New York to Rhode Island Weekend Getaway

🏨 Accommodation: Newport gets extremely crowded in summer, making hotels very expensive. A Marriott room can cost over $900 per night on weekends. It’s recommended to stay in Providence, where prices are at least half cheaper. 🗺️ Attractions: Newport/Cliff Walk: The full trail is quite long. You can park at Easton Beach and start from the trailhead—there are two large parking lots there for $25. Alternatively, search for "Forty Steps" on Google and park on the nearby street to start. There are buses available midway to the end if you need. RISD Museum: We visited on a weekend, and it was free! You can reserve tickets online in advance or just go directly on-site. It’s much bigger than expected with abundant exhibits—definitely worth a visit. Brown University 🍴 Restaurants: In Newport, we originally planned to eat at Mooring, but it was packed. You need to book at least a week in advance; walk-ins can only snag bar seats. We checked a few other places and they were all equally crowded. Finally, we ate at The Lobster Bar by the beach—it had a nice view and the food was decent. Parking in Newport is a nightmare: street parking is hard to find, and parking lots charge a steep $30-$40, cash only. 📍 Small Point Cafe (Providence) for breakfast: Their lattes are good, but the honey lavender latte was a bit too sweet—tasted like syrup mixed with herbal medicine. The bagel and sandwich we ordered were great, and lots of locals eat here. 📍 Massimo Ristorante (Providence), an Italian restaurant: The staff were warm and friendly, and the food was delicious. The complimentary bread was good too, and the lobster pasta wasn’t greasy. The portions were generous—four of us ordered four main dishes, one fried calamari, and the total with tip was around $180. 📍 Pastiche Fine Desserts (Providence): The fruit tart was amazing! The fruit on top was fresh, the custard wasn’t heavy, and the tart crust was rich with a milky aroma. The shop was busy with people coming in to buy desserts the whole time. #NewYork #WeekendGetaway #RhodeIslandSchoolOfDesign #RhodeIslandFood #Food #Sea #Travel