ABOUT THIS TOUR

Come along back to the turn of the 20th century when Gilded Age mansions were all the rage in Newport and an escape to Block Island was a summer haven for the privileged. This tour features grandeur beyond belief: majestic formal gardens, spectacular landscapes, and historical sites. You’ll embark on a guided tour of naturalesque Block Island followed by lunch at the historic National Hotel, stroll your way through the displays at the Newport Flower Show, visit Marble House and Rough Point, experience the incredible Green Animals Topiary Garden, and have a stately luncheon tea at Blithewold Mansion. This outing is a great way to kick off your summer. Come along and “Get Gilded!”

Maximum Group Size: 25 Guests - 4 spots available

Day One, Thursday, June 19th:

Plan to arrive by noon at the T.F. Green International Airport in Warwick, RI. Meet your tour manager, Teresa Watkins, and board your private motor coach. After a quick stop to drop your luggage off at the hotel, Teresa and a local guide will join you for a windshield tour of Providence.

During your tour, you will quickly learn why Providence placed second on CNN’s 2024 list of “America’s Best Towns to Visit.” You will travel through exciting neighborhoods as you learn the story of Rhode Island’s capital city and follow the journey of its visionary founder, Roger Williams.

You will also travel into the historic Federal Hill area. This neighborhood is best known for its Italian American community and abundance of Italian restaurants. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the Gateway Arch and its hanging La Pigna (pine cone) sculpture, a traditional symbol of welcome, abundance, and quality.

Enjoy an included picnic lunch-to-go on the bus.

Your tour ends at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center. The Center is New England’s largest glasshouse display garden featuring over 23,000 square feet of indoor display gardens. The greenhouses stay over 70 degrees year-round.

Outdoor gardens include summer and winter gardens, a rose maze, and a newly installed pollinator meadow. Your visit includes a guided tour followed by time to explore on your own.

Depart the park and travel to your hotel, Hyatt Place Warwick. Open since 2018, this full-service hotel offers stylish rooms, a convenient location, and outstanding customer service. There will be time to relax and refresh.

Early evening, gather in the hotel’s “Gallery Kitchen” for a welcome reception. Enjoy a savory snack and share a toast with your traveling companions.

Gather in the lobby and walk just a few minutes to your dinner destination. The Iron Works restaurant was once home to the Rhode Island Malleable Iron Works Factory and is now a locals’ favorite gastropub that features innovative and updated takes on American classics. Walk back to the hotel after dinner.

Day Two, Friday, June 20th:

After starting your day with an included hot and cold breakfast buffet served in the hotel, check out of your rooms. Then board the coach and prepare yourself for a most memorable day when you travel to Block Island.

Block Island, originally named “Manisses” (Island of the Little God) by the Native Americans, is an island of the Outer Lands coastal archipelago, located approximately 9 miles south of mainland Rhode Island. It is home to historic lighthouses: Block Island North Light on the northern tip of the island and Block Island Southeast Light on the southeastern coast.

About 40 percent of the island is set aside for conservation, and much of the northwestern tip of the island is an undeveloped natural area and resting stop for birds along the Atlantic flyway. The island is known for participating in the commercial aquaculture and kelp farming sectors.

Upon arrival at Point Judith, debark the coach and board the ferry at 9:30, which arrives at 10:30.

Once on land, hop on the local “bus” for a one-hour guided tour of the island. Sit back, relax, and enjoy beautiful ocean vistas as your guide entertains you with stories from the early settlers to what life on the island is today. Stop at the 125-year-old Southeast Lighthouse located atop the Mohegan Bluffs. This lighthouse is one of the most visually striking lighthouses in the United States.

The tour ends at the impressive National Hotel. This Victorian hotel is located in the heart of downtown Block Island, directly across the street from the ferry landing and within walking distance to most of the shops, restaurants, and beaches. There are also retail shops located within the hotel.

Gather for an included luncheon served on the porch overlooking the harbor. After lunch, there will be time on your own to explore the shops and to have a leisurely stroll along the beach.

Hop on the ferry and depart the island at 3:00 pm. When you arrive on the mainland at 4:00 pm, board the coach and travel to the Sonesta Select Newport which will be your home for the rest of your stay. The Sonesta Select is known for its generously sized rooms, well-crafted common area, and outstanding customer service.

