Boston/Newport

Hi,

We will be in Boston and Newport on Enchantment of the Seas on July 3rd and 4th, respectively and don't know what we should do! What are some must see's in these places? We are open to any kind of activity and we have never been to either place. Thanks for your help! :)

Boston's main attractions, if you're talking history, are all along the Freedom Trail.

Here's their site, you can pick and chose from those options.

There are also sports, museums, shopping, etc, etc, etc to do here.

Help us narrow it down -- what are YOU interested in?

Thanks for your quick response. We really enjoy a lot of things, from being active to lazy. We really like seeing as much as we can, and don't mind walking a lot. We aren't really into group type tours, although we have done a lot of them. I was researching earlier and I think in Newport we might do the Cliff Walk and then shop around the waterfront (probably on our own) so any suggestions for that are welcome. I'm still not sure about Boston. I think we would enjoy some of the historical stuff, but I don't think we would enjoy doing that type of thing all day. We have heard of a lot of things centering around Quincy Market, but what is that? (sorry if that's a dumb question).

I would suggest either the hop on hop off trolley for Boston . It is a great tour and covers all of Boston . I would also suggest the Freedom Trail . You can google it and get maps and audio tours . Quincy Market is a eating & shopping area housed in a historic building .There are sometimes street performers at Quincy Market in the nicer weather .

In Newport you could tour some of the large mansions, and/or take in some shopping and dining on the waterfront by the piers.

I would definitely recommend visiting the mansions in Newport. I love the Breakers and the Elms servant tour. You should also make sure to take a walk on the Cliff Walk. A great lunch place is outside at the Black Pearl. There is also good shopping downtown.

By the way, the Cliff Walk is within walking distance, although up a hill. Might want to take one of the pedi cabs. There is no set price for those - just a good tip! The mansions are right on the Cliff Walk as well. Definitely no reason to do a tour. It is easily done on your own.

I would definitely recommend visiting the mansions in Newport. I love the Breakers and the Elms servant tour. You should also make sure to take a walk on the Cliff Walk. A great lunch place is outside at the Black Pearl. There is also good shopping downtown.

I agree about seeing one of the Mansions (cottages) in Newport. They are fabulous. :)

The Breakers is one of our favorites.

In reference to Newport

You are heading into the busiest area of the state on this particular day - Newport / Bristol are known for the 4th of July celebration, spearheaded by the Bristol 4th of July Parade, (look it up online) which starts at 1030 on the 4th. This city will be EXTREMELY crowded!! Book ANYTHING you are looking as early as possible. Newport WILL be crowded, be prepared.(Bristol is the next town over).

The hours you are in port are not the greatest for the holiday - out of port at 6pm from Newport, and Boston early the night before. There are a lot of firework displays on both the 3rd and the 4th. I would be almost tempted to not get back on the ship in Boston on the 3rd, and stay in the city at night, then trek down to Newport on the 4th (1 way car rental) and take in the sites and sounds of one of the two cities for an extended period of time. 1.5 hour ride, at the most.

Hotel rooms in Boston are pricey, but look around. If military, there are other options in both cities, if not to late.

Afternoon sailings on an Americas Cup sailing boat. museums, the rum & Revolution walking tour, shopping on Thames Street, the cliff walk, scuba diving, tennis hall of fame, golfing at Newport National, helicopter tours, etc.

The Tall Ships festival starts on the 6th, so you may see some ships in Newport a few days early.

Seriously, consider not getting back on the ship in Boston (make sure to tell the cruise line ahead of time), and make a night of it in either Boston, or Newport. I would say keep an eye out for Waterfire in Providence, but as of right now, there is no lighting scheduled.

Regardless, be prepared for huge crowds in Newport on the 4th.

Enjoy!

Thanks for your quick response. We really enjoy a lot of things, from being active to lazy. We really like seeing as much as we can, and don't mind walking a lot. We aren't really into group type tours, although we have done a lot of them. I was researching earlier and I think in Newport we might do the Cliff Walk and then shop around the waterfront (probably on our own) so any suggestions for that are welcome. I'm still not sure about Boston. I think we would enjoy some of the historical stuff, but I don't think we would enjoy doing that type of thing all day. We have heard of a lot of things centering around Quincy Market, but what is that? (sorry if that's a dumb question).

