Founded in 1639, Newport, RI is a charming city of around 25,000 people located on Aquidneck Island. Its yacht-filled harbor hosted the America’s Cup, a renowned annual sailing regatta, for many years. It is also known for hosting the original US Open Tennis Tournament prior to it being moved to Forest Hills, NY. Newport is also known for its historic Gilded Age mansions lining Bellevue Avenue on the east side of town, where for many years the country’s wealthiest families spent the summer season in their extravagant mansions.
I highly recommend that you spend a few nights there to enjoy the beauty and the history. It is approximately 33 miles southeast of Providence and takes roughly an hour to drive down. Another easy way is to take the Seastreak ferry serving Providence, Bristol and Newport. It operates seasonally from the end of May to mid-October.
