Self-Guided Walking Audio Tour of Cliff Walk Newport

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

• 1
  Cliff Walk

  Newport Cliff Walk is a scenic coastal path stretching between the Atlantic Ocean and some of the city’s grandest Gilded Age mansions. Along the route, visitors can enjoy rugged cliffs, crashing waves, historic estates, hidden coves, and panoramic ocean views while experiencing the dramatic contrast between Newport’s natural coastline and extravagant architecture.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 2

  This scenic boulevard leads toward Easton’s Beach and the northern entrance of Newport’s famous Cliff Walk. It offers attractive coastal views while connecting downtown Newport with the city’s shoreline and historic mansion district.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 3

  This elegant historic mansion now operates as a luxury hotel overlooking Easton’s Bay. Its landscaped grounds, grand architecture, and location at the beginning of the Cliff Walk reflect Newport’s tradition of lavish seaside estates.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 4
  Easton's Beach (first Beach)

  Also known as First Beach, this broad stretch of sand faces the Atlantic Ocean at the beginning of the Cliff Walk. It is Newport’s largest public beach and a popular place for coastal views, swimming, and relaxing beside the water.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 5
  Forty Steps

  These stone steps descend from the Cliff Walk toward the rocky shoreline below. Once associated with gatherings of workers from nearby Gilded Age estates, the spot now provides dramatic views of waves crashing against Newport’s rugged coast.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 6

  This quiet residential street passes through Salve Regina University’s historic oceanside campus. It provides access to several former Gilded Age estates and leads toward the mansions and coastal scenery along the Cliff Walk.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 7

  Webster Street serves as one of the access points to the Cliff Walk. The surrounding area offers a mix of residential architecture, university buildings, historic estates, and views toward Newport’s rocky shoreline.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 8
  Ochre Court

  Built as an elaborate Gilded Age mansion, Ochre Court resembles a grand French château overlooking the Atlantic coast. It now serves as Salve Regina University’s main administrative building and remains one of the most impressive structures on its campus.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 9

  Now known as McAuley Hall, Vinland is a red-sandstone Gilded Age mansion overlooking the Cliff Walk. Its distinctive architecture, spacious interior, and oceanfront terrace make it one of the most striking buildings on the Salve Regina campus.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• The Breakers (Pass by)

  The Breakers is the grandest of Newport’s famous summer “cottages” and a powerful symbol of Vanderbilt wealth during the Gilded Age. Its Italian Renaissance-inspired architecture, immense Great Hall, elaborate rooms, and oceanfront setting reveal the extraordinary scale of elite Newport society.

  Admission ticket free
• Rosecliff (Pass by)

  Inspired by the elegance of Versailles, Rosecliff is known for its graceful white exterior, heart-shaped staircase, and magnificent ballroom. The mansion hosted extravagant Gilded Age gatherings and later appeared as a setting in several major films.

  Admission ticket free
• 10

  Beechwood was the Newport home of the Astor family and one of the most important centers of Gilded Age society. Mrs. Astor hosted celebrated dinners and summer balls here, helping determine who belonged among America’s most fashionable families.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• Marble House (Pass by)

  Built for William and Alva Vanderbilt, Marble House helped transform Newport from a quiet summer resort into a showcase of extraordinary wealth. Its temple-like façade, lavish interiors, and extensive use of marble make it one of the city’s most impressive Gilded Age landmarks.

  Admission ticket free
• (Pass by)

  Standing above the Cliff Walk on the grounds of Marble House, this colorful pavilion was created for Alva Vanderbilt Belmont. It hosted social gatherings and meetings supporting women’s voting rights and now offers beautiful views over the Atlantic Ocean.

  Admission ticket free
• Rough Point Museum (Pass by)

  Rough Point was the oceanfront Newport home of heiress, art collector, and preservationist Doris Duke. Visitors can explore its historic rooms, art collections, landscaped grounds, and dramatic views of the rugged Atlantic coastline.

  Admission ticket free
• 11

  This historic oceanfront estate is closely associated with novelist Edith Wharton, who lived here during the late 19th century. Her experiences among Newport’s wealthy families influenced her observations of high society and helped shape themes found throughout her writing.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 12

  Built as the personal residence of architect John Russell Pope, The Waves occupies a dramatic position near the southern end of the Cliff Walk. Its architecture was designed to blend with the rocky coastline, creating the appearance of a grand estate emerging naturally from the landscape.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 13
  Bailey’s Beach

  Officially known as the Spouting Rock Beach Association, Bailey’s Beach is a private coastal club with deep connections to Newport’s traditional summer society. Its seaside setting has long been associated with the wealthy families who occupied the nearby mansions.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 14
  Salve Regina University

  Salve Regina University occupies a remarkable oceanside campus containing several preserved Gilded Age mansions. Historic buildings such as Ochre Court and Vinland stand alongside academic facilities, gardens, and scenic views of the Cliff Walk.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free
• 15

  Seaview Avenue runs through a quieter residential section near the Cliff Walk and Salve Regina University. The street provides access to Newport’s historic coastal neighborhood, where grand estates stand close to the rocky Atlantic shoreline.

  5 minutes • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
• How to Access: After booking you’ll receive an email and text with instructions (search “Download Audio Tour”). Click the link in the email/text to sign in with your preferred Apple or Google account and redeem your voucher code ahead of time.
• Download The GuideAlong App: Download the free app over WiFi or cellular data and sign in with the same Apple or Google account.
• Download The Tour: Download the tour in the GuideAlong app under 'My Tours' over WiFi or cellular data.
• Start The Tour: Open the tour in the GuideAlong app to preview the start locations, tour route and trip planner, or start the tour.
• Location-Based Stories: Audio commentary plays automatically as you drive using your phone’s GPS chip. Wherever you are and whichever direction you’re going, you’ll hear the best stories and tips.

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