This week’s Senior Field trip is an overnighter.  My daughter Liz, son-in-law Peter, granddaughter Adeline (aka “The Kids”) and sister Mary and her husband John traveled to Newport, Rhode Island to get away for a few days.

The Kids love Newport for its beaches and great seafood restaurants. I’m not really a beach person, but I’ll tag along if asked. I’m more of a museum lover and Newport is a wonderful location for that, filled with fabulous mansions of the Gilded Age that are now open to the public.

The Kids have been coming here for years, and always stay at one of the Newport Lofts.  The Lofts are beautifully appointed accommodations with any number of bedrooms, a large living space and kitchen, and designated parking. Most are within walking distance of the main attractions of Newport.

We usually stay on Thames Street, which is the main drag of Newport, close to great shopping and a short walk to Bowen’s Wharf.

All our favorite Newport restaurants are seafood intensive.  We always go to Scales and Shells to get the oysters and swordfish.  Delicious.  Another fave is The Moorings on Bowen’s Wharf, where you must get the seafood fritters (formerly known as the “Bag of Donuts”) filled with shrimp and lobster.  And during these last few visits we have gone to the Lawn Terrace at Castle Inn for a meal accompanied by the most beautiful sunset in Newport.

Not lacking in attractions, Newport is a delight for both beachgoers and museum lovers. The Kids went to Second Beach every day for their beach fix. Second Beach is actually in Middletown, RI, a short drive from Newport, but it has loads of parking and a beautiful stretch of beach. Most importantly, it has a snack bar with $28 twin lobster rolls that are worth the trip from anywhere.

 For the more historically-minded, there are mansions and museums galore.  The Preservation Society of Newport County offers tours of 11 mansions, including many you would recognize from The Gilded Age series on HBO. Tickets are available online and most homes come with free audio tours.  This time Mary, John, and I visited the opulent Marble House, Alva Vanderbilt’s 39th birthday present from her husband. We also toured The Elms, the summer cottage of the Berwind family.

Mary, John, and I also toured The Sailing Museum & National Sailing Hall of Fame, an interactive museum where you design your own boat and participate in activities as you “sail” through the exhibits. John was brought up sailing, so he was more adept at the activities, but even we landlubbers enjoyed it.

We also took a cruise in the harbor on a schooner and got a glimpse of Hammersmith Farm, the location of the famed wedding reception of Jacqueline Bouvier and John F. Kennedy.

All in all, Newport is the perfect destination for a getaway, with great restaurants, museums, scenery, and beaches.  It is also an ideal location for my favorite sport—shopping!