Beaches

Though hardly deserted, Newport’s beaches are rocky, salty wonders. The majority are public and well-kept, and small to medium in size. King Park (Wellington Ave., 401/846-1398, free) is the easiest to access off of Thames Street; it attracts swimmers, sunbathers, and picnickers alike.

A short stroll from the main entrance to the Cliff Walk is larger Easton’s Beach, a magnet for surfers and sunbathers. You’ll find little peace and quiet here, but it offers convenient parking, food, and a fun carousel nearby.

Just off of Ocean Drive and on the edge of Newport Harbor lies Fort Adams State Park (Harrison Ave., off Rte. 138, 401/847-2400, www.riparks.com/fortadams.htm, sunrise–sunset daily, free), 100-plus acres of manicured lawns, picnic spots, beaches, soccer fields, and boating and camping areas. Each year it’s home to the area’s folk and jazz festivals, as well as a plenitude of private clambakes.

The Sakonnet Peninsula also has a number of attractive beaches with considerably smaller crowds. Grinnell’s Beach (Main Rd. at Old Stone Bridge) is a sandy crescent at the head of the Sakonnet River, popular with surf fishers; it has a lifeguard and changing rooms.

On the southeast tip of the peninsula, Goosewing Beach Preserve (off S. Shore Rd., Little Compton, 401/331-7110, www.nature.org) is a spectacular expanse of sandy barrier beach that narrowly divides the sea from a series of pristine coastal ponds.

Hiking

Just north of Newport, bird-watchers flock to Norman Bird Sanctuary (583 Third Beach Rd., Middletown, 401/846-2577, www.normanbirdsanctuary.org, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily, $5 adults, $2 children 4–13, free children under 4). Its 450 acres encompass plenty of forest and farmlands, and offer great views of several nearby beaches.

On the Sakonnet Peninsula, the Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge (Seapowet Ave., Tiverton, 401/949-5454, www.asri.org) has some 50 acres of marsh environment crisscrossed by trails. Bird-watching blinds offer a chance to see snowy egrets, glossy ibis, and a breeding pair of ospreys.

Sailing and Boating

No town can call itself a seaside resort without a plethora of ways to get in, at, and near the ocean, and Newport doesn’t disappoint. Foremost, however, the town is a center for boating, and that’s evident in its many marinas and wharfs. Charter a tiny sailboat or a gargantuan yacht through the Newport Yacht Charter Association (401/841-8686, www.newportcharters.com, $25–75 for a 2-hour sail), or strike out in solitary style, renting from the Newport Kayak Company (18 Elm St., 401-849-7404).

© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition