Newport RI mansion tours

For those of you that have visited Newport: Realistically, how many mansions would we be able to visit during our stop (arrive at 9am depart at 6pm)? We would like to visit at least 3 (Breakers, Elms, & Marble House??) but would that leave us time to do the Cliff Walk and other sites in town?

For those of you that have visited Newport: Realistically, how many mansions would we be able to visit during our stop (arrive at 9am depart at 6pm)? We would like to visit at least 3 (Breakers, Elms, & Marble House??) but would that leave us time to do the Cliff Walk and other sites in town?

During a 3 hour Princess tour we visited Breakers & did the Cliff Walk. They also have a 3:45 hour tour to Breakers & Marble House.

For those of you that have visited Newport: Realistically, how many mansions would we be able to visit during our stop (arrive at 9am depart at 6pm)? We would like to visit at least 3 (Breakers, Elms, & Marble House??) but would that leave us time to do the Cliff Walk and other sites in town?

The preservation society recommends allowing 90 minutes for touring each mansion and the grounds.

We were on a Royal Caribbean tour three weeks ago and did a two mansion tour from the ship. The tour operator gave us 75 minutes at each mansion (Marble House and The Breakers). Seventy-five minutes was satisfactory, I wouldn't have wanted to have less. While driving around Newport on the bus the tour rep gave us lots of neat information about other mansions and the town.

Three Mansions in one day can be done and not to difficult to get in a walk on the Cliff walk as well, if you have good transportation. Otherwise I would stick with the ship's tour, especially if they offer two.

Princess also offers a scenic tour of Newport (about 1 1/2 hrs) combined with a tour of he Breakers (or Marble House), total time maybe 3 1/2 hours.

For those of you that have visited Newport: Realistically, how many mansions would we be able to visit during our stop (arrive at 9am depart at 6pm)? We would like to visit at least 3 (Breakers, Elms, & Marble House??) but would that leave us time to do the Cliff Walk and other sites in town?

This is how I think you could visit 3 mansions and do Cliff Walk. Take the earliest tender in. Walk one block north from the tender dock to the Newport Gateway Center where you will board an outbound #67 city (not town) bus (Bellevue/Mansions). As you board the bus, tell the driver you want a one day pass. On weekdays, the #67 bus departs the NGC every 20 minutes.

Get off at the Elms and tour. Either go back to the stop you got off at and wait for the next bus; or you could walk to the Breakers which is just under a mile away.

Tour the Breakers, and either wait at the bus stop in front of the Breakers for the next bus; or you could walk to Marble House which is just under a mile away.

As you exit MH, look at your watch to determine how much time is left. If you are comfortable with the time, turn north (right) on Bellevue Ave. Walk north until you reach Marine Ave where you will turn east (right) and walk to the end of Marine Ave which is an entry point to CW.

Turn north (left) on to CW. I would suggest walking north no further then the Narragansett Ave exit (or the forty steps); you could exit sooner if the time is slipping away faster than planned.

No matter how far you walk, wherever you exit from CW, you must walk to the bus route which will either be Bellevue Ave or Ochre Point Ave depending on how far north you have walked.

When you reach the NGC, check your watch again to determine if there is time left. If you are paying attention, you will notice I did not include a lunch break.

Bus schedule: http://www.ripta.com/67

Cliff Walk: http://www.cliffwalk.com/ & http://www.cliffwalk.com/sect1.htm

SBtS

For those of you that have visited Newport: Realistically, how many mansions would we be able to visit during our stop (arrive at 9am depart at 6pm)? We would like to visit at least 3 (Breakers, Elms, & Marble House??) but would that leave us time to do the Cliff Walk and other sites in town?

I think you may experience burn-out, visiting 3 mansions in one day--kind of like too many museums in one day or too many European churches. Personally, one Newport mansion per day is my limit, but I am often close enough for repeat visits, and you may not be.

Newport has a lot to offer, as mentioned, including the Cliff Walk past the outside of most of the mansions, interesting shops, beaches, lovely historic architecture (like many homes inthe downtown area and the oldest synagogue), sailboat rides (maybe not such an attraction for someone on a cruise :-) and inviting restaurants on and off the water.

Have a great day there.

Not really interested in the mansions and one member of our party has difficulty walking long distances. Please suggest some options to see the town, shops, otherwise must dos?

The big thing in Newport is the mansions and the cliff walk. If both of those are out, you can wander around the town where the tender drops you off, or go over to Newport Grand and spend some time with the computerized one arm bandits.

Not really interested in the mansions and one member of our party has difficulty walking long distances. Please suggest some options to see the town, shops, otherwise must dos?

You could do the Viking trolley tour to see the town and at least the outside of the mansions.

We like to buy ornaments from each place we visit, so a must-do for us was making an appointment at Thames Glass where we each participated in glass-blowing our own ornaments.