This is my attempt at recording the Freedom Trail. Parts 1 & 2 are all within a square mile of the usual start point, Boston Common. Quincy Market and that which surrounds it is featured in part 2.

Part 1 Boston Common to King's Chapel

The Freedom Trail destinations in this first one are Boston Common, Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, the Old Granary Burying Ground and King's Chapel.

Part 2 Boston Latin to Paul Revere's house

Boston Latin public school, Benjamin Franklin Statue, Old Corner Bookstore, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Site of Boston Massacre, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall and Paul Revere's house

Part 3 Old North Church to the Bunker Hill Monument

Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, the U.S.S. Constitution and finally the Bunker Hill Monument (on Breed's Hill )

That last part is the one that requires most walking as you go out to Charlestown, a neighbourhood of Boston.

USS Constitution

The 20-minute tour of the great ship is free and takes place every 30 minutes but you need photo ID to get past the security check so take your passport with you.

The whole thing is about 3 miles, and there's plenty of other things to see along the way.

All the best, Tony

A sail around the harbor in Newport is always fun.

Hi,

We will be in Boston and Newport on Enchantment of the Seas on July 3rd and 4th, respectively and don't know what we should do! What are some must see's in these places? We are open to any kind of activity and we have never been to either place. Thanks for your help! :)

Another thing you can do in Newport is take the trolly tour. For the next few days, there is a sale going on with the local online deals sales company, DealsInRI. check it out, great way to see the whole city. Check to see if there is a 4th of July holiday exclusion before you buy it though.

http://www.dealsinri.com/deals/4f609fa9b33ebc918b73e9f6

Too bad you're not staying overnight in Boston, otherwise I would suggest the Boston Pops 4th of July outdoor concert and fireworks on the Esplanade along the Charles River. But during the day, the U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides) does her annual turn around (for even weathering on her hull) and Ft. Independence shoots off a 21 gun salute to her from their ramparts. The best place for viewing this is on Castle Island (not really an island, there's a road that goes to it) in South Boston. The cruise terminal is located in the business waterfront section of South Boston, so it would be easy to get a cab there, or you could opt for a local harbor cruise from which to watch.

http://www.bostonharborcruises.com/boston-harbor-cruises/constitution-turn-around.aspx

This is my attempt at recording the Freedom Trail. Parts 1 & 2 are all within a square mile of the usual start point, Boston Common. Quincy Market and that which surrounds it is featured in part 2.

 

Part 1 Boston Common to King's Chapel

 

The Freedom Trail destinations in this first one are Boston Common, Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, the Old Granary Burying Ground and King's Chapel.

 

Part 2 Boston Latin to Paul Revere's house

 

Boston Latin public school, Benjamin Franklin Statue, Old Corner Bookstore, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, Site of Boston Massacre, Quincy Market, Faneuil Hall and Paul Revere's house

 

Part 3 Old North Church to the Bunker Hill Monument

 

Old North Church, Copp's Hill Burying Ground, the U.S.S. Constitution and finally the Bunker Hill Monument (on Breed's Hill )

 

That last part is the one that requires most walking as you go out to Charlestown, a neighbourhood of Boston.

 

USS Constitution

 

The 20-minute tour of the great ship is free and takes place every 30 minutes but you need photo ID to get past the security check so take your passport with you.

 

The whole thing is about 3 miles, and there's plenty of other things to see along the way.

 

All the best, Tony

I am considering catching a cab at the pier and starting the Freedom Trail at Boston Common (as opposed to using the trolley--I just think it might be a more economical option since I would like to walk, weather permitting.). Approximately how long would it take to walk from the Boston Common to the Old North Church (stopping to see the major points of interest and take pictures)? I understand that the trail is about 2.5 miles long, but I'm not sure that I would want to go all the way to the USS Constitution. What would the cab fare be each way? Is there a better alternative? Would it be close enough to walk back to the ship? Thanks for any advice.

You can take the Silver Line and Red Line to Park St which is the Boston Common. Follow the trail to the North end and walk back to Long Wharf along the waterfront. From Long Wharf there is a "T" water taxi to the Constitution in Charlestown for $1.70 each way.

If you want to see the Constitution, I wud recommend taking a cab there first thing since it opens at 9 am, taking the water taxi back to Long Wharf, looping up into the North End and walking the trail backwards.

