After months of anticipation and planning, we finally did it. Hubs and I left our comfortable nest for three days to celebrate our ten year wedding anniversary. TEN. FREAKING. YEARS. That deserves a trip away from the little ones, right?
Side note: We have never left the kids for longer than a night with anyone- so this trip was major for us.
The destination? Newport, Rhode Island. Why Newport? Well, the only time I have ever been to New England is for a 4th grade whale watching trip in Cape Cod. Kinda sad for living so close to the area. My sister-in-law also went to college there, and numerous family members and friends have also recommended vacationing there. So, I booked the trip in January and now, I can’t believe it’s over. The weather was PERFECT. We had SUCH an awesome time that now I want to recommend this cute, quaint little town to everyone I know.
Here are some reviews/thoughts/tips….as you can tell there were a lot of restaurants and cocktails.
Smoke House
31 Scotts Wharf, Newport, RI
We arrived at Newport with no concrete plans…only some notes. Smoke House was not on our list of places to eat/drink, but when we walked by on the first day in town, we decided to stop since there were some open seats at the bar. We were in much need of a beverage after our almost 6 hour drive. It is an outdoor space with a roof, good music, and what looked like a good menu.
Because we were starving, we decided on a cheeseburger and fried pickles. Why not start our trip off with a bang? The burger was perfect, the fried pickles were breaded just right, and the dipping sauce hit the spot. The white sangria completed the meal. Hubs got his typical Rye beverage.
This was the perfect spot to relax, people watch, and begin our mini-vacay.
Brick Alley Pub & Restaurant
140 Thames St, Newport, RI
Our first night included a lot of exploring. We heard SO MANY great things about this spot, so when we walked by the adorable exterior, we decided to try it and see what the hype was about. The wait was 45 minutes, but luckily there were 2 seats open at the jam-packed bar. Apparently I was craving sangria that day, because I ordered another white. It was way too sweet and just not what I was looking for. My expectations were way too high. My next drink was a cosmo…again, not impressed. The place smelled amazing, and I was surprised to see a soup, salad and bread bar. Of course I had to try it out.
We liked the Brick Alley, but did not love it. Maybe it was an off night, or maybe we are just picky people. Either way, the restaurant did not do it for us.
The Cliff Walk
117 Memorial Blvd Newport, RI
LOVED. Our hotel was about a mile or so from the entrance. We were super excited to visit this attraction. The pictures online do not do it justice. It also helped that the weather was perfect and there was not one cloud in the sky. Most of the trail was paved, but a lot of it was rocky and rugged. I felt so outdoorsy! We ended up walking the entire 3.5 miles. Not only was this an awesome workout, but the scenery was absolutely beautiful. The Cliff Walk was an unforgettable experience and will definitely go back.
Benjamin’s
254 Thames St, Newport, RI
After our long walk, we naturally needed mimosas, bloodies, and lunch. To Benjamin’s we went! Hubs was super excited for the raw bar (EWWWW) and I found a shrimp salad on the menu. Everything was delicious. The mimosa (in a pint glass) had some Stoli Ohranj and Cointreau (YUM) and hubs liked his bloody. The breakfast menu looked awesome too, but never returned since we had breakfast at our B & B which was about 2 blocks away.
Fluke Wine Bar & Kitchen
41 Bowens Wharf, Newport, RI
When researching Newport, this restaurant/bar kept pooping up in reviews. Any place with the words “Wine” and “Bar” in its name is worth a try in my opinion. We were not disappointed. The wine list was fab (I opted for a Cali Pinot Grigio) and hubs got a Bourbon Manhattan (shocker), which he loved. We got there at 4 PM when it opened, and we were literally the only people at the bar. The bartenders were very cool- we chatted with them about the town, and they told us about the Clark Cook house across the way…they mentioned that the restaurant had summer sushi and it was a must-try. We only stayed for a drink, but we were really happy that we decided to stop in.
Clarke Cooke House
26 Bannister’s Wharf, Newport, RI
This is the place the bartenders were talking about. At first I got the impression that it was a little too fancy for us, but after a few minutes I realized that we were not THAT out of place. The main menu did not mention sushi, so we asked the waitress and she brought us out what I assume is the “secret sushi menu.” We ordered a few rolls and destroyed our rolls with butter in no time. My Atkins-inspired diet was long gone for those few days. Of course we had our usual drinkies and when the sushi came out- OH MY GOD. Not only did it look like it could be in a magazine, it was easily the best sushi we have ever eaten. It was filling, fresh and freaking out of this world. Hell yes we would totes go back to the Clarke Cooke House.
