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About Newport

Newport, Rhode Island, known as America’s first resort, has something for everyone. Newport’s world famous attractions include nine beautiful beaches, tours through the extraordinary mansions, military history, great restaurants, fabulous shopping, scenic sailing, and the list goes on! Experience a 12 Meter Yacht Charters sailing adventure aboard an America’s Cup contender. It is sure to be the highlight of your visit to Newport, Rhode Island!

Newport, Rhode Island’s Events

  • Newport’s Great Chowder Cook-off – June

  • Newport Flower Show – June

  • Newport Pride – June

  • Newport’s 4th of July Celebration – July 4 – Fireworks Cruises available!

  • Newport International Polo – July, August

  • The Newport Folk Festival – July

  • The Newport Jazz Festival – July/August

  • Newport International Boat Show – September

  • Newport Mansions Food & Wine – September

  • Audrain Concours Motor Week – September

12 Meter Yacht Charters offers our yachts for sails to view any of Newport’s waterfront events and festivals. Please contact the 12 Meter Yacht Charters office for details and specific event dates.

Newport’s Waterfront Attractions

There is no better way to experience historic Newport Harbor and beautiful Narragansett Bay than sailing aboard an America’s Cup 12 Meter boat! While sailing with 12 Meter Yacht Charters you will see many of Newport’s famous sights such as:

  • The International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS)
    Newport’s International Yacht Restoration School is located on Thames Street overlooking Newport Harbor. IYRS teaches the history, skill, and art of restoring and building classic yachts. Many of Newport’s classic yachts are docked at IYRS and the schooner Coronet is being restored on the Newport campus of IYRS. Coronet, built in 1885, is the most original Victorian yacht remaining and the last surviving 19th century American schooner of her size.

  • The New York Yacht Club
    Since 1987 Harbor Court, the former Newport summer home of Commodore and Mrs. John Nicholas Brown, has been the Newport clubhouse of the New York Yacht Club. Harbor Court, standing on eight acres overlooking Newport Harbor, has hosted many NYYC Newport sailing regattas including the Sesquicentennial Regatta, the IYRU O’Neill World Youth Sailing Championship, Race Week at Newport, and the Disabled World Sailing Championships.

  • Lime Rock Lighthouse – Ida Lewis Yacht Club
    Lime Rock Lighthouse is located in Newport Harbor and is the home of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club. The Lime Rock Lighthouse in Newport Harbor was kept by one of the most celebrated lighthouse keepers in American history, Idawalley Lewis. Ida Lewis started keeping the Lime Rock Lighthouse and making sea rescues at age 14. During her 55 years at Lime Rock she was credited with making over 25 rescues, her last rescue was when she was 65 years old. She was a renowned swimmer and rescuer in Newport and the United States. The lighthouse is not open to the public so the best way to view it is from a sailing cruise aboard an America’s Cup 12 Meter boat!

  • Fort Adams
    Fort Adams, the largest coastal fortification in the United States, stands at the entrance of Newport Harbor. In the process of being restored, Fort Adams offers daily tours and a unique waterfront location for private parties and corporate functions in Newport. The fort is also the waterfront location for many of Newport’s famous annual events and festivals including the Newport Folk Festival and the Newport JVC Jazz Festival.

  • The Museum of Yachting
    Newport, Rhode Island’s Museum of Yachting is located at Fort Adams State Park overlooking Newport Harbor. The Museum of Yachting is dedicated to preserving the culture of yachting and educating the history of yachting through its exhibits, events and regattas. The Museum of Yachting has a special interest in preserving Newport’s America’s Cup history. They exhibit the America’s Cup Gallery, dedicated to the history of the America’s Cup competition, they organize many 12 Meter regattas annually in Newport and they manage two time America’s Cup winner, the 12 Meter yacht Courageous.

  • Hammersmith Farm                     
    Hammersmith Farm was the summer home of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Auchincloss, Jacqueline Kennedy’s mother and stepfather. In September of 1953, Newport’s Hammersmith Farm was the location of the wedding reception following Jackie’s marriage to John F. Kennedy at St. Mary’s Church in downtown Newport. During JFK’s time as president, Newport’s Hammersmith Farm served as a summer White House. In 1962, President Kennedy visited Newport to view the America’s Cup sailing races. Hammersmith Farm is a now a private home and is closed to the public. However, while sailing on a 12 Meter, you will have great views of this famous Newport, Rhode Island sight!

  • Castle Hill Lighthouse
    The Castle Hill Lighthouse is located in Newport, Rhode Island at the entrance of Narragansett Bay. The Castle Hill Lighthouse, built in 1890, continues to signal fog and guide mariners through Newport’s East Passage of Narragansett Bay.

