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A Locals' Guide to Newport, Rhode Island

Where to eat, what to ask for, and how to avoid the crowds in one of the Northeast’s most popular summer destinations.
Eastons beach overlooking mansions on The Cliff Walk at sunset Newport Rhode Island USA.
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Newport’s population swells in the summer, its colonial-era one-way streets teeming with cars, mopeds, and the pedestrians tasked with dodging them. If you live here year-round, losing your seaside town to tourists can be a challenge, though not an insurmountable one. Here, local notables share their hard-won tips for surviving their city’s most glorious, if most harried, season.

Where to Eat and Drink

To start, make reservations whenever and wherever you can, including for Sundays, which are still considered viable weekend nights in Newport, even off-season. Hit the Clarke Cooke House, especially for the Summer Sushi—which you can order no matter which menu you’re ordering from—and top-notch people watching. Book a table on the later side in the Sky Bar on the restaurant’s top floor; the menu, and the people, are fancier, but when it turns into a dance party around 11:30 p.m., you’ll have a prime spot. Pack a sport coat for guys—or at the very least a nice collared shirt—and always bring at least one outfit that’s not jeans. Another pick for fancy? The oh-so-good Castle Hill—it’s largely farm to table.

If you're with family, Meaghan O’Neill, founder of Newport lifestyle magazine Puddingstone Post recommends Mission, which "serves the best burgers on the island, hands-down"—and local wine and beer for washing it all down. For the best fried chicken north of the Mason-Dixon, and irresistible biscuits, it’s Winner Winner. Bonus? Homemade popsicles. And while Winner Winner is BYOB, there’s a liquor store (conveniently) located right next door.

Looking for something with dishes originating from across the Atlantic? George Filopoulos, owner of the new Gurney’s Newport loves Pasta Beach. “It has amazing pizzas and pastas, especially the spaghetti alle vongole,” he says. “You can’t even count the number of clams.”

Castle Hill, which is largely farm to table.

Courtesy Castle Hill Inn

If you're in the mood to wander and see a restaurant that catches your eye, Mike Guillen, general manager of inns Gilded and The Attwater, cites Broadway, about a ten-minute walk from the downtown harbor-front area, as the best example of where the locals eat. “It’s funkier and more eclectic, with many fun bistros, bars, and restaurants to choose from,” he says. (It’s also typically far less crowded.) Beer lovers should check out Norey’s; the poutine at The Fifth Element is a “must-get,” and at Caleb & Broad “you can’t miss the shrimp and feta dumplings,” says Guillen.

For sunset drinks, the Vanderbilt Roof Deck is completely tucked out of sight on Historic Hill, but has the best views of Newport Harbor and the Bay. “It’s perfect for watching the sunset while enjoying a cocktail and small bite,” says Sarah Fernandez, owner of home accessories store Chateau & Bungalow. Go during the week if you can, she says, or get drinking early.

After a night out eating and drinking, try the Nitro coffee at Mission or head for The Coffee Guy stall at the Aquidneck Growers’ Market (Saturdays at Newport Vineyards; Wednesdays on Memorial Avenue). To feel like a real local, pull up a chair on the dock at the Coffee Grinder on Bowen’s Wharf.

If you're looking for something a bit more substantial, the best breakfasts in town are at Atlantic Grille in Middletown and Belle’s Café at the Newport. “You get to dine next to some of the biggest mega-yachts and best racing boats that come into Newport in the summer and get a peek at all that goes into keeping them in tip-top shape,” says Fernandez. “But don’t go on a Sunday unless you’re prepared to wait,” adds O’Neill. “And wait.”

What to Do

While Cliff Walk is beautiful, says O’Neill, and a great way to see the mansions, it can be hot and crowded. Instead, she suggests a walk at Sachuest Point. “The breezes and the views are gorgeous,” she says. Guillen adds that the Norman Bird Sanctuary is "the perfect day trip for anyone who wants to get out of the hustle and bustle of downtown, and to witness the New England coastline at its finest." Looking for that hustle and bustle? Try Newport Polo, which has matches all summer.

Come evening, NewportFILM’s free outdoor events bring the year’s best documentary films to beautiful venues all around the island. "Pack a picnic, grab a blanket, and check one out every Wednesday night all summer long," says O'Neill.

While a trip to Newport wouldn’t be complete without a mansion tour, both O’Neill and Guillen prefer Rough Point, the Newport home of tobacco heiress Doris Duke. “It’s owned by the Restoration Foundation—not the Preservation Society like the others—and has a very different vibe,” says O’Neill. “It’s one of the few Gilded Age estates in Newport that’s still completely decorated as the last owner left it." Bonus? Kids 12 and under get in free.

For some sand and surf, know that the best time of day at the beach is late afternoon/early evening when it’s not scorching hot and is far less crowded. “The parking lots at First, Second, and Third beaches typically stop charging at 4 p.m., so it’s also free!” says Fernandez, who adds that Third is best for kids. Guillen likes Gooseberry Beach, a private beach club with a separate side for public access, set inside the cove for calm surf and minimal waves. “The parking fee is $20, but worth every penny,” he says.

For some good old-fashioned, affordable family fun, Fernandez recommends catching a Newport Gulls game. Part of the New England Collegiate Baseball League, the Gulls play at the historic Cardines Field. "Between innings, kids can get out on the field for a variety of friendly competitions—get there early and talk to one of the staff to find out how—and all children are invited out to chase mascot Gully after the seventh or eighth inning,” she says.

Fernandez and her family are also regulars at Sweet Berry Farm’s strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry fields. “Stay for lunch at the farm stand and sit out back—there’s a big tree nearly filled with kids at any given time,” she says.