From Raleigh to Newport: A Rhode Island Bachelorette Weekend. Where We Stayed, Ate & Explored
Looking for an easy girls’ trip from Raleigh? Add Newport, Rhode Island to your list!
We recently headed to Newport for Olivia’s bachelorette weekend, and it was the perfect combination of cute coffee shops, shopping, sailing, seafood, waterfront views, and plenty of time to celebrate our girl!
Even better? Getting there from Raleigh was SO easy thanks to Breeze Airways. We flew directly from Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) to Providence, Rhode Island, making this a super convenient getaway without the hassle of a connection. If you're planning a bachelorette party, girls' trip, anniversary getaway, or just need a fun long weekend somewhere new, here's exactly how we spent our weekend in Newport!
Getting There ✈️:
First things first: the flight!
Breeze Airways offers several nonstop flights out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and our flight to Providence was SO short—under an hour and a half! Breeze flies out of Terminal 1 at RDU and is known for making travel simple and affordable with modern, comfortable planes and flexible bundle options. For our trip, we booked the Nice Bundle and added a checked bag. Breeze also offers snacks and drinks onboard, which made the short flight go by quickly. Before we knew it, we had landed in Providence!
Getting from Providence to Newport
Providence Airport is about a 25-minute drive from Newport, depending on traffic. We easily grabbed an Uber after landing, and there were plenty of rideshares available around the airport. You could also rent a car, but we personally loved not having one. Since we stayed right in downtown Newport, we were able to walk to most of the places on our itinerary. If you do rent a car, just keep in mind that parking seemed a little limited in downtown Newport, especially during busy times.
Before the Flight: Kicking Off the Bachelorette Weekend (Day 1)🍾
Since our flight was later in the evening, we decided to start the bachelorette festivities before we even left North Carolina! We headed to Fenton in Cary, which is super convenient to RDU.
📍201 Fenton Gateway Drive, Cary, NC 27511
Drinks + DIY Boat Bags at Dram & Draught 🍸
We started the evening at Dram & Draught, where we had drinks and made our own matching boat totes! We set up a little charm bar with bag charms and scarves, and everyone created their own personalized bag. It was such a fun way to kick off the weekend and gave us something cute to use during the trip.
📍 3 Fenton Main Street, Cary, NC 27511
Dinner at CRÚ Food & Wine Bar 🍷
After making our bags, we headed to CRÚ Food & Wine Bar for dinner before making our way to the airport. It was the perfect start to our girls' weekend - and then it was time to head to RDU and catch our flight to Rhode Island!
📍9 Fenton Main Street, Cary, NC 27511
Where We Stayed in Newport 🏡
MidTown Chic Apartment with Deck in Downtown Newport
We stayed in an Airbnb right in downtown Newport, and the location was PERFECT. We were within walking distance of pretty much everything we did during the weekend, which made getting around incredibly easy. It is a 3 bedroom and 1 bath apartment, that fit out group of five perfectly. We also ordered an Instacart grocery delivery with a few necessities like water and snacks. Our Airbnb was actually very well stocked, so we didn't need to buy much. Once we arrived, we set up a few bachelorette decorations, unpacked, and headed to bed because we had a full day of exploring Newport ahead of us!
📍 404 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840
Friday: Coffee, Shopping & Sailing (Day 2)
Start with Coffee at The Nitro Bar ☕
Our first order of business the next morning? COFFEE! One of Olivia's biggest requests for the trip was visiting The Nitro Bar, an iconic Newport coffee shop that has become a huge favorite on social media. And we got incredibly lucky because our Airbnb was actually in the same building as The Nitro Bar!
📍 The Nitro Bar
404 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840
But being that close didn't save us from the line 😂. The Nitro Bar has gone viral, so there was already a line outside when we arrived. You might be wondering: Is it really worth waiting in line? YES.
We waited around 30 minutes, but the line moved quickly and the coffee was absolutely worth it. Our favorites were the Salted Honey Latte and the Blueberry Vanilla Bean Float Latte. And don't skip the breakfast sandwiches - they were SO good.
Explore Downtown Newport & Thames Street 🛍️
After coffee, we spent the morning walking around downtown Newport. We wandered along Thames Street, popping into the cute shops and exploring the surrounding streets. There are tons of antique shops, boutiques, restaurants, and little places to browse. We also walked along the waterfront and took in all of the sailboats and harbor views. Honestly, one of our favorite parts of Newport was simply walking around and seeing where we ended up.
Stop at CO-Dough Bakery 🥐
Of course, we couldn't spend the morning exploring without another food stop. We walked over to CO-Dough Bakery, where we had what may have been the best cinnamon rolls we've ever had in our lives.
Seriously. Add this to your Newport itinerary.
