Club Wyndham Long Wharf

Video by Visit The USA

Club Wyndham Long Wharf is located in Newport, Rhode Island. This would be my first time in Rhode Island. I have driven through and stayed near the area, but this would be my first time staying in the state.

Day One Travel and Arrival

I chose to drive up from Virginia in part to see more of the parts of the Northern East Coast that I have missed out on before. I have been to nearby Martha’s Vineyard before when staying in Massachusetts Cape Cod.

The trip itself takes about 9 hours from my home. However, I stopped to visit family on the Eastern Shore of Virginia so that cut the single day’s journey down to about a 7-hour drive.

Arriving that the resort I was struck by the unique layout and design of the resort. The resort is in the shape of a U but it has an added section that would make an accent on the letter. It was very visually appealing and made the resort feel almost dreamlike.

The resort itself is near the water and has an impressive marina, so it is visually engaging. The resort has many amenities, and I was a bit early for check-in, so I did a tour of the resort first.

One of the neat things that caught my eye first was the indoor-outdoor pool. It has a one-of-a-kind design that is something to see, and I imagine something very neat to enjoy. It was early fall, so both the inside and outside pool sections were open, so I looked forward to enjoying both during my stay. I do not remember which movie it was, but I have enjoyed the idea of an indoor pool connected by a swim under the doorway ever since. This pool was a very impressive version of that ideal pool.

The resort also has an impressive private movie theater. I could see someone using that for a great family movie, or for a large business meeting presentation. It offers 2 sections of seating and many rows.

Here at the resort, you will also find a nice-sized children’s activity room and something along the lines of an arts and crafts room. At the resort, you also find outdoor fire pits, and indoor fireplaces as well. This provides some great spots to be social and has a few drinks with friends, family, or business associates.

They made checking in easy and fast. I think there were 3 check-in desks manned when I was checking in. This meant that I had virtually no delay in getting sorted and set up with my room.

Villa Amenities

Then the resort itself offers all of these options.

Resort Amenities

The resort offers 1-2, and 3-bedroom units that vary in size from 400-1,400 sq ft. I have noticed about the Northern states that room size is smaller in general at all resorts than many resorts farther south. You will notice the difference, but what they lose in square footage they make up for with clever design and layout.

My 1-bedroom villa was small but enjoyed a full oven, fridge, dishwasher, microwave, and much more in the kitchen area. You could safely make any meal you like in your villa, and the bedroom and bathroom felt comfortable and seemed to be sized very well.

After my travel, I was ready for dinner. So, I looked for a restaurant near the resort. I found the Newport Lobster Shack right across the street. It was closer to the resort than other parts of the resort, so that meant a very short walk.

I ordered fresh Fish and Chips, and their Lobster Bisque, which was both priced well and tasted amazing. This location is open from 10 AM-6 PM, so if you checked in at 4 PM and hustle over for some seafood before they close for the night, you will be happy you did.

Day Two out on the town in Newport

Today I wanted to get to know the area and explore it. Already I had some great seafood but the test for any vacation spot for me is to find a great breakfast location. Somewhere local is, so I looked online and asked around the resort.

It turns out Bell’s Café is again right across the street near the marina. It is just opposite the spot where I enjoyed my seafood last night. I just got up and walked over from the resort. Easy as it gets.

I chose a build-my-own omelet with two cheeses and ham, then I even ordered some pancakes. I was so full when I was done; I started to worry I could not walk back 300 feet to my room. After successfully waddling back, I then did some early morning research on where I should visit first in the area.

A local website I found helpful was Discover Newport they provided me with many ideas for my day. I started by visiting a local beach nearby, then I moved to the cliff walk. I still felt like I needed to burn off my huge breakfast. I enjoyed the cliff walk, though I did not run into any of the stunning ladies from the local site shown in photos. Just couples of all ages walking together and enjoying the scene, and a little of mother nature’s best.

Newport boasts many local wineries, breweries, and vineyards. There are at least 10 open and available to the public for tours and tastings. I started at Newport Vineyards near the resort in the Middletown, RI area. This was only about 4 miles from the resort. It is situated on 100 acres of preserved farmland, and also includes a local selection of brews in addition to locally sourced wines.

If you are staying at the resort and enjoying wine or beer, this is a great location. Their gift shop also offers a nice selection of gourmet items should you want to take something back home.

Another amazing feature of the area is the mansions in Newport. Early American wealth is almost our royalty. They lived lives very different from even the supper rich today. Touring their homes and estates is something that many will enjoy.

I toured the Marble House first and was just blown away. It was one of the Vanderbilt homes and is very impressive to this day. The ornate work of an early American master craftsman is truly stunning and the scale of things is impressive.

Next, I visited a home called the Elms. Built by a family with deep ties to the early coal industry, this home was over the top as well. This home also has impressive gardens that anyone who loves gardening or flowers would weep over.

There were 8 more major mansions to tour if you are a fan of them, and experience how Americans in another time, and at another end of the financial scale, lived.

Day Three on the Water

After a day of seeing some amazing local sites like the vineyards, and mansions, I wanted to get out and experience the local waterways. I love the water, and I have not seen a great deal of the area by water. This was what I felt maybe a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

In Newport, there are 33 different sailing or charter opportunities. So many that if the weather is right, you are certain to be able to find a spot on a boat going out for the day.

I chose to start with a guided harbor tour and then go from there.

Here are some reviews of the tour I took.

We stumbled upon this tour by accident. I’m so glad we did; this is probably one of the best-guided tours I have been on in a while.

20 dollars each is definitely worth it. An entire hour was full of historic sites and lots of laughter. We’ll definitely be going back again!

We took the sunset tour in mid-June and it was brilliant. I would thoroughly recommend this trip to anyone visiting Newport.

My take was positive as well; I enjoyed the historic information shared and loved getting to see the harbor on the one-hour trip.

After my cruise, I then chose to go on the Lighthouse Cruise because as the website says you can “Enjoy stunning views of the many lighthouses of Newport, including Rose Island while sipping on a complimentary mimosa.” Well, I would have preferred a beer but when in Rome.

That trip was more refreshing than you can imagine. Altogether, so far today I had spent about 3 hours on the water and a little time on the docks connecting the two trips together.

Tonight I was going to eat at a local spot called the Smoke House. The menu was solid and I am always interested in seeing how people eat BBQ in other areas.

The food was great, and the service was too. Tomorrow I would be leaving to go back and spend time with family some more on the Eastern Shore, but I will miss what I have been able to see and experience in Rhode Island and I look forward to coming here again.

At least traveling by booking with TZort I know I can afford another trip.