Newport & Boston
What an incredible Holiday trip to New England!
It’s always been a dream of ours to see the Newport Mansions…and while we were at it, we decided to spend some time in Boston!
Let’s take a dive into our itinerary and we hope it provides some inspiration for your future Newport or Boston trip :)
Wait…Isn’t it…Winter?!
We know what you’re thinking…why the hell would you go somewhere cold for your winter vacation? Well, have you seen the prices of the airfare lately? Spending $8k for 2 coach round trip tickets to a warm destination gives us more chills than going north in January! AND, Nathan has been stalking the Newport Mansions Instagram page for years - they go ALL OUT with their Christmas decor and what a great excuse to snuggle up by a fire in a gorgeous historic hotel ringing in the New Year!
Also..after speaking to some Newport locals, summer in Newport is complete insanity with all the seasonal tourists. SO, Northeast we went and we had an amazing time.
Newport, RI
The Famous Cliff Walk
The Cliff Walk is a 3.5 mile National Park Recreation Trail that runs along the eastern coast of Newport County. If you know us well, you know this is TOTALLY Nathan’s “jam” and not Philip's…but P is always a good sport and of course joined along with this fun. As you walk along the seaside trail, not only do you experience the gorgeous Atlantic coastline, but also a unique perspective of the historic mansions. The famous “40 Steps” is less than a mile south from the start of the path and takes you down to the crashing waves - this is an absolutely perfect spot to catch the sunrise. Fun Fact - this was a popular recreation spot for the servants who worked at the Newport mansions during the Gilded Age!
The Mansions
Over. The. Top. would be the best way to describe these “summer” homes of the rich and famous from New York and Philadelphia. You heard me right…SUMMER homes - many of these owners only spent 6 weeks out of the year living in the homes. But as you can imagine, their short stints in Newport were filled with parties, balls, and festivities - events whose invitations were envied by those not lucky or wealthy enough to get an invitation.
The history that surrounds these homes and the families that owned them (the Vanderbilts and Astors to name a couple) is just absolutely incredible. This is another reason why this destination was the perfect getaway for the Etters!
Accommodations - The Cliffside Inn & The Chanler
Clearly our intrigue with the Cliff Walk and the Mansions totally influenced our hotel selections. The first two nights we stayed at The Cliffside Inn and the last night we treated ourselves to The Chanler!
This charming Inn, just steps from the Cliff Walk, is a small boutique hotel that lives in a lovingly restored Victorian Home. The eclectically decorated suites are all adorable and many have working fireplaces that make each suite so cozy - especially when it’s chilly outside! The staff is oh so lovely and provides the most amazing wine hour (with homemade hors d’oeuvres) and a continental breakfast daily. The “shared” spaces in the home are just as quaint as the sleeping suites and offer fireplaces and are beautifully appointed with period as well as modern decor. One of our favorite things about the Cliffside was the free snacks offered in the foyer of the Inn - there are glass jars of multiple types of trail-mix, nuts, and WAIT FOR IT…peanut M&Ms!! YES - unlimited amounts of complimentary M&Ms!! (Many of you may not know - but Philip is obsessed with Peanut M&Ms! Ha!) This hotel is definitely worth a visit and the staff will do everything in their power to make your stay amazing (thanks, Karen! We adore you and your cheesy rolls/biscuits! XOXO)
How do we even start to describe this little piece of heaven on earth - oh wait, maybe that describes it PERFECTLY!? Built in a circa 1873 “Summer Cottage” by a New York Congressman John Chanler and his wife Margaret Astor Ward (the Great Granddaughter of the famously rich New York Astors), this property rests at the beginning of the Cliff Walk. This gorgeously restored hotel only has 20 rooms/suites and is breathtaking inside and out. When we arrived, we were greeted with glasses of Champagne and smiles from the most beautiful staff we’ve ever met! We fell so hard for this property that we regretted having to leave the premises to go sight-seeing one last day - and we canceled dinner that night in town because we wanted to experience the amazing cuisine from the award-winning chef at the hotel. This privately owned hotel is definitely a “splurge” but worth EVERY penny! Highly, highly recommended, friends!
Newport Dining
Annie’s
Recommended by our friends at The Cliffside Inn, this adorable small “diner-esque” breakfast/lunch spot serves amazing breakfast favorites and is walking distance to most Inns and Hotels in Newport. We fell in love with our server, Lori, who has worked at Annie’s for years and has just the right amount of sassy and spunk - you know Philip loves a good “talkin’ too” when he doesn’t follow orders! If you love a good breakfast joint - this is your place. There’s usually a wait after 9am but the line moves fast - mainly because Lori keeps folks moving!
