{"id":1960,"date":"2013-08-25T10:45:12","date_gmt":"2013-08-25T13:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tracyleekarner.com\/?p=1960"},"modified":"2020-10-06T23:21:47","modified_gmt":"2020-10-06T23:21:47","slug":"45-on-the-cheap-hours-in-newport-and-bristol-rhode-island","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/2013\/08\/25\/45-on-the-cheap-hours-in-newport-and-bristol-rhode-island\/","title":{"rendered":"26 on-the-cheap hours in Newport and Bristol, Rhode Island"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><figure id=\"attachment_2022\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-2022\" style=\"width: 560px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/img_0023.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-large wp-image-2022\" alt=\"Tracy Lee Karner\" src=\"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/img_0023.jpg?w=560\" width=\"560\" height=\"420\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-2022\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Breakers Mansion, seen from the Cliff Walk in Newport<\/figcaption><\/figure><br \/>\nNewport has historically been a summer get-away for the \u00fcber-wealthy. But you don&#8217;t have to be one of <a title=\"Mrs. Astor\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Caroline_Webster_Schermerhorn_Astor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Mrs. Astor&#8217;s 400 <\/a>to enjoy a delightful, high-class escape from the rigors of daily life.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Tip: If you&#8217;re not a total GPS-savvy techno-geek, before you travel, print out this handy\u00a0<a title=\"Newport Harbor Map\" href=\"http:\/\/www.citimaps.com\/newport\/maps\/NewportAccess.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">(free) Newport Harbor Map<\/a>\u00a0for your wanderings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Then get yourself to southern Rhode Island and spend 26 \u00a0hours enjoying its special ambience on-the-cheap\u00a0(or, if you feel flush, choose <a title=\"26 Ooh-La-La Hours in Newport, Rhode\u00a0Island\" href=\"http:\/\/tracyleekarner.com\/2013\/08\/18\/26-ooh-la-la-hours-in-newport-rhode-island\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the ooh-la-la tour<\/a>). In any case, dress classy-resort-y. This is Newport, after all (<em>but\u00a0<strong>wear comfortable shoes, for your tootsies&#8217; sake!<\/strong><\/em>)<br \/>\n<strong>3 pm&#8211;CHECK-IN at the\u00a0<a title=\"Newport Harbor Hotel\" href=\"http:\/\/www.newporthotel.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">NEWPORT HARBOR HOTEL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>It&#8217;s not the very cheapest place around, but its convenient location and pleasant rooms make this well worth the price. For the best rates, plan your trip plenty ahead, figure on staying mid-week, and when making your reservation,\u00a0ask when their rates are going to be lowest (To make certain you&#8217;re getting the best deal, check the rate posted on <a title=\"Kayak\" href=\"http:\/\/www.kayak.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">kayak<\/a> before you reserve. Follow the prompts, enter your dates, and then type <em>Newport Harbor Hotel <\/em>in the &#8220;Hotel Name&#8221; box on the left\u00a0).<\/li>\n<li>If you&#8217;re willing to drive back and forth from the harbor to your bed (and you have the temperament to fiddle around trying to find parking in Newport), you can use Kayak to book an even cheaper room in nearby Middletown (but remember, parking&#8211;if you can find it&#8211;will cost $3\/hour).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>I&#8217;ll pay a little more and stay at the harbor for 3 reasons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>I waste less of my precious Newport time if I&#8217;m not driving to and from one of the budget chain places in Middletown;<\/li>\n<li>I have less parking cost\/hassle when I stay at Newport Harbor Hotel (I can park one car at the hotel for $15 during high season, and for free off-season);<\/li>\n<li>and I can retreat to my very nice room anytime I want to put my feet up in a tranquil, private place away from the crowd.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>3:45 TOUR NEWPORT FROM THE WATER<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take the <a title=\"Harbor Shuttle\" href=\"http:\/\/www.newportharborshuttle.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Newport Harbor Shuttle <\/a>(at $10 for a one-hour round trip, it&#8217;s the cheapest boat ride in Newport). Board at \u00a0the Marine Terminal\/Perrotti Park (don&#8217;t be late, the shuttle stops running entirely at 6:00).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>the 2 best ways to get around on land:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Use <a title=\"Your Newport Map\" href=\"http:\/\/www.citimaps.com\/newport\/maps\/NewportAccess.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">your map<\/a>\u00a0and <em><strong>walk<\/strong><\/em>: stroll upper Thames area (between the Common Burial Ground and Memorial Boulevard and between the Harbor and Spring Street); explore the Harbor area while you window shop, look at yachts; and don&#8217;t forget to check out lower Thames (on the other side of Memorial) where some of the most unique shops are located. Skip the Brick Marketplace shops&#8211;you can see all that stuff in every suburban area of America.<\/li>\n<li>Take the Trolley from the Gateway Visitor&#8217;s Center. <a title=\"Ripta 67 \" href=\"http:\/\/www.ripta.com\/67\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The map\/schedule is here.<\/a> \u00a0(Fare is $6 for hop on-and-off privileges; ask for an all-day pass when you first board). The visitor&#8217;s center can tell you where to get on. Get off at Bellevue and Ruggles, then take the Cliff Walk down to Easton Beach. Take your shoes off and cool your tootsies in the surf.\u00a0From the beach, it&#8217;s a 6-block walk back up Memorial Blvd. to Bellevue (<a title=\"Newport Rhode Island Map\" href=\"http:\/\/www.citimaps.com\/newport\/maps\/newport_full.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">this map gives an overview of all of Newport<\/a>). Gawk at the mansions. When you&#8217;re weary of walking, hop on the trolley going back toward town (wait at the posted &#8220;trolley&#8221; signs).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>For your early evening PEOPLE-WATCHING, HISTORY IMMERSION &amp; COCKTAIL\/WINE-SIPPING EXTRAVAGANZA&#8230; <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>p<\/strong>op into the historic <a title=\"White Horse Tavern\" href=\"http:\/\/www.whitehorsenewport.