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TOP: Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay, PHOTO: Onne Van Der Wal
BELOW FROM LEFT: Bannister's Wharf, Newport
PHOTO: Onne Van Der Wal; Herreshoff Museum Hall of Boats and family sailing in Bristol
PHOTOS: Herreshoff Museum; Clingstone
PHOTO: Onne Van Der Wal
When we guarantee you that there is something for everyone in the quaint villages and scenic harbors around lower Narragansett Bay, it’s not an empty promise. It’s absolutely true.
Got to be where all the action is? Then stay in Newport Harbor. Need a cockpit canopy stitched up? Cruise north to the yacht basin in Portsmouth. Need a day of fun boutiques? Sail west over to Wickford Village. Need some peace and quiet? Drop anchor for a day or two off Jamestown. Want to visit the fabulous America’s Cup Hall of Fame? Tie a bow line to the docks in Bristol Harbor.
These destinations are easy cruises in protected waters—only a couple of gallons of fuel if you’re motoring, and gentle breezes if you’re hoisting the main and fore. Just a reminder before you cast off—update your lower Narragansett Bay charts and check the tide tables and weather reports first!
TOP: Tall Ships at Bannister's Wharf;
BELOW FROM LEFT: Trinity Church, Newport and Carnegie Abbey Club, Portsmouth
PHOTOS: Onne Van Der Wal
NEWPORT
41°29’N, 71°20’W
Only half the fun in Newport is on the water. The rest of the excitement in the City by the Sea is in the historic downtown neighborhoods, along the quaint side streets, and on the famous “society boulevard”— Bellevue Avenue. Most of the locals are more likely to be at The Pier than at home on summer evenings because everyone adores Chef Kevin’s seasonal menus, or else they’re at the International Yacht Restoration School watching the students master the craft of traditional wooden boat building. From there, it’s a quick walk to Bellevue Avenue. All boat dogs must check out Wag Nation. (Two woofs for this adorable pet boutique.) And, it’s a rule: never walk past Michael Hayes Company without going in for a peek at what to wear this season, from casual to formal.
Folks sometimes take the long way back to the harbor via Touro Street to Lower Broadway. Being there makes everyone feel trendy and just a little bit village-artsy at the same time. Try Ben’s Chili Dogs for a quick bite or Fastnet Pub for the international sports scores.
All of these neighborhoods have a tempting variety of cafés and good restaurants in all price ranges, and every block is dotted with shops that are wonderfully unique to Newport. Really? Really! No chain stores, no chain food.
PORTSMOUTH
41°35'..30"N, 71°17' 24"W
Who knew that Portsmouth, Aquidneck Island’s oldest settlement (1638!), would become the home of an impressive yacht basin at Melville with hundreds of slips right in the midst of some of the best marine tradesmen in the world? You can get there by sea if you have the time. By land, it’s just an 18 minute ride. Plan to have an East Coast patty melt on the patio at the Melville Grille. It’s Angus beef on rye, Swiss cheese and caramelized onions. Then wander off to scope out the entire marine center—home to S & S Fabric Products, North Sails, Cay Electronics, Maritime Solutions, and Rig Pro and Southern Spars, just to mention a few.
You don’t have to be a health food nut to go nuts over The Green Grocer on East Main Road. They sell bulk and packaged natural and organic foodstuffs, and also carry vac-pack items too, all of which are ideal for restocking the food locker. The herbal and alternative health care section is always well-stocked.
The town of Portsmouth is mostly old farmlands, plus part marine empire and part all-American suburb, and put together, it is a lovely place to visit.
BRISTOL
41°39'..57"N, 71°16' 48"W
Few people are aware that Bristol was once one of colonial Rhode Island’s great shipping ports, no small rival to Newport and Providence. Today it is a large village that honors its heritage with an amazing Fourth of July celebration (the oldest in the nation), a sophisticated marine museum, expansive parklands, and streets lined with lovingly restored homes from centuries past.
Fireworks out over the harbor on July 3rd kick off the official holiday, with the 226th annual parade stepping off at 10:30 am on Monday, July 4th. They paint the streets red, white and blue, too.
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This year, the acclaimed Herreshoff Marine Museum formed an important new alliance with Connecticut’s popular Mystic Seaport, its first such outreach and partnership. The Herreshoff Museum’s second bold move for 2011 is the ground-breaking of an all-new America’s Cup Hall of Fame building, and boaters can watch the construction progress from the shore.
It seems like a world away, but just a short distance from the harbor is the historic Mount Hope Farm. Its 1745 Governor Bradford Inn welcomes guests, and everyone is invited to stroll the farm lanes and woodland paths, provided there are no private functions scheduled at the time.
Bristol has so much to offer visitors. There are many superb restaurants, interesting shops, art galleries and many friendly residents who, just like old times, don’t drive, but walk along the streets on their daily errands.
ABOVE: Wickford Art Festival andHarbor view.
PHOTOS: WickfordVillage.org
WICKFORD VILLAGE
41°34' 25"N, 71°26' 11"W
Everyone who visits Wickford Village becomes instantly enthralled. From the water, it’s a very pretty nook in the shoreline. Along the streets and back lanes, the village is almost too charming.
This summer is the 49th Annual Wickford Art Festival, July 9th and 10th. More than 250 artists take over the sidewalks and it’s a sensational show. Get into town early to grab a bite at the Beach Rose Café (also take-out), close to the public docks, or pack up a gourmet picnic at Foodies of Wickford on West Main. A box of chocolate fudge counts as dessert, by the way. On the “Go To” list: Go to Lulabells, A Bit of the West, and Midnight Sun for gifts, go to Wickford Village Antiques for collectibles, and, as always, for the yacht pups who need more doggie spa products, cookies and new outfits, go to Shaggy Chic Pet Boutique. It takes all day to browse the more than 50 shops and galleries. In between the businesses and all through town, are the most beautiful historic homes, some verdant gardens, and a few important landmark sites.
The tree-lined streets are seldom crowded and the harbor is still a working waterfront. Stroll to the end of Main Street to the boat docks, and take a look around the shipyard across the cove, too. Wickford is small and quaint, just the way old seaside villages ought to be.
JAMESTOWN
41°29'..44"N, 71°21' 49"W
Jamestown is not a secret, but perhaps it should be so that it never changes. Everything that everyone loves about the island and village has been there forever. Folks who love the old Narragansett Café also love Trattoria Simpatico for fresh, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine and outdoor dining, as well as the Bay Voyage for its Victorian-era charm. Slice of Heaven is a café and bakery that really is a slice of heaven. Don’t be surprised to find island chefs at Windmist Farm on Weeden Lane, picking up fresh eggs, grass-fed beef and other farm products from George and Martha Neale. Finally, write this down so you don’t forget: Wine and cheese tasting, every Saturday from 5 to 7, at Grapes and Gourmet, purveyors of beer, wine, liquors and international deli foods, right on Ferry Wharf.
Jamestowners themselves seem to own a surprising number of vintage boats, and there is no shortage of local experts who can work on them at Clark Boat Yard and Marine Works and Conanicut Marine Service. Some of the island’s premier realtors, such as Island Realty and Mansions and Manors, have enviable listings of properties for sale or rent, if you’re thinking of staying a while.
What makes Jamestown special is the beauty of the land itself and the easy way of life.
Beavertail Lighthouse
PHOTO: Onne Van Der Wal
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