What is it like to live in Newport, Rhode Island?
A seaside city famous for its historic mansions, Newport, Rhode Island is an upscale community about 30 miles southeast of Rhode Island’s capital, Providence, and well known as a New England summer resort and as the United States sailing capital, bounded by Atlantic Ocean coastlines.
If you wish to live in a community with the ocean and harbor on 3 sides, a vibrant, large, and exciting downtown — and has one of the largest concentrations of beautiful and historic homes in the country — Newport, Rhode Island (population 26,000) is for you.
The City of Newport sits at the southern end of Aquidneck Island in Narragansett Bay and is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the south, Narragansett Bay on the west, and by Middletown, Rhode Island, on the northeast. Newport is 11.38 square miles in size, with 7.66 square miles of land and 3.17 square miles of inland water. Its location is accessible to the west via I-95 by way of the Jamestown and Pell Bridges, and to the north by Routes 24 and I-195 by way of the Mount Hope Bridge and the Sakonnet River Bridge.
In colonial days, Newport was the most vital port in Rhode Island. Today, the City is home to a magnificent stock of colonial homes — in fact, walking down the streets of Newport is likely the closest one can come to seeing what an American colonial city looked and felt like. During the 19th century, it became recognized among the wealthiest Americans as the place to live in the summer.
Soon the Vanderbilts and most of the nation’s wealthiest families were in a mad rush to see who could build the most extraordinary “cottage” (mansion). Several hundred years and many booms and busts later, the town is an exceptional destination for tourists and active adults. Thanks to Doris Duke and the Newport Restoration Foundation, which she created, you can tour many of these mansions.
Beyond the mansions, everywhere in town are picturesque old homes that have either been restored or are waiting for an owner with vision and deep pockets. Salve Regina University’s campus in Newport incorporates many former mansions of American’s wealthiest families. The town is walkable and features many parks and squares.
Newport hosts several popular festivals each year, including the Newport Folk Festival, the Newport Jazz Festival, and the Newport Film Festival. Among the many popular tourist destinations, the City’s museums and the largest number of colonial homes in the nation make Newport a fine tourist and educational destination. The Redwood Library and Athenaeum is the nation’s oldest lending library. Newport also features a tremendous selection of excellent restaurants offering many different cuisines.
In terms of downsides, there are a few: Traffic during high tourist season can be intense. (You have to want to live in a tourist town!) Additionally, Newport is not inexpensive.
NEWARK, DE
Newark is a city in New Castle County, Delaware. It sits about 12 miles west of Wilmington. Founded by Scots-Irish and Welsh settlers in 1694, Newark was officially established through a charter from England’s George II in 1758. During the American Revolutionary War, British and American forces clashed outside Newark at the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge. Tradition holds that the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge was the first instance of the Stars and Stripes being flown in battle.
Today, Newark is known for being the home of the University of Delaware. Newark also sports a happening downtown area, full of shops and restaurants, and city events that occur throughout the year.
NEW ROCHELLE, NY
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, in the southeastern portion of the state. Refugee Huguenots (French Protestants) founded the European settlement in 1688. The Huguenots were fleeing religious persecution in France after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. Many of the French settlers were craftsmen from the city of La Rochelle in France, which influenced the city’s name.
Today, New Rochelle is a rapidly growing city. Two decades ago, a multi-million dollar entertainment complex was established in New Rochelle and dubbed “New Roc City.” This entertainment center features a 19-screen movie theater, IMAX theater, indoor ice-hockey arena, mini-golf, go-karts, arcade, hotel, restaurants, loft apartments, and a mega supermarket.
