New England Trip

Today, we hoped to take the ferry to Block Island but we called to make reservations too late. Instead, we went back to Newport and took a scenic 10-mile drive around the island.

Our first stop was Fort Adams State Park. We had Wicket with us and could not find shaded parking so we did not take the tour of the fort. We found the “Sail Newport” facility, which is a public sailing center. The parking lot was filled with J/24s, many of which we remember from large regattas. The center will rent J/22s if you can document sailing skills. Sans Wicket, we might have rented one for an hour or so. Steve took a quick tour of the Museum of Yachting while Margaret walked Wicket. The Museum owns and operates the 12-Meter Courageous that Ted Turner helmed to two America’s Cup victories.

Our next stop was the Brenton Point State Park on the southern tip of Newport Island facing the Atlantic. The “beach” was rocky but dramatic with crashing waves. We saw at least 50 colorful kites being flown. Some were large and stationary; others were small and swooped like birds. We saw a kid expertly flying one of the swooping kites. The parking lot was packed, but that should be expected since it was a beautiful Saturday morning.

The drive took us through the mansion district of Bellevue Avenue where the most incredible mansions were built during the “Guilded Age.” A number of the most elaborate of these mansions are now owned by an historical preservation society and can be toured for a reasonable fee. Because of Wicket, we did not take tours but glimpsed the mansions through the gates.

There is a 3 and one half-mile cliff-side walk where one can walk between the ocean and the mansions. We walked about one-half mile out and back and the views were awesome. The area that we walked was along the campus of the Salve Regina University. Several of the mansions have been donated by owners looking to shed the heavy tax and upkeep burden, to expand the campus of the University. The university administration building is housed in a particularly ornate mansion, and a small brick three-story university building with a flat roof next door is a really ugly contrast to its elegant neighbor.

We returned to downtown Newport and had a late lunch at a harbor-side bar after finding a cool parking deck in which to leave Wicket.

If you want to really enjoy a visit to Newport, leave the dog at home!

Several pictures follow:

First, “Courageous” in Newport Harbor at Fort Adams State Park

Second, the "beach" at Brenton Point State Park.

Third, a view from the cliff-side walk

Finally, one of the mansions donated to the Salve Regina University, as viewed from the cliff-side walk