Ocean Drive Historic District: A Self Guided Tour of Newport

Experience the awe-inspiring views and cool breezes that have attracted visitors to Newport for centuries. On this driving tour, you’ll hear about the colonialists who first settled along the harbor in 1639, and the stunning summer cottages wealthy industrialists built in the 1800s. You’ll see architectural gems like Rosecliff, where scenes from The Great Gatsby and 27 Dresses were filmed, Newport’s largest house, The Breakers, and Rough Point, which was owned by the heiress to the American Tobacco fortune, Doris Duke.

While cruising through the Ocean Drive Historic District, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for the history of the area as I let you in on the importance of many of the sea-fronted mansions you pass. You’ll also have the opportunity to:

• See a 19th-century coastal fortification at Fort Adams State Park
• Drive past President Eisenhower’s former summer residence, Eisenhower House
• Whiz by the Monument to Portuguese Discovery in Brenton Point State Park
• Take in the impressive architecture of The Elms, Marble House, Ochre Court, and the Belcourt of Newport
• Drive along some of Rhode Island’s most scenic roads
• Learn about Newport’s colonial and Gilded Age history
• Find out about the Cliff Walk

Depending on traffic, you’ll be able to complete this tour in an hour, provided you don’t make any stops along the way. However, you have the flexibility to take as long as you’d like, stopping whenever you’re inspired, for photos, breaks, or some additional historical tours.