  • Beavertail Lighthouse
    Beavertail Lighthouse is located on the southern tip of Conanicut Island, Rhode Island. Conanicut Island divides Narragansett Bay into two passages, the East and the West, and Beavertail Lighthouse marks the entrance to both Newport’s East Passage and the West Passage of Narragansett Bay. A watch house on Beavertail Point dates back to as early as 1705 when the Narragansett Indians inhabited Conanicut Island. In 1749, Rhode Island began construction of its first lighthouse, the third in Colonial America, at Beavertail. Today, Beavertail Lighthouse remains an active aid to mariners in Rhode Island.

  • Jamestown
    Jamestown, Rhode Island is located in Narragansett Bay about one mile west of Newport. Located on Conanicut Island, it is a picturesque waterfront destination.

  • Rose Island Lighthouse
    The Rose Island Lighthouse is located in Narragansett Bay off the coast of Newport, Rhode Island. Built in 1870, the lighthouse, which once served as a navigational aid along the New England coast, still stands on Rose Island as an independent, energy-efficient building. Today, it has been restored by the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation and is open to the public as a museum. Guests can even stay overnight as the “lighthouse keeper!”

  • Newport Bridge
    The Newport (Claiborne Pell) Bridge connects Newport (Aquidneck Island) to Jamestown (Conanicut Island). The Newport Bridge was completed in 1969 and made Newport more accessible from New York and other points to the south. Although strongly opposed by the Navy at the time, the Newport Bridge’s design affords over 200 feet of clearance for sailing, merchant, and navy vessels.

  • Naval War College
    The Naval War College, located on Coasters Harbor Island, Newport, Rhode Island, is the oldest school of its kind in the world and is the highest professional educational institution in the Navy. Since 1884, officers in the military have been studying the art and science of naval warfare in Newport. Today, Founders Hall, the original site of the college, is the site of Newport’s Naval War College Museum. The museum features exhibits on the history of naval warfare and the Navy heritage of Narragansett Bay.

These are only some of the many famous Newport sights you might see while sailing on our America’s Cup yachts. Please ask our 12 Meter crew questions about Newport sights. They are always happy to provide more information about their city! If there is a particular Newport attraction that you would like to see please ask the boat’s captain. If sailing time and conditions allow, he or she will take you sailing right past the Newport sight!

Other Newport Attractions

After enjoying a sailing experience aboard our America’s Cup yachts, explore more of historic Newport!

  • Newport Mansions
    The Preservation Society of Newport County maintains one of America’s premier collections of historic houses and gardens, some of which are located oceanfront or along historic Bellevue Avenue in Newport, Rhode Island. The Newport Mansions offer daily tours of eleven historic Newport properties and landscapes. The Newport Mansions also provide an elegant location for a corporate outing, private party or wedding event.

  • Newport Restoration Foundation
    The Newport Restoration Foundation was created in 1968 by Newport resident, Doris Duke, to help restore and preserve Newport’s rapidly disappearing 18th century architecture. The Newport Restoration foundation offers tours to the public of Rough Point, Doris Duke’s oceanfront Newport home, the Samuel Whitehorne House with a collection of Newport furniture, and Prescott Farm, a Revolutionary War site.

  • Newport’s International Tennis Hall of Fame
    In 1954, the Newport Casino was designated as the site of the International Tennis Hall of Fame to preserve the historic legacy of the game of tennis. The Newport Casino was previously used as a private club and playground for the wealthy, summer residents of Newport, Rhode Island. Today, Newport’s International Tennis Hall of Fame offers one of the only public grass tennis courts in the US. The Hall of Fame hosts many collegiate and professional tennis events, and in 2004 it celebrated its 50th anniversary with tennis greats like Steffi Graf, Chris Evert, John MacEnroe, and Rod Laver.

  • Cliff Walk
    The Cliff Walk lies along the eastern shore of Newport, Rhode Island. It is a world famous public walk, about 3.5 miles long, that combines the natural beauty of Newport’s coastline with the architectural history of the Newport Mansions.

  • Newport National Golf
    The number one rated golf course in Rhode Island, Newport National offers public golfing to Newport’s visitors and residents. Located close to downtown Newport shops, Newport Harbor, and Newport’s major hotels, Newport National also offers corporate golf outings – a great activity to hold in conjunction with an America’s Cup corporate sailing adventure!

  • Newport Vineyards
    Newport Vineyards was planted in 1977 overlooking Rhode Island Sound on Aquidneck Island with the goal of producing fine wines and preserving the beautiful agricultural land in Newport. Today, Newport Vineyards makes award winning Rhode Island wine. Newport Vineyards offers daily tours and wine tastings. The Vineyards also hosts special events, wedding celebrations, corporate functions and private parties! Newport Vineyard’s wine is a great accompaniment to a sunset sail aboard an America’s Cup 12 Meter!

JUST ASK! We are always happy to answer questions and assist with information about Newport.