The coastal town of Newport, Rhode Island, has long been known as one of the country’s toniest summer destinations, the breezy place where New York City’s elite vacationed when city temperatures soared. As fans of HBO’s The Gilded Age know, everyone from A to Z (or should we say A to V, from Astors to Vanderbilts) built summer homes there, leading Vogue to crown the town “high society by the sea” in the 1890s. That prestigious vacation vibe continued into the 20th century, with Newport hosting the wedding of President Kennedy and Jackie Onassis. In subsequent summers, the Kennedys visited so often that their Newport home was dubbed the “summer White House.”
Now into the 21st century, Newport’s charm is that it remains largely unchanged, with perfectly preserved period architecture and a rich history. The area is wealthy without feeling stuffy — think tennis whites more than formal gala garb. After all, the pioneering resort-style clothes women wore in Newport in the early 1900s were more relaxed than the dominant Paris fashions and popularized sportswear in America.
Newport remains a beacon of classic New England Americana, drawing in the rich and famous as the perfect spot to tie the knot (Jennifer Lawrence’s 2019 nuptials were nothing short of a dream) or spend the summer. Taylor Swift is known for her epic, star-studded 4th of July parties at her $17-million home, referred to as Holiday House. Her song “The Last Great American Dynasty” tells the tale of divorcee Rebekah Harkness, who used to own the house. Another millennial musician, Vanessa Carlton, owns an 1803 Federal Colonial house in town, which was renovated and featured in Architectural Digest. Other celebs with vacation properties nearby include Conan O’Brien, tech founder Larry Ellison, Judge Judy and Jay Leno. Unsurprisingly, Newport is America’s top luxury second-home market, with an average sale price north of $2 million.
Photography by Nick Mele
The remarkable Newport mansions are worth touring. Several of the turn-of-the-century European-inspired palaces — The Marble House, The Breakers, The Elms and Rosecliff — have been meticulously preserved with museum-quality art collections by the Preservation Society of Newport County, which can be admired through guided property tours. Summer highlights include the Newport Flower Show, which has run for nearly 30 years at Rosecliff mansion, and Coaching Weekend, when 19th century–style horse-drawn coaches parade through the grounds of the famed mansions.
It’s no surprise that New York City’s elite chase the cool coastal breezes in Newport. The weather is often perfect for a sail or a game of tennis, both of which have a storied heritage in the town. The first U.S. Open tennis championship was held in 1881 on the grass courts at the famed Newport Casino. The spot is now home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, a Smithsonian affiliate, where visitors can peruse exhibits on the sport’s greatest players and the style evolution of tennis outfits — not to mention 2,000 rare items, including celebrity trophies and racquets.
Another sport synonymous with Newport is sailing. The town hosted America’s Cup sailing races starting in 1930, leading it to be dubbed “the sailing capital of the world.” In 2022, the National Sailing Hall of Fame relocated from Annapolis, Maryland, to a historic armory in Newport to become The Sailing Museum. If it’s a rainy day, or you tend to get seasick in open water, visit the museum and pick a type of sailboat to be your avatar as you navigate the museum’s interactive elements and test your sailing prowess. If you do like being out on the water, book a sailboat tour through Sail Newport, Gansett Cruises, Sight Sailing Newport, Heron Luxury Charters or Antique Yacht.
Photography by Cavan Images
After all of the touring, tennis and sailing, refuel at the White Horse Tavern, the oldest operating restaurant in the United States, open since 1673. The architecture is classic 17th-century Americana — a giant fireplace, clapboard walls, huge wood beams, gambrel roof — though, thankfully, its menu has been updated to today’s tastes, including caviar served with crème fraiche and potato chips. Cool off with a glass of rosé (Wine Spectator presented the tavern’s wine list with an award of excellence in 2023), or one of the signature cocktails, such as the smoked old fashioned made with black walnut bitters. If you’d prefer a Gilded Age–inspired high tea, head to Stoneacre Brasserie, which offers an afternoon tea service with a three-tiered tower of sweet and savory snacks.
For where to stay, there’s the newly renovated Newport Harbor Island Resort, which reopened in April 2024 after a $50-million renovation. In the summer, it offers free water taxi rides to downtown and rents kayaks and stand-up paddleboards from its own marina. The Chanler at Cliff Walk is a vintage mansion that’s been transformed into a five-star boutique hotel, complete with its own private-label caviar. It’s also the only hotel on the Cliff Walk, a scenic 3.5-mile walking trail along the coast, and offers free use of its designer Tokyobikes to cruise the trail and around town.
Or, check into the Gardiner House, a newly built boutique hotel that opened in late 2023 with 21 charming rooms. Its Studio Bar has a speakeasy vibe, and Flora, its restaurant, offers alfresco dining and a menu featuring summery ingredients, including sweet corn and local seafood. In the lobby, snap a pic in front of the much-Instagrammed floral wallpaper of birds perched atop trees and vines. It’s not just beautiful, it’s also historic — a recreation of an original mural handpainted in the home of the Cushing family’s 1880s mansion in Newport called The Ledges. The Cushings floated to the top of New England high society, having made their name as tea and china merchants who also founded the Newport Country Club. Their mansion still stands (and appeared in the Meryl Streep film Evening), and now the nearby hotel — with its family-homage wallpaper — is owned by a Cushing family member.
Indeed, Newport is a rare blend of luxury and history, with a splash of preppiness. It makes sense that before air-conditioning, well-heeled New England city folk escaped to Newport to relax and cool off by the ocean. They brought along their grand taste and a little false modesty (hence the multi-million-dollar mansions referred to as “summer cottages”). In present day (with air conditioning!), it’s still an idyllic summer destination. Thanks to the Gilded Age legacy in Newport, leisure seekers, history buffs and athletes alike have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the town — whether it be imbibing award-winning wines, touring mansions rich in history or setting sail on fair winds and serene seas.
