While there are many incredible places in Rhode Island you need to visit at least once, Newport should top your list. The legendary town has long been one of the most beloved American summer playgrounds because of its lavish Gilded Age mansions, sweeps of sandy beach, and charming historic harbor. While a stroll along Cliff Walk, a breathtaking trail with beaches and natural beauty, is often first on the itinerary, in-the-know visitors should keep driving west on Ocean Avenue to reach Brenton Point State Park. Occupying nearly 90 acres across this southwestern point of Aquidneck Island, where the Atlantic Ocean meets Narragansett Bay, Brenton Point State Park is a scenic expanse of natural beauty, rich history, and outdoor adventure.
The property was once the site of one of Newport’s grand Gilded Age mansions, The Reefs. Though the mansion itself was torn down, ruins of the estate remains, accessed by a hiking trail. The park’s impressive location directly on the sea also makes its large lawns an ideal kite flying destination, and for almost 40 years, the park has hosted the Newport Kite Festival every summer. Across Ocean Avenue, the park extends to the Portuguese Discovery Monument, which commemorates Portuguese maritime history, and a rocky coastline where you can fish.
Brenton Point State Park offers free parking and is open every day, with the park’s public bathrooms open from May through October. The nearest major airport to Newport is the Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport, which is about an hour’s drive away. Newport is also a two-hour drive from Boston and a four-hour drive from New York City. While the most popular time to visit Newport is the summertime, the fall and winter are quiet and much more affordable — plus in December, Newport’s extravagant mansions are home to spectacular Christmas displays.
What to see and do at Brenton Point State Park
Today, Brenton Point State Park draws visitors for its panoramic ocean vistas, historic sites, hiking trail, and annual Kite Festival. For the most impressive ocean views, visit the Portuguese Discovery Monument, a 14-stone homage to the golden age of Portuguese navigation in the 15th and 16th centuries. The monument can be explored on one’s own or on an hour-long guided tour, which showcases the history of Portuguese exploration and the design and development of the monument.
If you cross Ocean Avenue, the rocky plateaus are buffeted by the Atlantic Ocean, creating a prime perch for fishing and spotting marine life. “Great place for kite-flying and exploring the tidal pools,” said a Tripadvisor reviewer. “Be careful of the slippery rocks! We saw hermit crabs, snails, and other crabs as well as many kinds and colors of seaweed and algae.”
The sprawling state park offers wide-open grassy lawns with picnic tables that are ideal for group gatherings. For more active pursuits, head out on the mile-long hiking loop that will bring you to the former site of The Reefs, the grand Gilded Age villa that was built in 1885 but later demolished after it was destroyed in a fire in the 1960s. However, the ruins of the Reefs’ carriage house, stables, and stone observation tower still survive, though they have been heavily vandalized.
An especially festive time to visit Brenton Point State Park is during the Newport Kite Festival, which is held on the park’s fields every July. Both amateur and expert kiters fly colorful and creative kites in a celebratory display that pays homage to Newport’s sailing heritage.
Where to stay and eat near Brenton Point State Park
