{"id":39724,"date":"2025-11-29T13:11:26","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T13:11:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/ive-lived-in-new-england-my-whole-life-theres-one-coastal-city-i-swear-by-visiting-for-a-cozy-winter-weekend\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T13:11:26","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T13:11:26","slug":"ive-lived-in-new-england-my-whole-life-theres-one-coastal-city-i-swear-by-visiting-for-a-cozy-winter-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/usa\/ive-lived-in-new-england-my-whole-life-theres-one-coastal-city-i-swear-by-visiting-for-a-cozy-winter-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"I&#8217;ve lived in New England my whole life. There&#8217;s one coastal city I swear by visiting for a cozy winter weekend."},"content":{"rendered":"<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/6914d98babd5e944effa995e?format=jpeg\" alt=\"A street near Bowen&#039;s Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island.\"\/><figcaption>Newport is my favorite place to visit during the winter.<\/p>\n<p>danf0505\/Shutterstock<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li>Newport, Rhode Island, is a popular summer destination, but it&#039;s even better during the winter.<\/li>\n<li>It&#039;s less crowded in the colder months, and the historic mansions are decked out for the holidays.<\/li>\n<li>I recommend taking a nighttime stroll near Bowen&#039;s Wharf and visiting a seasonal hot chocolate bar.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When the narrow cobblestone streets begin to empty, the usually omnipresent sailboats are tucked away in storage, and the Del&#039;s Lemonade trucks are closed for the season, it&#039;s clear that winter has arrived in Newport, Rhode Island.<\/p>\n<p>I&#039;m a Rhode Island local who spends time in this coastal city year-round. Tourists usually flock to Newport during summer, and I get it: The city&#039;s Gilded Age buildings, sweeping coastal views, and quaint local businesses make it a great beachy getaway.<\/p>\n<p>That said, I believe there&#039;s something enchanting about The City by the Sea in the winter, when the mansions are decked out in holiday decor and the crowds have thinned.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Newport fully embraces the magic of the holiday season<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/691226bc46c4547ecb057c58?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Boats in the harbor with Christmas lights near Bowen&#039;s Wharf in Newport, Rhode Island.\"\/><figcaption>caption tk<\/p>\n<p>Onne van der Wal\/Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One day, pumpkins and gourds line doorsteps, but seemingly as soon as October ends, white lights glisten on trees and Christmas ornaments sparkle along Bowen&#039;s Wharf.<\/p>\n<p>Early in December, there&#039;s an annual tree lighting at the wharf, complete with carolers, hot chocolate, and warm cinnamon-sugar doughnuts.<\/p>\n<p>There&#039;s a lot to explore around Bowen&#039;s Wharf, too. The Kiel James Patrick flagship store always decks the halls and becomes a picture-perfect backdrop for Christmas photos.<\/p>\n<p>Nearby is Thames Street, where I love peeking in shop windows to find the best nautical gifts for the holidays.<\/p>\n<p>A must-stop is the store A Christmas to Remember, where you can buy a hand-personalized ornament that looks like just about any object under the sun, from a macaron to a seashell.<\/p>\n<p>For those interested in spending a snowy weekend on the coast, I&#039;d recommend the Almondy Inn, a Victorian bed and breakfast with gorgeous harbor views, just steps away from downtown.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Drive along Bellevue Avenue to see some cheerful, historic glamour<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/691226f862a04500b3161559?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island.\"\/><figcaption>caption tk<\/p>\n<p>Morgan Rizzo<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Bellevue Avenue is nothing short of timeless in its beauty, lined with Gilded Age homes. Starting with Salve Regina University&#039;s Ochre Court, you can admire rows of beech trees glowing with twinkling lights, and see the historic, ch\u00e2teauesque mansion adorned with wreaths.<\/p>\n<p>Down the street, The Breakers \u2014 one of Newport&#039;s famous Gilded Age mansions, and a former Vanderbilt residence \u2014 hosts its annual holiday light display, illuminating the lawn in festive shades of red and green.<\/p>\n<p>Inside, every room dazzles with holiday charm. You&#039;ll find a 15-foot poinsettia tree in the Great Hall, and gorgeous, decorated trees throughout the building.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Winter is the peak time to visit Newport&#039;s best restaurants<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Without the summer crowds, Newport&#039;s best-known spots are even better.<\/p>\n<p>I love seeing the long summer lines at the Nitro Bar, but I prefer being able to walk right in during the winter for pesto, tomato, and mozzarella toast with an iced chai.<\/p>\n<p>For a romantic winter date night, the Clarke Cooke House is perfect for an espresso martini by the fireplace. The Black Pearl also makes an unforgettable cup of warm clam chowder.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there&#039;s nothing better than sharing chicken nachos at Diego&#039;s with friends while sipping on white peach sangria.<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.insider.com\/691227b546c4547ecb057c7c?format=jpeg\" alt=\"Pasta at a local restaurant in Newport, Rhode Island.\"\/><figcaption>caption<\/p>\n<p>Morgan Rizzo<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Although this spot is one I&#039;d like to gatekeep, Mamma Luisa Ristorante Italiano feels like stepping back into my grandmother&#039;s Italian home. White tablecloths drape the tables, photos and art line the walls, and the hospitality is impeccable.<\/p>\n<p>I&#039;d also be remiss if I didn&#039;t mention the hot-chocolate bar at The Chanler at Cliff Walk, a historic hotel built in the 19th century. Open seasonally through the end of December, there&#039;s no better place to grab a cozy cup of cocoa.<\/p>\n<p>With Gilded Age charm, delicious food, and sparkly, holiday vibes, what would be a dark, cold day anywhere else is typically a festive one in Newport.<\/p>\n<p>Read the original article on Business Insider<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Newport is my favorite place to visit during the winter. danf0505\/Shutterstock Newport, Rhode Island, is a popular summer destination, but it&#039;s even better during the winter. It&#039;s less crowded in the colder months, and the historic mansions are decked out for the holidays. I recommend taking a nighttime stroll near Bowen&#039;s Wharf and visiting a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39725,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-39724","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-usa"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39724","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39724"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39724\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39724"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39724"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/agooka.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39724"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}