Newport Celebrating Daffodils, Spring

Newport, R.I., is a city with many hues, but in April, color it yellow.

Already home to a host of attractions and palate-pleasing restaurants, the city plans to “get daffy” throughout the month for the annual Newport Daffodil Days, featuring nearly 1.5 million of the yellow flowers in bloom, merrymaking and food festivals. 

The celebration kicks off at noon April 6 at Clarke Cook House on Bannister’s Wharf with a blast of musket fire from the Artillery Company of Newport and a string of daffodils cut by Ms. Daffodil and Newport’s Mayor Xaykham Rexford Khamsyvoravong. After opening ceremonies, the fun and music continue as the annual Daffy Doggy Paw-rade trots off to Queen Anne Square for the daffiest dressed dogs (and humans) competition. Don’t miss all the store windows resplendent with daffodil decorations.

The following week, hundreds of runners will be “cheered” by fields of 60,000 waving daffodils during the Newport Rhode Races April 13, which include a full marathon, half marathon and a 5K that begin at Easton’s Beach.

If you enjoy a slower pace, stroll the “yellow carpet” for photo opportunities at Miantonomi Park, home to Newport’s largest daffodil field on April 14 and get messy at the Lemon Pie Slam-down and a Daffy Dust-up Color Run. Also not to be missed are Bike Newport’s bike decorating contest, storytelling, food trucks and music.

Bicyclists can “petal-on” April 20 to view Newport’s fields of daffodils, including a private garden with more than 20,000 blooms, welcoming cyclists dressed in yellow and riding decorated bikes. Family fun awaits at Salve Regina College’s I Scream ice cream social and Daffy Puppet Show just off the Cliff Walk, next to a large field of daffodils – naturally.

On April 21, the famous Driving Miss Daffodil car rally of more than 50 decorated cars and drivers meet up at Easton’s Beach then cruise through Newport, arriving at Second Beach in Middletown for Audrain’s popular Cars & Coffee gathering.

Nearby Bristol joins in the fun as well, with Blithewold Daffodil Days between April 13 and April 21. Celebrate daffodils and enjoy other spring events, such as teas, concerts and workshops.

Stay updated on all Newport Daffodil Days events.

But Wait, There’s More

Besides daffodil viewing, Newport has lots of other attractions, indoors and out.

Who says you need to wait until summer to cruise? Newport has plenty of options if you want to get out on the water. Springtime is a great time for Coastal Queen Cruises, and it kicks off the season with its Daffodil Lighthouse Cruises in April. The tours include views of Lime Rock, Goat Island, Rose Island and Castle Hill lighthouses. Each tour is narrated by a local guide and every seat has a panoramic view. Beginning in May, get ready to sip and sail with Lighthouse & Mimosa Cruises. Start your day with a tropical drink as you cruise up close to the many lighthouses surrounding Newport Harbor.

For night-time entertainment, Coastal Queen offers evening cocktail and event cruises that also depart from Newport.

Ready for exercise and scenic views that include gardens, meadows, farms and the ocean? Hike along any of the seven trails in the 300-acre-plus Norman Bird Sanctuary in nearby Middletown. More than 230 species of birds have been observed at the sanctuary.

Time to Eat and Drink

When it comes to dining, there is nothing like fresh seafood and adult beverages. More than 50 breweries, featuring more than 150 selections of beers, take over Fort Adams State Park April 20 during the Newport Beer Festival.

Wash down some locally harvested oysters with champagne at the Newport Oyster & Chowder Festival, May 1.

Other Attractions

The soon-to-open Save the Bay Aquarium allows visitors to spend time with local sea life without getting wet. Save The Bay is moving its Exploration Center and Aquarium to the first floor of the Gateway Transportation and Visitors Center, and it has undergone extensive renovations. The organization’s goals are to protect and purify Narragansett Bay so both sea life and people can enjoy it. The aquarium features many educational programs.

Love tennis? Then you will love the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Founded in 1880, the hall of fame, its museum and grounds long have been Newport highlights. Currently on display are almost 2,000 objects from the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s collection of more than 30,000 artifacts and hundreds of thousands of images, videos and publications, according to the hall of fame. Visitors can enjoy assorted interactive displays, and yes, it even has tennis courts.

No visit to Newport is complete without tours of the town’s opulent summer homes known, of course, as the mansions. Step back in time to when the nation’s wealthiest citizens spent their summers in luxury and threw lavish parties.

Where to Stay

Newport has plenty of hotel options, including newcomers Gardiner House and Pell JDV, and the newly renovated Newport Harbor Island Resort and Wayfinder Newport. Find places to stay.

Discover Newport this spring.