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!

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!

Ghost Walk tour was great ! Walking around town in a group was fun. Newport in the fall is…read moresomething to be seen very enjoyable and cool weather.

My boyfriend and I went to Rhode Island on August 8, 2026, for this tour. We arrived at 7:45 p.m…read more and checked in at 8:00 p.m., when the guide turned her lantern on. The guide was not in costume like you would expect a ghost tour guide to be. When she saw us, she immediately fussed at us for not being on time and told us that we should have checked in. I apologized to her and explained that I did not know she was the guide. In fact, I actually thought we were in the wrong place because we were standing in a park surrounded by about 25 unhoused people. I did not realize she was our guide until she turned her lantern on at 8:00 p.m. She continued to make a fuss about us being late, which I found humiliating. My boyfriend had a few words back to her, and she eventually gave a slight apology. Moving on, she carried a panda purse while wearing street clothes, and there was a rainbow flag on the purse. During the tour, she repeatedly referred to me as a "shit bag" and said that "shit bag me" had caused this issue and that issue, and that Rhode Island was haunted because of "shit bag me." This was extremely uncomfortable and inappropriate. You could clearly tell that she hated men, which was not okay. I later found out that she had skipped over some of the stops and left out a lot of information. When I tried to ask her questions about some of the historical events connected to the stops, she often had no idea how to respond. I did not feel that she was very educated about the history she was supposed to be presenting. My boyfriend, who once lived in Newport, knew more about some of these places and events than she did. At one of the stops, she asked if anyone was staying at the hotel or if anyone was eating at the restaurant. When everyone said no, she responded, "I didn't think so. This place is $3,000 a night. I've never had anyone come on our tour that's been able to afford to stay in that hotel." I found that extremely insulting and unnecessary. I'm not saying I didn't learn a thing or two during the tour. I'm simply saying that we definitely did not feel like we got our money's worth. Another thing I noticed was that when we would arrive at a stop, we would sometimes stand there awkwardly in silence for 10 to 15 minutes. I figured that might have been why we missed a few of the stops--because maybe she didn't know where she was going or what she was supposed to be doing or saying. Another issue was that people walking by would become intrigued by the tour and stop to listen. Instead of welcoming their interest, she would scold them and tell them to move along, while also telling them that they could get tickets. Again, I found this very unpleasant. Overall, she simply was not a pleasant guide, which in turn made for a very unpleasant experience. The guide's attitude, the lack of information, the missed stops, the long periods of awkward silence, and the comments made throughout the tour left us very disappointed. I have never left a review before. This is my first time. I felt that strongly about this experience that I felt the need to speak up. I hope this feedback is taken seriously because we genuinely expected much more from this tour.

Super fun experience and an informative tour of the island! Our tour guide was knowledgeable and…read morehilarious. He even provided blankets for us because it was a bit cold. The car was super cool and 100 years old. Totally recommend taking one of these car tours!! The views are great. And he took pictures of us!

This was AWESOME. Ken took my fiance and I on a great tour of Newport. We were able to drive around…read morethe island while learning more about the haves and the havenots of the city. Ken was incredibly friendly, humourous and knowledgeable about Newport all while driving us around. The tour is incredibly safe and was well worth the money paid. We 100% recommend him and his company and if you get the opportunity to come to Newport, DEFINITELY check him out!

This food and historical tour usually takes place on Saturdays during the warm season in…read moreProvidence's Federal Hill area. This year the tour will run until the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The focus of the tour is to learn about the mafia personalities of the 20th century in the Italian section of Providence (Federal Hill). Pat was our guide and she gave a great summary of the highlights related to Raymond Petrarca and his relationship with the crime lords in the country, not only New England but also along the East Coast, Midwest and West Coast. Another personality that was highlighted was Buddy Cianci, two times mayor of Providence and larger-than-life figure in Rhode Island history. The tour made a stop at five restaurants for a culinary taste of the Hill...highlighting homemade fresh pasta dishes, meatballs, pizza, eggplant appetizers, mortadella and cheese rolls and dessert. All delicious. The tour runs for about 3.5 hours and it costs $70 for the historical and gastronomical experience. Very nice for those into history, mafia and crime.

This was a fun afternoon out. Katherine was our tour guide. She was very knowledgeable and easy to…read moretalk with. The food was excellent!

This actually the Best Narrative Cruises I have been on! Around Narragansett Bay and Newport…read moreHarbor! It has sightseeing cruises, sunset cruises, lighthouse cruises on the most picturesque Narragansett Bay! Lots of history has been in the area and your narrative guide will point them out to you for your viewing and photos! This 30 mile cruise is very comfortable on their vessels! You can search other cruises but nothing compares to this! Truly amazing experience and you will be thankful you boarded their vessel! A 400 passenger luxurious vessel! It also has FREE DOCKING PARKING!

Great, great time. Did the lighthouse tour. It's more than just lighthouses, they show so other…read moresites. Fun relaxing ride, and everyone is friendly. Free parking too. All and all it was a great way to spend a couple hours on a late summer day.

