For harbor views and a Mediterranean-inspired menu, head to Flora, one of the newer names in town housed within the Gardiner House hotel. White Horse Tavern, on the other hand, offers classic Americana, with upscale farm-to-table dining (and stellar rum drinks) inside a building dating back to 1673. Crossing the bridge into Jamestown? Head to Beech if you want dinner to be the main event, with tasty, seasonal American fare headed up by locals.
Where to stay
Newport has no shortage of gorgeous hotels scattered from busy Thames Street to breezy Castle Hill Cove. Most guest rooms fall on the smaller side—this is a compact city, after all—but the best properties go big on glamour, offering gobsmacking views, old-world interiors, and exceptional in-house eateries and wellness facilities.
Those looking for a taste of the Gilded Age should opt for spots like The Vanderbilt, an Auberge property built by a member of the Vanderbilt family in 1908, or Francis Malbone House, a Georgian-style mansion that dates back to 1760. If you’re all about location, location, location, book The Chanler at Cliff Walk for easy access to the popular waterfront hiking trail, Hammetts Hotel if you want to be steps from some of the city’s best bars and restaurants, or Forty 1º North Hotel Marina Resort to be so close to the water you’re basically swimming. Whether you’re staying there or not, you don’t skip a stop inside Castle Hill Inn, a landmark Victorian mansion and one of the most iconic hotels in town. With an incredible location atop rocky bluffs that overlook the sailboat-studded ocean, the property’s Lawn Terrace is where you’ll want to grab a glass of Sauv Blanc and pretend you’re an Astor.
Of course, hotels in Newport can be pricey, so if you’re on a budget or traveling with a group, an Airbnb might be a better bet—especially if the sound of a kitchen or common hangout space tickles your fancy. You can find smaller homes and apartments in Newport proper, like this four-bedroom with harbor views right downtown or this minimalist waterfront condo in the Historic District, but many visitors look to Middletown, Rhode Island—a town right outside Newport—for bigger, more affordable rentals. This adorable three-bedroom cottage with a shingled façade, for example, is technically in Middletown, but just five minutes from downtown Newport.
