Newport
Newport is a harbor town on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, known for its Gilded Age summer mansions, the Cliff Walk along the Atlantic shore and a busy sailing harbor.
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Newport sits on Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay, off the coast of Rhode Island. In the late 1800s, wealthy New York families built large summer houses here, and many still stand. Several are open to visitors through the Preservation Society of Newport County, and they draw most people to town. The Cliff Walk runs along the rocky shore past the grounds of some of these estates, with ocean views along the route.
The harbor is the second draw. Sailboats crowd the water in summer, and Thames Street and downtown have restaurants and shops close together. Newport suits history fans, couples and anyone who wants a coastal town within a drive of Boston or New York. Plan at least one day for the mansions and the walk, and two if you want time on the water. Late spring and early fall are the most comfortable months for walking the coast and sailing, and summer is the busiest.
Newport in five
- Walk the Cliff Walk, and check the detourThe Cliff Walk runs about 3.5 miles between the sea and the mansions' lawns. Visit Newport's tourism site before you go: it lists a detour between Narragansett Avenue and Webster Street for structural damage.Discover Newport
- Pick two mansions, not sixNewport's mansions are run by the Preservation Society of Newport County and other groups, and each visit takes an hour or more. Check their sites for tickets and combination passes, and pick two houses at most.
- Stay a night instead of a day trip from New YorkNewport is roughly 3.5 to 4 hours from New York by car, so a day trip is long. A better plan is one night here on the way between New York and Boston.New Haven
- Book summer weekends earlyRooms and harbor tables fill from late June through Labor Day, and festival weekends raise prices. Shoulder months, such as May, September and early October, are calmer and still mild.
Things to do in Newport
See all attractions in Newport
Need to know
- Airport
- Providence (PVD), about 45 minutes by car; Boston Logan about 1.5 hours
- Getting there
- Drive from Providence or Boston; check bus and rail links to Providence first
- Getting around
- Walkable harbor area; a car or bike for the mansions and beaches
- Best base
- Downtown near Thames Street, or the Bellevue Avenue area
- Time needed
- 1 to 2 days
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Snowy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy days2 snowy daysHigh4°Low-2°Cold, quietJanuaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 4°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 119 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 2
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days3 snowy daysHigh5°Low-2°Cold, quietFebruaryPartly cloudy
Poor
- High
- 5°
- Low
- -2°
- Precipitation
- 109 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 3
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchPartly cloudy12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low1°Cool, quietMarchPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 7°
- Low
- 1°
- Precipitation
- 130 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, quiet
- AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh12°Low5°Cool, springAprilRain
Mixed
- High
- 12°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 128 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, spring
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Spring, mildMayPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 137 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Spring, mild
- JunePartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low15°Warm, sailingJunePartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 15°
- Precipitation
- 121 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, sailing
- JulyPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh25°Low20°Peak summerJulyPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 20°
- Precipitation
- 110 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak summer
- AugustPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh25°Low19°Peak, busyAugustPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 25°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 106 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Peak, busy
- SeptemberPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh22°Low16°Warm, clearSeptemberPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 22°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 131 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, clear
- OctoberRain11 rainy daysHigh17°Low11°Fall, mildOctoberRain
Good
- High
- 17°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 161 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Fall, mild
- NovemberPartly cloudy8 rainy daysHigh11°Low4°Quiet, coolNovemberPartly cloudy
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 117 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Quiet, cool
- DecemberRain11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low0°Holiday lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 6°
- Low
- 0°
- Precipitation
- 180 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 1
- Days with storms
- 0
Holiday lights
Average daily high and low in Newport, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Jul Newport Folk Festival · Aug Newport Jazz Festival
Right now in Newport
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
15
- Feels like
- 10°
- Humidity
- 64%
- Wind
- 22 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 1%
Newport
05:38 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today18°6°1%Monday: Clear. High 18°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 1%.
- Tue18°11°5%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Wed19°12°0%Wednesday: Fog. High 19°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu18°14°38%Thursday: Cloudy. High 18°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 38%.
- Fri16°15°59%Friday: Rain. High 16°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 59%.
- Sat17°11°62%Saturday: Rain. High 17°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 62%.
- Sun14°8°18%Sunday: Cloudy. High 14°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 18%.
Updated 04:53 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 EUR = 1.116 USD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Every year
- JulNewport Folk FestivalNewport
- AugNewport Jazz FestivalNewport
Day trips by train
- Bostonabout 1.5 hours by carThe Freedom Trail and a larger city for a day or an overnight.Read the guide
- Cape Codabout 1.5 to 2 hours by carBeach towns and dunes, with heavy traffic on summer weekends.Read the guide
- New Havenabout 1.5 to 2 hours by carYale museums and apizza on the way toward New York City.Read the guide
Before you go to Newport
We may earn a commission. It never decides our picks.
Rules for Newport, checked
- The Cliff Walk has a detour between Narragansett Avenue and Webster Street because of structural damage; the rest of the walk is open.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around Newport
About 45 minutes by car, with WaterFire and RISD
Read the guideAll of New EnglandFoliage, coast and hill towns north and east
Read the guideBoston in 3 daysNorth of Newport by about 1.5 hours
Read the guideCape CodBeaches and ferries east of Newport
Read the guideNew HavenWest along the corridor to Yale
Read the guideNew York CityThe long-haul gateway to the corridor
Read the guideAll of the USAStates, parks and cities in one planning hub
Read the guideNewport FAQ
Is Newport worth visiting?
Yes for the mansions, harbor and coastal walks, especially from May to October. It is a small town, so one night and a long afternoon on the Cliff Walk is the usual plan.
How many days do you need in Newport?
One full day covers one or two mansions and the Cliff Walk. Two days adds a sail or a beach morning, and works better in summer when the pace is slower.
Is the Cliff Walk open?
Most of it, yes. Newport's tourism site lists a detour between Narragansett Avenue and Webster Street due to structural damage, so check the Cliff Walk Commission map and conditions before you set out.
Can you visit Newport without a car?
Yes for the harbor and downtown, which are walkable, but the mansions and beaches are spread along Bellevue Avenue and Ocean Drive. A bike, taxi or short drive helps for the longer stretches.
When is the best time to visit Newport?
May, September and early October offer mild weather and fewer crowds. July and August are warm and lively but expensive, and winter is quiet with some attractions closed or limited.