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Ocean Drive, Newport, RI

Photo: Thomsonsr at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureDate NightFree

Ocean Drive

Ocean Ave, from Bellevue Ave west to Brenton Point and Fort Adams · Newport, RI

Why you should go…

Ocean Drive is a winding road that follows about 10 miles of Newport's southern shoreline, lined with houses on large lots overlooking the beaches and ocean. Frederick Law Olmsted completed its design in 1867, and the district is a National Historic Landmark. Along the way you pass Hammersmith Farm, where Jackie Kennedy grew up, Fort Adams, Brenton Point State Park and Gooseberry Beach. The road is free and open to the public.

  • #scenic drive
  • #ocean views
  • #historic district
  • #coastal road

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Ocean Drive, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Adams State Park

    Free

    Tour a 19th-century harbor fort, swim at a small bay beach and take in views of Newport Harbor.

    1.5 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Marble House

    $25–$50

    Tour the Vanderbilts' 50-room marble summer house and its Chinese Tea House above the Atlantic.

    1.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Rosecliff

    $25–$50

    Walk through a Gilded Age mansion with Newport's largest ballroom and a heart-shaped grand staircase.

    1.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Iconic

    Cliff Walk

    Free

    Walk a 3.5-mile shoreline path with the Atlantic on one side and Newport's Gilded Age mansions on the other.

    1.9 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Mohegan Bluffs

    Free

    Look out from 150-foot clay cliffs on Block Island's south shore and take the steep stairs down.

    24 mi awayMore like this

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Family Favorite

    Misquamicut State Beach

    Under $25

    Swim and sunbathe on a lifeguarded Atlantic barrier beach with a pavilion, showers and snack stand.

    26 mi awayMore like this