Scenic Newport, RI Self-Driving Audio Tour in Newport booking from $14.99

Scenic Newport, RI Self-Driving Audio Tour

Overview

Recommended: Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!

Explore Newport, RI with a scenic self-guided driving tour! See everything this seaside town has to offer at your own pace. As you drive down Bellevue Avenue, the "most beautiful avenue in the world", see and learn about the gorgeous Gilded Age Mansions along the way - including The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff, Château-sur-mer & more. Continue along Ocean Drive, featuring breathtaking vistas. This self-guided tour allows you to explore with maximum flexibility and value.

Within 30 min, we'll send you two things: a password & an app. Download the app, enter password, & download tour. When you arrive, go to the Discover Newport Visitor Center to start the tour. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.

This is not an entrance ticket. Check covid rules & opening hours before your visit.

No expiration — The tour comes with lifetime validity!

City: Newport

Tue 24 Dec

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $14.99

Make a reservation

Tue 24 Dec

Starting at $14.99

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Offline use: No cell signal or wifi required. Offline GPS Map & route. Stop-to-stop direction.

Private tour in your/rental car: No group. Take breaks for photos/ snacks/hikes. Go at your own pace

Don’t miss a thing: Full itinerary, travel tips, professionally narrated hidden stories, video, text

Flexible schedule: Use any day, any time. Travel over multiple days or on next trip. Never expires.

Good value: Buy just one per car. Don’t pay for each person. Save money compared to a bus tour.

App on your phone: A link to download the Action Guide app. Password for your tours. Preview at home

Easy to use: Stories play automatically by GPS. Hands-free. Get HELP all day: Call, Chat or Email.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it works: Once you book a tour, you’ll get a text/email with instructions. Download the app (while in good wifi/signal) and use your unique password to access your tours. To begin touring, go to the Starting Point and launch the app. The audio starts automatically. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience. Please note that no one will meet you at the starting point.
Good value: Purchase only one tour for the entire vehicle instead of taking the bus and paying for each person. You will see a significant saving. Connect your phone to car speakers by a wire or bluetooth. Enjoy the tour by listening together as you drive.
Flexible Schedule: Once the app/tour is on your phone, you can use it any day and at any time. You can use it over multiple days. And, also use it on your next trip here. This tour never expires.
Preview the tour: You can use it before the trip at home (highly recommended), use it during the trip, and use it after you come back.
Don't miss a thing: You will get everything with the app - a complete itinerary, travel tips, professionally narrated audio stories, story script, images, videos, deep dives, hidden gems, exciting locations, recommendations for hikes, adventure, activities, treks, and stop-by-stop direction.
Private tour: You can use it in your car or rental car. No worries about groups or crowds. Start the tour app on your phone. And it will direct you step by step. You can stop for as many breaks as you like. Take a break for Instagram photos, and take a break for lunch/snacks. Go on a hike. The tour will wait for you and start when you start again. You can even do the tour over multiple days. Go at your own pace.
Easy to use: The stories play themselves as soon as the GPS is activated. It requires no use of your hands at all. You can get HELP by calling, chatting, or emailing any time of the day.
Offline: There is no need for a cell signal or Wi-Fi while touring. App’s GPS map works offline.
Expiration/go again: The tour will last for the rest of your life on your phone. It is available for use on any day of your next trip.
Use pictures for a photo book: Create a photo book using clean (no crowd) app images of each spot to make a memorable trip. All the photos and the correct sequence is ready in the app for you to use.
Social media: Share clean (no crowd) images with friends/family.
Devices supported include iPhones with iOS 13 & above, Android phones with version 9 & above and all cellular-enabled tablets & iPads.
Face masks required for travellers in public areas
Please refer to CDC guidelines while you are taking the tour. This is a private self guided tour so please take social distancing measures

What To Expect

Newport Visitors Information Center

Our journey begins in downtown Newport, just by the Newport Visitor Center. As we set off into the heart of Newport, we'll dive into the past to learn about Newport's hey-day: the Gilded Age. This era of nouveau-riche American elites like the Vanderbilts and Astors has been marked by gorgeous mansions. We'll explore the architecture and architects behind these designs as drive.

