Newport Cliff Walk

By Kim Knox Beckius

Updated 05/16/17

  • 01 of 18

    Cliffside Inn: My Cliff Walk Home Base

    Cliffside Inn Newport Rhode Island - B&B on the Newport Cliff Walk
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk On a lovely May evening, I set out from the Cliffside Inn for a stroll along the famous Newport Cliff Walk. The B&B is conveniently located just a short walk from the northern end of the Cliff Walk, a 3.5-mile walking path along the shore. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk

    In May of 2005, I traveled to Newport, Rhode Island, to shoot my first Web video. I arrived at the Cliffside Inn, one of Newport's best-known B&Bs, just in time to head out for a stroll along Newport's famous Cliff Walk.

    This 3.5-mile pathway along the sea is one of New England's most spectacular walks. It affords views of both Newport's legendary mansions and the restless and magnificent ocean they overlook.

    I expected to see some spectacular scenery, but I never anticipated that I'd also stumble upon the meaning of life! Not bad for a free attraction.

    Join me on this photo tour, and I'll share some tips that will help you plan your own visit to Newport's Cliff Walk.

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 2 of 18 below.
  • 02 of 18

    A Walk Beside the Sea

    Cliff Walk in Newport - Photo Tour
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk The northern half of the Cliff Walk is the easiest portion to navigate. The walkway is paved and even here, and sturdy fences protect you from taking a tumble as you walk along the seaside cliffs. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

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  • 03 of 18

    Rhode Island's Rocky Coast

    Newport Rhode Island Rocky Coastline View from the Cliff Walk - Photo
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk The views of Newport, Rhode Island's rocky coastline are spectacular from the Cliff Walk. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

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  • 04 of 18

    Privacy Please

    Newport Cliff Walk Photo - Cliff Walk is a Public Right-of-Way that Crosses Private Properties
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk The Cliff Walk, which was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1975, is a public right-of-way that crosses many private properties. As you can see from this photo, many property owners allow vegetation to grow tall in order to protect their privacy. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

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  • 05 of 18

    Stairway to the Sea

    Newport Cliff Walk - Forty Steps Photo
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk After walking for a short time, I spot this stone stairway to the sea, a Cliff Walk landmark known as the "Forty Steps." The Forty Steps are located at the end of Narragansett Avenue, less than one mile from the start of my outing along the Cliff Walk. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 6 of 18 below.
  • 06 of 18

    Rules to Follow

    Cliff Walk Newport Rules for Visitors
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk A sign at Narragansett Avenue explains some of the rules of Newport's Cliff Walk. For safety, it is important to stay on the trail. The Cliff Walk is open from sunrise to sunset. Bicycles are prohibited, and dogs must be leashed. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 7 of 18 below.
  • 07 of 18

    Signs Point the Way

    Newport Cliff Walk Picture
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk You needn't worry about getting "lost" along Newport's Cliff Walk. Large signs indicate cross streets, which lead out to Bellevue Avenue, the main "mansion drag" in Newport. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 8 of 18 below.
  • 08 of 18

    A Message

    Newport Cliff Walk Graffiti - Picture from Newport's Cliff Walk
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk If you read the "rules" sign carefully, you'll remember that graffiti is a no-no along Newport's Cliff Walk. Most people show great respect for this beautiful ocean pathway, so this message painted on a stone arch really caught my eye. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 9 of 18 below.
  • 09 of 18

    The Meaning of Life

    Love is Life - Finding the Meaning of Life Along Newport's Cliff Walk
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk I knew I'd enjoy wonderful scenery along Newport's Cliff Walk. I didn't expect to stumble upon the meaning of life! At least this graffiti carried a positive message. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 10 of 18 below.
  • 10 of 18

    A Romantic Walk

    Romantic Walks - Newport Cliff Walk Photo
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk After passing underneath the stone arch, I turned around and photographed this couple, who had just passed by me walking hand-in-hand. Newport's Cliff Walk is one of the most romantic walks in all of New England. It's a great spot for a marriage proposal. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 11 of 18 below.
  • 11 of 18

    Cliff Walk Attractions

    Newport Cliff Walk Attractions - Private Homes and Public Mansions
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk If you were to walk the entire 3.5-mile length of the Cliff Walk, you would see dozens of private homes, plus several public mansions including the Breakers and Rough Point. This building is Ochre Court on the grounds of Salve Regina University. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 12 of 18 below.
  • 12 of 18

    Sunset Sky

    Newport Cliff Walk Photo Tour - Sunset Sky
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk As pretty as the palatial homes along the Cliff Walk are, I found the show put on by the sky that night to be even more enchanting. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 13 of 18 below.
  • 13 of 18

    The Breakers at Dusk

    Photo of The Breakers Mansion on Newport's Cliff Walk
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk As the sun began to set, the imposing mansions along the Cliff Walk were cloaked in shadows. Still, The Breakers, the 70-room palazzo designed by Richard Morris Hunt for Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, is magnificent and impressive. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 14 of 18 below.
  • 14 of 18

    Through an Open Gate

    Newport Cliff Walk Picture
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk Even these towering gates near the Breakers are a work of art. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

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  • 15 of 18

    Framing a View

    Newport Rhode Island Sunset Along the Cliff Walk
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk The gate's iron scrollwork frames the rosy glow of sunset as day yields to night in Newport, Rhode Island. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

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  • 16 of 18

    Turning Back

    Cliff Walk Evening Photo - The Cliff Walk in Newport Rhode Island
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk As much as I would have loved to see more of the Cliff Walk, I am not a rule breaker, so I turned around and started back toward my inn. It was also getting quite chilly, and I'd forgotten to grab a jacket in my haste to get out to the Cliff Walk. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 17 of 18 below.
  • 17 of 18

    Forty Steps

    Newport Cliff Walk Forty Steps Picture
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk On my way back along the Cliff Walk, I was able to snap this close-up picture of the Forty Steps, the nickname for the stone staircase leading down to the ocean. I didn't have time, however, to count to see if there are actually forty steps. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.

    Continue to 18 of 18 below.
  • 18 of 18

    A Millionaire's View

    Newport Cliff Walk Sunset Photo - Cliff Walk in Newport Rhode Island
    Pictures from a Sunset Stroll Along Newport's Famous Cliff Walk During the Gilded Age, America's wealthiest families staked their claim to the lands along Newport's shore, but the Cliff Walk ensures that these prized ocean views will always be available free to everyone. © 2005 Kim Knox Beckius

    These pictures from my May 2005 visit to Newport, Rhode Island, provide a glimpse of the seaside city's most popular free attraction: the Cliff Walk.