Free Summer Activities in Newport

While Newport, with its grand mansions, upscale boutiques and gourmet restaurants, doesn't necessarily translate into free activities, there is actually a bounty of free summer activities around every corner of this seaside resort. For instance, there are volleyball games on Easton's Beach, surfing the ocean, and walking the scenic Cliff Walk, just to name a few. But for the 2007 summer season, there's one free activity that promises to top all others. It's Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007 and there's great excitement already as the City-by-the-Sea prepares to host this free event of immense proportions.

Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007 takes place from June 27-July 1 with more than 25 tall ships docked and open for tours along the Newport Waterfront. The international celebration of sail training and sea education features tall ships from throughout the U.S. and the world, including the Bluenose II from Canada, the Cisne Branco from Brazil, the Dewaruci from Indonesia, the Gorch Fock II from Germany, the Prince William from the United Kingdom, the Urania from the Netherlands, the Tarangini from India, and the Gloria from Colombia.

In addition to free tours of the Tall Ships, visitors can enjoy exhibits, arts, crafts and native dress of each participating country, as well as live performances in the International Village, all for free. Other free activities that are part of Tall Ships Rhode Island 2007 are a street parade of crew and cadets and a fireworks display. The festival closes with a spectacular Parade of Sail from 12:30pm-3pm on July 1 as the ships leave Newport under full sail, weather permitting.