I´ll be in Newport next October with a cruise ship - Celebrity´s Constelation. The tours options are:
Beechwood Mansion and Newport Highlights, Colonial Newport Walking Tour, Grand Mansions and Newport Highlights, Newport Cliff Walk and the Breakers Mansion, Newport Scenic Drive, Roughpoint, the Doris Duke Legacy and The Best of Newport.
I´d appreciate yr opinion.
Newport tour
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In general, what you want to do, I think, is to get inside the 'cottages'. Whichever one does that is the one I would pick.
In my view, you don't need a guide to to the cliff walk but if the weather is nice it is a nice thing to do. Just buy a map/guide to point out where you will be walking.
It's hard to say without knowing what is included in the "Best of Newport" tour.
Of the others listed, my vote goes to the Cliff Walk and the Breakers Mansion. The Breakers is the most opulent of the mansions. (I've been to all of the mansions except Rough Point.)
A tour that combines the scenic drive, Cliff Walk, Breakers (or one other mansion, such as Marble House or Rosecliff), Tennis Hall of Fame and some walking around/shopping downtown at the wharves would be ideal.
Do you want or need the organized tours so that you can get to from the ship? At all the houses you mention, admission prices (from about $15-25 each) include the actual guided tours.Maybe take a taxi to and from town instead? There are also trolley buses that leave from the visitors center and can take you along the main street with all the mansions if you want to see "the best of"
Just something to consider...
I agree that the Breakers is the one mansion to see if you only have that time. A standard tour is about an hour.And one of the easy entrances to the cliff walk is just a few blocks away
Oh my, such a choice!
Having family in Newport, we have done most of the mansions. It would be helpful to know what is included in the "Newport Highlights", or Best of Newport"tours.
My favorite mansions are Rosecliff, the Breakers, and Rough Point, Doris Duke's cottage, that is now showing herwardrobe from the 1900's to 1940's. The docent( a friend of my sister-in-laws) was terrific, and knowledgeable about the period.
I love the Cliff Walk- if it is a nice day. From there, you are able to see manyof the cottages, and their gardens, facing the sea.
The walking tours, of which Colonial Newport is one are intriguing. The only tour I think I would not suggest is the scenic drive. That is a personal choice however, as I would prefer to be interactive ! Hopefully they will give you some time to explore on your own, as is it is a great walking around town, enabling you to see some of the wonderful sailing vessels, including those in many of the America Cup's races, in the marinas along the waterfront.
The description of the tours would take too much space. They are available at Celebrity´s site. Anyhow, I thank you all for the opinions.
Of all the mansions, the Breakers is the most spectacular. Rosecliff is also incredible (where The Great Gatsby was shot as well). You could check the Preservation Society website to see which you find most appealing. Not all are owned by the PS - Astor's Beechwood is less "fancy", but very grand, with sweeping lawns and views. Tours are conducted by the household "staff" (Beechwood Theater Company performers) and you are greeted and shown around as if you were an overnight guest. Great fun.
You can stroll all over town and do the cliff walk on your own.
If it were me, I'd do a bit of research and determine most appealing things to do on my own, rather than go with a group.