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I'm hoping that some people can help us out. My husband & I are planning a trip in our R.V. through Rhode Island. Can you give us some ideas of things to do/see while we are there? We plan on taking about week. (We plan on taking a week for each of the New England states).
Sounds like fun! Here are some ideas. I'm going to assume you know nothing about the state and give you a mix of obvious and more-esoteric stuff.
1. The beach. It's the Ocean State and it's the summer. Narragansett is probably the most popular beach destination (check out Roger Wheeler or the state's smallest public beach, Salty Brine), but I like Sachuest Beach (aka Second Beach) in Middletown, despite an abundance of seaweed.
2. Newport. Parking your RV may not be a lot of fun, but it'd be a shame to skip it this time of year. Stroll around the historic downtown area, check out the dramatic Cliff Walk and, at the very least, drive down Bellevue Avenue and see the most impressive collection of Victorian mansions in the United States. A bunch of them are open to the public as museums.
3. East Side of Providence. This is the home of the Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design campuses. You'll definitely want to hit Benefit Street, home to a mile of historic architecture. If you like college towns, Thayer Street is a great retail strip. Prospect Terrace Park, in the neighborhood of College Hill, takes advantage of the hilltop setting for a stunning view of the city. The RISD Museum is an amazingly good comprehensive art museum for a city of Providence's size. You'll definitely want to walk or drive down Thomas Street to get to ...
4. Downcity Providence. Highlights here include Westminster Street and WaterPlace Park. If you happen to be here during WaterFire, a major event where bonfires are lit on the river at sunset before a crowd of thousands, you should go -- it doesn't sound like much, but it's mesmerizing.
5. The East Bay. Bristol is maybe my favorite town in the state. Start at Independence Park (if you like cycling, this is the terminus of the East Bay Bike Path, which starts in Providence) and explore from there. North of Bristol, Warren is an increasingly funky place with an artsy vibe and good restaurants. The East Bay in general probably has the state's best food scene.
6. State parks. You've got an RV, so you're going to hit some of these, right? Here are some highlights: Lincoln Woods (acres and acres of tree-canopied paths), Colt (one of the state's best views of the bay), Goddard (vast lawns, woods and an underrated beach), Beavertail (climb down the cliffs to reach the sea).
7. Westerly. Watch Hill is where everyone goes, but downtown (on the Connecticut border, so this can be your first or last stop in the state depending on your direction of travel) is also great. Wilcox Park, designed by an associate of history's greatest park designer, Frederick Law Olmsted, is a highlight.
8. Villages. See how many of these you can hit: Pawtuxet, Wickford, Wakefield, and -- not really considered a village but with qualities similar to the three I mentioned -- Main Street in East Greenwich. All these places are just idyllic New England, the type of atmosphere that anyone planning a New England road trip would be interested in.
9. The Fantastic Umbrella Factory. This is in Charlestown, which is lovely in general, but gets a special mention for being awesome. It's a hippie holdover, a commune-type atmosphere with chickens running around, a petting zoo with goats and creepy emus, shops selling handicrafts and trinkets, and a bamboo forest.
Last edited by boulevardofdef; 06-27-2015 at 11:30 PM..
Thanks. One of the things we are going to do is visit cousins who live there-Chestertown. As for parking our R.V. it shouldn't be problem because it is only 19 ft, the size of a large van.
I do want to do Newport-I LOVE old Victorian houses (live in one).
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