Newport and Coastal New England Spring, Summer and Fall

Join us for a fabulous tour to enjoy the beauty of Southern Coastal New England. Begin your tour in historic Mystic Seaport Village before traveling to the Newport, RI area where we will stay for the next four evenings. Your tour will feature beautiful ocean views, fabulous mansions, coastal villages and fabulous Block Island located 13 miles off the Rhode Island coast. Our tour will include most meals featuring local cuisine and fresh seafood including our favorite New England Clam Chowder. Learn about the Elite 400, the Portuguese Fisherman and the historic whaling industry the “Lit the World”.

Day One

Today we arrive in Mystic, Connecticut stopping for lunch at the Mystic Seaport Village and Museum. Enjoy lunch on your own while visiting this beautiful seaport village. Stroll through this recreated village comprised of dozens of New England buildings staffed with historians, musicians and storytellers. Visit docked ships and the restoration barn to see what they are currently working on.

Following our visit, we’ll continue on our journey to Newport, Rhode Island where we check into our hotel for the next four evenings. We’ll have some time to freshen up before heading out to dinner at one of Newport’s finest restaurants. Following dinner, we return to the hotel to relax and prepare for a week of sightseeing. (D)

Day Two

Breakfast is included at the hotel. This morning we meet our local guide for a tour of historic Newport. Our guide will take us for a scenic driving tour to include a collection of restored Colonial Homes, historic Thames Street, Ocean Drive, Fort Adams and the mansions on Bellevue Avenue. We visit one of the popular mansions to finish up our morning. Enjoy lunch on your own along Thames Street and the Harbor. This afternoon we visit either the Tennis Hall of Fame or one of Newport’s fantastic wineries for a tour and tasting. Another fabulous dinner is served at one of Newport’s restaurants. (B,D)

Day Three

Breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. Today we take a short journey to New Bedford Village, Massachusetts, which was the Whaling Capital of New England. Our first stop takes us to the Whaling National Historic Park where we meet a National Park Guide who will take us on a short walking tour of downtown New Bedford that spans 13 city blocks. On the tour we’ll learn about whaling and hear stories of global immigration, Underground Railroad, women’s history, architecture and art. Following our tour we will have time for a little lunch and shopping on your own. This afternoon we will visit the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Discover the underwater world of whales, learn about the dramatic consequences of whaling and its impact on our culture and indulge in the maritime history of Southcoast Massachusetts. Time permitting we will make a stop in Battleship Cove before returning to the hotel. Dinner is on your own this evening in downtown Newport or at a restaurant near the hotel. (B)

Day Four

Breakfast is served in the hotel. Today we make our way Narragansett, RI where we will board a ferry to Block Island. Block Island, part of the state of Rhode Island, is located in the Atlantic Ocean about 13 miles south off the coast of Rhode Island, 14 miles east of Montauk Point on Long Island, and is separated from the Rhode Island mainland by Block Island Sound. The Nature Conservancy added Block Island to its list of “The Last Great Places”; the list consists of twelve sites in the Western Hemisphere. About 40 percent of the island is set aside for conservation. Upon our arrival we will be greeted by our local guide and island bus who will take us on a guided exploration of the island. We’ll visit the Nature Preserves, historical sites and lighthouses. A fantastic lunch is served overlooking the water at the historic National Hotel.

Enjoy some free time to explore the island on your own this afternoon. You will have time to take a stroll along marked nature trails, visit the many charming shops or just relax on the beach before boarding the ferry for the return to the mainland. Dinner is included at a local restaurant prior to returning to the hotel. (B,L,D)

Day Five

Breakfast is included at the hotel this morning before departing for our journey home with many fond memories of our time in coastal New England. (B)

Inclusions:

Four night’s accommodations

Three dinners

Four breakfasts

One lunch at the National Hotel

Admission to the Mystic Seaport Museum

Guided tour of Newport

Admission to a select Newport Mansion

Admission to the National Tennis Hall of Fame or a Newport Vineyard

Admission to the Whaling Historical Park