Where to stay in Rhodes Island

We are going to Rhodes Island in at the end of July for a week (wednesday to wednesday). Where is the best place to stay to enable us to see Rhodes Island and any recommendations? We would prefer to stay in an apartment or house but are open to suggestions?

Where to stay in Rhodes Island

The Inn at Castle Hill is a great place to stay with a wonderful location. Try the beach houses. If you really want to rent a home try cyberrentals.com.

Where to stay in Rhodes Island

If you%26#39;re going Wed - Wed, you%26#39;re not going to be able to rent a beach house. They typically turn over on Saturdays.

There are two areas to consider.

Newport, if you want to focus on history (gilded age mansions) and beaches.

Or Providence, if you prefer a city atmosphere. Museums, cultural attractions, great restaurants, etc.

From either ';home base'; you can drive the length of the state in less than an hour.

For more information, I would visit the state tourism web site (www.visitri.com) or the Newport CVB web site (www.GoNewport.com)

I suggest you make reservations very soon. All the good hotels get booked, and supply and demand is in control of the costs. Inn on Castle Hill is gorgeous, but not close to town. As long as you rent a car, and don%26#39;t want to go back to the hotel until later, it is nice. It is one lane of traffic when you want to come and go, and can be very busy, or clogged because it is on the Ocean Drive which most people enjoy site seeing while driving. Slow travel. Although you can travel the state in an hour, not from Ocean Drive in the Summer. Highly suggest to make it to Castle Hill on a Sunday if you are there. Cookout on the lawn music and beautiful people. They may have discontinued the music, but it is a great atmosphere. Everyone goes to the Candy Store that night. Crowd at Candy Store 30-60

If you%26#39;re going in the summer, you%26#39;ll want to stay by the water. That%26#39;s the Ocean State%26#39;s prime time. In Newport, do the mansions, walk the Cliff Walk, bike along Ocean Drive, fly a kite on Brenton Point (or just watch the pros) and ride the carousel at Easton Beach. Great place for a sunset drink: The Chanler at the beginning of the Cliff Walk (watch out, dinner there is expensive).

I agree that it would be tough to find a Wed.-Wed. rental. Stay at the most reasonable hotel or B%26amp;B you can find in the Newport-southern end of the state. You%26#39;re not going to spend much time in the room if the weather%26#39;s nice -- the state%26#39;s too gorgeous!

Other nice spots: Do a sunset picnic in Jamestown at Beavertail. Take the ferry from Jamestown to the Rose Island Lighthouse. If you plan ahead, you could even spend the night there. And take at least a day trip to Block Island, which may be the prettiest spot on earth. If you can be there not on the weekend, you can even find a reasonable place to stay. The Block Island ferry leaves from the fishing village of Galilee in Narragansett, which is interesting to visit for its fishing fleet, fish dinners and good beach. Across the harbor entrance is the village of Jerusalem (but you can%26#39;t get there from Galilee, look at the map), which has dining at little, homey places on the water like Skip%26#39;s Dock. The state beach there, East Matunuck, is truly fine.

The one city thing not to miss in Providence if it%26#39;s happening the weekend you%26#39;re there, though, is WaterFire, when fires are lit on the rivers in Providence and everybody cruises up and down listening to music, watching street performers, people watching, etc. And it%26#39;s totally free.

Check out StayNewport.com (their phone number is listed- better to call than email.)

It is a free, local reservation service that may be able to help you. I grew up in Newport and it is beautiful! If you cannot get a house,try a suite at a timeshare like Wellington Resorts or Newport Bay Club, or try an Inn or B%26amp;B which will be your best value.

Large hotels in Newport (Marriott,Hyatt etc..) tend to be very overpriced and less charming/nothing special.

Stay in Newport if you want a good location- not Middletown, which is the next town over- short drive but not walkable.

Also, check out Gonewport.com

By the way- the state is Rhode Island, not Rhodes Island :)

Newport in April

Hello. I amplanning on traveling to Boston and wish to stop for 2 nights in Newport. My family (myself, husband, two kids and elderly mother) plan on spending the day in Newport, seeing the Breakers and other grand %26#39;dames%26#39;. Can someone suggest a clean hotel which would be convenient in terms of location for such a short stay without breaking the bank (I%26#39;ll need two roms). We do not need to be at the beach..too cold.

Newport in April

Hello,

April is not quite in season yet, so first I would check the large hotels%26#39; rates since you have a group and may want extra ammenities for the kids. There are only a handful in Newport: Marriott, Hyatt and Viking are the 3 largest. The Hotel Viking is on Bellevue Ave, great location, nice restaurant, bar and spa. Some rooms are a bit small because it is an older hotel. The Marriott is a typical average Marriott. The Hyatt is the largest, and has a nice spa. I believe all 3 have indoor pools. I would go for the Viking for charm and convenience.

Inn at Newport Beach is a more basic hotel but not quite walking distance to town. Some rooms offer a view. It is very short drive to town and walkable to a handful of restaurants but not walkable to downtown Newport. It is on the Newport/Middletown line.

