Naomi wrote:
<<...."Glenn, thanks for the shopping tip."...>>
Here's a little more specifics.... Bannisters and Bowen's Wharf are next to each other along America's Cup Boulevard. There are a few shops there, but most of the shops are along Thames Street, especially the part of Thames that is an old narrow street south of the sharp bend in America's Cup Blvd. The wharfs are fun for evening activities. There's a few outdoor patios / bars, etc.
The "Black Pearl" reastaurant at Bannisters (noted for their award winning chowder) has 3 dining areas. The most casual is the outdoor patio / bar. Indoors, they have the formal "Commodore Room", plus a less formal room whick I forget the name of. It's all good. They usually have good steaks, too, for those who don't eat anything that swims. Bannisters Wharf is where Ted Turner fell off the dock in drunken stupor during the America's Cup race celebration in the 1970s.
If you can, get dockage near Bannister's or Bowens, or maybe a little farther south. If you dock up north near the Naval War College, you'll be too far north of "the action" and need a taxi ride to the main tourist part of town. Goat Island Marina can be okay, but it's still a long walk across the Goat Island bridge and into town....but they do have a water taxi in the area. By the way, if you plan to visit the Big mansions, that's definitely a taxi ride. They're on the east / southeast side of the island. All the marinas are on the west side.
Here's big yacht filling up at Bannister's
The approach to Newport will take you past Castle Hill light, which will be to starboard
Outside the harbor
Have fun!
Glenn
