Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour
Badge of Excellence
Newport, USA
- 2 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Overview
Explore scenic Newport, Rhode Island at your own pace with this private self-guided driving tour. Listen to enriching background on iconic historic mansions like Bellevue House, the Elms, and the Vanderbilt estate The Breakers. Visit public beaches and parks while following an offline GPS map with customer support. Enjoy lifetime access to the tour for use anytime on any trip.
- A private self-guided driving tour of Newport, Rhode Island
- Pay per car, not per person: families and friends can listen together
- Enjoy customer support via email, messaging, and phone
- Visit historic, natural, and cultural attractions at your own pace and rhythm
What's Included
- This tour is NOT a ticket to any attraction or site
- This is a GPS-powered, self-guided audio tour that works through an app
- NO in-person guide or physical equipment (bring your own device & headphones)
- Pre-recorded audio commentary (downloadable or streamable)
- Offline GPS-enabled route map
- Suggested walking/driving itinerary with stop-by-stop directions
- Lifetime access (no expiration) with Customer support (chat/email)
- Text transcripts of audio narration & Self-paced format (start/pause/resume anytime)
- Entrance fees, in-person guide, headphones, transport, parking, food,Wi-Fi or cellular data, rentals
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 23 America's Cup Ave, Newport, RI 02840, USA
Start at 23 America’s Cup Ave, with Cardines baseball field on your left and the Visitor Center parking lot on your right. This is a suggested starting point. We’re not affiliated with nearby businesses, so staff won’t have tour info. Audio starts automatically—check your email/text for setup.
End point
- Newport Public Library300 Spring St, Newport, RI 02840, USA
Arranged start time
Confirm time with the local provider in advance of your experience.
- 07/20/2021 - 05/14/2027
Monday - Sunday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Itinerary
1
Newport Visitors Information Center
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
International Tennis Hall of Fame (Pass By)
Audrain Auto Museum (Pass By)
Edward King House Senior Center (Pass By)
Kingscote (Pass By)
The Bellevue House (Pass By)
Isaac Bell House (Pass By)
The Elms (Pass By)
Bellevue Avenue (Pass By)
Chepstow (Pass By)
2
Ochre Court
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
McAuley Hall
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
The Breakers (Pass By)
Chateau-sur-Mer (Pass By)
National Museum of American Illustration (Pass By)
4
Frederick Law Olmsted Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Rosecliff (Pass By)
5
Gustave White Sotheby's International Realty
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Marble House (Pass By)
6
Belcourt of Newport
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Rough Point (Pass By)
7
Bailey’s Beach
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
Gooseberry Beach
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Brenton Point State Park (Pass By)
9
Castle Hill Inn
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
10
OceanCliff Hotel
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
11
Hammersmith Farm
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
12
Fort Adams State Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
13
Fort Adams State Park
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
14
Bonniecrest
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
15
Ida Lewis Rock
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
16
Rochambeau Statue and Monument
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
17
26 W Narragansett Ave
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Newport Public Library (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
- How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.
- Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
- Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
- Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
- New, Lifetime access, no expiry. Use it anytime, on any trip, as many times as you want.
- Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.
- The tour requires a supported mobile device for navigation. Please use an iPhone with iOS 15 or later, an Android device with Android 9 or later, or an iPad/tablet with GPS and cellular service.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.3
based on 331 reviews
Rebecca_H, Apr 2026
Great if have own car. App still needs work. Map does not show on car screen hard to drive and navigate tour
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Rebecca, I’m sorry to hear the navigation felt difficult while driving. I mention in both the pre- and post-purchase details that Apple CarPlay is not fully supported at the moment. Currently, only audio plays through CarPlay, and full map display and navigation are not yet available. My team is actively working on it. In the meantime, the best way to use my tour is to connect your phone to your car stereo via Bluetooth or AUX, so the audio plays smoothly while you follow the route on your phone. If you have any concerns, feel free to reach out—I’m available daily from 9 AM to 6 PM EST.
Teresa_A, Mar 2026
It was a little rough start. Once we got the hang of it it flewed smoothly. We will use in the future.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Teresa, I’m glad you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour and that once you got the hang of it, everything flowed smoothly. If you’re planning more time in Newport, you might enjoy my Ultimate Newport Self-Guided Audio Tour Bundle: Walk & Drive, which includes both the scenic driving tour and a walking tour for a deeper look at the city.
Charles_H, Feb 2026
Great moment by moment experience guide that you could divert or stop then continue without touching your phone.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Charles, I’m glad to hear that my Newport, RI GPS Driving Audio Tour provided those area-specific highlights. It’s great that you appreciated being able to divert, stop, and continue without touching your phone. If you’re planning more time in Newport, you might enjoy my Ultimate Newport Self-Guided Audio Tour Bundle: Walk & Drive, which includes both the scenic driving tour and a walking tour for a deeper look at the city.
