Summer in Newport & Block Island

Departure Info:

PetSmart, Crossgates Commons 7:00am
Yankee Trails, Rensselaer- 7:30am

Mon: August 4th:

With great anticipation and expectation, we board the coach this morning and travel to Newport, RI where upon arrival you will have time for lunch on your own in Brick Market Place, Bowens or Bannisters Wharf, all located near the lovely Newport Harbor. There are a wide variety of dining options in the area that will appeal to all. This afternoon we’ll take a ride uptown to Bellevue Avenue to Rosecliff , where we will experience the Gilded Age on a 90 minute self-guided audio tour. With its celebrated heart-shaped grand staircase and the largest ballroom in Newport, this elegant mansion overlooking the Atlantic Ocean recalls lost Gilded Age summers filled with extravagant parties like the one featured in 1974’s The Great Gatsby, which included several scenes filmed at Rosecliff. Commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1899, architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles. After the house was completed in 1902, at a reported cost of $2.5 million, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted fabulous entertainments here, including a fairy tale dinner and a party featuring famed magician Harry Houdini. We will then continue on to our accommodations for the next two nights at the Wyndham Newport Hotel & Conference Center in Middletown, RI (401-236-2054). Situated in picturesque Middletown, this contemporary hotel is just three miles from downtown Newport, reachable via their convenient shuttle. This property offers an indoor pool and free WiFi. Following check in you will have some free time to relax before dinner tonight included at Johnny’s Restaurant & Lounge located right on property. Meal choices are TBA. After dinner the rest of the evening is on your own to relax or take the hotel's free shuttle into Newport.

Tue: August 5th:

A hot breakfast is included at the hotel this morning, then we will make our way to Point Judith, RI where we will board the Block Island Ferry to spend the day on Block Island! Only 15 miles from the coast of Rhode Island, Block Island offers many attractions, including 2 lighthouses, 17 miles of beaches, and great restaurants. Upon our arrival we will savor lunch (included) on the front porch of The National Hotel, located right on the waterfront. Your meal includes New England clam chowder and an entree choice of 1) Baked Seafood Casserole (Medley of Seafood baked with Ritz Cracker Topping) 2) New England Scrod crusted with breadcrumbs and a toasted garlic lemon oil or 3) Pan Seared Chicken Breast finished with a lemon basil butter sauce. Apple rum cobbler is included for dessert! After lunch, delight in a narrated one hour bus tour and view the scenic island beauty and charm. There will also be time on your own for shopping and browsing in the unique village shops before we take the 5:15pm ferry back to Point Judith. We will return to the hotel following our day on Block Island. Dinner will be on your own tonight; the rest of the evening is on your own to relax or take the hotel's free shuttle into Newport.

Wed, August 6th:

A hot breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. Then we're off to the magnificent Breakers mansion on Ochre Point Avenue. Cornelius Vanderbilt II, President and Chairman of the New York Central Railroad, commissioned leading American architect Richard Morris Hunt to design this summer retreat for his large family. This 70-room Italian Renaissance-style house includes a 45 foot high central Great Hall. A National Historic Landmark, it sits on a 13 acre estate overlooking Atlantic Avenue. Following our tour we will return to downtown Newport and the Brick Market Place for lunch on your own and more free time before our departure at 2pm with approximate arrival in the Capital District will be 6pm. One stop each way.

LU=Lunch, DN=Dinner, FB=Full Breakfast