Holiday in Newport

Newport, Rhode Island is one of my all time favorite New England towns. Summer perfection, in each and every purple hydrangea, in the sparkling blue sea, and sailboats, Newport is certainly dripping with wealth, but it is also laden with New England charm and is an affordable day trip from Boston.

Over the 4th of July weekend, we were fortunate to be invited to visit friends who were borrowing a house in Newport for the weekend. We set off Saturday morning for our favorite New England winery, Travessia, to try the 100% Massachusetts grown Pinot Noir that was just released. I’ll post about that later, but let me say, it is fantastic. You should visit Travessia and eat at Ginger Grill after for kimchi and dumplings. But, again, that’s another post.

We arrived in Newport in the early afternoon and got a tour of the house, which was a block from the Newport Harbor.

A massive old carriage house style home, this house has five bedrooms with bathrooms and two kitchens. The stove was amazing, the fridge was a gigantic SubZero, and I wanted to move in. It was a seriously large, beautiful, but comfortable house decorated appropriately for its age.

Saturday was one of those gorgeous New England summer days that should last forever, so we didn’t waste much time inside the house. Instead we headed to one of the Newport area’s beautiful beaches, 3rd Beach, a secluded bay side swath of soft sand and warm water. I hate to say it, but I can’t get over just how much nicer Rhode Island beaches are than Massachusetts beaches. So much warmer! And cleaner, and the sand is so much softer. I will always love the Cape, but for swimming, I might be heading South more often.

Once we had our fill of sand, we headed to Castle Hill for cocktails on the lawn. Talk about beauty, elegance, and feeling like you are in The Great Gatsby or The House of Mirth.

Castle Hill’s expansive lawn transforms you back to another time, with views all around from the outdoor dining area, bar, and Adirondack chairs sprinkled throughout.

Indoor dining areas are equally impressive, sparing no detail, and taking full advantage of Castle Hill’s views. Once we had our cocktails (a Dark & Stormy for me!), our friend used his keen eyes to spot some Adirondack chairs opening up on the lawn, and we went for them.

Lounging on the lawn at Castle Hill was the perfect way to wrap up the afternoon before heading back to the house for a barbecue. I can’t believe I had never been there before, and I can’t wait to go back!

The weekend is almost here again! Do you have any fun day trips planned?