My So Connecticut Life: Discovering the Charm of Newport in the Quiet Beauty of Fall
I love the New England coast in the fall, even more than in the summer. It's calmer, quieter, and cozier – perfect for exploring one of my favorite towns, Newport
I have spent more than a decade writing about homes and interiors, but My So-Connecticut Life is personal. I live in a 1937 Colonial in the small town of Easton, Connecticut, with my husband, three children, and our dog. Seven years in this house have taught me which farm stands and vintage markets are worth the detour, how to set a table without stress, and the small routines that make a home feel like home. Every other Saturday, I’ll share a glimpse into life in Connecticut – where I’m shopping, how I’m hosting, and the seasonal rituals that shape the year.
One of the best parts of living in New England is the abundance of beautiful coastal towns. Places like Kennebunkport, Maine; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Mystic, Connecticut, are packed with visitors during the summer months, and for good reason. But after spending most of my life in the area, I’ve learned that my favorite time to visit is actually in the fall, once the crowds have cleared.
In autumn, you can enjoy nearly everything that makes these seaside towns so appealing, along with a few seasonal perks. Local seafood, such as oysters and scallops, starts to reach peak season, the scenery becomes even more charming, and the days are often still warm enough for beach walks and boat trips. Best of all, there are far fewer people. You can get a table at a popular restaurant or book a great hotel room without planning months in advance.
A pumpkin patch outside a Newport church, and a home on Spring Street decorated for the season.
So, when I can, I try to sneak away to one of these towns in early October. This year, my husband and I headed to Newport, Rhode Island, one of my favorite coastal destinations in New England.
Newport has a particular appeal for architecture and design lovers. Along the waterfront, well-curated boutiques mingle with old fishing shacks and restaurants housed in weather-worn clapboard buildings. A few blocks inland, cobblestone streets wind past historic homes and churches dating back to the 1700s. Along Bellevue Avenue stand the city’s famous Gilded Age mansions, a reminder of Newport’s glamorous past. There’s plenty to do no matter what time of year you visit, but here are some of my must-dos.
Where to Stay
The mural on the walls of the Gardiner House entry is a recreation of one in the Newport home of its namesake, renowned painter Howard Gardiner Cushing.
I love a hotel that captures a sense of place. When I travel, I want to feel immersed in my surroundings, which is why I tend to gravitate toward boutique hotels. Luckily, Newport has a number of beautiful options, but this time, we stayed at Gardiner House, just a block from both the harbor and Thames Street, the city’s main shopping corridor.
The rooms at the Gardiner house were coastal but clean, and a departure from the more maximalist public spaces.
The hotel feels distinctly Newport and was designed to evoke one of the city’s glamorous private residences. The guest rooms have a coastal aesthetic, but in a clean, understated way, while the public spaces feel more layered and artistic. Much of the design draws inspiration from Howard Gardiner Cushing, the Newport artist for whom the hotel is named and whose grandson owns the property. The two-story mural in the hotel’s lobby is even a recreation of the hand-painted original in Cushing’s own Newport home, The Ledges.
The bar area at Gardiner House featured some of the artwork of Howard Gardiner Cushing. The restaurant, Flora, was stunning and overlooked the harbor.
It’s a newer addition to Newport that’s only been open since 2024, but it’s already one of my favorites. If Gardiner House is booked, take a peek at Gilded or The Cliffside Inn, two other boutique hotels in the area that I love.
Where to Eat
The outdoor bar at 22 Bowen's 22 Portside, and the outdoor seating at the Black Pearl across the water.
Newport has no shortage of excellent restaurants, but I tend to gravitate toward the old standbys for two reasons: great food and an atmosphere that feels distinctly Newport.
One of my first stops is usually 22 Bowen’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar, right on the wharf. On this visit, my husband and I stopped for a drink at the outdoor bar and watched the sun set over the harbor, which is a magical way to start an evening. Personally, I think waterfront dining is even better in sweater weather than in the summer heat.
Next was another of my longtime favorites, Clarke Cooke House, which has been around since 1973, though its building dates back to 1780. The ceilings are low, the floors are creaky and slightly crooked, and the whole place feels very much like old New England. We snagged seats at the bar overlooking a little inlet of the harbor, which might be my favorite spot in the restaurant.