Joanne_S, Feb 2026
Easy to use. Travel at your own pace. Good information about the town and the mansions. Definitely would recommend it.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Joanne, I’m glad to hear that my Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour was easy to use and let you travel at your own pace. It’s great that the information about the town and the mansions enhanced your visit and brought Newport’s history to life. If you’re planning more time in Newport, you might enjoy my Ultimate Newport Self-Guided Audio Tour Bundle: Walk & Drive, which includes both the scenic driving tour and a walking tour for a deeper look at the city.
Peggy_C, Jan 2026
Very easy to use! We were in Newport during January which is a very slow season. Not many options for tours. This was a very comprehensive way to do a tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Hi Dusty, thanks for taking our Kauai audio tour. We're so glad to hear that the flexibility of the itinerary options and the ability to replay the guide made your experience even better. It's wonderful that the tour helped you discover new places you hadn’t visited on previous trips. We hope to join you on the road again soon!
Doug_P, Dec 2025
It was enjoyable and interesting. It was neat the way it knew where you were and which story to read. There were a couple of times that it talked too long and told you to turn either AT the turn or just after so you missed your turn and had to circle around and find your way back to the route. That was frustrating and would be way worse if it were busier time of year.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Doug, I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed my Newport driving audio tour and found it interesting. Could you please let me know where exactly the audio seemed like it was too long? I’m currently reviewing this tour thanks to your feedback and want to make sure the directions all play at the right time - as the audio is carefully timed with the speed limit along the tour route. If you do ever miss a turn or need to get back on track, just head to the nearest audio story point and the tour will automatically resume. Thanks again for letting me know and helping to make sure all of the directions are easy to follow throughout the whole tour.
Robert_M, Nov 2025
The software connects easily with the car and is quite accurate in knowing where the vehicle is referencing the attractions.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Robert, I’m happy to hear my audio tour connected smoothly with your car and that the GPS accuracy worked well for you. It’s great to know that insider facts and location-based triggers have been added to your experience. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, which features a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to explore at your own pace.
Lisa_B, Nov 2025
You need to upgrade to navigate people to the start of the tour. Once we got to a point where the gps picked us up we were fine- but getting started was annoying.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Lisa, thank you for sharing your feedback — I’m glad my audio tour worked smoothly once the GPS located you, but I understand how frustrating it can be when the starting point isn’t clear right away. I’d love to understand this better so I can improve it for future travelers. Were you using the map inside the app to navigate to the starting point, or were you relying on a different GPS app? And did the start location not appear clearly in the email instructions or within the tour map? Your input will help me refine the setup guidance. If you ever need help getting started on any of my tours, I’m available daily from 9 to 6 EST and always happy to assist.
Norva_J, Oct 2025
Very easy to follow the route
An excellent experience. It was Well worth the nominal fee. Very enjoyable
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Norva, I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed my Newport, RI Audio Tour. I’m excited that it was easy to follow and gave you a great experience. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, which features a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to explore at your own pace.
Lynn_M, Oct 2025
The trip felt hurried as there are no pull off areas and traffic is busy. Some directions had us turning down wrong streets. It’s a long tour and there are no restroom stops noted.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Lynn, I’m sorry to hear you felt rushed because of traffic and the lack of pull-off points. If possible, I suggest trying the tour during a less busy time, as it can make the experience more enjoyable. My tour is valid for a year, so you have plenty of time to revisit. Following the route and speed limit helps with navigation, and the audio will sync accordingly. Did you follow the speed limit shown on the app? Also, did you try the "Near Me" feature in the app? It can help you find nearby restrooms, gas stations, restaurants, and more. I’ll pass your feedback to my team to review the directions and restroom info. If you need any help, feel free to reach out—I’m available daily from 9 to 6 EST. Safe travels!
Merry_M, Oct 2025
Nice, relaxing way to see the city and learn. A little bit about what you are seeing. It was nice that you could stop whenever you wanted to see more.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Merry, I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour. I’m excited that it offered a relaxing way to explore the city and learn along the way, and that the ability to stop whenever you wanted enhanced your experience. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, which features a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Derek_L, Sep 2025
This is a lot cheaper option than doing a tour and you can take your time. Drive slowly though or it will skip to the next area.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Derek, I’m glad to hear you found my Scenic Newport, RI Audio Tour to be a great value. It’s awesome that you appreciated the flexibility to take your time. Thanks for the tip on driving slowly to avoid skipping—great advice for future travelers. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Laurie_S, Sep 2025
This tour is narrated by a friendly and informative guide. The tour was easy to follow. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Laurie, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Newport, RI audio tour and found the narration friendly and informative! I’m thrilled the tour was easy to follow and that you would recommend it. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
jeff_s, Aug 2025
We had an unforgettable experience exploring the beautiful landscapes of Martha’s Vineyard with The Happiness Factor! The e-bikes were fantastic—comfortable, easy to use, and made our 30-mile ride feel like a breeze. What could have been exhausting turned into a joyful, scenic adventure thanks to the boost from the bikes.