PS- a tip for you younger partying crowd- we were told that the basement of the Clarke Cooke House is the “Boom Boom Room”- a supposedly fun club. You would never guess that this restaurant had a club in the basement.
The Wharf Pub
37 Bowens Wharf Newport, RI
The inside draft list was extensive. Outdoors, not so much. The space was inviting and cozy, and I decided it was time to try something other than sangria and pinot grigio. I ordered a mango IPA that was delicious. It was served in a plastic cup (weird fact about me- I love beer in a plastic cup) and refreshing. Hubs got a beer too- we were feeling crazy! The highlight was the truffle oil tater tots. YES, YES, YES! The serving was a little small, but the taste was amazeballs. We decided that we are going to try to recreate these at home. If we had more time in Newport, we definitely would have liked to go back to test some other bevs and food.
Diego’s
11 Bowens Wharf, Newport, RI
As I am writing this, it totally seems like all we did on this vacay was eat and drink! Diego’s was super intriguing to us. Most of the seating was outdoors, and the theme was Mexican. It looked adorable. Again, we were lucky to find some seats at the bar (around 6 PM) and the drink menu was insane. I couldn’t NOT order a margarita at a Mexican restaurant, so I went with the Skinny Mango Marg. It was very good, but I have had better. Hubs was obsessed with the crazy concoction that he ordered. The salsa and guac/chips were okay, but not great. Not one of my favorite places in Newport.
PS- From what I saw, there was only one bathroom and a key was needed to enter (had to ask the hostess). Kinda gross.
Fort Adams State Park
84 Fort Adams Dr, Newport, RI
We had to drive to this one- a bit too far to walk. This was one of the places that a lot of people recommended. Seeing the boats on the water was so cool- it made me want to buy a boat and live that lifestyle. Then I came back to reality. Other than that, we did not think there was much to do. We watched a bit of a rugby game (some tournament was going on), but overall we prob spent not even an hour there.
Ocean Drive
Newport, Rhode Island
Stunning views of the ocean and mansions. We drove around and were laughing at some of the house names, including “Passing Wind.” WTF! All of these houses were large enough that their owners gave them names. A decision was made that we would name our house something silly one day. We will keep you posted when we choose.
The Black Pearl
1 Bannister’s Wharf, Newport, RI
Two words: Clam Chowder. We sat, we ordered, we ate. No alcohol, just delicious chowdah.
SO GOOD. A must try.
Midtown Oyster Bar
345 Thames St, Newport, RI
Probably our favorite stop of the trip. We sat upstairs on the roof with a view of the Bay. The waitress was attentive and sweet. The lobster salad I ordered was perfect, and hubs got tuna/lobster tacos that he raved about. Not surprisingly, the wine was terrific and hub’s drinks were on point. There is a reason that Midtown Oyster is the top restaurant in Newport. The perfect date spot. Clean, inviting, and top-notch service.
Second Beach / Sachuest Beach
474 Sachuest Point Rd Middletown, RI
A recommendation from our B & B owners brought us to Second Street Beach. It was about a 10-15 minute drive and the parking lot was getting full ($20 to park). We stayed for a few hours and walked on the water, relaxed and enjoyed another perfect weather day. Honestly not much to say, except to get there early in the day to claim a parking spot.
The Almondy Inn
25 Pelham St, Newport, RI
I found this B & B on Trip Advisor. We stayed in the Lanai Suite, and it looked JUST like the pics in the reviews. It was lovely, and perfect for two people. The whirlpool tub was a nice touch. Clean room, comfy bed, wifi and a cable TV. What more did we need?
There was a small balcony with only one chair, and a view of the bay. We could barely hear the music from the night club next door, but if we were light sleepers it could have been a problem. The owners (from Texas) were very sweet and helpful. Breakfast was served each morning we were there from 8:30-10 (eggs, pancakes, croissants, etc) and wine and cheese each day at 5. Odette served us and she was delightful. The Almondy was walking distance to pretty much every place we went to which was very convenient.
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