THE American seaside resort was invented in Newport, Rhode Island. Some of the wealthiest families in the US started building extravagant mansions, ironically called summer cottages, during the so-called Gilded Age in the late 19th century. Anyone who became addicted to the recent TV series of the same name, written by Julian Fellowes of Downtown Abbey fame, googled locations for filming to discover that many of the scenes were shot in the former Newport getaways of the Vanderbilts, Astors and Morgans, including The Breakers, Marble House and Chateau-sur-Mer.
Several of these plush piles are open to the public and like Highclere Castle in the UK, the home of the fictional Crawleys in Downtown Abbey, they can be hired for weddings and events. Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence married her longtime boyfriend Cooke Maroney in an OTT ceremony at Newport’s historic Belcourt Mansion in 2019.
Newport is only a three-hour drive from New York and 90 minutes by road from Boston and the town is again in the spotlight as a summer vacation alternative to the much-hyped Hamptons and Cape Cod. Its pride was dented in 1983 by the loss of the America’s Cup to Australia, but one of the best ways to start a visit is to take a boat tour in and around Narragansett Bay before checking out Newport’s chic bistros, cocktail bars, restaurants and toney hotels.
The first port of call for many visitors is The International Tennis Hall of Fame, where you can play on the famed grass court or attend The Hall of Fame Championships, an ATP world tour event held in July. If you want to break more of a sweat, the Cliff Walk, a 5.5-kilometre trail that connects Newport’s historic mansions with the foreshore is one of the best hikes in New England.
Bellevue Avenue is where you will find the highest concentration of some of America’s most opulent vintage homes. The Breakers, built for Cornelius Vanderbilt in the Italian Renaissance style is the most famous. The 1974 film version of The Great Gatsby, starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, was filmed at the ornate Rosecliff Mansion. My favourite is Marble House, modeled on Petit Trianon in Versailles and built for William and Alva Vanderbilt in the 1890s. The cost of construction was US$11 million or US$280 million in today’s money.
Still in the past – and happily so – The White Horse Tavern in Marlborough Street is the oldest restaurant in the US and dates back to 1673. The interior is early colonial, but the menu is contemporary and upmarket, featuring artisanal cheeses, locally-grown vegetables and prime cuts of meat. Seafood is a major focus from the lobster bisque to Rhode Island clam chowder and crab ravioli. Executive chef Kevin DeMarco also plates up modern takes on pork osso bucco and Steak Frites, 350g of prime New York sirloin with arugula salad, parmesan truffle fries and chimichurri. The extensive wine list reveals that the moneyed crowd still dine here regularly from the US$475 bottles of Dom Perignon to the best California chardonnays.
The sailing crowd gather at Clarke Cooke House, another Newport institution on Bannister’s Wharf. The multi-level venue houses several restaurants overseen by Executive Chef Ted Gidley, who has worked with the who’s who of America’s top chefs, including Grant Achatz, Daniel Boulud and Thomas Keller. Whether you are looking for bistro fare, fine dining or one of the best oyster bars in the state, this is the place to book. Consistently top class, it’s imperative to leave room for the signature dessert – Snowball in Hell – a chocolate-covered ball filled with chocolate roulade and ice-cream and topped with Callebaut chocolate sauce and roasted coconut.
Craft beers are a trend in Newport as they are worldwide, especially the local brews from Newport Craft Brewing and Distiller Co. Founded by former college friends in 1999, the spirits side of the business debuted in 2006 as the first new distillery in Rhode Island for 135 years. The company’s tap room is open daily and you can enjoy bold IPAs, stouts and ales such as Rhode Trip IPA, Rhode Rage (a double IPA), and Bushwick Pilsner. Spirit lovers should order Thomas Tew Widow’s Walk Rum or Sea Fog Rye Whiskey. Bookmark a half day for the visit.
Newport Vineyards is the largest grower of grapes in New England. Locals John and Paul Nunes took over the 20-hectare vineyard in 1995 and the 40-hectare farmland property has become one of Newport’s major attractions. The tasting room and central venue underwent a multi-million renovation 10 years ago and you can order flights of award-winning wines, including Island White (made from wild grapes), Rochambeau and White Cap Port. The adjacent Taproot Brewing Co serves up F-Bomb (a New England IPA), Hot Pepper Milk Stout and Chaos (a double IPA). Executive chef Andy Teixeira is a farm-to-table aficionado and all the ingredients and cheeses used at the Brix restaurant are locally-sourced and expertly cooked.
Newport is as chock-full of great restaurants and bars as its marinas are filled with millions of dollars’ worth of boats and yachts. The town’s colonial heritage extends way beyond The White Horse Tavern and The Point district is home to the largest collection of colonial era houses in the US with more than 50 restored homes from the mid to late 1700s.
The perfect prelude to checking out some of Newport’s best bars. On the famous Ocean Drive there’s the Castle Hill Inn and drinks on The Lawn at this historic luxury hotel and estate make you feel as if you have wandered onto a movie set. The Top of Newport is on the rooftop of the Viking Hotel in the heart of the historic district and sports sensational wraparound views. The Lobster Bar on Bowen’s Wharf is renowned for its lobster rolls and craft cocktails. Other well-patronised watering holes include The Black Pearl, an historic waterfront bar on Bannisters Wharf and The Roof Deck at the Vanderbilt Hotel with its panoramic views of the harbour and Goat Island.
You would have to spend several weeks in Newport to make your way through its huge rollcall of restaurants. Those pressed for time should zoom in on Bowen’s Wine Bar & Grille, a nautical-themed restaurant with a seafood-dominated menu, Perro Salado, a Mexican eatery housed in the former home of an 18th century naval officer, and The Mooring Seafood Kitchen & Bar with an award-winning wine list of 300 vintages and in-your-face views of Narragansett Harbor. No wonder the fabulously wealthy of The Gilded Age and later movie stars, sailing celebs and the well-heeled made Newport their home for the summer season.