International Tennis Hall of Fame

At the International Tennis Hall of Fame intersection, we'll turn onto the famed Bellevue Avenue -- the most expensive avenue in America. We're about to see the most magnificent homes ever built in this country... facetiously known as "summer cottages". You can choose to pause here to check ou the Hall of Fame, which features tennis greats.

The Elms

Finally, we'll see the Elms. This masterpiece was designed for the coal baron Edward Julius Berwind, and inspired by France's Château d'Asnières. Here we'll want to slow down as much as possible to hear about the Berwinds -- and maybe pull inside for a tour!

Bellevue Avenue

When we spot Mr. Belmont's statue, we'll turn off Bellevue. We're now heading towards some of the largest and finest mansions in Newport -- and they're technically not even on this famously expensive avenue! As we drive, we'll learn a bit about Belmont -- whose fascinating story we'll pick back up when we see another grand house later on the tour.

Ochre Court

Ochre Court will immediately arrest our eyes! This châteauesque mansion cost of $4.5 million... in 1892. And it certainly shows! Now the centerpiece of the Salve Regina University, this mansion isn't open for tours... but that won't stop us from learning all about it's rich and fascinating history!

Chateau-sur-Mer

As we head back towards Bellevue Avenue, we'll pause to check out the delicate beautfy of Chateau-sur-Mer. Not only is the first Gilded Age mansion in Newport, it also boasts one of the most beautiful, green, sprawling gardens. Both the house and the gardens are open for an optional tour.

National Museum of American Illustration

Right on the corner of Bellevue, we'll pause once again for a glimpse of Vernon Court. This mansion holds a different type of treasure inside: the National Museum of American Illustrations. Norman Rockwell fans simply can't skip this hidden gem.

Hammersmith Farm

Our journey brings us to Hammersmith Farm, the childhood home of Jackie Kennedy. Jackie and JFK would later return to summer here, enjoying the same scenery, views, and breeze that you feel today!

Fort Adams State Park

We'll continue both our history lesson and journey into Fort Adams, as we explore this historic site and it's significance to Newport's independence.

Show 6 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (169)

dblady1020

Mar 2021

My husband and I had thought of doing a trolley tour to learn more about the area but our weekends only reservation was cancelled due to driver illness. Happy to avoid that exposure but still looking for way to tour and hear more about the history here. This audio tour was just the thing. Inexpensive, informative and easy to follow with 49 messages over one hour throughout Newport. In a couple spots at the end the audio would not play but I was able to access the text in the tour and read it aloud. Would definitely recommend as a COVID safe way to tour the area!

Response from Host

Mar 2021

I’m so glad our tour was able to step in and give you guys a great Newport experience! There are so many stories to cover all around town to give a truly comprehensive experience. Hopefully, you get a chance to explore the Cliff Walk with our walking tour too. I’d love to know which specific audios didn’t play so I can figure out what to adjust — would you mind emailing me the details? Links are in the ticket. I hope you consider using our self-guided tours again in the future for visits to Providence, Boston, Cape Cod, and beyond!

dflannery66

Mar 2021

Outstanding!!!! We stayed at the Hydrangea House Inn which was simply wonderful. Ate lunch at Picnic which is next door and also had lunch at the Black Pearl (amazing chowder). Dinners were at the Boru Noodle Bar on Friday night and then on Saturday we dressed up for Bouchard Restaurant (soufflé was outstanding). Did a self drive tour via an audio app you download. Also toured Marble House and walked half of Cliff Walk.

Response from Host

Mar 2021

Whoo, sounds like a wonderful weekend in Newport! So thrilled that you enjoyed the self-guided driving tour and the Cliff Walk tour!

Jude B

Jan 2021

The concept is brilliant, particularly during COVID, download the app, connect to your car’s Bluetooth, drive and listen. The content is interesting with the option of doing a deeper dive if you’re so inclined. And when it works, it works really well. The problem is when it doesn’t work you can miss out and it’s hard (but not impossible) to get back on track. Though we spent a lot of time laughing about our failed attempts to right ourselves. Still with its hiccups, it’s worth your time and money, and is a great way to get to know the history of the city. Once the kinks are worked out, this will be the way self-guided tours will be done always.

Response from Host

Feb 2021

Thanks for letting us know — is there any stop in particular where you got turned around/lost? We would love to be able to fix that! Please let us know via email.

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Scenic Newport, RI Self-Driving Audio Tour

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