Newport Clam Chowder had good taste. Sue shared the restaurant is all about celebrating international flavor as it is inspired by sailors who travel around the world. The owner is a lifelong sailor. Next restaurant stop was Vieste ... Simply Italian, an Italian restaurant that opened in 2019. Tim who works at the restaurant enlightened us about Tony Lorusso's family and Master Chef Pietro Scotti. The restaurant wasn't open for the day yet to the public, but our group were seated at the outside patio and the other Newport Foodies Stroll tour that started at 12:00pm with Tom joined us. Here we were served a mixed green salad, homemade ravioli stuffed w/ ricotta, and we had the option of Rosé Prosecco, house red, or pinot grigio to drink. I chose the Rosé Prosecco and it was a little dry for my taste. The mixed green salad and homemade ravioli stuffed w/ ricotta with focaccia was very good. You can definitely taste the freshness of the homemade pasta and ricotta. Last restaurant stop was Beaucoup cafe where we had the option for coffee, decaf coffee, or Hibiscus Iced Tea and a twisted knot pastry. I really enjoyed the Hibiscus Iced Tea and a twisted knot pastry. This was a really cute cafe and home decor store. The tour ended at O'Brien's Pub. Sue gave us a voucher for a drink which can be redeemed the same day or at a later time. We saved ours since we were stuffed. She also gave us a Newport Foodies Stroll business card and a list of the restaurants we visited today in the event we wanted to go back. You can tip her on Venmo or do cash. In between the restaurant stops, we would walk and Sue would talk about Newport's history, International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS), Fort Adams, Folk Vintage (a store owned by Sydney Gordon, a 'Bachelor' contestant), The Elms, and so much more. This really helped space out the food and I definitely got my steps in for the day. Each of the local restaurants we went to filled our glasses with water and Sue talked about their history and owners. Sue was friendly, sociable, and very knowledgeable. This tour was definitely worth $95 and I highly recommend taking the Newport Foodies Stroll with either one of the owners, Tom and Sue. They curated a tour of great restaurants and the restaurants will always be ready for the tour. Bring your appetite and comfortable shoes!

They are NOT doing bikes this year!! We originally wanted…read moreto bike around BI for the day but when we arrived we were informed they are not doing bikes for the '24 season. We ended up grabbing a car instead and we were very very grateful. We got to see all of the island and did not die in the heat and on the many hills across the island.

Okay if I could give separate ratings, then this is what I would rate this experience as: 5 Stars…read morefor the employees, they were awesome and they provided transportation to/from ferry to the rental location. They were kind, and engaging. The actual rental car was physically a disaster - these was quite a lot of cosmetic damage, . . . whatever the dents and scrapes were of no real concern to me, also there was A LOT of beach sand inside the car, but again no big deal. The bald tires, the check engine light on as well as the tire pressure monitor light on . . . were a big deal and quite concerning. I was renting for 6 hours and traveled a total of maybe 25 miles throughout the entire day just sightseeing, however the entire time I was driving, I was keenly aware of the bald tires situation and was uneasy, thinking about other drivers and having to stop short etc. so with that coming into play, my overall rating was much lower than I expected. If I was to rent again from Aldo's, I'd insist on a vehicle that would pass RI State Inspection, because I KNOW for sure those tires that are currently on that Camry, would NOT.

What a fun and off the beaten path experience for a random Sunday night! I always love being a…read moretourist in my area, so I thought I would book a ticket for myself on the Ghost Tours of Newport evening jaunt around the city. Having never been on one of these tours but always seeing them when out walking, I figured at best, it would be a new activity to recommend to friends and clients, and at worst, it's 90 minutes long and the cost of a cold brew and cookie. I'm so glad I went on the tour, because it was very engaging and enjoyable. The start point at the Marriott is easy to find and has very clean bathrooms (use before you go- no bathroom stops on the tour), and from there, the walk was a simple half mile with no sharp inclines or strenuous walking, making this ideal for guests of any mobility. I will say that comfy shoes are a must, as you are standing for the whole time, and there are cobblestones. Our Ghost Hostess with the Mostess, Kathy, was fantastic! It turns out she is very active in the Rhode Island theatre community, and we had a lot of mutual friends. I hope to share the stage with her one day. She kept the group interested in the stories, and you can tell she's definitely got lots of performance experience, which added to the overall fun of the night. The stories told were mostly from Newport's Golden Age of Piracy in the 1700s and 1800s. I did find the content very historical and interesting, however, due to the nature of some of the stories (real pirates, after all), I would recommend the tour for children ages 8-10 and up. I would absolutely add this to any Newport adventure, especially as we get into Spooky Season!

I purchased two tickets online on the day off our evening ghost tour provided by Ghost Tours of…read moreNewport. The meeting location was outside of the MainSail (a restaurant inside of the Newport Marriott on Americas Cup Ave). There was lots of seating around, so my husband and I found a cushy spot to wait for the group to gather. We saw your tour guide right away. She checked everyone in by asking to see confirmation emails and then gave us all small, reflective 'Ghost Tours of Newport' stickers to wear (she told us they also offered us ectoplasmic protection). Our tour guide was so prepared and offered us many entertaining stories about the history of the area, the city, and the notorious paranormal figures of Newport. She even had photos that she passed around for the group to look at before certain stops. She kept the group together and safe (crossing streets in Newport has some potential dangers - cobble stone streets and fast driving tourists behind the wheel). Our tour ended outside of Trinity Church (which offers some cool nighttime pictures btw) and that's where the group disbanded. Our tour guide offered to walk people back to the Marriott if any needed, which was really thoughtful and nice. While people were saying thank you and goodbye, I overheard a repeat customer tell her that she did a great job (as they'd taken the tour in the past with her). Note: If you decide to do walking tours like this one, please remember to tip your guides!

It was a great tour however we started off late and by the time I left the parking spot I was…read moredrenched and hot. Jim was great however, the sound system from the microphone was so muffled. We couldn't hear anything he was saying, and that comes from all of us in the back of the trolley. It was unfortunate because he was great. Nothing bad about Jim but just bad sound system. Now I have to make a comment, I watched everyone get off the trolley after a wonderful day and I only saw two people give him a tip. Of course I gave him a tip. I can't believe people actually don't tip for a wonderful afternoon.

We grabbed the last two seats on the Viking Newport Trolley tour and lucked out with Ray as our…read moreguide -- what a gem! Ray's storytelling made the city come alive, weaving in personal memories, local legends, and insider tidbits you'd never get from a guidebook. He clearly loves Newport and knows every corner of it, from Gilded Age mansions to hidden seaside gems. It felt like a friend showing us around his hometown rather than a scripted tour. Highly recommend -- just hope you're lucky enough to get Ray too!