Newport Best: Gilded Age Mansions & Ocean Drive Self-Guided Driving Tour
About this English self-guided 1h:03m driving tour in Newport
Welcome to Newport, Rhode Island, where the ocean is always nearby, history is never far away, and the word “summer cottage” once meant something that looks suspiciously like a European palace.
On this self-guided driving tour, you’re going to see why Newport has fascinated people for centuries. Long before the mansions arrived, this was a thriving colonial seaport—busy streets, bustling wharves, and a town shaped by trade, faith, and the sea. Then came the Gilded Age, when America’s wealthiest families decided Newport should be their warm-weather stage, and built homes so grand they still make you stop mid-sentence and say, “Wait… people lived there?” And of course, Newport is also a place of pure coastal beauty—rocky shorelines, wide Atlantic views, and that salty breeze that makes everything feel a little more cinematic.
Here’s how this works: all you have to do is follow the route on your screen and listen as you drive. We’ll guide you from downtown’s historic streets to the elegance of Bellevue Avenue, and then out along the coast where the scenery opens up and Newport really shows off. Along the way you’ll hear the stories behind the landmarks—some dramatic, some surprising, some just delightfully absurd in the best Newport way. You’ll pass places tied to presidents and poets, to revolution and reinvention, and to families whose idea of “casual” came with ballrooms, marble, and enough staff to run a small town.
A quick note before we roll: Newport is charming… and it’s also alive. Streets can be narrow, turns can come up quickly, and pedestrians may step into crosswalks like they’ve been doing it since 1726. So take it slow, stay safe, and let the tour unfold at an easy pace. If you’re traveling with friends or family, you’ve picked a great tour for it—there’s plenty to point at, laugh about, and argue over whether that mansion is “tasteful” or “a little much.” (Spoiler: it’s both.)
Alright—get comfortable, keep your eyes open, and keep your camera ready. Newport has a lot to say, and you’re about to hear it. Let’s begin.
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Language
English
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Region
North America / USA
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