We will be attending our son's graduation the very end of March. An uncle and aunt also plan on flying out with us and possibly another uncle and aunt so we have a need for two rooms, possibly three.
It's been at least 30 years since we visited Rhode Island and we spent very little time there. Don't recall having been anywhere near Newport when we were there. We have no familiarity with the area. Doubtful our son will be able to suggest hotels. Would anyone be in a position to suggest hotels?
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We stayed at the Naval Lodge on base. It was very nice and the price was right at 79.00 a night but books quickly
Try to get a room at one of the hotels on the base. They cost us only $69 a night and there close to everything you need to do. If they don't have rooms they will suggest something close off base. Call the Gateway on the base to start!
Anything off base is more expensive and a hassle to travel back and forth and go through the lines at the gate. Take a video camera or good still camera with you for the graduation as the Navy doesn't do it. Also, be there for the night before dinner as all the parents will be there and your son will want to introduce you to his friends and instructors.
Navy Dad & Former Combat Vet
Tony Belmont
Received notification that a reply came in to the very old thread at another site. Am adding it below because it's an overview of the area where OCS graduation ceremonies take place-
"There are three towns/cities on the island - Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. Newport is super expensive - no two ways about that. Middletown is more reasonable and when I was there last Nov [2016]- there are several new hotels in Middletown, close to Newport. I haven't stayed in any - I have family there - but most of the major chains are represented and any should be fine as far as cleanliness and all. Newport isn't super big - I worked on base eons ago (at TRICSMA and at the Naval War College) and walked from Middletown near the beaches...it's not a short walk and I wouldn't reccommend it but certainly distance from base isn't going to be a huge issue..."
Tony Belmont> Wow is all I can say! Thank you for your service in helping keep me and my family safe, thank you for the suggestion to video tape the graduation (we will borrow our neighbor's video camera), thank you for sharing your experience at the Lodge, thank you for the phone number, and thank you for the warm welcome.
I called the Lodge and although the room is more expensive for us than for you because we are not active duty or vets, it's still a bargain at only $80 per night and it's where we wanted to be. Should mention that unlike the other hotels off base, it's a straight $80 because there are no hidden fees tacked on and the 13% hotel tax isn't added. Learned that the rooms all have two queen sized beds, a private bathroom, and a kitchenette which was a wonderful surprise. We can park the rental car on base. How nice is that.
Now here's where things may have changed a little bit since you last stayed at the Lodge- they used to accept reservations within 60 days of check in. Recently, there was a policy change. They no longer do. Reservations can't be made any earlier than 30 days before check in. Active military and vets receive preference so we were encouraged to keep our reservations at Wyndham until we could book with them the end of this month. Very helpful information provided to me by the woman who answered the Lodge's phone. She was polite, professional, and personable. She spoke clearly and distinctly in English and I didn't have to push a gazillion keys to get to her. She actually picked up the phone after I pressed one number to make a reservation.
On an aside, I found several natural areas within a reasonable driving distance of the base that look very appealing. Sachuset Point, Norman Bird Sanctuary, and Weepamoo Woods. Sure hope I spelled all of those correctly.
One more thing~~~ The Navy Lodge is on the base and a good hotel: The Phone: (401) 849-4500. They have free shuttle to the airport.
Tony Belmont
Vet--USMC
There are a few hotels on the base and not to far from the hall where they will have the dinner the night before and also for graduation night. The room for my wife and I cost $59.00 It was the gateway on the base. I'm a veteran so I don't know if that's a requirement or not but you can call them. Call now because hotels get booked up quickly around graduation day. Anything off the base is costly and requires coming and going to the base.
They don't take a video or photo's of the graduation ceremony like schools do? You may want to video tape his graduation, its a well done ceremony.
Good Luck! And welcome to the Navy family!
Tony Belmont
Veteran USMC
Problem is American kids are targets in the areas served by Missionaries and the Peace Corps and our kid is bilingual so he was pretty much assured of ending up down in Central or South America. We're not talking stints in Europe or Australia although Europe is looking rather war torn these days. Same thing for Doctors or Engineers Without Borders, figure anyone joining is going to end up in a 3rd world country and most likely one that has a collapsed economy. Not good. Not good at all if you've ever had the opportunity to travel to countries like that and have ventured outside of the :touristy" areas. It's not spoken about in polite circles but American kids do get abducted and held for ransom. I think your son and our son had some tough decisions to make and they chose wisely.... one chose the sky and one chose the sea but they both chose extremely well... all factors considered.
Funny, for our family it was a bigger adjustment to accept his wanting to join the military. He had a similar desire to serve and give back, and I think the Peace Corps would have been more what we were thinking of. Now that we've adjusted we couldn't be prouder of him.
How incredibly exciting that your son will be starting in a week. Way to go!!!
Our kid dreamed of taking his degrees and becoming a Missionary and if he couldn't be a Missionary he decided he'd join the Peace Corps. I think we about needed a defibrillator when we heard that. Fortunately, we have a family friend who was a Navy Chaplain who discussed how he could "serve" in the Navy. The rest is history. He'll be following his dream to serve only it will be in a submarine 20,000 leagues beneath the sea where there will be no bullets whizzing by getting a paycheck and not in some 3rd world country with little more than food, housing, and a security detail for compensation. We couldn't be happier for him or us. We have the utmost respect for the Navy and I bet everyone at this website does too!!!
Love it! I'm getting restaurant suggestions too. Thank you.
Yes, it's his dream, though he's never flown!! He should start in a week or so.
For his graduation, we had a nice meal at The Mooring. Also heard good things about Restaurant Bouchard and The White Horse Tavern.
Congratulations and good luck!
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