Does anyone know how far the Mansions are from the Pier in Newport, RI? Also, can one buy tickets to visit them at the door? The ship offers a price of $58 pp, however, we usually have done better with tours or on our own off the ship. We have 6 adults, walking up hills is difficult for 2 due to age. Thanks for any help!

The mansions are not far from the pier, straight up a hill. Walkable for the brave, but a cab / shuttle / trolly is recommended, especially when on a time crunch of a cruise ship stop. Do yourself a favor, get transportation, not worth the effort to walk it.

As for purchasing tickets, what does the cruise ship price include? Ride there? Multiple houses? Guided tours?

Here is the Preservation Societies web site http://www.newportmansions.org

Here is the ticket price list (Retail, print at home). http://tix.newportmansions.org/ecommerce/

Discounts are periodically given at groupon and DealsInRI web pages.

Also, military and student discounts available. Newport is a big supporter of the military actually, and here is a link to a lot of the stores that have special deals for them

http://www.risalutes.com/default.htm

Best time to see the mansions is in the AM, for the most part you can walk between them. the tennis hall of fame is not far away either.

The mansions are great - if you have extra time, take a look at them from the sea side, either via sailing or the cliff walks.

Enjoy!

Thanks for all these great ideas everyone! I'm really enjoying reading them! Does anyone know of the weather in these places in July? We are from Texas so we are used to consecutive 100+ degree days around that time of year but don't think it will be that bad up there right? :)

It could be in the 90's, most likely not the 100's, but still possible. Most likely, it would be in the 80's. Being right on the water, Newport gets very windy, and is usually cooler than other parts of the state and Massachusetts. Even though Boston is on the water, it is usually hotter than Newport.

As others mentioned, the walk to the mansions is straight uphill, but not too long. There are trolleys in town that you would pick up at the Gateway Center (to the left of where you will be getting off) and then you can get off on Bellevue Ave. The mansions themselves are pretty close together, so you could walk to a few, and also check out the Cliffwalk. Other options for transportation include a taxi (companies include Rainbow Cab and Cozy Cab - they are generally not around for you to "catch", a phone call would be best) or a pedi cab (my personal favorite mode of transportation around Newport when I go out at night). They are out during the day as well. They work on tips only, so there is no set rate However, they usually only for two adults, so it might not work for a larger party. Another good thing about these though is that you can talk to a local and get suggestions for more activities if you have time.

Newport is already getting busier and should be packed July 4th weekend. If you are interested in eating in any of the area restaraunts while you are here, it might be a good idea to get reservations. However, reservations are not needed in the mansions.

Hope this helps!

Just found this useful site about Newport and all the transportation aspects / phone numbers. 4th of July in Newport is going to be busy.

http://www.newport-discovery-guide.com/rhode-island-map.html

Thanks to all for the great information!

I am also taking this same cruise for the first time. I was reading a former cruiser's experience posted on this website that took the same cruise destination. She reported that the ship docks at 10am in Newport, but they did not get off of the ship until 12pm and they were no where near the last people to get off of the ship. She stated that they were tender #9...(I'm guessing that is the group number that was able to leave the ship at a certain time). I would rather save money and book the mansion tours separately from RCI, but I'm afraid that if I don't book a ship excursion that I won't get off the ship in time to really explore on my own. (Those that book ship excursions are able to get off earlier than others). I'm torn by this, but feel I should probably just go with the ship excursion so that I can get off the ship timely and get out to explore Newport.

Does anyone have any input or experience with cruising to Newport on RCI - Enchantment of the Seas? I haven't been able to find much more information on experiences with this ship at this dock.

Not sure about the debarking, but do notice that they do not let you stay in port for all that long. If you are looking to just do Newport on your own, take a look at this deal that was just posted - scooter rentals. It is offered by a company on Thames Street. Deal is posted for 2+ days only, so check the site for other deals. Last week was a segway tour, 1/2 price.

http://www.dealsinri.com/

Mansions are not far from the port, you may save a little bit of money by booking on your own, but what is the cost saving margin? Off the boat 30 minutes or so earlier, a ride up to the mansions vs. booking on your own and paying for a ride up the hill and back (either way, can probably opt to stay after the ship tour leaves and explore the area on your own, then catch a ride back down.)

