Things to do nearBellevue Avenue

Bellevue Avenue took shape in the mid-1800s as wealthy industrialists and financiers began commissioning summer cottages that were anything but modest. Architect Richard Morris Hunt left an especially deep mark here, designing several of the grandest estates for families such as the Vanderbilts and the Belmonts. The result is an open-air museum of Beaux-Arts, Shingle Style, and Victorian architecture that remains largely intact today.

The avenue is best known for its mansions, many of which are operated by the Preservation Society of Newport County. Visitors can tour opulent interiors filled with European art, gilded ceilings, and period furnishings. Nearby, Marble House stands as one of the finest examples of the era's excess, its white Georgia marble exterior a landmark in its own right.

Beyond the estates, Bellevue Avenue connects walkers to the Cliff Walk, a nationally recognized trail hugging the coastline above the Atlantic. The avenue also sits within easy reach of Newport Harbor, where boat tours and waterfront dining round out a full day. The combination of architectural grandeur and natural beauty makes Bellevue Avenue a destination unlike anywhere else in New England.