Rhode Island

Rhode Island Travel Guide: Newport & Block Island

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the country, but hosts a mighty 400 miles of coastline. The sweet smell of the ocean is present no matter where you venture. It’s in this unassuming place that you’ll find two of New England's most distinctive escapes.

Newport built its reputation as America's First Resort, where Gilded Age families constructed mansions they called cottages and the harbor became the sailing capital of the nation. Thirteen miles offshore, Block Island rises from the Atlantic, a green silhouette on the horizon where the ferry horn echoes across the water and the mainland fades behind you. Lark has four properties between these two worlds.

A set of stairs leading down to the beach

Sunset over Newport, Rhode Island bridge

Quick Facts

1

Getting There

T.F. Green (PVD): 40 min to Newport. Boston Logan (BOS): 75 min to Newport. Block Island: ferry from Point Judith (30–55 min) or small plane from Westerly.
2

Destinations

Newport (mansions, sailing, Cliff Walk) and Block Island (island escape, beaches, bluffs)
3

Best Time

June–October for beaches and Block Island access. Newport's mansions are open year-round, with holiday events November–January.
4

Lark Properties

4 properties: Gilded (17 rooms), The Attwater (17 rooms), and The Cliffside Inn (16 rooms) in Newport; Block Island Beach House (59 rooms) on Block Island

Things to Do in Rhode Island

Newport wears its history on the cliffs. In the late 1800s, America's wealthiest families built summer estates along the shoreline, each one grander than the last. Eleven historic properties are now open for tours, and the Cliff Walk traces the coast behind them. Three and a half miles of path with the ocean breeze on one side and a century of architectural ambition on the other. Beyond the mansions, Newport is a working harbor town where masts crowd the waterfront, and the restaurants along Thames Street fill with the smell of butter and brine from raw bars serving the day's catch.

Block Island offers the opposite. The ferry crossing takes you thirteen miles out, far enough that the mainland disappears and the island emerges slowly. Clay bluffs rise above empty beaches, Victorian hotels painted in sea-weathered pastels, and sand-dusted roads where bikes outnumber cars. There are no traffic lights, no chain stores. Forty percent of the island is protected conservation land, and the beaches feel wild in a way that's rare this close to civilization. By evening, the day-trippers have gone and the quiet settles in.

Both destinations work as standalone trips, but they also pair well. Newport offers year-round access and all the comforts of the mainland. Block Island is a summer escape best experienced overnight, when the island belongs to those who stayed. Lark has three properties in Newport and one on Block Island, so choose your pace, or stretch out your stay to experience both. That’s what we’d recommend.

When to Visit

Newport works year-round. Summer brings sailing season and outdoor dining, fall brings colorful foliage against the mansion grounds, and winter brings the estates decorated for the holidays with candles in every window. Book well in advance for the Newport Folk Festival in late July and Jazz Festival in early August when the whole town fills.

Block Island is a summer destination: ferries run most frequently from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the Block Island Beach House operates seasonally from June through mid-October. In Newport, The Attwater and Cliffside Inn stay open year-round.

Four Lark properties, two very different destinations. Newport's Gilded Age grandeur or Block Island's windswept solitude encourages you to come as you are.

Our Rhode Island Destinations

Block Island

The Block Island Beach House has 59 rooms near the ferry landing and its own restaurant, The Surf & Beach Bar. The beach is steps away. The rest of the island unfolds by bike or on foot.

Properties: Block Island Beach House

Visit Block Island Travel Guide

Newport

Three Lark properties anchor different corners of town: Gilded (17 rooms) and The Attwater (17 rooms) downtown, The Cliffside Inn (16 rooms) near the start of the Cliff Walk. All three put you within walking distance of the harbor, Thames Street restaurants, and the mansion district.

Properties: The Cliffside Inn, Gilded, The Attwater

Visit Newport Travel Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a car in Newport or on Block Island?
In Newport, you can park once and walk or bike to most attractions. A car helps for Ocean Drive and beaches outside downtown. On Block Island, most visitors get around by bike, moped, or on foot. Cars are expensive to ferry over and not recommended on the island.
How do I get to Block Island?
The Block Island Ferry departs from Point Judith, Rhode Island. The high-speed ferry takes 30 minutes; the traditional ferry takes 55 minutes. Small planes fly from Westerly, Rhode Island. There's no bridge to the island. Ferries run most frequently from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
How do I get to Newport?
T.F. Green Airport in Warwick is about 40 minutes from Newport by car. Boston Logan is about 75 minutes. New York City is approximately 3.5 hours. Newport is accessible year-round by car.
What is the best time to visit Newport and Block Island?
June through October for both destinations. September and early October combine warm days with smaller crowds. Newport works year-round, with mansion tours decorated for the holidays in winter. Block Island is best May through October when ferries run frequently and services are fully open.
What is the difference between Newport and Block Island?
Newport offers Gilded Age mansions, sailing heritage, restaurants, and nightlife, all accessible by car from the mainland. Block Island is a car-free island 13 miles offshore, with conservation lands, Victorian villages, and a slower pace. Newport can fill three or four days; Block Island rewards an overnight when the day-trippers leave.
What is there to do in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island offers two distinct coastal experiences. Newport has Gilded Age mansions open for tours, the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, America's sailing heritage, and a walkable downtown with restaurants and shops. Block Island, 13 miles offshore, has beaches, clay bluffs, Victorian hotels, and 40% conservation land with no traffic lights or chain stores. Both destinations face the Atlantic but feel entirely different.
What Lark Hotels properties are in Rhode Island?
Four properties total. In Newport: Gilded (17 rooms), The Attwater (17 rooms), and The Cliffside Inn (16 rooms), all within walking distance of downtown and the harbor. On Block Island: Block Island Beach House (59 rooms) with The Surf & Beach Bar on-site.

Rhode Island Travel Guide: Newport & Block Island

Quick Facts

Getting There

Destinations

Best Time