Wellington Resorts, Oceancliff 1 %26amp; 11 and Newport Bay Club are all time share properties that offer suites/townhouse style rooms for families. Not super upscale but Wellington and Bay Club are great location as well. OC 1%26amp;11 is out on gorgeous Ocean Drive next to Oceancliff Resort -not walkable to town but beautiful area.

There are also tons of Inns nd B%26amp;B%26#39;s... Best value as they include breakfast but some may not be great for kids.

Try calling Staynewport.com it is a free local reservation service that can go through availability. Their phone # is on their site.

Have fun!

handling exceptions

Newport with 2 year old's???

Can anyone suggest some good ideas for a weekend with 2 - 2 year old%26#39;s in Newport??? over Easter weekend??? or am I crazy?

Newport with 2 year old's???

I don%26#39;t know anything exciting for a 2 year old at this time. Newport really doesn%26#39;t liven up until summer, and Newport is more of an adult atmoshere. They have parks of course, but what are the child%26#39;s interests? Your interests?

Newport with 2 year old's???

I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;re crazy! Newport is not overly kid oriented, but there are thousnds of families in Newport and there are things to do. Plus, Easter is not prime season so it will not be overly crowded with the late night singles crowd that you would see in the summer.

There is an Easter Egg hunt at one of the Mansions every year- I forget which one... Rosecliff I think....children are dressed to the nines- very cute and fun!

There are tons of Easter Brunches and buffets in town at a lot of restaurants that are definitely family friendly.

There are parks, and the beach of course. It is nice to just wlk around as long as the weather is nice and of course there are a lot of great restaurants from casual to upscale.

Check out gonewport.com for other info and calendar of events as well.

skin care

Where to stay???

Can anybody recommend some place to stay out of the many listed here? I will be bringing my mom for her birthday during the week of the winter carnival (Feb.18). We have never been here and I want to find a nice hotel where I can just park the car and walk to everything. The B%26amp;B%26#39;s look very cute, however, I really want 2 beds in the room. Any suggestions and tips? Thank You!

Where to stay???

If you would like a 2 bedroom unit you can try The Wellington. It has mixed reviews. I never had a bad experience there but haven%26#39;t stayed there in a while. It is on lower Themes and therefore walking distance to most shops and restaurants. The Francis Malbone is in town, on Themes as well and has much nicer accommodations but you will have to inquire about room set ups. Castle Hill is a wonderful place to stay but on Ocean Drive and you would have to drive into town.

Where to stay???

Also consider the Admiral Fitzroy Inn, right next to the Malbone House. It%26#39;s less expensive than the Malbone but very nice, and has off street parking and is within walking distance of most of the waterfront and downtown area. Be advised, however, that if it%26#39;s cold and/or the winter wind is blowing you may not want to be doing much walking at that time of year.

Lots of Inns and B%26amp;B%26#39;s offer rooms with 2 beds. They will be more affordable and include breakfast. Many are right in town.

There are the hotels as well, of course, that will be pricier. Marriott (typical chain) and Viking (historic)are in great locations.

A few Inns of the top of my head that are right in town are the Brinley Victorian, Spring St. Inn, Attwater Villa, Black Duck Inn... there are a lot.

Try calling StayNewport.com (number on site) They are a free local service that can give you availability and book the room for you.

Have fun!

looking for the best ';family beach'; in RI to spend the day

Hello everyone,

My family and I will be driving through Rhode Island this June and would love to spend a day at a nice beach. Nice in our minds means sandy, decent waves, and not too crowded. I have researched this topic and the Narrangsett area caught my eye. What do you think? Also, would you recommend a beach in the Providence or Newport area? Thanks so much

looking for the best ';family beach'; in RI to spend the day

When we were kids, our parents always took us to Roger Wheeler beach (then Sand Hill Cove) or Salty Brine (Galilee) where the waters are calmer, but we clamored for Scarborough or Narragansett where the waves are bigger!

If its waves you crave, Narragnsett is the beach. It%26#39;s the top surfing spot in the state.

It%26#39;s hard to get away from the crowds if it%26#39;s a good ';beach day'; unless you get the opportunity to go the beach mid-week.

There are no beaches on Providence. Providence is a port, very industrialized along the waterfront.

Newport has some beaches, but not with the size of the Narragansett beaches, and not the waves. With so much of Newport%26#39;s waterfront either developed or private, it%26#39;s harder to acess.

Another great spot for picniking and watching the surf is Beavertail Light State Park in Jamestown. It is located on the southern tip of Jamestown, and has sweeping views of the ocean.

looking for the best ';family beach'; in RI to spend the day

I have to say that I agree. I have an apartment right near the Narragansett Town Beach. It is one of my favorite beaches! It is clean and the people are friendly. The waves are amazing and its a safe place for kids. This has been an awesome time and I will regret having to leave my apartment as will my family because they love to come and visit!

Roger Wheeler beach has the reputation for being the beach for kids. The sand is great and there is a %26#39;playground%26#39; on the beach (I%26#39;m not sure how old your kids are).

Thanks everyone for the information. My kids will be 10 and 6 and like ';medium'; waves...no bodysurfing for us!! As long as they are on a floatee and bobbing around, they are happy. Are the waves at Roger Wheeler SP usually like that?