📍 95 Broadway, Newport, RI 02840
Afternoon Sailing with Pineapple Sailing & Party Boats ⛵
One of the highlights of our entire weekend was spending the afternoon out on the water with Pineapple Sailing & Party Boats.
📍31 Bowen's Wharf, Newport, RI 02840
We visited in late August, and the weather happened to be a little cooler that day, so we didn't end up swimming. But honestly, we didn't need to! We spent the afternoon cruising around Newport Harbor, listening to music, enjoying the views, and hanging out together on the boat. We chose their Food & Beverage Package, and it was AMAZING.
The package included things like:
Fresh fruit
Vegetable trays
Hummus
Cocktail shrimp
Fresh-shucked oysters
Desserts
A full bar
And more!
The food & drinks was delicious and the staff was so friendly. It was such a fun way to spend an afternoon with a group and was especially fun for a bachelorette party.
After sailing, we freshened up and headed to The Landing for dinner.
📍30 Bowen's Wharf, Newport, RI 02840
The restaurant is right on the water, so we were able to keep the waterfront views going while enjoying some classic New England seafood. And obviously, we had to order seafood! The lobster rolls and clam chowder were both a hit with our group. They also had live music, which made the atmosphere even more fun. After dinner, we headed out for a night on the town and ended up at a piano bar. It was such a fun night out with the girls and the perfect way to celebrate Olivia!
Saturday: Brunch, The Cliff Walk & Castle Hill Inn (Day 3)
We started Saturday with brunch at Stoneacre Garden, and this restaurant was SO cute. The patio was beautiful, and it was the perfect spot for a slow morning with the girls before another full day of exploring.
📍151 Swinburne Row, Newport, RI 02840
More Shopping & Exploring Downtown 🛍️
After brunch, we spent a little more time walking around Newport. We did some shopping, explored more of the downtown area, and found some cute murals along the way. Newport is one of those places where you really don't need a strict schedule. There are so many cute streets and shops that you can easily spend hours just wandering around.
Yes, we went back. After exploring downtown, we grabbed another round of coffees at The Nitro Bar before heading to our next stop.
📍404 Thames Street, Newport, RI 02840
Walk the Newport Cliff Walk 🌊
We took a short Uber ride over to the Newport Cliff Walk. And WOW. The Cliff Walk was absolutely STUNNING.
The famous Cliff Walk is a scenic coastal path that stretches for about 3.5 miles along Newport's shoreline, offering a mix of ocean views, rocky coastline, historic mansions, and beautiful scenery. You don't have to walk the entire thing to enjoy it. We explored a portion of the trail and took our time enjoying the views and taking photos.
Tip: Wear comfortable shoes! Some portions of the trail are paved and easy, while other sections are more rugged and rocky. One thing we discovered on our way back was that Newport also has a free shuttle, which can be a convenient option for getting around the area.
Sunset Drinks at Castle Hill Inn 🍹
After the Cliff Walk, we headed back to get ready for the evening. Our next stop was one of the most beautiful places we visited all weekend: Castle Hill Inn.
📍 590 Ocean Drive, Newport, RI 02840
We took an Uber from downtown Newport, and it was only about 13 minutes from where we were staying. We went specifically for drinks and the views, and it did not disappoint. We sat outside on the lawn in the iconic Adirondack chairs and watched sailboats pass by while enjoying our drinks. The chairs are first come, first served, so keep that in mind if you're hoping to snag one.
Dinner at The Reef 🦐
For dinner, we headed to The Reef, another waterfront restaurant with a gorgeous indoor/outdoor atmosphere.
📍 10 Howard Wharf, Newport, RI 02840
We enjoyed more seafood, drinks, and live music while taking in the waterfront views. Newport definitely knows how to do waterfront dining, and we were not complaining about eating seafood at basically every opportunity.
End the Night with Newport Sticks & Cones 🍦
And because every good girls' trip needs a sweet treat, we ended the night at Newport Sticks & Cones.
📍 8 Fair Street, Newport, RI 02840
It was the perfect little dessert stop before heading back to our Airbnb. Then it was time to pack, get some sleep, and prepare for our early flight back to Raleigh the next morning.
Is Newport a Good Bachelorette Destination from Raleigh? ✈️
Newport was such a fun destination for Olivia's bachelorette weekend because there was a little bit of everything: beautiful scenery, shopping, coffee shops, sailing, seafood, and nightlife. And having a direct Breeze Airways flight from RDU to Providence made getting there and coming back incredibly easy!
You could easily do this same itinerary for a bachelorette party, girls' trip, anniversary trip, birthday weekend, or just a fun getaway with friends.
We had the BEST time exploring Newport and already want to go back! If you end up doing any of the things on our itinerary, let us know! We would love to hear about your trip. Tag us on Instagram or send us a message at @thrivinginraleigh.
Happy traveling! ⛵🌊🧳