oobmaine

We are booked for one night at the Cliffside Inn on December 30th. Any recommendations for walks, mansion tours, good but not too fancy eats etc? We should arrive early that morning and will have the following day to explore/play. We are healthy middle aged folks. Thanks, too, for any suggestions and/or information about the Inn and Christmassy goings ons!!!

yk

I'm pretty sure 3 mansions are open throughout the year, and during Christmas time, they're nicely decorated. There are also some additional programs. See here for details:
http://www.newportmansions.org/page9668.cfm

ggreen

If the weather is amenable, of course you should go on at least a bit of the Cliff Walk! Beautiful view of the water, and the back yards of many of the mansions and private homes there. An easy tour is to take the Cliff Walk walking out, then return via Bellevue Ave to see the fronts of mansions / go into one or two of your choice. Also, there are plenty of boutiques along Thames Street and Bannister Wharf to occupy any shopping urges...

For dinner, there are likewise many many options in the center of Newport, suiting a wide range of palates. Two I like are:

- Fluke: "American modern" cuisine, in a modern, almost minimal space up above Bannister Wharf. Six of us shared dishes and enjoyed them all; ambiance was somehow simultaneously intimate, casual and elegant; service was good too.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fluke-wine-b...itchen-newport

- Clark Cooke House: classic New England building housing 3 levels of eating spaces and bars. Good seafood.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/clark-cooke-house-newport

janie

Last year I really enjoyed the open house at several private historic houses. If it's on again this year, that and other special events should be listed here http://www.christmasinnewport.org.

For lunch or dinner, I like Cafe Zelda and Asterisk, Both on Thames Avenue a little away from the hustle of Bannister's Wharf

bachslunch

Will second ggreen's suggestion of the Cliff Walk. Just a qualifier about this pathway -- a good bit of it is easy to manage (about the upper two-thirds of it), but the southerly reaches of it are in very primitive shape and can be very tough-to-impossible to manage if you have any kind of mobility issues or have strollers or such. That could be even more the case in cold weather. But by all means, do walk the better kept up parts of it.

Haven't been to the two places ggreen recommended for food, but have seen good things about them. Back in August, I posted the following about my Newport RI restaurant experiences:

====================

I've generally found the quality of Newport RI restaurants to be good. Views and low prices tend to be mutually exclusive, though.

Have especially enjoyed food at the Black Pearl and 22 Bowen's when I've tried them, maybe not the most panoramic water views but they're on Bowen's Wharf -- both are a little pricey. Views at The Mooring are good, food's not bad, also a little pricey. The Spiced Pear at The Chanler Inn has scrumptious food and a fine view, but dress better than jeans or shorts and bring a very healthy credit card -- this is a real special occasion dining spot. No views and no credit cards at Scales and Shells (Italian seafood and pasta), but good quality eats and not killer expensive depending on what you get. Flo's Clam Shack is a no-frills stand in line clam shack spot with okay prices, and depending on what table you score you may have a bit of a patio style view -- decent fried seafood, no waitress service. Brick Alley Pub and Salvation Cafe are decent and cheap family style pub grub spots, no views. Also see this link:

http://www.bestofnewport.com/newport...estaurants.htm

ggreen

All are good restaurant rec's. And bachslunch makes a really good point about the condition of the Cliff Walk pathway! I believe the demarcation between renovated and non-renovated surface is an archway over the path; you can kind of see on the other side that the tarmac is not as well maintained. The path also starts to dip closer to the water, so that you're near the surf. (As an aside: If you're not from a northern/coastal clime, you might not realize how cold it can get on the shoreline in winter. The worst bit about it is the wind - it can make the most inner part of your ear ring with cold! And bring kleenex for dabbing at your nose and eyes... Still totally worth it though. I *love* walking on beaches in winter!)

As for hustle and bustle around the wharves - well, there's really not any significant amount of population down there in the winter! A goodly number of people strolling around so you don't feel completely deserted, but nothing like the summer crowds. Of the two restaurants I suggested, the Clark Cooke House is right on the walkway and IMO is a "typical" Newport eatery. Fluke is something else entirely, though still retains enough of its locale as to be appropriate. The restaurant is literally above the shops: you have to climb a flight of stairs just to get to the entrance.

oobmaine

Thanks so much for the recommendations and links to Newport's goings on. Whether it's Newport or Nice...I know I can always depend on you Fodorite's coming to the rescue!!!!

Kwoo

Hi oobmaine,
Not sure if you will check in with Fodor's just before you leave, but I want to recommend Benjamin's on Thames St. for breakfast and/or lunch. We have eaten there 3 times and really like their food. It's delicious & very reasonable. I remember having macaroni & cheese with lobster for lunch & my husband had lamb shank. Both dishes were only $7 each & delicious! We also stopped by the Red Parrot on Thames St for great winter warmer drinks, such as nutty Irish coffee!

I think you will really enjoy Newport in the winter. It is quiet & peaceful & you don't have to compete with the crowds for dining and sightseeing.

For sightseeing we visited the Marble House, which is very elegant & ornate. We walked along the Cliff Walk; it was a sunny day so it wasn't bitterly cold. We also drove to Ft. Adams & walked along there, too, for more beautiful views of the water & bridge.