Sorry, but I don%26#39;t like Narragansett Town Beach. Its confined and crowded- and has a hefty cost. Scarborough, practically next door, is gorgeous. Depending on the weather, it can have those great crashing waves. Good parking and there are bathrooms, showers and a concession stand right there.

BUT, if your children are younger, nothing beats Wheeler/Sand Hill Cove. Lots of families there. It%26#39;s has a small play area, bathrooms and showers, concession stand, etc. Waves are gentle as this is some sort of inlet. It%26#39;s where we took our girls until they hit teen years.

All three beach areas are close enough that you can drive by and decide.

BUT MOST IMPORTANT: June just isn%26#39;t good beach weather in RI! Please check the online weather info including water temp.

Newport

Hi

I am travelling to New England at the end of March and would like to visit Rhode Island. Would it be feasible to stay in Newport and visit all the other areas from there or do you recommend staying somewhere else/changing hotels each time we want to visit another area?

Thanks!

Newport

Newport is not exactly central, though the answer to your question depends largely on what you plan to see while in Rhode Island.

It might well make sense to spend a few nights in the Providence area as well as in Newport. Providence is over an hour drive from Newport, there is a lot to see in the city, and Providence is also much more central than Newport.

Newport

Thanks for your reply. I wanted to go to the Newport area and Providene area as they both look really nice in the guide books. Maybe we should stay for one or more nights in both places then. Does anyone know how easy it is to travel between Newport and Providence by public transport? thanks...

RIPTA runs a bus between Newport and Providence--number 60. It runs about every half hour during the week and every hour on weekends and takes a little over an hour.

Thank you for your help. I have just heard that as we are travelling at the end of March, a lot of places in Rhode Island will be cloased as it is out of season. Is this right? are we mad to be considering visiting at this time?!

I don%26#39;t think you are crazy to come in March. The advantage is that Newport is less crowded then. The downside is that it could be cold, and some things will be closed. Some of the smaller attractions are closed until April, but main attractions like RISD museum and the Newport Mansions are open year-round. So are shops.

I thought I sent my response, but I didn%26#39;t see it. My answer is March is not too live in Npt., so check if the mansions are doing tours. they are beautiful. I suggest stay in Providence, more to do, and the bus is only an hour. Boston 1.5 hours. Bus is easy to npt and as long as you are only touring newport and not bar hopping, catching the bus is just fine. buses only run until 11 last time i knew and on sunday they don%26#39;t run as often.

Most everything (restaurants, inns, hotels, mansions, bars, etc..)is open in March.

Check out a calendar of events and other info at www.gonewport.com

New Englans is big, so you will have to change accommodations with every area you travel to. You cannot really have one home base, unless you are only sticking to RI.I would suggest at least 2 nights wherever you go.. 1 night will be very rushed.

I live in Providence. What do you hope to see in RI? Providence is probably not the place to stay. We are known for our universities and our food- because of the influence of Johnson and Wales U, we have some amazing restaurants, big and small, expensive and cheap. But, other than some quaint neighborhhods and art galleries, Providence is NOT comparable with, say, Boston. Yes, the RISD Museum is great, but it is tiny. It can be seen in an hour or two. I would only suggest you stay in Providence IF a ';Waterfire'; event is scheduled. (Look online for more.) Plus, Providence will be an expensive option. Newport will also be pricey- but now you%26#39;re near the water, in a quaint, old seafaring town. (Tripadvisor has many B%26amp;B%26#39;s shown- we ourselves are considering a getaway to Newport.) Sometimes you can see cruise ships in the bay, sometimes military ships. And, there are the Newport Mansions- not to be missed. Did you know that RI is roughly one hour, from the northern border to the southern. Thus, you could stay in Newport (or its environs, if $ is an issue) and easily trek up to Providence or out to another area. March is probably ok for travel. Some recent years, it has been blustery and rainy through the month. Most of RI that you would visit or near tourist areas is clean and safe. Good Luck.

Providence solo? restaurants?

Any suggestions for restaurants I won%26#39;t feel like a complete dork dining in alone? (or just good restaurants) I%26#39;ll be there for three days, mostly for business, but plan to get out and do some things when I can. Thanks for any input.

Providence solo? restaurants?

There are so many wonderful restaurants to pick from in Providence.

I would go with a more casual pub style one not sure what your comfort level is many times you can eat at the bar and still enjoy the save great cuisine.

Here is a list of restaurants with links and phone numbers. A phone call will give you a feel of the reception you will experience at each

www.inn-providence-ri.com/restaurants.shtml

for things to do in Providence reference

inn-providence-ri.com/destinationsPR.shtml

Bring some warm cloths and have fun!

Providence solo? restaurants?

No problem eating alone in Providence. We are home to Johnson and Wales U, Emerils%26#39; alma mater, probably the 2nd or 3rd best cooking school in the US. Don%26#39;t miss some of our fabulous restaurants because you are solo. My favorite: Pot au Feu- downstairs. (ps I have eaten solo in many cities large and small, Amrican and European. I always bring a book or magazine just in case something makes me feel the need to occupy myself. usually don%26#39;t need it.)

is it tough being a woman