Rams Head

Each year, Fort Adams State Park, with its 360° views of the harbor and Naragansett Bay, hosts two long-standing music festivals (among the first of their kind): The Newport Folk Festival from July 25th to 27th, and The Newport Jazz Festival, August 1st through 3rd. While the folk festival veers toward indie musicians like Jenny Lewis, Conor Oberst and Band of Horses, the jazz festival, has stuck with traditional big-name headliners like Wynton Marsalis, Lee Konitz, and Ravi Coltrane.

On any evening of the week, have a drink reclining in an Adirondack chair overlooking the East Bay at Castle Hill Inn’s outdoor restaurant. It opens for the summer each year and along with drinks, serves up delicious New England fare, which is some of the best around.

While we’re big fans of this hotel all-year-long, it’s pretty great when the weather warms up. Grace Kelly’s favorite private beach is on premises—along with a 19th-century lighthouse—and you can rent the hotel’s yacht to picnic on a nearby island. Whether you opt for a room perched on the hill (beware, the walls in the hotel-proper are thin), a chalet by the harbor, or a beachside cottage, they are all beautifully appointed (and individually decorated) with stunning water views. Perks vary from room to cottage, including gas fireplaces, under-floor heating, whirlpool tubs, and private beaches/harbors. The two hotel restaurants—which source ingredients from on-property—are some of Newport’s best.