City Guides: Things to do While Boating in Newport, Rhode Island
One of the top ten boating destinations in the United States, Newport, Rhode Island is famous for its yachts, sailing regattas and stunning ocean views. It is the Ocean State, after all. Located on Aquidneck Island, Newport is popular with boaters and nature enthusiasts due to the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, Narragansett Bay and Easton Bay.
Let’s take a look at a few things to do from private boat docks for rent in Newport.
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Photo: International Tennis Hall of Fame Facebook
The International Tennis Hall of Fame is located at the Newport Casino, a National Historic Landmark and site of the first U.S. National Men’s Singles Championship in 1881. It serves as a way to honor players, champions and leaders of the sport while preserving and inspiring the game. The site has a museum, grass tennis courts and an indoor tennis facility.
Fans of the game can check out interactive displays and exhibits that showcase vintage gear, tennis-inspired art and objects like Wimbledon outfits, trophies and winning racquets. Don’t miss the holographic theater featuring Roger Federer. There’s also an extensive research center with photos, a library, documents and audio and video files.
Newport Mansions Preservation Society
Photo: Newport Preservation Society Facebook
The Newport Mansions Preservation Society keeps a cultural perspective by inspiring and promoting the architecture, history and decorative arts of the city’s Gilded Age mansions such as The Breakers (of Vanderbilt fame), Marble House and The Elms. You can book tours of these Victorian, Beaux-Arts, Georgian Colonial, Gothic Revival mansions and Italianate-style villas. Exhibitions, held in various mansions, include Tiffany Glass, the fashion of Pierre Cardin and John James Audubon’s wildlife and nature portraits as well as intricately designed gardens and topiaries.
Newport Art Museum
Photo: Wikimedia
The next time you’re looking for something to do from a private boat slip for rent, check out the Newport Art Museum. It features American and contemporary art by artists such as Winslow Homer, Samuel Colman, Jane Stuart, Dale Chihuly, Andy Warhol and John La Farge. Along with traveling exhibits, there’s a permanent collection of 3,000 pieces in mediums that include paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, photography and textiles from the 18th century to the present.
Brenton Point State Park
Photo: Wikimedia
Located on the former grounds of one of Newport’s grand estates, Brenton Point State Park offers stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean where it meets up with Narragansett Bay. There are 89 acres for fishing, picnicking, hiking or birdwatching. Check out the Portuguese Discovery Monument, which serves as a tribute to navigators and those who assisted with the discovery of maritime routes.
Castle Hill Lighthouse
Photo: Wikimedia
Castle Hill Lighthouse, built in 1890, is located on Narragansett Bay at the end of Ocean Drive. At 34 feet tall, the granite block conical-style tower is built naturally into the face of a cliff. It’s an active light and has been used as a beginning and ending point for Newport’s famous yacht races. The lighthouse is not open to the public, but it makes a nice photo op and selfie spot to visit from a private boat dock for rent. There are several walking trails in the area if you’re in the mood for a little hike.
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge
Photo: Wikimedia
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge has 242 acres of marsh, beach and shrubland habitats as well as spectacular views of the rocky shoreline. With fishing access, viewing platforms, a visitor center and 2.5 miles of nature trails, we think it makes a nice spot to visit from a boat lift for rent. It’s a popular wintering area for migratory birds. Local wildlife you might see includes the New England cottontail, deer, harlequin duck and saltmarsh sparrow.
Hopefully you’ve found some attractions to visit from a private boat slip rental in Newport. Let us know your favorite site!