There will be time to refresh before you head out for dinner. This night, you will dine at the Blue Plate Diner, a family-owned Greek restaurant that prides itself on offering traditional dinner fare with an upscale, unique twist.

Day Three, Saturday, June 21st:

 After breakfast, head out for an excursion that takes you deep into the Gilded Era.

Your first stop is at the renowned Newport Flower Show. The theme of the 29th annual show is appropriately, “A Floral Fair,” as the show continues its residency at Rosecliff, which was modeled after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles.

This premier flower show presents garden, horticultural and floral exhibitions and it also offers displays and demonstrations by noted experts. The shopping experiences are amazing!

Depart for the Newport Flower Show late morning, board the coach, and be transported to a fine local restaurant for a light lunch.

After lunch, embark on a tour of Marble House. William Vanderbilt built Marble House in 1892 as a 39th birthday present for his wife, Alva Vanderbilt. It was a social and architectural landmark that set the pace for Newport's subsequent transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent Gilded Age mansions. Marble House is one of the earliest examples of Beaux-Arts architecture in the United States.

The mansion is U-shaped, and while it appears to be two stories, it actually has four levels: the kitchen and other service areas are located in the basement; reception rooms are on the ground floor; bedrooms are on the second floor; and servant quarters are on the concealed third floor. Load-bearing walls are brick with their exterior sides faced in white Westchester marble.

Following your tour at Marble House, you will be transported to Rough Point, the Newport Home of heiress, collector, and philanthropist Doris Duke. A guided tour of the garden, which was designed by the landscape firm of F.L. & J.C. Olmstead, best known for the landscape design of New York City’s Central Park and the United States Capitol grounds in Washington, D.C. Time is included to explore the mansion at your leisure.

Late afternoon, board the coach and travel to Bowen’s Wharf, the “anchor of the Newport Waterfront”. Time has been allotted for some strolling and shopping. You’re on your own for dinner in one of the many local eateries. Your tour manager will offer suggestions of places to dine.

Day Four, Sunday, June 22nd:

Start your day with an included breakfast served in the hotel. Then board the coach and head out for a day to impress!

Your first stop is at the oldest and most northern topiary garden in the United States, Green Animals. There are more than 80 pieces of topiary throughout the gardens, including animals and birds, geometric figures and ornamental designs, sculpted from California privet, yew and English boxwood. Your visit includes a self-guided tour.

Depart Green Animals, cross over the bay to the mainland and arrive at the English Manor-style mansion, Blithewold (Old English for “happy woodland”). Developed in the early 20th Century on 33 landscaped acres, the estate is emblematic of the “Country Place” era. The stunning grounds feature a unique combination of Colonial Revival, Arts and Crafts, and contemporary gardens.

Your visit begins with an included “High Tea” style luncheon served in the elegant, yet charming dining room. Scones and clotted cream, anyone?

After lunch, you’ll join a guide and embark on a house and garden tour. Your guide will tell the story of the Van Wickle/McKee family, the original owners of this beautiful seaside garden estate. Out on the grounds, your guide will take you to each of the ten gardens, the Bamboo Grove, the Summerhouse, and the Lord and Burnham Greenhouse complex. Before departing, there’ll be time to explore the gift shop.

Depart Blithewold midafternoon and travel back into Newport. There will be time to browse through the shops before you climb aboard for a sightseeing cruise along Newport Harbor and into Narragansett Bay. You may witness up to 5 different lighthouses!

Following the cruise, gather for a farewell dinner served at La Forge Casino Restaurant. This exceptional building, one of the finest examples in the country of Shingle Style Architecture, is a National Historic Landmark. It is also located on the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Day Five, Monday, June 23rd:

Check out of your rooms after breakfast at the hotel. Board the coach and begin your journey to the T.F. Green International Airport. Before you arrive at the airport, you simply must stop at Antonio’s Bakery, a traditional Italian bakery, for a bit of deliciousness. This bakery is renowned for their Italian pastries and breads. Pick up some sweet treats to take home or to enjoy on the plane. Arrive at the airport at 10:00 am for flights scheduled to depart after 12:00 pm.