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">White Horse Tavern<\/a>\u00a0on Marlborough Street and sit at the bar. This is the oldest continuously operating tavern in the United States (since 1673, just <em>imagine<\/em>). It&#8217;s worth seeing. The food is good, too, but to enjoy that treat, you&#8217;ll have to come back when you&#8217;re not doing Newport on-the-cheap.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>INEXPENSIVE FOOD AND BEVERAGE OPTIONS:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"Smoke House\" href=\"http:\/\/www.smokehousenewport.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Smoke House<\/a>\u00a0is the groovy open-sided, great-smelling place on the harbor-side of America&#8217;s Cup Avenue between Bowen&#8217;s Wharf and Memorial Boulevard. Their BBQ isn&#8217;t super-cheap (but it&#8217;s super-good, and the smaller meals are under $20). For me, their reasonably-priced appetizers, soups and salads are each generous enough to make an entire meal. \u00a0But I&#8217;m not saying that you ought to resist splurging on the BBQ&#8211;my hubby always gets the Q and I nab a taste. (31 Scotts Wharf,\u00a0401-848-9800, noon-10 Sun-Thur; noon-midnight Fri-Sat)<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Panini Grill Newport\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thepaninigrill.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Panini Grill<\/a>\u00a0phone in and pick up your sandwiches, then cross the street to find a harbor-side \u00a0park bench.\u00a0(186 Thames St.\u00a040- 847-7784,\u00a011 &#8211; 9)<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Franklin Spa\" href=\"http:\/\/newport.patch.com\/listings\/franklin-spa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Franklin Spa<\/a>\u00a0for a tasty old-fashioned breakfast. (229 Spring Street; 401-847-3540)<\/li>\n<li>and pick up wine to open in your hotel room, if you wish, at retail, not marked-up restaurant prices, from\u00a0<a title=\"Newport Wine Cellar\" href=\"http:\/\/newportwinecellar.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Newport Wine Cellar<\/a>.\u00a0(\u00a024 Bellevue Avenue,\u00a0401-619-3966)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Meander and explore all evening long, and tomorrow morning.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Watch the sunset; window shop; have a cup of coffee, some gelato, a cup of clam chowder; enjoy all the historic architecture; and definitely do a little unobtrusive and enlightening eavesdropping.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>SHOPS I WOULDN&#8217;T WANT TO MISS \u00a0(just browsing&#8211;I don&#8217;t buy anything when i&#8217;m sticking to a budget):\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a title=\"armchair sailor\" href=\"http:\/\/newport.patch.com\/listings\/armchair-sailor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Armchair Sailo<\/a>r (543 Thames St)&#8211;okay, so I&#8217;d probably buy a book!<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Armory Antiques\" href=\"http:\/\/www.armoryantiquesnewport.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Armory Antiques<\/a> (365 Thames St)&#8211;maybe a pair of earrings?<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Museum Shop\" href=\"http:\/\/www.newporthistorical.org\/index.php\/museum-shop\/museum-of-newport-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Newport Historical Society Museum Shop<\/a> (127 Thames St) and I&#8217;d tour the museum, suggested donation is only $4<\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Roger King\" href=\"http:\/\/www.rkingfinearts.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Roger King Fine Art<\/a> (21 Bowen&#8217;s Wharf)&#8211;definitely cannot afford these oil paintings today, but I do love to look!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>11:00 am is CHECK-OUT. Go spend the next 4 hours just up the coast in Bristol.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Take a half-hour drive north on RI-114 to visit the impressive <a title=\"Blithewold\" href=\"http:\/\/www.blithewold.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blithewold Mansion and Gardens<\/a> in Bristol (<a title=\"tickets\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blithewold.org\/admissions\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">less expensive<\/a> &amp; less crowded than the Newport mansions; open Tue-Sun and Holiday Mondays, mid-April through Columbus Day and at Christmas Time);<\/li>\n<li>Have a late lunch (avoid the lunch-rush crowds) at <a title=\"Aidan's Menu\" href=\"http:\/\/aidanspub.com\/aidans-menu-2013.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Aiden&#8217;s Pub&#8211;their extensive menu <\/a>offers plenty of options for budget-dining. You can sit indoors or out.<\/li>\n<li>Burn off some calories strolling around the sweetly quieter, lovely town of Bristol.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You can squeeze a whole lot of relax-time into 24 on-the-cheap hours in Newport\/Bristol. \u00a0And it&#8217;s definitely easier to chill-out, when you&#8217;re not stressed out from too much splurging!<br \/>\nSo&#8211;<strong>where do you go when you want to relax for 24 hours without breaking the bank?<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Newport has historically been a summer get-away for the \u00fcber-wealthy. But you don&#8217;t have to be one of Mrs. Astor&#8217;s 400 to enjoy a delightful, high-class escape from the rigors of daily life. Tip: If you&#8217;re not a total GPS-savvy techno-geek, before you travel, print out this handy\u00a0(free) Newport Harbor Map\u00a0for your wanderings Then get &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/2013\/08\/25\/45-on-the-cheap-hours-in-newport-and-bristol-rhode-island\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">26 on-the-cheap hours in Newport and Bristol, Rhode Island<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2022,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[41,70,71,165,189,191,403,593,762,921,991,1152,1232],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1960"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1960"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1960\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1960"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1960"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tracyrittmueller.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1960"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}