Castle Hill Inn
Another gem located directly on the water on the far end of the island is an Inn and Restaurant called Castle Hill Inn. The minute you arrive you’ll think you’ve seen this beauty in an episode of The Gilded Age or another period piece where the rich and famous from New York are spending the season in Newport! We ate dinner here on our first night in Newport and it was exquisite (in fact we also ate lunch here the next day because we wanted to see what the property looked like in the daylight!) They had a 5 course prix fixe menu when we dined and every course was absolutely unbelievable. They even called us a couple of days before we arrived and asked if we had any food allergies - and Philip quickly let them know about his sodium restriction. When we arrived for dinner they already knew of the request and were prepared to consult on items the Chef could prepare that would meet our requirements - BRAVO, Castle Hill Inn! The interior of the restored Inn (what used to be a mansion) is so gorgeous that Nathan was immediately wondering if we should have also booked a night at the Inn just to experience the beauty of this property. Although we have not experienced the sleeping rooms of this property, their website has some beautiful pictures and we’re certain this would be another lovely option for a few nights respite!
Any visit to Newport MUST include a meal at the oldest Tavern still in existence in the US - established in 1673 and the annual gathering place of the Members of the Colonial Legislature! Not only was this 5 star restaurant and tavern beautifully appointed with early-American-style furniture and antiques, but the original wide plank floors, beamed ceilings, and (HUGE) fireplace (which they keep stoked all night with fresh firewood) make the ambience absolutely worth the visit. Their signature dish, Beef Wellington, did NOT disappoint! We might have had some fun with a picture we loved on the wall - could Philip make the same pensive expression without cracking up? LOL! This is a must visit and reservations are HIGHLY recommended!
Boston, MA
The Newbury Hotel
Funny story here - one of the sweet peeps we met at The Chanler was Kristina, the front desk Manager. She is an ABSOLUTE doll and ironically had just left The Newbury in July to join the amazing staff at The Chanler - what a small world! She asked us where we were staying in Boston and when we told her The Newbury! She immediately started texting and calling her former coworkers and getting us all “hooked up” at The Newbury and fun spots in Boston! As we always say - good peeps attract good peeps!! (We heart you, Kristina!)
The Newbury has some fun history - the building was formerly the 1st Ritz Carlton in the United States. The location at 1 Newbury St could not be more convenient to ALL-THE-THINGS in Boston - The Public Gardens, Boston Commons, Commonwealth Ave, South Bay, The North End, and the Financial District! Literally across the street from the Public Gardens, this beautiful “Home-away-from-Home” is an amazing property - with updated, modern rooms/suites and “green-centric” amenities throughout. No visit to this beauty would be complete without at least a night-cap at the cozy, quaint Street Bar on the first level of the hotel. Of course we made besties with our favorite server, Maddie - who we almost snuck in our suitcase to bring home to Plum Grove! (We adore you Mads!)
Sight-Seeing
Boston Public Garden
Beautiful even in winter - we hear that it is breathtaking in Spring/Summer. Boston is a VERY walkable city and every road leads back to this Garden - definitely a must see! Don’t freak out - squirrels are NOT afraid of people in this garden - they will come right up to you and eat out of your hand if you encourage it - needless to say we DID NOT participate in these shenanigans! Hahaha!
Make Way For Ducklings!
Inside The Public Gardens, this cute sculpture by Nancy Schön recreates the duck family in Robert McCloskey's children's classic, Make Way for Ducklings. The original set of bronze statues was installed in Boston Public Garden in 1987, and a copy was installed in Moscow at Novodevichy Park in 1991.
Boston Public Library / Trinity Church / Old South Church
Absolutely Breathtaking! This gorgeous Library holds so much history and was described upon its 1895 opening as the "palace for the people" - a must see if visiting Boston. Hey…it even makes Philip want to read - LOL! There’s also a High Tea (which you must make reservations for in advance!) at the Library that looks amazing - next time for sure ;)
Back Bay / Commonwealth Avenue
One of our favorite parts of the city is “Comm Ave” (as the locals refer to it), because of the gorgeous row mansions and esplanade down the center of the street. During the holidays the city places hundreds of thousands of lights in the trees that line the esplanade and it is truly magical! Grab a cup of your favorite coffee or hot chocolate (from L.A. Burdick) and stroll down Comm Ave and enjoy the sites!
Boston Common
This is THE OLDEST city park in the United States…crazy, right? Fun Fact: established in 1634 as a town commons, this park is often referred to as "Boston Commons" but the modern park's name forgoes the s. Some highlights of the Common include: the Frog Pond (which you can go skating on during the winter - no we did not attempt this…), the Parkman Bandstand, and the Brewer Fountain. The park has an insane history (including hangings for witchcraft!) and can be seen used today for public protests. Be sure to take a stroll but be prepared to get slightly high - there will most likely be an overwhelming smell of pot - ha!
