DAY TRIP
Gilded Age mansions, the Cliff Walk, world-class sailing, and Thames Street's restaurants and bars — the premier day trip from Westport Point.
Summer 2026 — select weeks still available
Newport is one of the most storied cities on the American coast. Built on old money and ocean views, it became the summer playground of the Vanderbilts, the Astors, and the rest of America's Gilded Age aristocracy. Their “cottages” — 70-room marble palaces overlooking the Atlantic — still stand along Bellevue Avenue, open to visitors who want to gawk at a scale of wealth that feels almost fictional. The Breakers alone draws half a million people a year.
But Newport is more than its mansions. It's the sailing capital of the world, home to the America's Cup for over a century. It's a city with a serious restaurant scene concentrated on Thames Street and Bowen's Wharf, where you can eat everything from raw oysters at a dockside bar to farm-to-table prix fixe in a candlelit colonial dining room. Fort Adams State Park juts into Narragansett Bay with panoramic views and hosts the Newport Jazz Festival and Newport Folk Festival every summer. The International Tennis Hall of Fame sits on grass courts in the middle of town.
It's also, frankly, exhausting in July and August. Newport in summer means traffic backed up on the bridge, $30 parking lots, hotel rooms that start at $400, and sidewalks so packed you shuffle rather than walk. The energy is electric — but after a full day of it, you want somewhere quiet to come home to.
That's the argument for staying at Westport Point instead. 2042 Main Road sits on a quiet harbor in Westport, Massachusetts, just 35 minutes from downtown Newport. You get all the glamour and excitement of Newport as a day trip, then drive back to the South Coast where the only sound is the tide against the dock. No Newport prices. No Newport parking. Just the best of both worlds — a peaceful home base in Westport, MA with one of New England's most celebrated cities a short drive away.
The Breakers, Marble House, Rosecliff, The Elms — Newport's Gilded Age mansions are unlike anything else in America. Built as summer “cottages” by industrial titans, they feature Italian marble, gold leaf, and ocean views that justified every penny. Buy a multi-house pass and tour two or three in a morning.
A 3.5-mile public path along Newport's eastern shoreline, with crashing waves on one side and mansion backyards on the other. The northern half is paved and easy; the southern stretch gets rocky and adventurous. One of the best free things to do in all of New England.
Newport's main commercial strip runs through the heart of town — restaurants, cocktail bars, boutiques, galleries, and ice cream shops stacked one after another. It's walkable, lively, and packed with options from casual seafood shacks to upscale dining rooms.
Newport is the sailing capital of the world. Charter a sailboat for an afternoon on Narragansett Bay, take a sunset cruise past the harbor lighthouses, or just watch the races from Fort Adams. If you prefer paddling, kayaks and a canoe are waiting for you back at 2042 Main Road in Westport Point.
A waterfront collection of shops, restaurants, and docks at the center of Newport Harbor. Grab lobster rolls and chowder with a view of the tall ships and sailboats. It's touristy in the best way — the kind of place where you end up lingering longer than planned.
The largest coastal fortification in the United States, sitting on a point with views across Narragansett Bay to the Newport Bridge. Tour the historic fort, swim at the small beach, or time your visit with the Newport Jazz or Folk Festival held on the grounds each summer.
Newport, Rhode Island is approximately 35 minutes by car from Westport Point in Westport, Massachusetts. The drive takes you south through Tiverton and across the Sakonnet River Bridge into Aquidneck Island. It's an easy, scenic route with no highway congestion — one of the perks of staying on the South Coast rather than in Newport itself.
Absolutely. A day trip to Newport from Westport, MA is one of the best ways to experience the city. Drive over in the morning, walk the Cliff Walk or tour a mansion, have lunch on Thames Street, browse the shops at Bowen's Wharf, and be back at your rental in Westport Point by sunset. You get all of Newport without paying Newport hotel prices or fighting for Newport parking at the end of a long day.
Newport's top attractions include touring the Gilded Age mansions (The Breakers, Marble House, and Rosecliff are the most popular), walking the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk along the ocean, exploring Thames Street's restaurants and boutiques, visiting Fort Adams State Park, and sailing Narragansett Bay. The International Tennis Hall of Fame and Bowen's Wharf are also worth your time. In summer, the city hosts jazz and folk festivals that draw national acts.
Newport is exciting but expensive and congested in summer. Hotels in town routinely charge $400–$600 per night, parking is a constant battle, and the streets are packed from June through September. Many visitors prefer staying in a nearby coastal town like Westport Point in Westport, Massachusetts — just 35 minutes away — where you get waterfront peace and quiet at a fraction of the cost, with easy access to Newport whenever you want it.
A full day is enough to see Newport's highlights — one or two mansion tours in the morning, the Cliff Walk or a harbor sail in the afternoon, and dinner on Thames Street. If you're staying at 2042 Main Road in Westport Point, you can easily visit Newport multiple times during your stay and explore different parts of the city on each trip.
There is no direct ferry service between Westport, MA and Newport, RI. However, the 35-minute drive is straightforward and scenic, crossing the Sakonnet River into Aquidneck Island. Seasonal ferry services do connect Newport to other points in Narragansett Bay, including Block Island and Providence, which can make for great additional day trips from your base in Westport Point.
Stay at 2042 Main Road — 35 minutes from Newport. The quiet side of summer. Book on Airbnb.
Book on Airbnb