Newport Scenic Drive & Touro Synagogue
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Port
Newport, Rhode Island, US
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Activity Level
Easy
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Excursion Type
Local Sightseeing,All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$119.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 2¾ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Since its founding in 1639, Newport has welcomed those seeking religious freedom. Quakers settled here in the early 17th century; Jews fleeing the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal arrived in 1658. Absorb Newport's social history on a scenic drive that includes views of the mansions representing the Gilded Age.
A panoramic drive takes you past Trinity Church -- a National Historic Landmark built in 1726. George Washington attended services here in 1781. Pass Saint Mary's Church (1852), listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 with the distinction of being the site where Jacqueline Bouvier wed John F. Kennedy.
Travel along Ocean Drive accompanied by magnificent coastal scenery. Bellevue Avenue is home to the palatial mansions the ultra-wealthy called their summer cottages. Watch for The Elms, completed in 1901 at the cost of approximately $1.4 million. Your guide also points out Marble House -- a National Historic Landmark completed in 1892 for the Vanderbilts. See the architectural beauty of Rosecliff mansion (1902), the setting for The Great Gatsby, True Lies and Amistad and modeled after the Grand Trianon at Versailles.
You'll visit the John L. Loeb, Jr. Visitor Center at the Touro Synagogue -- the oldest active Synagogue in the United States. A 25-minute presentation here explains the importance of Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech. You're free to explore the Loeb Center on your own afterward.
Notes:
Tour does not operate on Saturdays or High Holy Days. Wear comfortable walking shoes. Guests using a wheelchair, please see the Shore Excursions team on board the ship to arrange ramp accessibility.