Fall Foliage
Weekend of Culture: Newport, RI
October 8-11, 2021
Join us this Columbus Day weekend for a culture-full girl’s getaway to the beautiful shores of Newport, Rhode Island! We will be experiencing all of the best history, architecture, shopping, seafood and sailing the ‘Gold Coast’ has to offer, all while bonding with fellow artful women!
We will be driving together from downtown Manhattan and staying at a gorgeous house right on the ocean, walking distance from the beach and approximately 5 minutes from downtown Newport.
We will start the weekend with a visit to Mystic, CT where we can stop by famous Mystic pizza and explore the shops of this quaint seaside town. Then we will kick off the weekend with a farm-to-table dinner in the tasting room at Newport Vineyards.
Saturday will start with breakfast and apple/pumpking picking at Sweet Berry Farm, followed by a picnic lunch and guided visit of the beautiful Blithewold Estate, a wine tasting at Greenvale Vineyard (additional cost) and dinner at the Cafe at Chanler, overlooking Easton Bay.
Sunday morning we will have a self-guided visit of Rough Point with the afternoon free to explore the cliff walk and/or shops on Thames Street. We will end the day with a sunset cruise and dinner on the waterfront.
On our last day, we will visit one of the grandest of all the Newport mansions, the Elms, and then take in the views along ocean drive and have a farewell brunch on the water at Castle Hill Inn.
If you’ve never been on a Women of Culture trip before, you must fill out the form here in order to be invited to book, in order to make sure the experience is a good fit for you.
You can reach out to me directly with any questions at alex@womenofculture.org
Tentative Schedule:
(all items with a star are included in trip price)
Friday Oct 8th
12:45pm: Meet at Dollar Rental car for 1pm departure
(optional 1 hour stop in Mystic, CT)
5-6pm: Approx. check in to the ‘Little House’
7:30pm: Dinner at Newport Vineyards (TBC)
*
Saturday Oct 9th
Breakfast at the house
10:30am: Self-guided visit of the Breakers and/or Chateau-sur-Mer*
(depending on how much time you want to spend at each - they are a 10 minute walk from each other)
1pm-4pm: lunch & guided tour at Blithewold Estate*
Optional stop for pumpkins & apples at Sweetberry Farm
4:30pm: Sunset wine tasting at Greenvale Vineyard
7pm: Dinner at the Cafe at the Chanler
*
Sunday Oct 10th
Breakfast at the house
10:30am: Self-guided tour of Rough Point*
12pm: Free time to do the cliff-walk (takes 2.5-3 hours) OR shopping on Thames St/Bowen’s Wharf OR visit the Newport Art Museum
5pm: Sunset cruise on the Schooner Adirondack
7pm: Dinner at Clarke Cooke House (TBC)
*
Monday Oct 11th
Breakfast at the house & check-out
11am: Farewell Brunch at Castle Hill Inn (TBC)
1pm: depart
possible stop at Watson Farm in Jamestown
5pm: Approx. arrival in NYC
*
The schedule is subject to change at the leader's discretion and also according to the weather. It has been designed to address the varied needs and interests of the group while also giving all the optimal amount of time to enjoy a mix of the activities available, though it’s not set in stone and all activities are optional (though no refunds will be provided for any included activities that aren’t attended).
Car services are readily available in Newport, so there will be opportunity to deviate from the itinerary if desired, though individuals will be responsible for paying for any taxi/uber fees incurred by not staying with the group. If you have any issues with the schedule or prefer to deviate from the itinerary, please kindly inform the trip leader in advance.
More about our accommodation at the ‘Little House’:
5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms, 2 dining rooms + outdoor shower
Ocean-front with unobstructed views on 2 acres of property
300 year old Cape (recently renovated) with ship's timbers for floor and ceiling
Walking distance to 1st & 2nd beach
8-minute drive to downtown restaurants & shopping, to Newport Vineyards, the Cliff Walk and the mansions
Reviews from VRBO:
“… a big slice of vacation heaven! Waking every day to the inviting blue green water and strolling along the cliffs to the swimming lagoon, it’s an island oasis. The beautiful breezes blowing through the house are just dreamy. Everyone slept most comfortably.”
“The view from the spacious backyard can't be beat… The backyard is enormous and right on the best swimming area in Newport. I can't say enough good things about the house….”
Tickets & Cost
This amazing experience is only open to 10 women, and you must fill out the short questionnaire here to make sure the group and trip are a good fit before booking.
All options include a stay at the beautiful ‘Little House’ on the water, and the following activities: self-guided tours of up to 5 of the Newport mansions (I only have 3-4 on the schedule, but you can use some of the free time to visit the others), sunset sail on 8/30, Polo match & dinner on 8/31 and all free activities (the farmer’s market, beach, shopping, yacht parade viewing, cliff walk and ocean drive). Transport tickets include a spot in the rental car from NYC (sold out), but there will be another carpool leaving from the same location downtown.
All meals are separate and must be paid on-site. Wine tasting and admission to Rough Point are not included.
Room Options
All prices are per person.
Private Queen Bedroom 1
with private en suite bathroom
$1100 with transport/$900 without
Private Queen Bedroom 2
with shared bathroom:
$1050 with transport/$850 without
Twin Bedrooms 1 & 2
(2 beds in each room with shared bathroom)
$850 each with transport/$650 without
Twin Room 3 (‘pirate room’)
(2 beds with shared bathroom)
$750 each with transport/$550 without
Please note that all payments are FINAL and non-refundable. You may transfer your ticket to someone else but substitute must be approved by trip leader. Please fill out the questionnaire here to before booking.
FAQ's
1. Can I arrange my own travel?
Yes, prices without transport are $200 less than what is listed above. If you prefer to drive on your own (to my knowledge, public transportation would be difficult and very costly from NYC), please email me at alex@womenofculture.org and I can send you a link to pay via paypal (or venmo!).
2. What is NOT included in the cost of the trip?
All meals and any additional activities or ride services are separate and must be paid individually. Restaurant details will be announced closer to the date of the trip, but you should estimate approximately $60+ per day to spend on food/drinks.
3. What if I don’t know anyone — do I need to come with a friend?
No! Most women attend out Weekend of Culture trips on their own, and the idea is that we will all get to know one another over the course of the weekend. However, please do let me know if you are coming with a friend with whom you would like to share a room.
4. Do I have to stay with the group/attend all pre-planned activities on the itinerary?
No, you are welcome to pick and choose though there will be no refunds for included activities that weren’t attended, and you will have to arrange your own transport/taxi if you would like to go somewhere separately from the group that involves driving (keep in mind that our house is a 5 minute drive from downtown, etc).
5. I’ve already been on another Weekend of Culture trip, how can I purchase?
Great, can’t wait to have you join us again! Please go ahead and reserve your spot here.