Newport

The island city of Newport preserves Colonial industry and gilded-age splendor like no other place in the country. Settled in 1639 by a small band of religious dissenters from Massachusetts, Newport earned a reputation for tolerance, and its prime location at the mouth of Narragansett Bay ensured its success. The golden age of Colonial Newport ran from roughly 1720 to the 1770s. Making the city a leader in New World maritime commerce were its shipbuilders, the best in North America; its products, such as cheese, candles, clocks, furniture, and livestock; and its profitable slave trade (although in 1774 progressive Rhode Island became the first colony to outlaw trading in slaves).

In the 19th century, Newport became a summer playground for the wealthy, those titans of the gilded age who built their fabulous "cottages" overlooking the Atlantic. These mansions served as proving grounds for the country's best young architects, who designed estates for the Vanderbilts, Berwinds, Astors, and Belmonts. Many of the mansions are now open to the public for tours.

Recreational sailing, a huge industry in Newport today, convincingly melds the attributes of two eras: the nautical expertise of the Colonial era and the conspicuous consumption of the late 19th century. Tanned young sailors often fill Newport's bars and restaurants. For those not arriving by water, a boat tour of the harbor is a great way to get your feet wet.

Newport has much to offer in a relatively small geographical area—mansions, beaches, seafood restaurants, art galleries, shopping, and, some say, more B&Bs per capita than anywhere else in the country. In summer, it can be crowded (3.5 million people visit each year). Yet the quality of its sights and its arts festivals persuade many people to brave the crowds. In fall and spring, you can explore the city without having to stand in line.

Away from downtown, the gilded-age mansions of Bellevue Avenue are what many people associate most with Newport. These late-19th-century homes are almost obscenely grand, laden with ornate rococo detail and designed with a determined one-upmanship.