Looking for a nice and easy sunny walk between the ocean and amazing houses? This walk is just for you. The Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island allows you to see the famous and impressive Mansions, while walking along the beautiful coast. Newport is also a cute coastal town to visit.

What to see

In Newport, you can feel the sailing and the ocean spirit. These are some of the top spots to check:

• The Cliff Walk and the Mansions – Nice walk along the coast with view over the Mansions
• Bowen’s Warf – Great restaurants and shops
• International Tennis Hall of Fame – For Tennis fans
• Fort Adams State Park
• Brenton Point State Park

Hike description

The Cliff Walk goes from Easton Beach to Bailey Beach and is between the ocean and the Mansions. From the walk we have a nice view on the Mansions, especially on “the Breakers” (which is the most impressive one). This is a perfect destination for a sunny day, whatever the season. During this promenade, you will also find beautiful view points to take pictures.

This walk is accessible to everybody and can be crowded (mainly during summer). We are proposing in this post a 14km loop with nearly no elevation. You can stop the loop earlier if you prefer a shorter a distance (or you can also use the free bus during the summer to close the loop). The walk is paved at the beginning, after Belmont Beach it switches to a more natural ground with rock dikes or rocks, but a pair of sneakers is enough.

Hike direction

The walk starts on the west side of Easton Beach. We usually park on Ellery Road – free parking at J Paul Braga Jr Memorial Field (parking there adds about 1km to reach the beginning of the Cliff Walk).

We then follow the Cliff Walk, passing in front of all the Mansions, up to the Waves which is the most southern point. We usually go back using the inner roads: Ledge Rd, Bellevue Ave, Ruggles Ave, Victoria Ave, Ochre Point Ave, and Narragansett Ave to come back to the Cliff Walk. The way back through the inner roads is not as nice as the Cliff Walk, but it gives different views of the Mansions and is a little bit shorter. Check the google map below (Newport Cliff Walk) for an example of our typical tour.

If you are looking for restrooms, some are available at the intersection of the Cliff Walk and the Narragansett Ave (often busy or closed during of season). Restrooms are also available at the ticket counter of the Breakers Mansion.

The Cliff Walk is very easy to find (just follow the crowd). Sometimes you have to do a short detour because of maintenance (it is the case on our GPS trace).

Activities around

If you are in Newport we recommend additional cool stops:

Visit the Mansions: Some Mansions around the Cliff Walk can be visited. More info about prices and events here.

Bowen’s Wharf: This is a nice small wharf with multiple restaurants and small shops. We always go to the restaurant 22 Bowen’s to enjoy a warm Lobster roll or a Surf and Turf burger (burger with beef and lobster). I don’t know if this is the best restaurant in the area but we enjoy the old wood building and the food. If you still have room for a desert you can also find a Ben & Jerry’s there.

Brick Marketplace: has a lot of small souvenir shops if you are looking for a Newport souvenirs.

International Tennis Hall of Fame: Yes, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is in Newport. We have never been to the Hall of Fame but the grass tennis courts are nice to visit (not sure if it is always open to public, we went the day before the Newport Tennis open starts, and we were able to see players practicing). The open takes place every summer, in July.

Fort Adams State Park and Brenton Point State Park: These parks are nice short stops if you want to continue visiting Newport. They are accessible by car and offer nice view points along the beautiful coastal roads.

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