The Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island is a popular tourist attraction.
If you are visiting Newport for a weekend and have the time, you will enjoy yourself going on this picturesque walk.
The walk is 3.5 miles and offers beautiful views of the ocean, rocks, and some of the most extravagant gilded age mansions once owned by America’s wealthiest families.
In this guide, we will walk you through important information you need to know about the Cliff Walk and how to make the most of this great tourist attraction.
How to Prepare for the Cliff Walk?
The Cliff Walk in Newport doesn’t need a massive amount of preparation.
For the most part, the trail is easy to walk however there are some rocky portions that might be hard to walk across if you are older or have young children.
Since the Cliff Walk takes about 3 hours to complete, it may be a good idea to check with your doctor before participating if you have health conditions or cannot walk for prolonged periods.
Otherwise, the majority of people won’t have any issues completing the walk.
Where do you Start the Cliff Walk?
You can start the Cliff Walk at several locations as the path intersects several streets in the area. At the end of these streets, there are access points for you to join the Cliff Walk trail.
However, if you want to experience the walk in its entirety, you need to begin at its two opposite ends.
Easton Beach – The Preferred Starting Location
Our preferred starting point would be Easton Beach at the Northern end of the Cliff Walk.
We suggest starting here because you have access to easy parking. Also, it is the portion of the Cliff Walk that is paved and easy to traverse.
Bailey’s Beach – Best Place to Start If you Want to Get The Hard Part of The Cliff Walk Done and Over With
The opposite end of the Cliff Walk is Bailey’s Beach. It is located in the southernmost region of the path.
If you want to knock the hard part of the trail off at the beginning when you have energy. Starting at Bailey’s Beach is your best bet.
How to Get to the Cliff Walk?
Getting to Newport’s Cliff Walk is pretty simple.
If you want to start at Easton’s Beach, take Memorial Blvd until you see the beach and parking lot.
For those who want to start at Bailey’s Beach, take Bellevue Avenue to the end, past the curve.
For other starting points, most avenues to the South of Memorial Blvd intersect with the path and has an access point to the Cliff Walk.
How to Dress for Walking the Cliff Walk?
Dress attire depends on the weather.
Since Newport is a popular summer destination, you can get away with wearing shorts and a tee shirt when doing the cliff walk. A light jacket might be nice for windier days or if there is rain in the forecast.
In the colder months, you need to dress warmly. The Cliff Walk is right on the water and can get cold.
What Type of Shoes to Wear on The Cliff Walk?
Sneakers or comfortable hiking boots are highly recommended.
The entire walk is about 3.5 miles. Wearing footwear that does not provide support like flip-flops can get uncomfortable.
Some parts of the trail are a bit rocky, so sneakers or hiking boots with ankle support will help.
What’s the Best Time to Start Walking?
We would recommend starting the Cliff Walk either in the early morning or evening.
This is purely from the standpoint of the lack of shade on the trail. There are no trees to provide some relief from the sun. Wearing sunscreen and sunglasses is highly advocated.
Also, the trail gets highly traversed during the middle part of the day. In the early morning, you can expect to be the only one on the trail.
Is There Anything Else You Should Pack?
It is recommended to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat when the sun is out during the summer months.
If you have small children, a stroller might be useful.
For the dog lovers out there, make sure your dog is leashed and you have doggie bags to pick up any dog waste your pupper might leave on the trail. There are doggie bag stations along the trail.
Things You Will See on the Cliff Walk
You will encounter several beautiful mansions and estates on your want. Some of these are available to be toured.
- Rough Point
- Belcourt of Newport
- Marble House
- The Waves
- RoseCliff
- The Breakers
- McAuley Hall
Our Cliff Walk Experience
Starting the Cliff Walk
When we went to experience the Cliff Walk, we had been worn out from taking part in all that Newport had to offer the prior day. So we decided not to walk the entire 3.5 miles but start at the Wetmore Ave entrance.
We proceed to walk North on the trail and experience a very rocky portion of the trail. The rocks for the most part were very flat. There were a couple of jagged ones so we had to be careful with our steps. Overall, it was not too bad.
Easy Walking Midway Through
After the passed difficult section, we moved onto the paved portion of the Cliff Walk and it was very nice.
The ocean splashing against the rocks below and the heights made it seem like you were walking alongside a mini version of the pacific coast highway.
The first mansion we saw was the Breakers, we had the luxury of touring the mansion the previous day so it was nice to see it again from another perspective.
At this time, we noticed the trail was beginning to become more trafficked. People had strollers and walked along in small groups. There were times we had to step aside to let oncoming traffic walk by because the trails got narrow.
We passed several more mansions, some of which were part of Salva Regina University.
Finishing Up
We then stumbled upon a series of steps named “the forty steps” which brought you down near the water and let you on the rocks below.
Many people were using this opportunity for a photo op. It was nice to experience the Cliff Walk from this perspective.
We walked back up the “Forty Steps” and continued on the Cliff Walk to the North until we had Easton Beach in view.
We then decided to make our way back to the car.
Conclusion
If you have time to spare on your weekend trip to Newport, the Cliff Walk is something you need to do.
It gets you outside, it allows you to see the beautiful Newport coast and mansions.
But best of all, it is free and is something you can do with the entire family.
We hope you found this guide useful!
Happy travels.
