Good morning my loves! There are many beautiful destinations close to New York City, so this year we hope to explore some of the coastal cities that are accessible to us by car. So happy that our first trip of the year brought us to New England – a quick three-hour drive from Manhattan.
The image above perfectly sums up our vacation in Newport, Rhode Island. I am delighted to share with you guys our stay at The Vanderbilt, the loveliest areas that we visited, as well as our ride along Ocean Drive and Bellevue Avenue in a classic car from the 1960s.
A Perfect Winter Stay at The Vanderbilt Auberge Resort in Newport, RI
We planned this vacation on a whim, fully aware that the weather reports announced rainy days with 20+ degrees. But we got lucky, and the city of Newport welcomed us with temperatures in the 50s and lots of warm sunshine.
THE VANDERBILT – TOP 20 HOTELS IN NEW ENGLAND – CONDE NAST TRAVELER 2019
The Vanderbilt is a luxury boutique hotel that was originally built in 1909 by Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, a scion of the Vanderbilt family. It has been restored to its former glory and is one of the few private homes of the era to operate for guests as a fully functioning and top luxury hotel in Rhode Island. Today, The Vanderbilt Hotel comprises 33 rooms and luxury suites, a spa, and a fitness center with indoor and outdoor pools. Overall, we LOVED our stay here, everyone was so friendly!
Breakfast at The Vanderbilt Hotel is oh-so-good! We started our first day with one of the best avocado toasts I’ve ever had, a fruit plate, toasts with homemade jelly, hot tea & coffee, and fresh orange juice.
The breakfast room is connected to the hotel’s beautiful Garden Terrace (see below!) overlooking Trinity Church in the back.
After breakfast, it was time to explore Newport… Our first stop was Gurney’s Newport Resort & Marina located on Goat Island, and surrounded by Narragansett Bay. Our pups loved feeling the breeze from every angle!
Meandering through Bowen’s Wharf & Bannister’s Wharf is a fun experience in the early afternoon. If you want to get a warm cup of coffee, head to The Coffee Grinder, a charming & iconic coffee shop overlooking historic Newport Harbor. Be sure to walk around the pedestrian area, you will find boutiques, galleries, cookie stores, and restaurants – it is so lovely and enjoyable.
Later on that day, we headed to The Vanderbilt’s fine dining restaurant. The ambiance was spectacular, and the food was exquisite. New England clam chowder is a must when visiting this area of the country, and the one I ordered was amazing!
For dessert, we opted for an all-time favorite of mine, the classic Italian panna cotta, and delicious beignets. The dishes were beautifully presented and seasoned beautifully, exactly what we were craving. Grabbing a table by the fireplace was the coziest too!
The following morning after breakfast, we walked over to Saint Mary’s Church, and did a little sightseeing by foot. The day started out with some clouds, but by 1 PM the sun was shining bright again.
One of the highlights of our vacation was traveling back in time to vintage Newport in a classic car. Nothing better than touring the city’s beautiful architecture and coastal scenery in a 1966 Ford Mustang! We appreciate that The Vanderbilt organized this beautiful ride for us!
The Vanderbilt offers tons of activities to enjoy while visiting, including ‘spirit sessions’ (to learn how to make delicious cocktails while exploring the spirits of the regions of the world), The Oysters ($1 oysters from 5:00 to 9:00 PM at The Bar), 30-minute winery tours at the Newport Vineyards, a culinary walking tour through Newport, a Cheese Masterclass, a private behind-the-scenes tour of the Breakers, an educational seal-watching boat tour, private sailing lessons at the Newport Yacht Club, as well as the opportunity to learn the art of glass blowing. As you can see, we opted for the classic car experience!
Be sure to drive along Ocean Drive. There are multiple spots where you can stop to take photos. It is a popular Newport scenic tour that has been designated a National Historic Landmark District!
A visit to Newport is not complete without a visit to one of the historic mansions. The Breakers, The Elms, Rosecliff & Marble House are renowned for their exceptional elegance (during this trip we toured Rosecliff). These mansions were built during the city’s Colonial, Victorian, and Gilded Age, and can be found along Bellevue Avenue.
We arrived back at our hotel, and it was time to pack to drive back to New York City. This hotel was the perfect base for our stay, with spacious suites, a fabulous lobby area, a prime location, and an incredibly friendly staff.
Below you can see our room, I thought the decoration and space were fantastic, especially since we had to fit two puppy beds (the hotel provided these for our stay). If you’re looking for a wonderfully located, beautiful, and upscale place to stay, then I’d definitely recommend looking into The Vanderbilt for your stay in Newport.
Always happy to bring our two pups with us on vacation.
Discover more from The Vanderbilt in Newport, here.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, I would 100% recommend this hotel for a romantic vacation, otherwise for any weekend getaway!
A special thank you to The Vanderbilt Hotel for their outstanding hospitality.
SHOP FOR YOUR TRIP TO NEWPORT
To check availability and see reviews of The Vanderbilt in Newport, visit here.
THINGS TO DO IN DOWNTOWN NEWPORT RI
- International Tennis Hall of Fame
- White Horse Tavern (fantastic)
- Drift Cafe (great Açaí bowls!)
- The Coffee Grinder
- Vineyard Vines
- The Black Dog Newport (love that a “mutt” inspired the brand!)
- KJP Flagship Store
RELATED TRAVEL GUIDES
- The Best Things to Do in Newport, Rhode Island
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