Make your way outdoors this month for a 75-minute walking tour with the Newport Historical Society in the heart of downtown Newport. Presented by an expert guide, tours will depart with a group of no more than ten for an especially intimate experience.

COVID-19 NOTE:

When you're ready, we can't wait to welcome you back to The Classic Coast. Rest assured, the safety and well-being of both visitors and locals remains our top priority. The indoor mask mandate requiring face coverings in Rhode Island has been temporarily reinstated, local businesses may ask you to wear a mask when visiting their establishments. Please be prepared for individual business mask policies. Additionally, shops, attractions and tours are monitoring the number of guests at any given time and may ask you to socially distance to enter.

All we ask when you land on these shores is that you play your part in keeping everyone safe. Please be kind, adhere to guidelines and maintain social distancing.

THE SCHEDULE

Note: Tickets must be purchased online

ROGUES AND SCOUNDRELS

When: Mondays at 11 AM
Tour Description: See where scoundrels lived, pirates profited and criminals were punished. Find out why this colony was known as “Rogue’s Island.”

DISCOVER COLONIAL NEWPORT

When: Thursdays at 11 AM
Tour Description: Hear stories of entrepreneurship, African American heritage and religious diversity during Newport’s colonial period.

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GOLDEN TO GILDED

When: Fridays at 11 AM
Tour Description: From Newport’s colonial Golden Age to Gilded Age summer colony, discover the transformation of the city and its people.

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RUM & REVOLUTION

When: Saturday, September 4 at 3 PM
Tour Description: From the thriving colonial rum trade through the temperance movement and Prohibition era smuggling, learn about the changing role of alcohol in the community. Presented by a guide wearing authentic historical clothing.

PEOPLE OF THE PAST

When: Friday, September 3 at 2 PM
Tour Description: Learn about the people who lived in early Newport and helped shape the city’s rich history. This 45-minute tour is presented by a guide wearing authentic historical clothing.

NEWPORT'S BRITISH OCCUPATION

When: Sunday, September 5 at 11 AM,
Tour Description: In 1777 as the Revolutionary War officially began, 7,000 British and Hessian soldiers invaded Newport creating an occupation that lasted for nearly 3 years. Join an expert tour guide wearing an authentic 18th century British military uniform and explore the sites and stories of the soldiers and citizens affected during this time.

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ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE

When: Sunday, September 12 at 11 AM + 11:30 AM; Sunday, September 19 at 11 AM
Tour Description: Riots and rebellions, enemies and allies! Learn about Newport’s role in the American Revolution.

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STAMP ACT WALKING TOUR

When: Saturday, September 4 at 11 AM
Tour Description: Home to craftsmen, merchants, religious dissenters and more, discover the Point neighborhood’s rich colonial history.

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COMMON BURYING GROUND

When: Saturday, September 25 at 11 AM
Tour Description: Explore the stone carvers, their art and the diverse people buried there who helped shape Newport’s history.

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CREATIVE SURVIVAL

When: Sunday, September 26 at 11 AM
Tour Description: Discover the early history of Newport’s people of color, enslaved and free. Explore the places where enslaved people lived and labored, along with locations where free African Americans built their enterprises and supported a new local industry.

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GEORGE WASHINGTON'S FOOTSTEPS

When: Saturday, September 18 at 11 AM + 2 PM
Tour Description: From fetes to battles, explore Newport’s Old Quarter with a guide in authentic 18th century clothing and hear stories about George Washington’s many connections to Newport.

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THE FRENCH IN 18TH CENTURY NEWPORT

When: Saturday, September 11 at 11 AM + 11:30 AM
Tour Description: Explore the heart of 18th century Newport and discuss the year-long period when roughly 12,000 French soldiers and sailors lived alongside Newport citizens during the American Revolution. Learn how the French contribution to the Revolutionary War was vital to the success of American Independence—and it began in Newport.

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LEGENDS & LORE

When: Saturday, September 25 at 3 PM
Tour Description: Did the British Army steal the town records when they withdrew from Newport during the American Revolution; is there a tunnel on Touro Street; did an artist on Mill Street discover the tomato? This tour, presented by a guide in historical clothing, teases out the truth from the fiction in these stories and other infamous Newport tales.

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