We are always looking for unique ways to spend a day together as a family, so we were excited to take advantage of the opportunity when AmazingCo offered us a Mystery Picnic Experience. They provide experiences in over 50 cities around the world. We chose to try ours in one of our favorite towns, Newport, Rhode Island!
My Family’s Experience on an AmazingCo Mystery Picnic in Newport, Rhode Island
The night before our adventure, AmazingCo sent us an email with clues. The clues are puzzles and word problems, perfect for three teenage boys.
We figured out the first one before we left, so we knew where we would start.
All the clues have hints if you can’t figure them out, so we had no stress. If you are stuck, the website will even provide the answer for you. Along with each answer is some history about the stop and the area surrounding it.
One of the things I loved about our experience was that we walked around Newport. Although Newport is a town where I have spent a lot of time, I generally drive to and from the areas I want to go. I have never spent time walking around it. When we realized that our destinations were all less than a mile away from each other, we decided to walk to them. It also saved us from dealing with parking in Newport.
The hunt took us to most of the vital areas to see in Newport, so if you are looking for an introduction to the town, a mystery picnic is an excellent way to do it.
Our First Stop
I am not going to give away any of the stops so that you can have the experience for yourself.
Our first stop was on Broadway. This area is one of my favorite spots to eat when I visit Newport because it is off the usual tourist path and has a more eclectic vibe.
We had some breakfast foods and a drink at this stop, which we used to fuel up for the rest of our experience. Not going to tell you what the drink was, but it is one of my favorite types of beverage, and I have written about it before.
We were excited to ask the counter for our mystery item. It was so fun that many of the stops were just as pumped about it as we were. I loved that all the companies that AmazingCo. choose to work with are small local eateries.
Usually, the company provides a picnic basket, but because of COVID, we were asked to provide our own. I used a basket I had at home to haul around our goodies.
Our Second Stop
It was enjoyable to explore a part of Newport that was new to me. I had walked by Touro Park many times before but had never walked in it. I didn’t just slip a spot there. Touro Park was a bonus! This stop was about learning more about the city we were touring, not a food stop.
Our Third Stop
We got a pretty fantastic salad from this sandwich shop that I have frequented before. It also brought us to the upscale Bellevue area around the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Our Fourth Stop
From here, we walked into the tourist throngs of Newport’s waterfront for a treat. The store let us pick between a few yummy items.
Our Last Stop
Our last item was a yummy antipasti platter, perfect for a group of Italians like us.
The Picnic
AmazingCo gave us an excellent idea for a picnic location on the water. Unfortunately for us, the weather started getting a little cold and windy as it came time for us to enjoy our hard-earned food. Luckily for us, our last stop had a free table that was more protected than a picnic on the water, so we decided to take their offer to use it. We ordered some drinks and enjoyed our food.
AmazingCo Picnic Basics
How long should you plan to spend?
We spent about four hours in Newport on our scavenger hunt and picnic. If it wasn’t so cold, we might have chosen to spend longer. We took our time when we wanted, even ducking into stores on the way. If we had started earlier, we might have ducked into one of the museums along our route.
How long was the walk?
We walked three miles for our whole experience. We would have added about another mile if we had the picnic at the suggested location.
Is there enough food?
The five of us did the couple experience, and we still had more than enough food, although we bought drinks along the way. I would recommend bringing a water bottle along with you and wearing comfortable shoes.
Would I recommend this experience, and to whom?
This experience was fun as a family, but I would also make a great date day or day out with the girls.
I would definitely take part in another AmazingCo experience in another city. We had a great time with excellent food supporting multiple small businesses. We got good exercise and saw parts of town we otherwise would have missed. I also even learned facts about a town I know well.
So if you are looking for a fun way to spend a day in a town you are visiting or a town you know, check out AmazingCo’s website and pick out an experience for yourself.
AmazingCo hosted my picnic day in Newport, but all opinions are my own.
The mystery picnic scavenger hunt by AmazingCo looks like a fun family outing. A good way to work your brain and visit new spots too with food along the way to fill your picnic basket. I like the idea of this for a date too.
What a fun way to spend your day! It’s the little surprises and discoveries we find a long the way that make it a bit special. I would definitely join your Italian family with the antipasti!
This mystery picnic looks so fun. You didn’t just get to visit the eateries in town, but you get to know a bit of history. And, without you know it, you did some exercise, too, by walking from one place to another.
I’ve been hearing about mystery picnics and they seem so fun! Great reminder about bringing comfy shoes and water too. I was actually just in Rhode Island and can’t believe I missed out on this. Will definitely have to see what other cities they offer this in!
This sounds fabulous, something my grandchildren would enjoy