Newport County Travel Guide

While Newport is known for mansions, sailing and seafood, it also has a growing wine industry that often is overlooked by tourists. Newport wines should be high on the must-taste list. A particular standout among Rhode Island wineries is Newport Vineyards, which is located in nearby Middletown. Brother vintners John Nunes and Paul Nunes have the philosophy to preserve their grapes’ natural character and they encourage visitors and natives alike to “taste... Read More

Newport and nearby Middletown are easy to master and maneuver. Several major roads – America ’s Cup Boulevard and Thames Street – run north-south along the downtown wharf area, while several streets from the wharves travel up into the neighborhoods that vary from well maintained colonial period housing to the high society mansions that are open to the public to communities with contemporary housing. Newport is a walking town Newport is a walking town for... Read More

Right across from First Beach (also called Easton’s Beach) is Flo’s Clam Shack, a staple in Newport (actually Middletown) for almost 20 years. Its history, though, goes back about 75 years. To understand Flo’s and its popularity, it is important to understand the fried clam in Rhode Island. New Englanders always ate steamed clams. They were on the half shell or chopped in chowder. On July 3, 1916, someone whose name is unknown to history, suggested... Read More