Newport, Gettysburg and The Command Center
We know another cheesy title but we are huge Finding Nemo fans and considering the next designation for our trip is Rhode Island the ocean state it fit perfectly. This was not our first time driving from Boston to Rhode Island since last year we took a day trip down to Newport RI for some shopping. We felt we didn't get enough time so we planned a few days to explore with this trip. To kick off this second part we decided on our drive to stop in Providence, RI. The charming downtown area and collegiate buildings made for a stop fantastic. Plus the furry troops got some sniffs and leg stretching in. As we drove to Newport, RI one of the fun parts of the drive is the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge. The bridge connects the City of Newport which is on Aquidneck Island and Jamestown which is on Conanicut Island. One thing to notice is if you've ever traveled over the Golden Gate Bridge, the Newport Bridge is longer which enables you to take in breathtaking views of Narragansett Bay area.
After crossing over the bridge and driving through downtown Newport we checked into our AirBnB. Situated only a little more than a mile from downtown Newport and a 10 minute walk from Easton Beach we had the perfect location for our stay. We also learned our host is the owner of Scrimshanders on Bowen's Wharf. We ended up purchasing a beautiful carved wood chart of the area from his shop to take home. For our first day in Newport we went to Bowen's Wharf and walked around. Our last visit was during the end of the season seafood festival which was lots of fun but left the wharf very crowded. This time we were able to wonder through the shops that allow dogs and eat at Diego's Newport. Our first choice was The Black Pearl but their outdoor seating area doesn't allow dogs so we wondered to Diego's which was perfect for a Taco Tuesday celebration. We also took in some shopping at an adorable shop Called Kiel James Patrick. We follow them on instagram and love their cozy sweaters for winter.
If you visit Newport one of the amazing sights to take in is sunrises and sunsets around the island. You won't be doing this alone as other locals and tourist will be doing the same. The colors, waters and sunrise/sunset itself is worth the view anywhere on the island. With Covid we decided to take an audio tour of the Bellevue Mansion area. We were able to play the audio from an app in the Jeep while doing a self driving tour around. The tour uses GPS to tell you about certain homes, mansions and landmarks as you drive. This was also only 7 dollars and very informative. The dogs also appreciated the drive while hanging out the windows and with jeep top off.
Taking in Ocean Drive, we learned about the Gilded Age mansions that were built and crazy parties the rich hosted. Being in the same area and getting some very helpful local advice we stretched our legs with the huskies on the cliff walk. The walk covers different trail markers giving you information about the amazing mansions along the way including The Breakers (summer home of the Vanderbilts), giving picture perfect ocean views. This walk can be done from Easton Beach or from Salve Regina University.
Being the curious people we are we also took a drive to Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge. Dogs are not allowed but this area is 2.5 miles of trails and wildlife with spectacular views. Driving round the island as much as possible to make the most of our stay we took in Portsmouth, Middleton and the Newport Winery. Then to cap it off journeyed back over the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge to Jamestown.
Being huge lighthouse fans our coven traveled to Beavertail Lighthouse in Jamestown. Our attempt to capture photos of Castle Inn Lighthouse in Newport were fruitless sadly as it was closed due to Covid during our stay. The next stop was Fort Adams taking in the Newport Harbor views, steeped in history.
For our journey home we decided to stop along the way to Gettysburg, PA for more history. This was an amazing stop and seeing the monuments dedicated to the those who fought was done with incredible beauty given the past. The area for the battle is very large and a self guiding audio tour for the car is available here as well. The coven then learned our first hard lesson with topography of a road trip. Those of us from the Midwest grew up on flat lands.
Our trip home took us through the Blue Ridge Mountains in the dark unplanned. We give local's credit because in the dark our anxiety levels took a new height. Our advice going forward is to drive this during the light of day. Especially after seeing a truck with his brakes on fire in the mountains. The drive from OH, IN and finally to the coven command center proved to be smooth sailing.To finally close our journey we couldn't recommend New England enough for fall adventures. This wasn't our first and won’t be our last trip to the East Coast. We hope this gives inspiration to anyone else who aspires to road trip to New England in the fall or anytime of year to enjoy the region.
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