Tours and Excursions

An iconic Newport destination, guests will enjoy a visit to the Breakers Mansion, Newport's most palatial summer residence built for Cornelius Vanderbilt by Richard Morris Hunt (1893-1895). The symmetry of design, opulence, and lavish use of alabaster, marble, mosaics, and antique woods rival the magnificent northern Italian Renaissance palaces after which it was modeled. This 70-room mansion, 13-acre estate has a spectacular view overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The Breakers’ updated audio tour offers visitors the opportunity to see the house from multiple points of view and hear detailed personal accounts from family members, servants, and guests.

Next you will enjoy a leisurely stroll down the iconic Cliff Walk, where in every direction—off in the distance, or straight down to the water’s edge below—the breathtaking views and vistas are made more panoramic by the height of the cliffs and ledges (Cliff Walk may be a guided tour or self-guided). Continue the morning on the vehicle with a scenic narrated tour highlighting authentic historical buildings and restored homes, the world famous Ten Mile Ocean Drive—renowned for the rugged beauty of its spectacular coastline—and Bellevue Avenue, the most magnificent collection of homes in the country, where the millionaires built their fabulous "summer cottages".

Combine three unique Aquidneck Island outdoor experiences during this natural land tour. Enjoy a tour of Sweet Berry Farm, a post-and-beam farm market sitting on 100 acres of preserved farmland. Sweet Berry Farm is filled with seasonal fresh fruits, vegetables, cut flowers, and homemade sweets and savories. Upon arrival, your group will be welcomed with an introduction and tour of the farm. Sweet Berry’s Horticulturist will talk about the many varieties of flowers, fruit and vegetables that are grown there.

Join a Norman Bird Sanctuary (NBS) naturalist for a leisure guided hike through diverse pond, forest, field, and ridge ecosystems. The ecology and unique natural history of each ecosystem will be highlighted, along with a discussion of the fascinating birds, sedimentary, volcanic, igneous and metamorphic rock formations found on Aquidneck Island. Participants may enjoy exploration of NBS grounds, Visitor’s Center, and Barn, which houses a small natural history museum after the hike. Just down the road guests will then be brought to Third Beach for an optional swim or an hour of relaxation.

Learn from owner and RI aquaculture pioneer, Perry Raso, about this growing industry. Matunuck Oyster Farm is in nearby East Matunuck (approx. a 50 minute drive). On this tour, you will go on the water in a 25'x14' barge to get an up close look at the different species of shellfish in many different stages of growth. As a pioneer of the aquaculture industry, owner Raso’s close involvement in farmers’ markets across the state inspired him to create a restaurant based on only the freshest of local produce. The Matunuck Oyster Bar prides itself in uniting fresh, locally grown produce with farm-raised and wild caught seafood to make the freshest dishes you’ll find anywhere in Rhode Island.

After your farm tour, you will learn how to properly shuck an oyster with an oyster shucking demonstration followed by an oyster tasting.

See some of Providence’s most beautiful sights over its roads and on the river! On the first half of the excursion you will receive a fantastic guided bus tour which will take you to some of Providence’s most unique and marvelous settings. On the second half, you will enjoy a delightful and relaxing ride down the Providence River on a Venetian gondola as your skilled guide shows you the city from this charming perspective while serenading you in Italian. This tour will make you fall in love with Providence!

This walking tour begins with a stroll down infamous “Benefit Street”. Created in the mid-18th century “for the benefit of all,” the Benefit Street colonial thoroughfare shows off an enviable collection for 18th and 19th century wood-frames houses. From the first stop outside John Brown house, the street gives the appearance of being a museum mile. However it is a vital urban neighborhood enhanced by on-going preservation efforts since the 1950s. As part of this tour you will visit the Rhode Island School of Design Museum (RISD). The RISD Museum's collection of about 100,000 objects contains a broad range of works from around the world, including ancient Egypt, Asia, Africa, ancient Greece and Rome, Europe, and the Americas. Among the prominent international and American artists represented are Picasso, Monet, Manet, Paul Revere, Chanel, Andy Warhol, and Kara Walker. The collection also features notable works by Rhode Island artists and designers, including 18th-century Newport furniture makers Goddard and Townsend and 19th-century Rhode Island painters such as Anglo-American impressionist John Noble Barlow and portraitist Gilbert Stuart.