My specialty when it comes to travel is my due diligence. I can research the place my family and I are planning to visit for weeks, even months, and it brings me pure joy. Once I decide on where we are off to, that’s when the actual adventure and journey begins for me. As part of our Northeast United States Road Trip, I was fortunate enough to add Newport, Rhode Island. And here’s my list of things to do with kids in Newport, RI.
While shooting ideas around with Andrea from Discover Newport, Newport Rhode Island’s tourism board, she sent me an itinerary that totally surprised me with three options I never found online. This is why I always love to contact the tourism boards, they know much more than the internet allows us to find.
Related Read: Things to do in Newport, Rhode Island
Things to do with kids in Newport, RI
1. The Breakers Mansion
This is kind of a no-brainer. You can’t spend an afternoon in Newport without visiting a Newport mansion. You can spend a full day hanging out here and a whole week visiting all the mansions, but especially The Breaker Mansion.
2. Wharfs of Newport
The entire city of Newport is located on the Atlantic Ocean. It’s one of the most famous maritime cities in the US, and sailing is as common to this town as hockey is to Canada.
Related Read: Rhode Island Fun Facts You Need to Know Before You Go
However, it’s not only about sailing. It’s a town to be walked around and enjoyed. There are so many tiny little shops along their main street and the dozens of wharfs and piers that lead right into the water, that you’ll probably lose a day and not even know it just wandering around the shops.
3. Lobsters and Seafood
How can you not have daily fresh catches here? New England is famous for its delicious Lobsters and Crabs, and I would never have known about the Lobster Company if it wasn’t recommended to me.
Once you’re inside, the fishermen allow you to hold the largest lobster they caught.
And don’t forget the crabs. There are lots and lots of them here, too.
4. Cliff Walk
The Cliff Walk is one of the most popular attractions to do here. The cliff walk is about 3.5 miles along the coast. There are some areas that are very easy to walk, others have more rocky areas. When we were there, some parts were closed due to the damage to Sandy Storm. And we had a stroller, which made it less accessible. However, if we were there for more than one day, this would have been something to tackle early in the morning when the kids have tons of energy and my three-year-old can be away from his precious limo (stroller) for more than one hour.
5. Ocean Drive
Or better known as the Ten-Mile Drive, is a must if you have a car. The views are spectacular and if you’re coming from downtown Newport, you head directly to where all the Mansions are located and the cliff walk begins.
6. Newport ice cream train
This is a new attraction and sounded fantastic. And something that never came up on my search. When our itinerary arrived, we had a choice to do either the Ice Cream Train tour or the trolley tour. Since most of my planning is revolved around what my kids will enjoy most and most importantly bathroom breaks or accessibility for my three-year-old, I decided the train idea was awesome.
My kids would have plenty of moving around space, a bathroom nearby and ice cream!
This is a new tour because their main attraction is the dinner train ride, which is an evening tour with dinner and a show. So instead it was during the day along the coast and instead of dinner you can buy lunch and ice cream was included in the package.
And you can pick all the toppings you want.
Recommended Read: Free things to do in Newport RI
The tour was over 90 minutes. We enjoyed it at first, but after 60 minutes with nothing much to see outside except for the ocean and no entertainment, the kids became extremely restless. I wish we had more time to spend, I would have absolutely loved the dinner and a show package with the kids.
This itinerary allowed us to see and get a good feel for Newport. I’ll be honest with you, we stayed at the Hyatt hotel newport ri and one day is simply not enough. You really need at least 4 days to enjoy this amazing town!
Newport Rhode Island With Kids – 6 Things to Do
I want to go on the ice cream train!!! 😉 That lobster looks seriously scary though. Your kids are brave!
Hey Shelly,
I know the lobsters scared me too 🙂
I’ve been wanting to go to Newport for a long time especially to check out the mansions. The breaker mansion looks really cool. Didn’t realize there was a lot to do in the city however.
I really loved Newport. There is so much to do. I was sad that we only had 12 hours there.
We don’t have kids, but I’d love to do all these things myself! I’d never considered visiting Rhode Island until reading this post.
Hey Jennifer,
Funny enough, I’d do it all with out my kids too. Maybe not the ice cream train, but the trolley.
We like your style, Marina. Our family holdays follow an itinerary too. Would hate to miss out on anything.
I love itineraries. It’s actually my favorite thing to do before traveling.
As a native Rhode Islander, I LOVE reading what visitors to my state enjoy. Although I now live in NYC, I make it a point of heading back to RI at least once a year. Your post made me realize I haven’t been back to Newport for at least a couple of years… Time to go!
Hey Melissa,
I lived in NYC for years and just did the trip back and there is so much to see, especially when you want to show your kids. It will be the same when you go back to Rhode Island with your daughter.
I haven’t been to Newport but I did go to Providence RI for a conference and enjoyed it.
Hey Kate,
I lived in Providence RI for 2 years, one of my favorite cities and States in the US.
wait. and ice cream TRAIN? yep.
Love the ice cream train!
This looks like a fun experience, especially the ice cream train!
The kid in me wants the ice cream train NOW!
Oh, you had me at the ice cream train! 🙂
Fun! I had a great time taking my kids to Newport a few years ago. It’s such a nice summertime vacation town.
LOVE Newport. Great for kids and adults alike! 🙂
well that looked like a lot of fun, I would have enjoyed that coastal walk followed by the train and ice cream yeah!
I’m inviting you to join us for Travel Photo Mondays, the link runs all week so I hope you can join us for the next installment?
Seafoods then following by ice-cream in the train! I think is a nice combination 🙂
An Ice cream train tour — I am IN!
The ice cream train sounds like so much fun, though I can definitely understand how it might not be suitable for younger children. Thank you for the great suggestions – including pointing out the value of always connecting with the local tourism board! Such a good point!
This looks like so much fun! Your images are amazing….what kind of camera are you using?
I love to travel! I love posts about families who travel and great spots to hit with the kids.
We love Rhode Island! My husband and I have been once. We have always planned to go back with our kids.
The tour sounds amazing – and the Icea Cream one… oh, you just gave me an idea on what to eat right now – even if it is winter here 😉 and cold!
The Ocean Drive sounds like a great route to tackle by bicycle!