Newport attractions

Easton’s Beach (also called First Beach is Newport’s largest sandy expanse, stretching for nearly a mile (1.5 kilometers with Atlantic surf. Locals and visitors gather here to swim, soak up the sun, and stroll along a boardwalk, while a 1950s carousel and weekly concerts entertain during the summer months.

The defining feature of Rhode Island, Narragansett Bay is New England’s largest estuary, where more than 30 islands dot the chilly waters. Colonists met Indigenous tribes here way back in the 1500s, giving the area an interesting human history—in addition to the area’s Gilded Age glamor and scenic views. Today, nearly 12 million annual visitors flock here for sailing, fishing, and kayaking.

The 13-acre (5-hectare) Ballard Park is an elegant Newport oasis ringed with dense forest and plenty of green spots for sun and shade. The park features walking paths, streams, wooded ravines, a vernal pond, and two 19th-century quarries. Parts of the park even offer views of the Atlantic Ocean.