One of the oldest and largest used bookshops in America, Brattle is not too far off of Boston Common and is definitely worth a stop. Carts of books flood the outside of this 3-story-building - very cool to experience! Brattle is known for their unique and rare collectibles - this is a must-see for all book lovers out there :)
Beacon Hill / Louisburg Square
Wander over to Beacon Hill for some cobblestone streets and exquisite old homes/buildings. Travel up Mt Vernon street east and you’ll find Louisburg Square - a quaint park surrounded by some of the most gorgeous homes we saw on the trip! The streets were brick and cobblestone and absolutely dripping with history - So. Freakin. Cool!
Omni Parker House & The Kennedys
If you’re interested in Parker House rolls and (supposedly) the birthplace of the Boston Cream Pie, stop by the Parker House Hotel! If those 2 things aren’t enough to make this worthwhile - stop in the restaurant and ask to see “Table 40” where JFK proposed to Jackie Bouvier in 1953! We’re sure Boston Cream Pie was on their dessert plates that night ;)
North End / Little Italy
Boston's Little Italy, better known to locals simply as the North End, is a perennially popular neighborhood to explore. You can see the original home of Paul Revere and the “Skinny House” - across the street from the circa 1659 historic Copps HiIl Burying Ground cemetery which overlooks the bay. There are so many mom and pop Italian restaurants here it will make your head spin! …we did stop into a cute place to get out of the rain and have some adult beverages on New Years Eve day and met some amazing locals who were so sweet and friendly. We will definitely keep the North End on our list of must-visits in Boston.
Newbury Street Shopping
Tiffany’s, Cartier, and Zegna OH MY! You can literally wander for miles and shop one-of-a-kind boutiques or major high-end brands. Be sure to check out the Restoration Hardware on Newbury which is a renovated 1863 structure - originally the Museum of Natural History - Gorgeous! We did not get sucked in (too bad!) but could have easily gotten distracted had we not just had an amazing Christmas!
Boston Dining
Recommended by the sweet Concierge, Macy, at The Newbury, this little spot for breakfast is super small so there is usually always a wait. The food was great but the pancakes with the Nutella syrup were pretty EPIC - highly recommended, friends!
Street Bar at The Newbury
The bar and casual dining experience at The Newbury is off the lobby on the street level - thus the name…LOL. This cozy and warm spot feels very “Ralph Lauren-esque” with its green velvet banquettes and dark wood walls. The food was exceptional and the wine EVEN better - we might have had several night-caps in this place with our favorite server, Maddy! Great spot for a burger or lobstah roll - you can’t go wrong!
Faccia a Faccia
Despite having a slight issue with a too salty steak, we had a splendid dinner at this trending dining spot in the Back Bay area of Boston. The waitstaff was very attentive and the atmosphere was charming. Nathan is obsessed with the sign arching over the doorway - the turquoise door is everything.
Contessa
One of the hardest spots to get into for dinner in Boston, this Italian spot located on the 17th floor of our hotel - The Newbury - is both visually stunning and delicious! Our friends at the Concierge stand got us in for a pre-dinner drink one night and then we had brunch there New Years Day! The Brunch menu was incredible (we had the pizza with fried eggs) and the waiters were all HOTTIES (just sayin’) They were all so attractive it almost distracted us from the incredible view of the city below - haha!
This quintessential upscale steak house in the heart of Back Bay is flawlesslly decorated with white tablecloths, modern art of the Boston landscapes, and original turn-of-the-century sculpted ceilings and massive Corinthian columns. Steaks and seafood were both incredible paired with delicious cocktails. We loved our experience so much that we went to the upstairs bar for some after-dinner drinks - Scandal!
Highly recommended for High Tea - treat yourself to this decadent mid-afternoon experience while enjoying an incredible view of the Boston Harbor - this is probably the reason why Queen Elizabeth II lived to be 95 years old…Right?!
Anchovies Food & Spirits
Cutest little Italian “hole-in-the-wall” spot for authentic Italian cuisine and a hoppin’ bar! We stopped in here for NYE for a quick drink and had a blast - such a fun crowd!
Paris does NOT have the only cute Bistros in the world - Sonsie is giving them some strong competition! This is a definite brunch spot while perusing the Back Bay neighborhood of Boston - and the breakfast pizzas are TO DIE FOR!
If you’re looking for a getaway filled with enchanting hotels, historical sightseeing, amazing food (specifically fresh seafood) and drinks - you MUST put Newport and Boston on your bucket list! Even if you’ve been to these beautiful cities in the past…discover New England again - it NEVER dissappoints!
XoXo, P+N