Our guide, Lisa, was absolutely amazing. She catered to us the entire time, making sure the pace and stops matched our group perfectly. Her knowledge of the island was impressive, and her warmth and kindness made the day even more special. Lisa was so personable—it honestly felt like we were riding with a longtime friend.
The route was thoughtfully planned and extremely customizable. We hit all the highlights of the island and covered so much ground—coastlines, quaint villages, lighthouses, and hidden gems we would’ve never found on our own.
We left the tour feeling connected to the island and full of appreciation for its charm and history. Couldn’t recommend this tour more—it was the perfect way to experience Martha’s Vineyard!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Jeff, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed Martha’s Vineyard and had such a wonderful experience with your guide, Lisa, and the e-bikes. It sounds like you had a fantastic time exploring the island. I noticed that you’ve also booked my tour and redeemed the password, but there’s no mention of my tour experience in the review. It seems like the review may have been posted under the wrong tour link, as you mentioned, the e-bikes and a different tour. I’d love to know more about your experience with my tour, and I hope you’ll give it another try in the future! If you’re interested, I offer a variety of self-guided tours in other locations as well. Thanks for sharing your feedback!
Sandra_A, Aug 2025
It was so an easy way to learn about the people that live here during the gilded times. It was interesting and gave good directions. The directions can be picked up in any place of the route. The system tracks your position via GPS. We preferred this form over the trolley.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Sandra, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed my Scenic Newport audio tour and found it easy to follow. It’s great that the GPS tracking made it simple to pick up the tour at any point along the route. I’m happy you preferred this self-guided option over the trolley—sounds like the perfect way to explore Newport at your own pace. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Roger_V, Jun 2025
At first, it took a minute, literally, to get situated with route and audio merged. Once done, audio tour went on smoothly!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Roger, I’m glad my audio tour went smoothly once you got set up. I understand that getting everything situated at the start can take a minute, but it’s great that you were able to enjoy the tour afterward. If you ever encounter any issues again, please don't hesitate to reach out—I’m available daily from 9 to 6 and here to help. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Ed_G, May 2025
While the information at each stop is interesting, I missed that this tour didn’t seem to have the ability to see the map at the same time as the narrator told you about each stop. Maybe I just didn’t find where you could access both, but I’ve used other apps that were better and easier to use. Still worth the $$ and it was easy to pause and go walk around.
Response from Host, May 2025
Ed, I’m glad to hear you found the tour interesting and worth it, and that pausing to walk around was easy to manage. Thanks for pointing out the map issue—when the speed limit isn’t followed, the map and audio can fall out of sync. Feel free to reach out if you ever feel stuck or need help with anything in the app. I’d be happy to assist!
Edward_M, Apr 2025
App was easy to download and tour worked great. We would have never been able to see all the locations without it
Response from Host, May 2025
Edward, I’m so glad you found the Scenic Newport Self-Guided Driving Tour easy to use and a pleasure to follow. It’s great that the app helped you discover spots you might have missed. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Darlene_C, Mar 2025
A little confusing in the beginning. Narrator was clear with driving instructions. Also told good information about the mansions and owners.
