Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Board your vessel conveniently located at the tender pier, and enjoy a scenic harbor cruise to the restored 1870 Rose Island Lighthouse. Along the way, enjoy panoramic views of Newport's legendary rocky coastline and commentary by your captain, who will point out important landmarks and recount the area's rich maritime history. The Rose Island Lighthouse stands proudly as you dock on the petite, 18-acre island in Narragansett Bay. Built in 1869, this lighthouse was in use for over a century, lit by civilians and then by the U.S. Coast Guard. Abandoned in 1971, the lighthouse fell victim to vandals and harsh weather. In 1993, volunteers restored it to its original condition and the beacon was joyously lit. The lighthouse is once again listed on navigational charts to aid sailors and is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Explore the lighthouse station and living museum from its windmill to its cellar cistern as your guide recounts tales of bygone lighthouse keepers and their families. Built on Rose Island during the Revolutionary War, Fort Hamilton protected Newport from attack until the end of WWII. Today it is a wildlife refuge and home to migrating birds including little blue herons, black crowned night herons, great and snowy egrets, and glossy ibises. It is the primary nesting site for Canadian geese. When you complete your exploration of this scenic area, the cruise vessel will bring you back to the tender pier.