Destination Tennis, Newport: Sail Newport and The Sailing Museum

WATCH: Monica Puig visits The Sailing Museum, and takes sail on the Narragansett Bay ⤴️

In Newport, they say that you can set your clock by the arrival of the sea breeze in the afternoon. The reliable weather is one of the characteristics that has made Newport an international sailing capital and the birthplace of the America’s Cup race, along with the challenging deep waters of Narragansett Bay and the breathtaking coastal views.

Majestic yachts and schooners now ply the bay’s jewel-toned waters by the hundreds, treating visitors to breathtaking coastal scenery and points of interest along the waterfront. The menu of excursions runs as deep as the sea, from morning mimosa cruises to thrilling racing experiences to champagne sunset sails to beginner lessons.

To get your feet wet with instruction, head to Sail Newport, New England’s largest public sailing center. The nonprofit organization was founded in 1983 to continue the area’s sailing heritage after the America’s Cup pulled up anchor. Sail Newport’s center sits on a scenic point in Fort Adams State Park and offers one-hour Try Sail lessons for all ages. Beginners can learn the basics from an experienced instructor on a 22-foot J-22 sloop, and return for private or group lessons if they catch the bug.

“Early evening is a really nice time to go. The sea breeze is in and the bay is glowing,” says Sail Newport’s Kim Cooper.

Sail Newport also rents boats to experienced sailors, and the fees support a valuable community resource. The organization provides free sailing instruction to area fourth-graders and incorporates the lessons into STEM education. It also hosts an annual fundraising race that started with donating $100,000 to charity after 9/11.

You haven’t seen Newport until you get out on the water for a sightseeing excursion and travel along the dramatic shoreline, spying landmark mansions, lighthouses and other points of interest—as well as beautiful boats of all types.

Cruise like an Astor on board a vintage Elco motor yacht called the Rum Runner II, built in 1929 during the height of Prohibition for two New Jersey mobsters to elude the Coast Guard while smuggling cases of alcohol. (John Jacob Astor, JFK and Thomas Edison all owned an Elco.) The 58-footer still goes fast, as it treats guests to all the waterfront highlights for just $40.

More Destination Tennis: Newport

👉 International Tennis Hall of Fame
👉 What to see and where to stay in this coastal charmer
👉 Rail Explorers
👉 Sail Newport and The Sailing Museum

You can even board an active America’s Cup yacht for a thrilling cruise or race. The company 12-Meter Yacht Charters offers three-hour rides for $210 during a race, whether you choose to participate or just enjoy the ride, as well as two-hour scenic sails for $110. Groups can charter two ships for a private race.

On land, make sure to drop anchor at The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame, opened in 2022. The interactive center lets visitors see what it’s like to crank the winches that raise and trim sails, and steer a ship with a wooden tiller. Exhibits teach about wind and water and the physical mental demands on experienced sailors.

“The most fascinating thing was the international maritime language communicated through different flags,” says Destination Tennis host Monica Puig.

Sail Newport

• 72 Fort Adams Dr.
• 401-849-8385
• sailnewport.org
• Facebook: /sailnewport
• Instagram: /sailnewportri
• YouTube: /SailNewportsailing

The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame

• 365 Thames St.
• 401-324-5761
• thesailingmuseum.org/
• Facebook: /nshof
• Instagram: /sailinghalloffame
• YouTube: /SailingHallofFame

One Thing You Need to Know: Many companies offer sightseeing cruises that take in Newport’s famous Ocean Drive, 10 miles of breathtaking coastal scenery studded with historic mansions perched over the Atlantic Ocean.