Response from Host, Apr 2025
Darlene, I’m glad you found the narration clear and informative, especially the stories about the mansions and their owners. Thank you for persevering through the initial confusion. I appreciate you choosing my tour for your Newport visit. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Bj_B, Feb 2025
Was great as could listen a few times as I was driving so getting to do the sites more than once helped
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Hi there, I'm thrilled you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour. Being able to revisit sites and listen again is one of the best parts of a self-guided tour. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Eileen_M, Jan 2025
It was wonderful. So much information! Loved being able to travel at our own pace. Will definitely do this again sometime.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Eileen, I’m glad you loved my self-guided driving audio tour of Scenic Newport, RI. The detailed information and flexibility to explore at your own pace made it a wonderful experience. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
marisa_L, Jan 2025
We had a great experience with this tour. I read many reviews that said they couldn’t get it to work, but we had no issues. The information was very interesting and we found the directions easy to follow. My only suggestion would be to look at how long each explanation is, some are longer so you need to slow down or pull over if you want to hear the whole thing before moving into the next circle. I would highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Marisa, I’m thrilled you had a great experience with my Scenic Newport, RI, Self-Guided Audio Tour. I’m so glad you enjoyed the engaging stories, easy-to-follow directions, and the flexibility to explore independently. To make the most of the tour, follow the speed limit so the stories stay aligned and don’t cut off. You can also preview the tour beforehand to plan your stops. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
robertyen, Nov 2024
It took me more than an hour to receive email, download mobile app to my mobile phone, and start the app! But, the last login step failed with an error message to login. Called customer services twice and they were unable resolve my issue. I wasted $16.99 for this virtual tour. Bottom line - if Viator is not capable to support Virtual tour, then stop it. I used to have good experiences with Viator 9 years ago, at Portugal and Spain city tours. That's why I chose this "Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour". But, I was extremely frustrated and disappointed on this virtual tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Robert, I’m sorry about your trouble setting up my Scenic Newport, RI, Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour. The instructions email should arrive right after purchase, and following those steps in advance is essential. Our support team is here to help, and you can find contact info in the instructions email, Viator confirmation email, and the voucher within the app. I checked, and we didn’t receive any calls from you, but the good news is the tour is valid for a year, so you have time to try it again or reach out for a refund or replacement if needed. Let me know if you’d like to give it another go!
Beth_D, Nov 2024
The tour was great! A few times the narration was cut out because we reached the next sight. Otherwise the narrator was great! Lots of interesting facts! Newport needs more street signs! We weren’t always sure we were turning onto the correct street.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Beth, I’m glad you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI, Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour. The narration is designed to play smoothly, but sometimes, the audio may cut out if the speed limit shown on the app isn’t followed. Keeping pace with the app ensures the stories don’t miss a beat. And I appreciate your suggestion about adding more street signs. I’ll forward this to the relevant team. For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Carmen_A, Oct 2024
The app should definitely integrate with an online mapping function on car play so you don't have to keep looking down at your phone. Big miss. Maybe others are better but almost all of Newport RI route is covered by trees and you can see anything.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Carmen, I appreciate your feedback! CarPlay and Android Auto are not yet supported, but you can connect your phone via Bluetooth, USB, or Aux for audio or use your phone’s speakers if needed. My audio tour mentions that "Mansions may be obscured or partially hidden by gates, trees, etc." and suggests pausing for a better view. If you have any further questions, feel free to reach out!
Katy_K, Oct 2024
Loved being able to stay in the car and be guided thru! App was alittle glitchy but seemed to follow us around in real time
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Katy, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI Self-Guided Driving Tour and found exploring while staying in the car convenient! If you’re up for more adventures, my East Coast USA: Self-Guided Driving & Walking Tour Bundle offers more destinations like Bar Harbor, Cape Cod, and the Blue Ridge Parkway! Enjoy the flexibility and convenience!
Scott_M, Oct 2024
Worked really well and was very informative. It was great to go at our own pace. Just trying to fill the character.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Scott, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI, Self-Driving Audio Tour and found it informative and easy to follow at your own pace! For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Kim_S, Oct 2024
Very informative on history of area. Loved that we can set our own pace and stop and start as we want.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Kim, I’m so glad you enjoyed my Scenic Newport, RI, Self-Driving Audio Tour and loved setting your own pace! For more experiences like this, check out my East Coast USA Bundle, featuring a variety of self-guided tours from Acadia to Key West, all designed for you to enjoy at your own pace.
Lisa_W, Oct 2024
We never had the experience! We tried several times on two different devices to download the driving options only to get kicked back to the starting point - I had to download another app - which I did and still wasn’t able to access it. Waste of MUCH time and money! Won’t use again.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Lisa, it sounds like the app wasn’t set up correctly, which might be why you had trouble accessing it. I provided detailed instructions and a tutorial video to help with setup beforehand, and once you reach the start, the app should take over. The tour is valid for a year, and my support team is here to assist with any issues. If you have any further questions, feel free to contact me!
Rhonda_M, Oct 2024
Great and informative narration. Good directions. Would have been nice if the map was "directional" - moved in the direction you were going. Still it was well worth the money for the audio tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Rhonda, I’m glad you found my Scenic Newport, RI, Self-Driving Audio Tour great and informative. The tour follows the directions and automatically starts when you begin from the designated starting point. Please make sure to allow the app access to your location for a seamless experience. If you're ready for more adventures, check out my East Coast USA Bundle for flexible, self-guided tours in places like Bar Harbor and the Blue Ridge Parkway!
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