The Preservation Society of Newport County is a non-profit organization based in Newport, Rhode…read moreIsland and its top priority is the preservation and conservation of its historic houses and their collections. This work includes restoration of roofs and windows, conservation of fragile textiles, cleaning and restoration of valuable paintings and much more. At any given time, dozens of projects are underway. A visit to the Newport Mansions is a donation to The Preservation Society of Newport County. During the holiday season, The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms welcome visitors with spectacular holiday displays so it was a great opportunity to visit. In addition to the house holiday display, there is an outdoor holiday display called Sparkling Lights at The Breakers from November 22 to December 29, 2024 on select evenings. Admission is only at 4 pm, 4:30 pm, 5 pm, 5:30 pm and 6 pm. Gates close at 6:30 pm and the house and grounds close at 8 pm. Timed admissions tickets can be purchased online at https://www.newportmansions.org/. Tickets include access to the lavishly decorated rooms inside the house during the same visit. About a week prior, I bought 2 tickets for December 20, 2024 at 6:00PM ($40.00 each) and I was really looking forward to it. However, there was a winter advisory and it was snowing on the day of. Driving conditions were unsafe. I was worried I was going to lose my money since the website indicated tickets may not be resold, non-transferrable, non-refundable, and cannot be used for a different date. I tried calling the Preservation Society of Newport County, but there were just prompts and I couldn't talk to a live person. I sent a direct message to @newport.mansions through Instagram and they responded promptly that I could receive a refund by emailing info@newportmansions.org. Gary Ruff, Associate Communications Manager, responded and instructed me with what information he needed to provide the refund. I was so appreciative. Thankfully, the snow cleared and temperature warmed up a bit so I bought 2 tickets for December 29, 2024 at 4:00PM ($40.00 each). All the decorated Christmas trees, the 15-foot-tall poinsettia tree, poinsettias, garlands, wreaths and fresh floral in the interior of The Breakers were beautiful and then walking through the lights and illuminated displays of the outdoor 13-acre landscape was just a cherry on the top. The Preservation Society of Newport County also partnered with Stoneacre Brasserie to offer holiday treats and adult beverages. Thank you to The Preservation Society of Newport County for everything you are doing to protect, preserve, and present an exceptional collection of house museums and landscapes.

The family (wife, 10 y/o son, 2 y/o daughter) were visiting Newport and looking fo some activities…read moreto do. I noticed that the Newport mansions were on every to-do list, with the Breakers being the top choice of many. I looked at their website as well as other reviews and saw that this may not be the best place for younger ones. I saw that no strollers were allowed and I didn't think a tour of an old mansion is something my 10 y/o would be interested in. So I decided to take a solo trip on a nice Friday morning while the rest of the family slept in late at the hotel. The Breakers opens at 10 AM. The visitors parking lot is on the corner of Ochre Point Avenue and Victoria Avenue. There are other lots nearby but read the signs as they are for other buildings...The parking lot had adequate space when I arrived at 10:15 or so, but by the time I was leaving at about 11:45 is was pretty packed with visitors having to park in the rear overflow lot. Once you reach the front gate of the Breakers mansion, there are COVID restriction and general rule signs. As you proceed you can go to the left to buy tickets, use the bathroom or enter their cafe. Tickets are about $26 for adults and $8 for children 6-17 years old. The cafe has a bunch of premade food items, drinks, snacks, premade sandwiches... and few seats with tables. There are some more seats and table just outside of the cafe. Before you enter the mansion, there are signs showing you how to use their self tour audio app. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING THIS...AND BRING HEADPHONES. You download the Newport Mansions app from the App Store onto your Apple or Google device, select the mansion you are visiting and begin the tour. The audio tour was excellent and follows you through the tour route of the mansion. I enjoyed listening to all the interesting facts about each room via bluetooth earbuds while my hands were free to take photos with my camera. You only thing you will need to do is to advance (click the play button) the tour to the next room before entering. There are some interesting facts about the mansion as a whole and each individual room. You can also stay around longer in each area for additional facts, essentially lengthening the tour. Without the audio tour, you will have to fread the printed information sheet. You go through the main floor, upper floor and back down into the service area where the kitchen is. You then exit through the gift shop. The gift shop has lots of interesting items, which includes typical magnets, mugs and prints, but they also have some luxury items like platters and wine stoppers as well as a small jewelry section. You finally exit out onto the side of the mansion and are able to walk back around outside to the front where you entered. Before sure to walk through the opened gate to the right of the mansion which takes you through a small garden to the back. Here you can see the Cliff Walk path and the ocean. Overall, I had a great time...It was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. The entire tour took just over an hour without listening to the extra information about each room. (During the tour, there are a few instances where you have to ascend/descend steps - I did NOT see any elevators - so you may want to call ahead to check if you cannot climb steps) Again, I highly recommend downloading the app and listening to the audio tour via headphones. It allows your eyes to focus on the beauty of the mansion instead of reading. Lastly, the mansion is right off of the Cliff Walk path...so be sure to make the short ride (or walk) north to Narragansett Avenue and visit the Forty Steps.

This was amazing. The staff were amazing. Had such a wonderful experience. If I could afford…read moreit. I would go every month.

This was the most amazing experience! It was just surreal! Our pilot was very knowledgeable and…read moregave us an excellent lighthouse tour! We felt that we were in good hands with him since he has 40 years experience piloting helicopters. I would recommend this tour to anyone visiting Newport. Yes it is a bit pricey but definitely worth it. The pictures I posted do not do it justice. Thank you Newport Helicopter tours for an experience that we will never forget! Looking forward to doing it again! Next time with the helicopter doors off!