Get off ship on your own, make your way down to the scooter rental shop, head up to the mansions, then a nice ride down Ocean Drive.

Good options to have either way.

We just completed the June 14 RCI cruise to these ports, so I wanted to post before I forget.

To see my post about Boston Old Town Trolley, go here to post #16: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1627459

Here's a quick summary of our experience at Newport.

They told us they would start issuing tender tickets at 9:15. By 9:00 AM the line stretched all around the atrium, so they started handing them out early. One person in your party can pick up tickets, so not everyone needs to be in line. We were able to get #8. The ship had one or two tenders, and they contracted with a local company for two more, so things went quickly. They called numbers about every ten minutes. We were able to get on ours about 10:30. It was a calm day, so the tendering process went quickly. After you get off, go left and walk a block or so to the Visitor Center to get info about tours and transportation. The day we were there, it was an air quality advisory, so they offered free rides on the yellow line bus (#67) which takes you past the mansions. Normally an all day travel pass is $6 pp. Individual rides are $2 each.

We wanted to walk part of the Cliff Walk and then do the Breakers Tour. We bought our ticket for the tour at the visitor center ($18 senior price per person). Buses left the visitor center every 20 minutes. Exit the building at the rear and go right. Look for the yellow poles on the left hand side. There will probably be a line anyway. I expect if you are there on July 4, they might have free buses again. We started the cliff walk near the southern end at Ledge Road and went to the Ruggles Road exit so we could go to the Breakers. Be advised this is the most strenuous part of the walk, sometimes going over boulders, loose rock, and no trail. Look for the metal disks in the boulders for the best path over the rocks. Be SURE to wear covered toe shoes (not flip flops as we saw some do). There will be slippery areas and scrambling over/between boulders. Also bring water and trail mix. There is nowhere to stop for snacks and/or restrooms along that patch. We are in our mid-60s and in good shape. I wouldn't recommend this stretch if you are inexperienced hikers. If you buy the $3 Cliff Walk map at the visitor's center, you can see where the trail is easiest and most difficult.

Although it's difficult, I really recommend this walk on a pretty day. The views are outstanding.

If you don't purchase your mansions admission at the visitor center, you can buy a ticket at each of the mansions. At the Breakers, they give you a headset to wear so that you can complete the tour at your own pace. Several places let you hear additional information by pushing a number on the handheld unit before passing on to the next room. Be sure to hear the info on why the Gilded Age lifestyle in Newport gradually passed away.

If you would like to plan ahead to see which mansion(s) might interest you, you can check this link: http://www.newportmansions.org/

After our cliff walk and Breakers tour, plus other walking around, we were pretty exhausted and ready to return to the ship by 5 pm. They extended our port time to 7:30 for the last tender since we had such a short time in Boston the previous day.

If you do the Breakers or another mansion after the cliff walk, I recommend catching a south-bound bus and staying on until you get back to the visitor center. The bus starts filling up really fast with people getting back on going north back to the center. There is a southbound bus stop right across the street from the Breakers entrance.

The tender line at 5:30 wasn't too bad. It did stretch down the sidewalk, but it went fairly quickly. I noticed the line grew much longer after we got there. Each tender can carry about 100 people and takes 15-20 minutes to go back and forth. On the morning tender trip to the pier, sit on the right hand side up on top to get the best pictures of the bay as you are going in.

I hope this helps. I know I would have liked to know all this ahead of time. Have lots of fun and I hope you enjoy Boston and Newport as much as we did.

Does anyone know how far the Mansions are from the Pier in Newport, RI? Also, can one buy tickets to visit them at the door? The ship offers a price of $58 pp, however, we usually have done better with tours or on our own off the ship. We have 6 adults, walking up hills is difficult for 2 due to age. Thanks for any help!

Approximate distances from the tender dock (there is one long hill to):

• the Elms – 1.1 miles,
  
• the Breakers – 2.1 miles,
  
• Rosecliff – 1.9 miles
  
• Marble House – 2.2 miles
  
• Doris Duke's Rough Point – 2.6 miles
  
• start of Cliff Walk on Memorial Blvd - 1.7 miles
  
  

All the mansions listed are served by the route #67 bus (Bellevue / Mansions). Schedule is located here.

Tickets are sold at the door or you can purchase them at the Newport Gateway Center where you would also board the bus.

SBtS