The coastline in Newport is stunning and there is no better way to experience it than to stroll along its famous Cliff Walk. The full length of this National Recreation Trail is 3.5 miles, but you can easily walk smaller portions of it. Walking the full length of the trail takes about 2.5 to 3 hours.
There are 7 public access points between the beginning and end of the trail: Narragansett Avenue, Webster Street, Sheppard Avenue, Ruggles Avenue, Marine Avenue, Ledge Road, and Bellevue Avenue. You can park at the north end of the trail, head south, and exit at any of these points along the way. From any exit point, you can stroll back along pretty Bellevue Avenue to see the front side of the mansions or hop on the trolley at any of its 4 stops along the way and be whisked back to town for a mere $1.75 per person.
The trail ranges from easy, paved paths to rocky, uneven terrain. The northern section of the trail is the easiest and safest for children. Starting at Easton Beach (the north end of the trail), the paths are wide and paved and fences are in place to protect you from tumbling over the cliff’s edge.
As you get further south, the trail becomes more difficult and less well-defined. At some points you literally have to scramble over piles of boulders on the beach. I walked this section with my college friends last October but chose not to take the boys on it this time. At their ages (9 and 11), they would have been fine on it (and my youngest actually would have loved it), but I could tell that they were not in it for the long haul on this walk so we stuck to the easier and shorter section. (Pictures below are from my previous trip.)
For both my visits to the Cliff Walk, we entered at Ruggles Avenue after leaving the Breakers. With my friends, we turned right to head south. With my family, we turned left to go north. Heading north from the Breakers will bring you to the Forty Steps, a stone staircase that takes you closer to the ocean. Built in the early 1800s, the Forty Steps was originally used as a recreation spot for servants from the nearby mansions. The steps were restored in the early 1990s and are now a popular stop along the Cliff Walk.
We walked down the steps and scrambled over some rocks to find a place to sit and relax. The boys threw rocks in the water as we took in the amazing views and watched the fishermen reel in their catch.
It’s easy to get so caught up in the stunning cliff-side ocean views that you momentarily forget that the scenery on the other side is equally stunning, albeit in a different way. The trail is actually a public right-of-way on the outside edge of the gorgeous properties belonging to historic mansions, private homes, and Salve Regina University. Take the time to stop along the way and peek into the backyards of the rich and famous, imagining what it would be like to live there and get to enjoy these views every day. (Note that the images below are from The Breakers heading south.)
The Cliff Walk is truly unique and should not be missed. With younger kids, stick to the northern section of the trail. It is easier and safer and will give you a great taste of the gorgeous scenery and stunning homes. If your kids are older and you are feeling adventurous, keep walking south and explore the more rugged path and scramble along the rocks as the waves crash on the beach next to you. And if you time it right, you just might see an incredible sunset.
