Essential Place to Stay in
Rhode Island
The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport
Your Rhode Island Travel and Vacation Guide
The
Smallest State in the USA Offers Big-Time Travel Fun
Click
here to find Rhode Island travel story links if you want to bypass
long-winded but
interesting intro!
Cliff Walk, Newport.
Article, photos by Eric Hurwitz --
updated for VisitingNewEngland.com on 12/6/2022. @newenglandinfo
Rhode Island might be the smallest state
in the United States, but I could write on forever about this amazing
New England travel destination that offers so many publicly accessible
beaches, coastal bike trails, sunsets, fresh seafood and soda
fountains, quiet hidden destinations where the farms meet the coast
(appropriately called The FarmCoast), unassuming mill towns and
beautiful cities like Newport and Providence.
Spring daffodils at Salve Regina University in Newport.
Unlike the big corporate travel web sites, I can only offer you my
heart and soul when writing about visiting Rhode Island and hope that
the authenticity helps you greatly with your Rhode Island trip
planning. Remember to enjoy the Rhode Island journey as much as the
destination and write me about your experiences in this great, little
state!
Wickford Village in North Kingstown.
It's hard to believe for the smallest state in the United States that
Rhode Island has so much accessible coastline. What that means is more
beach time for you and your family.
As a prime example, the Rhode Island South County coastline features
some of the
family-friendly best beaches in New England and serves as a terrific
alternative to Cape Cod. In that area, you'll find some of New
England's most charming towns, villages and neighborhoods, including,
Watch Hill, Galilee, Wickford Village and Charlestown.
Beach at Watch Hill in Westerly.
From Gallilee, a ferry leads to Block Island, an instantly appealing
island well preserved in nature. If you are inclined to pristine ocean
and beaches, rolling green fields and pastoral farms, abundant plant
and wildlife, and a slower-paced lifestyle, then by all means plan a
trip to what the Nature Conservancy has designated as "one of the 12
last great places in the Western Hemisphere."
It's easy to see why. With the exception of a small downtown, Block
Island's 21 square miles -12 miles south of Rhode Island's main
land--provide a treasure chest of unspoiled terrains -- the perfect
place for a New England summer vacation.
Booking.com
Most people walk, ride bikes
or drive motor scooters to trek around the island. What they will find
is their own beach, their own forest, their own special place, their
own discovery. Walking off the beaten path will surely lead you to
nowhere. And nowhere is a beautiful place.
Marble House, Newport.
Newport is a wonderful Rhode Island vacation destination, famous for
its grand mansions. The fun doesn't end there, however, as visitors
will find a plethora of things to do, including downtown shopping,
great beaches, The Tennis Hall of Fame, summer music festivals, the
wide open Fort Adams State Park (great for kite flying), a wonderful
oceanside cliff walk, countless bed and breakfasts, inn, hotels and
motels, and some of the best seafood dining that New England has to
offer. It's a colorful town with myriad tourist attractions, sure to
please on every visit.
Thames
St. in Newport.
Booking.com
A few miles from Newport is Bristol, a quintessential New England town
-- tree-lined and quaint with an incredible Patriotic nature (flags
waving everywhere you turn). Surrounded by Mount Hope Bay to the east
and Narragansett Bay to the south and west, Bristol is stunning in a
low key way from
every perspective.
Colt State Park in Bristol.
Colt State Park is especially impressive with its
sweeping views of the Narragansett Bay and ideally located walking
paths. The downtown features well maintained older homes and an
understated but pleasing array of restaurants, shops and lodging.
Bristol also offers the oldest (and extremely popular) Fourth of
July celebration in the country. Bristol is a perfect start to your
Rhode Island and New England vacation.
Downtown Bristol.
Rhode Island has a great city, too: Providence. From the colorful
Italian streets of Federal Hill to the elegant brownstone, Ivy League
neighborhoods of Brown University, Providence feels like a complete
city. There's the mile of colonial houses on Benefit Street juxtaposed
against a rapidly growing skyline. Providence Place Mall, one of the
biggest malls in New England, shines its modern leanings against the
architecturally old world aura of the State House.
College
Hill in Providence.
Providence also offers some of the best restaurants in New England (Al
Forno, Pot Au Feu, to name a few) and a high number of high quality
hotels and inns.
The Providence Place Mall is hands-down the best shopping mall in New
England. Although forever controversial and either loved or hated with
no middle ground, the Providence Place Mall has steadily gained respect
with its three floors of 165 shops, elegant surroundings with plush
rugs, colorful architecture, shiny walls, and a wonderful view of the
Providence skyline, including the beloved waterfront.
Booking.com
We encourage
you to "travel Rhode Island" through our library of stories and tips
(see below). We hope you enjoy browsing our Rhode Island page here and
hope to see you travel New England soon.
Sunset at Watch Hill in Westerly.
That's about it for now -- more Rhode Island travel info on the way
soon!
Best regards,
Eric at VisitingNewEngland
The Best of Rhode Island Travel and Dining
Out
Stories written from
personal experience, valuable tips for your Rhode Island trip planning!
Lobster roll with
herbs, citrus aioli and lettuce on a buttered brioche roll from the
Coast Guard House in Narragansett.
Best diners in Rhode Island
My
go-to restaurant in Newport
Discovering
quaint Wickford Village
This
landmark Narragansett restaurant features fresh, local seafood and
water views
Beautiful
Bristol by the bay
Freshly
roasted coffee with a water view in Tiverton
Burger
greatness in Providence
When
doughnuts go way beyond doughnuts in Providence
Visiting
Newport like a local and a tourist
Classically-trained
French chef creates pizzas in Middletown
Sunset
in Tiverton
Enjoying
the root beer at this
old school carhop food stand in Smithfield
Finding
the best pot roast diner at a hidden Rhode Island restaurant
Providence,
a city that keeps getting better and better
Little
Compton offers peace and quiet, coastal views, and delicious Johnnycakes
Road
trip to one of the oldest country stores in the USA
Walking
60-ft. underground to dine at a Providence restaurant
Newport
Christmas scenes
This
beautiful village is actually located in two cities
Visiting
the smallest town in the smallest county in the smallest state
Scenic wonder: The Cliff Walk in Newport
The
charm of Chepachet
Finding
heaven on earth in Jamestown
Spring
daffodils in Newport
Experiencing
a live, authentic Rhode Island fishing village
Traversing a scenic Rhode Island bike path
14 low-cost things to do in Rhode Island
Why we love Salty Brine Beach in Narragansett
Who needs
Cape Cod when you have Rhode Island beaches like this?
A
legendary Rhode Island lemonade destination
Finding the
most delicious roast beef at this rustic restaurant in North Smithfield
A
family-owned Cumberland farm offering autumn delights and Christmas
trees
Finding the
most delicious roast beef at this rustic restaurant in North Smithfield
Ocean
Drive in Newport
Colt
State Park in Bristol
A day trip
to an off-the-beaten-path mill town
Enjoying an awful drink in Rhode Island
Enjoying
a traditional ice cream stand in Tiverton
This
inviting Cumberland farm stand features an amazing bakery
Where
to stay in Bristol
How to eat like a Rhode Islander
Falling in love with the Farmcoast
Sundown at Sachuest in Middletown
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if interested in forming a business partnership.
Explore
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Town Greens book -- Discover New England's first travel
attractions:
town commons.
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