Newport, Rhode Island has a
multi-faceted appeal and thus is one of my favorite cruise
destinations.
Of course, Newport is known for its
Gilded Age mansions. Built during the later half of the 19th
century and the early 20th century by people with vast
fortunes, these buildings are extraordinary. Their owners
commissioned the best architects of the day and so they are
interesting from an architectural standpoint. They also crammed them
with fine art and furnishings and so they are interesting from an
artistic standpoint as well. Then the fact that they were used only
for a few weeks each summer and were known as “cottages” hints at
the opulence of the strange society that inhabited them. Thus, the
are interesting sociologically as well.
Then there is a large section of town
that is made up of colonial and early American buildings. There are
so many in fact that the whole district is a National Historical
Landmark. Here again, you have architecture and history but much
different than the mansions.
Newport is also famous for its yachting
and sailing. Indeed, all the masts of the sailboats anchored in the
harbor make it look like some strange forest that has lost its
foliage. You have the heritage of a half century of hosting the
America's Cup races but you also have the relaxed summer atmosphere
of its seaside restaurants and shops.
There is also the military connection.
Newport is the home of the Naval War College. It also has Fort
Adams, the largest coastal fortification in the United States.
Although Newport is called a city, it
really has the feel of a large town. You can walk just about
anyplace - - tree-lined streets, parks, along the cliffs that border
the sea on one side and the mansions on the other.
Thus, Newport is not the kind of port
where you can say “I've seen it all” with just one visit. It has
the ingredients to sustain multiple visits.
Beyondship's illustrated guide to
Newport, Rhode Island begins at
http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-destination---newport.html
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