Newport, RI + Flower Show Weekend Itinerary

Want to take a trip to Newport, RI, see their magical June flower show, and fill the weekend with fun? Of course you do!

Ever since I learned of the exquisite flower show that the Preservation Society of Newport hosts each year I had been dying to go. I stalked their social media each June to see the pictures of unique floral arrangements, fashion, creativity and inspiration with a *glamourous* backdrop set in a beautiful gilded age mansion. The Flower Show is just one of many events the Preservation Society hosts to help fundraise for the many historical properties they maintain.

When I decided to go this year some other family members wanted to go too! How can one actually say no to the splendor of it all? I’m convinced it’s not possible.

A Newport, RI girls trip was quickly formed!

I booked a rental and plane tickets and crossed my fingers we would get tickets to the Flower Show! They typically go on sale a few months ahead of time but unfortunately this year there was a snafu with ticketing on their website. I was panicking and pacing! The ticket sales finally dropped and I was able to purchase our tickets which made the most important part of our trip complete!

Sweet relief!

We arrived on a Thursday and it was nice to get into town and relax a bit before the weekend festivities began! After unpacking, putting away delivered groceries, and resting a bit we went out to eat at the perfect place to start any Newport trip, The Castle Hill Inn. We ate on The Lawn and enjoyed the spectacular ocean views before walking a short and easy trail to the beautiful Castle Hill Lighthouse. It was a wonderful place to watch the sunset and start our weekend.

Friday finally arrived, which meant it was flower show day! The Newport Flower Show has become the official ‘Kick off Summer’ event in Newport and I was finally going!

Tickets are affordable and range from $30 for a base ticket to $50 for a VIP ticket. The VIP ticket gets you an hour of the show with limited other guests ahead of the regular $30 ticket holders. Every ticket gets you 3 hours to attend the show and enjoy the vendors spread out on the beautiful lawn. Vendors change throughout the weekend so each day is something new if you wanted to go more than one day. We opted for the VIP tickets for Friday morning and the result was mesmerizing. Meandering through the many floral submission divisions was something I won’t soon forget.

Having that hour to walk through ROSECLIFF Mansion with no interruptions and view each and every arrangement and floral submission was a gift.

The creative energy and sprawling beauty was an air that I couldn’t breath in fast enough. After our ticket time was over we went to our booked lunch out (while still dressed our best) at The Mooring Restaurant! Then we went back to our rental for a much needed afternoon rest. This evening we ate dinner at the house before heading out to our Sunset Champaign Cruise. It was a beautiful sunset on Narragansett Bay and we traveled by many historical sights on the water. The cost includes a 2 hour Shooner cruise, champagne, beer, hard cider and bottled water.

We had all ages on this cruise so it can be a fun date night or a family affair!

After the cruise we headed over to check out the church that John and Jackie Kennedy were married in! St Mary’s Church in Newport, Rhode Island is iconic. The doors, architecture and history welcome you to take a peek into the Kennedy legacy and explore the history of the town in a different way. The church now offers tours to Kennedy enthusiasts. We did not partake in a tour of any kind.

On Saturday we headed out for a wonderful brunch at the historical Vanderbilt Hotel. The hotel was built as a residence in the 1800’s out of a sultry affair and later served Newport as a recreational building. It eventually became the classy hotel it is today. We had the conservatory all to ourselves for our meal and everyone enjoyed the surroundings and the food. We left the hotel and headed to the famous Cliff Walk in an attempt to work off our breakfast and enjoy the views!

This National Recreation Trail in a National Historic District brings you architectural beauty and natural shoreline splendor. Together. A must see and do activity.

After our walk we headed back towards the parking lot. Before getting to our car we enjoyed some sand between our toes on the way! Easton’s Beach is an open and vast beach spot. If you wanted a beach day or a quick afternoon walk there is more than ample parking and shoreline to fulfill your wish! Also, the famous Del’s Lemonade has a stand here and you can’t miss this Newport treat! This fresh, sweet, and tart slushy lemonade is delicious.

After stopping by a bakery to pick up a sweet treat for my nieces birthday we rested up before our evening excursion. Living in the Midwest we all were excited to experience an authentic polo match at Newport Polo.

Tickets were cheaper than we expected for sideline seats and kids 15 and under are free.

This is a fun, affordable, and a memorable summer activity to do while in town. There are food trucks and merch available on site and you can bring your own food as well. What we didn’t realize is that the grounds are open most of the afternoon and into the evening. You are welcome to come early and hang out, let the kids run and just simply play before the match starts! Our favorite activity at this event was stomping the divots at half time! What a blast. We left the match and grabbed ice-cream at a local favorite, Newport Creamery, on the way home. They have a full service menu and unmatched sweet treat options. A true gem!

It’s impossible to say no to ice-cream on vacation!

Sunday we headed home but not before we did one last fun thing! We left our rental early and headed to Salem, MA! Since its located close to the Boston Airport we couldn’t resist the temptation to check out the town. Our initial plan for Salem was more elaborate but our plan was cut short due to our flight time being changed. With limited time we did a self guided driving tour to the many Hocus Pocus locations and a stop at the beautiful Witch Trials Memorial.

Have you ever been to Newport, RI? I want to hear all about your trip! Interested in more travel? Check out my itinerary to Irelands West Coast!