Dog-Friendly Newport
Alice on the Cliff Walk in Newport, RI
Oh, 2020…
What an unfortunate year to start writing a travel blog. Alice and I were supposed to go to Switzerland in April, and we had a grand, five-week European trip planned for this summer. Obviously, none of that happened! Following two months of sheltering-in-place in New York City, we got to spend a few weeks in Colorado with family, which was so important for my mind and soul after being completely overwhelmed by remote learning. Summer in New York has definitely been different than usual, but being able to enjoy the occasional meal or glass of wine outside has been such a nice reprieve after the spring. The lack of tourists in Central Park has been a nice perk too!
Still, I needed to get out of the city for a while. International travel was, of course, out of the question, and I didn’t want to fly again now that the number of passengers seems to have picked up quite a bit since I flew to Denver in May. So, Alice and I embarked on a week-long New England road trip! After a quick stop in Connecticut to hang out with our besties, Meaghan & Auggie, we continued on to Newport, Rhode Island!
Dog-Friendly Vibe of Newport
Newport has a very dog-friendly feel about it. So many shops and restaurants had bowls of water set out front, and some had treats too (which Alice learned too quickly and tried to take advantage of). The few shops we went into happily welcomed Alice and had treats for her behind the counter. We also saw a couple of ice cream/coffee shops with signs in the window saying dogs were allowed to come inside. Although dogs aren’t allowed on the nicer, public beaches during summer days, we found other beaches to hang out at - so there are plenty of opportunities for your doggo to get in the water if that’s what she/he loves!
There was a lot of outdoor seating in Newport - not sure if there was more than usual due to COVID - and we did find plenty of places to eat that welcomed Alice. However, the first restaurant we tried to go to (22 Bowen’s Wine Bar) said they did not allow dogs anywhere, even the many outdoor tables they had set up. But we found other options very easily.
Alice got so much attention everywhere we went! People were constantly talking to her, asking to pet her, or exclaiming to their friends how cute she was. This happens pretty much anywhere we go, but for some reason it was at a heightened level in Newport! We didn’t see too many other dogs around though, which was surprising based on the number of water bowls we encountered.
Where We Stayed
I absolutely loved the Melville House Inn! The building was built c. 1750, and it was all-around adorable! The inn is located right in the middle of town, so we were within walking distance to dozens of restaurants, bars, and activities. The price was very affordable for the location (I think I ended up paying around $140/night), there was free parking on-site, and breakfast was available if you ordered it the night before. The staff was very friendly too, and said to make sure to call for a reservation if you are traveling with a dog because only some of their rooms are pet-friendly.
What We Did
The Cliff Walk - This is a gorgeous 3.5-mile trail along the water, starting at Easton Beach. Walking south, you have gorgeous, elevated views of the water to your left and views of some of Newport’s most stunning mansions on your right. Much of the trail is paved and flat, but some stretches do involve climbing along the rocks near the water. It certainly wasn’t a strenuous walk, but dogs (or humans) who aren’t used to hiking up and down big rocks might struggle a bit. Alice lives for these sorts of trails, so she was the happiest climbing, jumping pup!
My plan was to walk the whole trail and come back up Bellevue Avenue (where many of the gigantic mansions are) for just a few blocks, then call a Lyft to take us home. Well, there were no Lyft drivers anywhere in Newport. No luck with Uber, either. So we had to walk all the way back to the Melville House. We ended up walking over eight miles, and Alice was very worn out.
Goat Island - This tiny strip of an island is an easy walk across a bridge from the Newport marina. There is an adorable lighthouse with great views of sunset over the water. We also had dinner here at the Goat Island Marina Grill (more info below).
Kings Beach - In the southwest area of Newport, you’ll find this little beach that allows dogs. There is a pebbly beach as well as large rock formations that Alice loved bouncing around on, with beautiful homes in the distance to the east. While we were there, we saw several kayakers getting ready to set out on the water, as well as two painters on the rocks. We had to drive, as this was not within walking distance of town.
Ann Street Pier Dog Beach - The nicer beaches in Newport don’t allow dogs in the summer (as far as we could tell), but there is a tiny dog beach in the midst of the marina. It’s next to Ann Street Pier, right behind the City of Newport Maritime Center. This is right off of South Thames, which has plenty of shops and restaurants that are dog-friendly.
Bellevue Avenue - Most of the big, impressive mansions with massive lawns are along this street. It’s a really nice walk just outside of the main part of town.
Walk Around Town - There are adorable homes, inns, and other buildings all over Newport that were built in the 18th century! There are also plenty of galleries and antique dealers. We loved simply walking through town and looking at all of these things!
Where We Ate & Drank
The Wharf Pub - Southern Food & Whiskey Bar - The warm pimento cheese & crab dip was delicious, as was the lobster mac & cheese. They only have a few outdoor tables, so prepare to wait - but they took my phone number and texted when my table was ready, so I was able to walk around and see other things while waiting.
Belle’s Café - Breakfast & Lunch in the Shipyard - Delicious breakfast in a very cool setting. Try to make a reservation!
The Landing - Marina Bar - I loved this bar for its laid-back vibe and friendly staff, plus the marina view! I had oysters and shrimp cocktail with rosé.
Stoneacre Brasserie - Dining next to Eisenhower Park - They had lots of outdoor seating and a good selection of food and drinks. The beet & goat cheese salad was delightful!
Goat Island Marina Grill - This place is super dog-friendly, and they allowed dogs in all areas, including under a big tent with hardwood floors. It’s in the middle of the marina, surrounded by yachts. The food was fine, but nothing special.
Corner Café - European-Inspired Breakfast - One owner is Portuguese, one owner is Irish, so the menu has a lot of influences from those cultures! The portion was HUGE, so be prepared to take half of the meal to-go.
