Newport Cliff Walking
Oxford Shirt || Jeans || Canvas Sneakers || Pearl Earrings || Bracelet || Watch
One Newport experience that you simply can’t miss out on is the Cliff Walk. Although going on a walk doesn’t seem that exciting, this is is so much more than that. This 3.5 mile stretch of path outlines the town of Newport as it reaches the Atlantic Ocean. Although the views of the water are simply stunning, the waterfront mansions are the stars of the show.
Back in the day, some of our country’s most prominent families flocked to Newport for a summer of peace and quiet. Ironically called “cottages”, these residences are anything but. Many of the mansions were owned by members of the Vanderbilt family. One of them was even converted into the local college, Salve Regina. I really hope those students can appreciate how beautiful their college home is.
There are several places to enter the pathway. Since our hotel was just down the road, we didn’t have to worry about parking. If you’re coming from farther away, even from the downtown area, I recommend parking in the First Beach parking lot. It’s right next to the entrance and is extremely convenient.
Since we had a lot planned for the day, we opted to only walk about halfway. David reminded me that we missed some of the largest, most visible mansions, but it also wasn’t going to be as walkable. We left at the next exit and walked back into town, down Bellevue Avenue. It turned out to be the best call because we walked right by Empire Coffee and was able to grab a quick breakfast after our morning hike.
As far as what to wear, for the most part, the Cliff Walk is extremely walkable. About two-thirds of the path is paved and what it isn’t is still large, flat boulders to walk on. I had no issue in my go-to Tretorn sneakers, but if they could handle hiking a mountain a Switzerland, I knew they weren’t going to be a problem. In hindsight, I kind of wish I would have worn a pair of chino shorts instead of jeans, even on a cool morning. As long as you feel comfortable, and don’t wear heels, then you should be okay!
This quick little blog post just isn’t doing the Newport Cliff Walk justice! Even though I took hundreds a photos on this one activity alone, none of them compare to seeing the views in person. With so much to love about Newport, this is just one more piece to the puzzle.
Love from NYC,
Katie
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