Embark on an unforgettable journey in Newport, RI, favored by power and sail boaters alike. Navigate its scenic harbor, renowned for prestigious yacht races and serene cruises. Immerse in maritime history, upscale dining, and cultural attractions. With its blend of nautical thrills and tourist delights, Newport promises an unparalleled boating experience.
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NEWPORT AT A GLANCE
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Newport, Rhode Island, is known as the “Yachting Capital of the Northeast,” home to several America’s Cup winners and the setting for many world-famous regattas, not to mention the starting point of the Annual Newport-to-Bermuda Race.
Getting There: As you approach Newport via the East Passage and the open ocean, keep to port of Brenton Reef, the tip of which lies just below the surface (you’ll usually see water breaking or boiling over the high point when a swell is running). Otherwise, the approaches to Newport are deep and safe in virtually all weather, although heavy traffic and swift currents in this area demand constant attention. Newport Harbor itself is packed with moored vessels and boats of all sizes and types zipping about. Note that the harbor speed limit is 5 mph, and quiet hours are 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.
DESTINATION NEWPORT
Dockage, Moorings & Service:
Many of the moorings in the harbor are available for transients, but you must first check with the harbormaster (401-845-5815, VHF 14 or 16). Vessels up to 40′ can tie up at the Newport Maritime Center (401-845-5870; VHF 9) at the Ann Street Pier and at Perotti Park, 401-845-5817 in the north end of the harbor, for an hourly fee. Both places also offer free dinghy tie-up until 10:00 p.m. The Maritime Center is just off Thames Street and offers WIFI, showers, laundry, vending machines, ice, TV, lockers and a reading library, plus a friendly staff. It’s a wonderful resource for boaters!
Safe Harbor New England Boat Works401-683-4000: Located 5 miles north of Newport, NEB is a full-service yard offering deep-water slips for vessels up to 120′, fuel, ice, pool, showers, pump-out and picnic facilities. Repair and haul-out too.
Free public dinghy tie-up until 10:00 p.m. is available at Newport Maritime Center/Ann Street Pier (off Thames Street) and Perotti Park (at the north end of the harbor, near Goat Island Causeway).
Pump-out available at the Newport Yachting Centeror via the Long Wharf mobile pump-out boat.
Anchorages: The Newport anchorage is a small triangle at the southern end of the main harbor, north of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. Yachts are requested to anchor in the northeast corner of Brenton Cove or north of the Goat Island causeway. Both areas have 15′ to 25′ of depth, but holding ground can be poor in some spots. Before dropping anchor, be sure to note the locations of various cable crossings. Do not anchor within designated mooring fields.
Launch Ramp: There is an excellent concrete ramp (3′ at MLW) with parking at Fort Adams State Park. The ramp offers immediate access to Brenton Cove and Newport Harbor, as well as the waters of Narragansett Bay to the north and the ocean waters to the south.
Kayaks and other small craft can be launched at the natural rock and cement ramp at Kings Beach on Ocean Drive. There are also small town-managed ramps at Elm and Poplar Streets north of downtown Newport, although parking may be limited.
Newport offers all manner of restaurants and bars to suit any taste. Here is but a sampling:
Belle’s Café401-846-6000: Great dock-and-dine option at Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard. Serves a variety of tasty and creative breakfast and lunch items. Offers indoor and outdoor seating. Free dockage for restaurant patrons.
Café Zelda401-849-4002: French-American bistro with casual fine dining that attracts locals and savvy tourists alike, especially the sailing crowd. On Thames Street, a short walk from Waite’s Wharf.
Clarke Cooke House401-849-2900: Housed in an 18th-century building and featuring four dining room options. All offer fresh seafood, chowder, steaks and pasta. Nightclub Boom Boom Room is at the basement level.
Mission401-619-5560: Sister restaurant to the award-winning and upscale Thames Street Kitchen, Mission offers burgers and hot dogs made from meats ground in-house, hand-cut fries and craft beers.
Perro Salado401-619-4777: Seaside restaurant serving authentic and creative Mexican cuisine on Charles Street in a historic 18th-century Naval officer’s home. The restaurant stresses fresh, locally grown food. Open for dinner and brunch.
White Horse Tavern401-849-3600: This historic tavern has been in business since 1673. Serves lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch with a farm-to-table philosophy, including local seafood, beef and chicken dishes.
Black Pearl401-846-5269: A popular (and often crowded) watering hole and restaurant with both outdoor and indoor seating on Bannisters Wharf, right on the waterfront. Waterside bar and patio.
Tours and charter excursions are also available via America’s Cup Charters401- 846-9886, which has a fleet of classic 12-Meter America’s Cup boats, including three Cup winners.
Rose Island Lighthouse & Fort Hamilton401-847-4242. The Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation opens Rose Island Light Station and Fort Hamilton for tours July through Labor Day. Built in 1869, the lighthouse is located on an 18-acre island in Narragansett Bay, minutes from Newport, and can be reached by small boat and kayak. After the Pell-Newport Bridge was built in 1969, the Light Station was abandoned. For the next 14 years it fell victim to scavengers, vandals and the weather. In 1984, volunteers of the nonprofit, the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, restored the site to its 1912 appearance, installing environmentally friendly utilities for electricity, water, sewer and heat. In 1993, the beacon was relit. It is one of only a few operating lighthouses maintained by working vacationers who sign on for a week at a time as part of the organization’s environmental education program. The lighthouse is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The island’s dock is available for dinghy and kayak use only. Seal-watch tours are offered from November through April.
Museum of Yachting: Located on the grounds of Fort Adams, the Museum of Yachting is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., May through October 1. It is closed on Tuesday. It offers numerous yachting-related exhibits and is also where you can see the 12-meter yachts Courageous and Freedom, reminders of Newport’s now-vanished hegemony in the America’s Cup. $5 general admission.
Fort Adams State Park401-841-0707: Built in 1824, this magnificent fort on Castle Hill once guarded the ocean approach to Newport. It was the largest coastal fortification in the U.S. Daily tours of the fort are given in season.
