Couples Getaway: Newport, Rhode Island
To celebrate our 2 year dating anniversary John and I decided to get out of the house and go somewhere we had never been. I had always wanted to go up to New England and I saw a lot of people mentioning Newport! It was October so at the tail-end of their season but it was perfect for us because there were less crowds, and town had much more of a chill and relaxed vibe. We absolutely loved it and cannot wait to go back!
Where we stayed: Hammett’s Hotel
Our room was a King Size on Town Side
I highly recommend staying here if you are a walker. John and I hate relying on Ubers (probably because we are so used to walking everywhere in Philly) so the location was important to us. This hotel is brand new, and right next to Bowen’s Wharf that has the main shopping and restaurant district. It is definitely on the pricer side, and has pretty small rooms but when we travel we are rarely in the room so we were okay with it for a weekend trip. If we were staying for more than 2 nights, I may have considered other options. They also have a new wine bar/restaurant that looked so cool! We ended up at the bar one night after dinner and the bartenders were really sweet.
Where we ate:
Saturday Lunch: The Lobster Shack
No frills here. Just great seafood, picnic benches, and the water. 10/10 recommend!
Saturday Drinks: The Black Pearl
The Black Pearl outdoor dining
I had a friend tell me that The Black Pearly was great, but the stars of the show were the drinks. We went before dinner, sat outside which was such a cool patio in the middle of the Wharf, and ordered a few rounds of drinks and an appetizer, which was their pizza special (4 cheese version) and it was UNREAL! Like honestly, some of the best pizza we have ever had. Definitely recommend for lunch or drinks!
Saturday Dinner: Midtown Oyster Bar
I loveeeeee oysters. John does not (to his credit, he tried one!) This place came highly recommended and stood up to the hype. They had some more traditional dishes, seafood, and a great raw bar!
Sunday Brunch: The Lawn at Castle Hill Inn
Lawn At Castle Hill Inn
Stunning. This place was literally stunning. We went for Sunday Brunch and it was amazing. The food rocked (standout was definitely the Onion Au Gratin) and the view was the best in Newport, in my humble opinion. If you can snag a reservation - definitely go especially in the warmer months and sit outside like we did!
Sunday Dinner: 22 Bowens
I’ll be honest here - I was really excited to go to this restaurant and the reviews online were amazing. But, I wasn’t all that impressed. It’s a steak house, which I picked because John loves steak and he put up with my oyster shenanigans the night before, but I didn’t love it. John liked his order of Steak Frites, but I got the Lobster Mac n Cheese and for $35 I was expecting a lot more lobster than noodles. Our service wasn’t great but I won’t hold that against them too much because even for a Sunday night it was packed (Covid friendly packed of course) but I just don’t know… it left something to be desired and for the money I wasn’t sure it was worth it. If you decide to go, let me know your experience!
Monday Lunch: Kaffeology Cafe
Both mornings we went and got coffee for John, tea for me and before we left on Monday we went in for a quick bite before we hit the road. They are vegan/GF friendly and the menu was pretty big for a Cafe! You can sit inside, but it is small/more of a takeout atmosphere for Covid reasons. John got the Avocado Toast and I got the Rise + Shine! Definitely check out their milkshakes too!
What we did:
Cliff Walk - we briefly went on the Cliff Walk because we were already at the Breakers. It was still beautiful and I wish we had more time to walk the entire thing! If you’re on a time crunch - highly recommend driving on Ocean Drive. Still a very pretty view but a lot warmer and quicker!
Rochelle’s Boutique - I saw this boutique as we walked around on Saturday on Thames St. and I was obsessed. I knew John didn’t want to spend the probably 1+ hour I wanted to spend in there so I waited until Sunday morning when John wanted to go work out in the hotel gym and I got there when they opened! First, the girls were ADORABLE and so sweet, and the clothes were the perfect amount of trendy but also classy…and affordable for a young professional’s budget. HIGHLY recommend stopping in!
Mansion Tour - I knew I needed to see at least one of the Newport Mansions, and the Breakers worked best with our schedule. You need to buy tickets ahead of time, but they are not timed. (The Elms hours are 9-5 with the last tour admission at 4 The Breakers is open 10-6 with the last tour admission at 5). We had a great time walking the grounds and learning about the history of Newport. It is a must-see in my opinion!
Sunset Champagne and Beer Boat Tour - I love sailing, and this particular boat was leaving out of the Wharf that was right next to our hotel. The captain and crew were very nice and your ticket included unlimited champagne or beer! You could also BYOB and bring snacks. We had a great time but they only run from May-October so keep that in mind!
Something we will do next time: The Newport Vineyard - I really wanted to go, but we just didn’t have the time. You need a reservation because of COVID (this may change) but on the weekends, you can only get it a week beforehand. I didn’t want to stress myself out with trying to get a reservation (they go quick!) but hopefully, by the time we go next time, it will be less stressful to get a reservation and have the time!
