Rhode Island may be a small state, but it’s definitely got big appeal to people who want to spend time near water and who want to enjoy a true New England experience. I had been to Providence several times for work in the past, but I had never gotten the opportunity to see any other part of this wondrous state. That’s why I jumped at the chance to stay in Rhode Island for an extra day recently when my week of meetings turned into four days of meetings. I already had a flight the next day and a rental car, but I did need to find a hotel room in Newport, Rhode Island at the last minute. This can be difficult, as you may run into problems with vacancies, and you may also wind up paying extremely high rates. I decided to see what was out there for me.
I picked up my phone and searched for hotel apps. I found one called HotelTonight. I liked how it looked and liked how its purpose was to provide hotel rooms in short order. I searched for Newport hotels and found quite a few options. I picked one that looked right for me and then took a deep breath, as booking a hotel in this manner can be cumbersome. Much to my pleasant surprise, I reserved a Newport hotel room in just a few clicks – it was just that easy. I couldn’t believe it, but I was all set to spend a day in a new part of a beautiful state exploring.
There is one major street in Newport, and it’s Thames Street. It cuts right through downtown and gets you just about anywhere you want to go in the city. I was told not to drive on the street for the sake of convenience, and that turned out to be good advice. Besides, there was a lot to see here on foot. I saw everything from restaurants, unique little shops and even some historic homes. I also got to chat with some locals who could not have been friendlier. That was helpful, as they provided me some advice as to what to do with the rest of my day here.
Talk about an aptly named neighborhood – Historic Hill dates back to when the city was founded in the middle of the 17th – yes that’s the 17th – Century. This was actually the colonial capital before the Revolutionary War. Interestingly, there are still buildings that date back to that time that are operating. It was an amazing place that made you think of what it must’ve been like to live in those times, and I found out from talking to people that there is a constant effort to preserve different spots in the neighborhood for future generations. I was glad there were people doing this, as it’s an area that everyone should see.
The North End neighborhood in Newport was a bit more modern, but it still carried that old-style New England flair that all contributes to the overall vibe of the city. There were a lot of older homes here, but they were well maintained. There were also a lot of families milling about, going through their routines. My routine generally called for lunch around this time, and a nice lady pointed me to a local place that is known for its steaks. I figured a steak for lunch would be worthwhile, so I went and enjoyed a cut of beef that was extremely succulent. It was a great lunch.
I started my afternoon in the Fifth Ward, which was traditionally a neighborhood where Irish immigrants settled beginning about 200 years ago. In addition to some older, beautiful homes, there is a lot of wide open space in the Fifth Ward. I spent a good portion of the afternoon walking through some different parks, watching families play with their children and their dogs. You could smell the water almost anywhere you went, and I enjoyed the scenery that was unlike any I had experienced. I also picked up some nice gifts for my loved ones.
I decided to end my day at the Yachting Village, which was historically the first neighborhood that people saw in Newport as they came into the port. It’s been through several ups and downs over the years, but it’s definitely on the upswing once again because of reinvestment both on individual and macro levels. I really wanted to have some seafood for dinner, so I asked some people where to go. I was told to try a local place just around the corner from where I was, and boy did I have a seafood feast to remember. It was the perfect end to a great day.
It was time to call it a day and head back to my hotel. As I came back to my comfortable room, I remembered that a big part of making this memorable day possible was owed to HotelTonight. The app provided me with last-minute Newport hotel rooms that were not only nice, but that you could reserve with just a few clicks. I laid down on my comfortable bed, thinking about how my travel in the future would include finding accommodations with HotelTonight.
