Newport Rhode Island Excursions

[cousins]

Has anyone gone to the Newport Mansions? They say for $31 you can see 5 houses (allow 1 hr. per house) This would take our whole day. We were wanting to walk down some of the Cliff Walk and do a different excursion at 12:30.
Any suggestions. I'm not sure if you can pay x amount per home and you decide which 2 or 3 homes you want to see.

[f-mattox]

I would think the logistics involved would preclude the tour operator form letting the participants pick and chose which sites they wanted to visit. You could arrange a cab to two or three homes and pay the admission at each, leaving your afternoon free.

[BJS]

Here is a link that shows various tours of the different mansions. http://tickets.newportmansions.org/view_all.aspxYou could pick the tour that included ones you were most interested in seeing. You would probably save the most by doing a 5 house tour. Depending on the cost and the houses you might still save and not do all 5 of them.

[cousins]

Thanks guys, I know the Yellow Line bus runs every 15 min. for $1.50 each way/$6 for the day pass, and some of the houses are within walking distance. Have either of you seen any of these mansions? If so which 2 or 3 were your favorite?

[LisaP]

cousins, we've been to Newport several times. It's not that far away from where we live. Five mansions in one day is quite a bit. I'd limit to three. My favorites are Astor's Beechwood (which is what I'd recommend if you had time for only one), Marble House, and The Breakers. And, if you have time, take a stroll along the Cliff Walk that separates the mansions from the Atlantic.

You can find information on Astor's Beechwood here: Astors Beechwood mansion. My favorite aspect of it is that the tour is given by staffers who transport you back to the 1890s, and visitors play the role of prospective employees, a pretty neat way of illustrating how the Astors lived.

[cousins]

Lisa, where is the Astor's Beechwood Mansion? I did not see that one on the website (Newport Mansion). We were thinking to take the bus to the mansions- do we need an all day pass or 2 one-way bus tickets? Can we get to the Cliff Walk from the Breakers? The day we are in port there is some type of wine tasting something or other happening at the Marble House- that's why we didn't pick that one.

[avenger]

I've been to Newport a few times and The Breakers and The Marble House are my two personal favorites.

[LisaP]

Astor's Beechwood is independent of the Newport Mansion pass. But, it is very easy to see the mansions on your own as they are all pretty much along the same street, Bellevue Avenue.

Here are a couple more Web sites that may help with planning:

A great Cybermap: Newport Map - click on Mansions in the upper left corner of the map, and selecting any of the mansions (EXCEPT Hunter House) will take you to Bellevue Avenue.

Newport public transportation: Newport Bus

Once you decide which to see, you'll be able to determine if two, one-way fares or a one-day pass is more worth it.

The Cliff Walk is not easily accessible from the Breakers, but the map above will show you the access points.

[cousins]

Between the Breakers, The Astor's Beechwood and the Marble House-- are these in walking distance or would we need the bus each time? The Breakers opens at 9 am the others at 10.

[LisaP]

The Marble House and Astor's Beechwood are neighbors. That doesn't mean they're right on top of each other, but it's a quick walk. The Breakers is a little further away, and might be walkable, although you might want to take the bus if the weather is too hot or rainy.