My final go-to, which we sadly didn’t get a chance to visit on this trip, is the White Horse Tavern, which dates back to 1673 and is considered one of the oldest operating restaurants in the world. Stepping inside feels almost like traveling back in time, with its colonial architecture, exposed beams, small rooms, and enormous fireplaces. It’s the perfect place to spend a chilly evening.
One newer spot deserves a mention, too: Flora, inside Gardiner House, where we stayed. It’s one of the most beautifully designed restaurants I’ve been to in a long time, and the breakfast we had there was just as good as the interiors. During the summer, getting a table at any of these spots requires planning well in advance. But that’s just another reason to plan your visit in the fall.
Where to Browse
A shop on Spring St., one of the town's best shopping streets, and a pair of paintings I spotted inside Antique Boutique.
Shopping in Newport is a must, especially if you love decorating with antiques as much as I do. There are plenty of great clothing boutiques along Thames Street, the main shopping drag, but I usually find myself wandering into antique shops, home stores, and anywhere I might stumble across a one-of-a-kind find.
A few favorites include Cottage & Garden, a beautifully curated little shop that mixes antique furniture and accessories with garden finds like topiaries, terracotta pots, and marble urns.
I also love Drawing Room Antiques on Spring Street (another excellent shopping street overall), which specializes in finer antiques. It’s worth visiting just to admire the collection, especially because the shop is apparently haunted. I’ve never experienced anything out of the ordinary, but the shop’s owners swear that the items’ former owners occasionally come back for a visit.
For a bargain or a small piece of art or decor, I also like to stop by Antique Boutique, also on Spring Street.
My absolute favorite, though, is Aardvark Antiques on the outskirts of town. It’s part antique store, part architectural salvage yard, and unlike almost anywhere else I’ve shopped. The collection includes everything from old iron gates and marble mantels to enormous sculptures, art, mirrors, and furniture. It’s not necessarily the place to pick up something small that you can pack into your suitcase for the trip home, but if you’re renovating a house or looking for actual furniture pieces, it’s definitely worth a stop.
What to Do
It wouldn't be a trip to Newport without a tour of the amazing Gilded Age mansions.
Beyond the waterfront, beaches, and shopping, Newport’s biggest attraction is its collection of Gilded Age mansions. In the late 1800s, the city was the summer destination for some of America’s wealthiest families, including the Vanderbilts and Astors, who built enormous estates along the coast.
Many of these former private residences are now maintained by the local preservation society and are open for public tours. I’ve been visiting them since I was a kid, and I still find them just as fascinating.
The grandest of the mansions is The Breakers, built for Cornelius Vanderbilt II in the 1890s. At 125,000 square feet, it’s closer in size to a shopping mall than a summer house, with interiors that are almost impossibly ornate. It’s absolutely worth seeing, especially if it’s your first visit.
The Breakers is well worth taking the full tour.
My personal favorites, though, are nearby Rosecliff and Marble House. Rosecliff has a stunning heart-shaped staircase and an enormous ballroom that you might recognize from the 1970s version of The Great Gatsby, while Marble House is exactly what its name suggests: an extravagant, marble-filled mansion built by William Vanderbilt as a birthday gift for his wife.
If you have time for one more thing, take a walk along the Cliff Walk. The path runs between the ocean and the backyards of many of Newport’s mansions, both public and private, so it’s a great way to take in everything the city has to offer all at once.
Newport Harbor at sunset, and a shop-front decorated for the season.
Shop Newport-Inspired Picks
A pretty blue throw adds a cozy fall layer with a subtle coastal nod.
This original artwork, depicting Newport's Castle Hill, comes in a gold frame that's reminiscent of the Gilded Age.
Capiz shell tiles and gleaming brass bring a classic Newport-inspired mix of coastal charm and understated glamour to this flush mount.
A Windsor chair is a New England classic, but the clean lines on this version make it suited to modern interiors, too.
Sculptural brass sailboats and rich green marble give these bookends a nautical nod that feels sophisticated rather than kitschy.
I've always loved these drinking glasses. Our hotel had them in a bright blue, and after we left, I added this muted version to my shopping cart.
Every time I visit Newport, I find another reason to love it, whether it’s a shop I haven’t discovered before or a new detail in a historic house I’ve walked past a dozen times. And while it’s beautiful any time of year, there’s something about having the city a little more to yourself in the fall that makes it even better.
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