Sharon Sparlin: NOT YOUR TYPICAL CRUISE PORT

The city of Newport, Rhode Island was founded in 1639 and is located on the southern tip of Aquidneck Island, roughly 30 minutes south of Providence, 1.5 hours from Boston and 3 hours from New York City. Situated at the mouth of the Narragansett Bay, You can reach Newport during the week through a high speed ferry service which operates from Providence. It is known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its gilded age historic mansions and its rich sailing history.

Newport is also the location of the first U.S. Open tournaments in both tennis and golf, as well as every challenge to the America's Cup between 1930 and 1983. It is also the home of Salve Regina University with an enrollment of 2,700 and undergraduate tuition costs of $42,220 for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Newport is also home to Naval Station Newport, which houses the United States Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center , and an important Navy training center. It was known for being the location of the "Summer White Houses" during the administrations of presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and JohnF. Kennedy. The population was 25,163 at the 2020 census.

Every year, from the beginning of September to the middle of November, this relatively tiny city receives the majority of its revenue from tourists arriving on cruise ships. However, the harbor is open to cruise ships throughout the entire year. Passengers on larger ships, such as the Norwegian Sun, anchor at Newport Harbor and are taken to Perotti Park via tender.

So just how many ships call in Newport yearly? Looking back over the past several years, the port of Newport was visited by more than one hundred cruise ships in the year 2020, ninety-one ships in 2019, ninety-five ships in 2018, eighty ships in 2017, sixty-one ships in 2016, and sixty-two ships in 2015. These numbers are tiny compared to that of the largest cruise port in the world - the Port of Miami boasting 8 terminals which currently handle 5.6 million passengers with over 1,200 ships docking yearly.

My arrival aboard the Norwegian Sun was November 4, 2022. Fortunately we were the only ship in port that day and 1 of only 5 ships for the entire month of November.

Newport RI port schedule for November, 2022

Today, many mansions continue to be in private use. Hammersmith Farm is the mansion where John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy held their wedding reception. It was open to tourists but has since been purchased and reconverted into a private residence.

Hammersmith Farm Photo: Public Domain

Many of the other gilded age mansions are open to tourists, and others were converted into academic buildings for Salve Regina College in the 1930s, when the owners could no longer afford their tax bills.

Newport is sometimes referred to as the "Sailing Capital of the World". The city was chosen as the new home of the National Sailing Hall of Fame which moved from Annapolis, Maryland in 2019. Several sailing clubs are based in the city, including the New York Yacht Club and the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.

According to Newport's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employer in the city is the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, employing 4,200 followed by Lifespan Newport Hospital with 794.

The city of Newport is equipped with local bus and shuttle transportation. This area map was provided by the Newport Transit Center.

Newport RI local transportation map

The Norwegian Sun docked in Newport on November 4, 2022 with a last tender call for 5:00pm. I pre-arranged tickets with Carlos from the Newport Travel Trolley Tour. Scheduled tour departure time of 1:00pm from platform #2 at the Newport Transit Center, located at 23 America’s Cup Ave. I was pleasantly surprised to learn from my Rome2Rio app that the Transit Center was less than a 5 minute walk.

Newport Transit Center

NewportTravel Trolley Tours offers two (2) different tours.

Tour Option #1

Newport Mansions Tour

90 minute narrated tour and over 150 points of interest

Adult $26.75, Senior $23.50 and Youth (5 and over) $18

Daily Departures are at 10, 11:30am and 1pm

Tour Option #2

Newport Gilded Age Mansions With Breakers

3 hours in duration

Adults: $46.25,Youth (5 and older) $23

Daily Departures 10am, 11:30am, and 1pm

This narrated trolley tour provides all the information and fun of Tour Option #1 PLUS you are dropped off and provided with tickets for an additional 90 minute tour inside The Breakers Mansion (Vanderbilt House).

The Breakers Photo: Public Domain

As I handed "Rob", the driver and tour guide, my ticket for the Trolley Tour, I knew it was going to be a fantastic tour. The trolley itself is white in color, was freshly washed. Inside was equally as impressive, being both clean and comfortable with padded seating. I found Rob to be a safe and attentive driver as well as being funny, upbeat and extremely knowledgeable of his area.

Newport Travel Trolley Tour Driver Rob and Sharon Sparlin

With over 150 sites highlighted during this tour, including gilded age mansions such as "Marble House" "The Elms", "Rosecliff", "Chateau-sur-mer", "Kingscote", "Isaac Bell House", "Hunter House" and "Chepstow", I would need to write a book to cover everything. Instead, I will concentrate this article on the most famous of my stops: "The Breakers" - The Vanderbilt Home.

The Breakers Photo: Public Domain

I find it difficult to put into words the grandeur and beauty that embodies "The Breakers". Instead, I will let my photos do the talking and hope they will encourage you to put NewportTravel Trolley Tours and "The Breakers" on your bucket list. You won't regret it.

Our trolley tour ended back at the Newport Transit Center precisely as scheduled at 4pm. It was from this drop-off point that I headed to the White Horse Tavern, about a 5 minute walk.

White Horse Tavern Photo: Public Domain

Built prior to 1673, this tavern holds the distinction of being one of the oldest operating restaurant in the United States and the 10th oldest in the world. With its clapboard walls, gambrel roof and plain pediment doors this is a place I wanted to experience first hand.