Rhode Island
Rhode Island is located in the southeastern corner of New England within easy traveling distance of several major northeast cities. We're just 60 miles from Boston, Mass., 180 miles from New York City and under 350 miles from Montreal, Canada. And because Rhode Island itself is only 48 miles long by 37 miles wide, it's easy to get from one attraction to another.
Blackstone Valley
The 1793 opening of Samuel Slater's cotton mill in Pawtucket, Rhode Island ushered in an historical phenomenon now known as America's Industrial Revolution. Along the banks of the Blackstone River, for which the region is named, dozens of factories sprung up, employing generations of working-class families and drawing thousands of immigrants from around the world. Many serve today as factory outlet stores, art studios and artists' lofts.
Today visitors, school groups and history buffs alike are drawn to the region to explore its fascinating history and discover its important effects on America's growth as a manufacturing giant. Some of the region's most popular attractions are Slater Mill Historic Site (1793), riverboat cruises aboard the Blackstone Valley Explorer, and the Blackstone Valley National Heritage Corridor. And be sure to visit the Blackstone Valley's newest attraction, The Museum of Work and Culture. The state of the art museum provides a fascinating interactive experience for visitors as it traces the story of mill workers who came from the farms of Quebec in the last third of the 19th century to work in the shoe and textile factories of new England.
Block Island
Block Island, an 11-square-mile seaside resort located 12 miles off the Rhode Island coast, has been heralded as "One of the Last Twelve Great Places in the Western Hemisphere." Its rolling green hills and dramatic bluffs are reminiscent of Ireland, while its beautifully restored Victorian hotels and inns preserve the elegance of a bygone era. Long public beaches and 365 freshwater ponds are the main attractions of this tiny island, whose people are strongly devoted to preserving the ecology. The Block Island Nature Conservancy operates a large trail system on the island, offering walking and hiking paths through grassy meadows, quiet woods and along the sandy shore.
Shops and restaurants are abundant in bustling Old Harbor, which is served by frequent ferry boats from Point Judith, Rhode Island. An hour long ferry ride is the most popular method of traveling to the island, although some prefer to take the easy 20 minute flight from the state airport at Westerly, Rhode Island.
East Bay
Until recently, East Bay was one of Rhode Island's best-kept travel secrets. The region, which is comprised of the towns of Barrington, Bristol, East Providence and Warren, is steeped in British and Colonial heritage. Home of the oldest Fourth of July Parade in the United States, East Bay is noteworthy for historic Bristol Harbor, delightful Colonial inns and bed & breakfasts, and miles of old stone fences. The 14-mile East Bay Bike Path which runs through all four communities offers an unparalleled view of Narragansett Bay to cyclists, walkers, joggers and rollerbladers. Blithewold Mansion & Gardens is a 33-acre waterfront estate boasting a 45-room manor house and some of the most beautiful gardens in the eastern United States. Other attractions include Linden Place (a Federal period mansion with a very colorful history), Coggeshall Farm Museum, Herreshoff Marine Museum (where six successful America's Cup defenders were built), Crescent Park Carousel (one of the finest surviving examples of hand-carved carousels in the country), the Antique Center in Warren, the Haffenreffer Museum, waterfront Colt State Park and the new Audubon Society Environmental Education Center.
Newport
Thirty miles south of Providence lies Newport, the fabled resort city of America's Cup yacht racing and magnificent Gilded Age mansions. At the turn of the 20th century, one needed a blue-blood pedigree and millions in the bank to be invited inside the palatial Bellevue Avenue dwellings owned by America's elite. Today, nearly one dozen of these remarkable "summer cottages" are open to the public for touring, and Newport itself has opened wide its gates to welcome all who desire a leisurely, fun-filled and enriching vacation. Though yachting and the Gilded Age made Newport world-famous, the city is also renowned for its delightful mix of Colonial heritage, beautiful beaches, lively waterfront and cultural attractions. Within the last decade, a rich and varied schedule of year-round festivals and happenings has helped Newport evolve from a summer vacation spot into a four-season destination. Classical, folk and jazz music festivals highlight the summer months, followed by "Harvest-by-the-Sea" in October, December's "Christmas in Newport" celebration and the "Newport Winter Festival" in February.
Providence
From Benefit Street's "Mile of History" on the East Side to festive Federal Hill, Rhode Island's own "Little Italy," the capital city of Providence is known and loved for its abundance of historic and cultural attractions. Three-and-a-half centuries of history are alive and well on the streets of Providence, as evident in the scores of immaculately preserved Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian houses located throughout the city. The Rhode Island State House, Arcade, John Brown House and the Meeting House of the First Baptist Church in America are among the many historic buildings which are open to the public year-round.
In addition to magnificent architecture, Providence offers a host of attractions for connoisseurs of the arts. Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company, the Rhode Island Philharmonic and the Museum of Art/Rhode Island School of Design offer acclaimed theatre, fine arts and orchestral music. Other exciting entertainment options include the seasonal "Broadway" series at the Providence Performing Arts Center and numerous alternative theatre and dance productions.
Warwick
As Rhode Island's retail shopping mecca, the City of Warwick attracts hundreds of thousands of eager spenders every year. Hundreds of specialty shops and discount stores, plus two malls housing major department stores, famous retail shops and one-of-a-kind boutiques line the city's stretch of Route 2, a four-lane thoroughfare which has become known as Rhode Island's "Miracle Mile of Shopping."
For water recreation enthusiasts, Warwick's 39 miles of coastline along Narragansett Bay provides ample opportunities for boating. Greenwich Bay and Warwick Neck are dotted with marinas; beach and boating access is also available at Goddard State Park.
Gaspee Days is an annual month long celebration which recreates the evening of June 9, 1772, a party of Rhode Island patriots in eight longboats captured and burned the British revenue ship H.M.S. Gaspee off the shores of Pawtuxet Village.
South County
For more than 100 years, southern Rhode Island's wide, sandy beaches and relaxed lifestyle have attracted summer vacationers from around the globe. Swimming, boating, fishing, water-skiing, whale-watching and beach combing represent a handful of the many seaside activities enjoyed on South County beaches all summer long. Yet South County's vacation appeal extends far beyond the shore. Charming villages, rolling countryside, historic sites and hundreds of acres of woodlands offer unlimited opportunities for hiking, canoeing, cycling, shopping and touring.
History and culture are evident throughout South County as well. An abundance of historic inns and bed & breakfast establishments affords visitors the opportunity to personally experience Colonial and Victorian era South County. Regional history thrives at local museums like South County Museum, Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Smith Castle, while summerstock theatre productions delight audiences at charming Theatre-by-the-Sea. All of these elements combine to produce a 100% natural vacation experience.
A visit to the coastal region called South County is a nostalgic trip back to the days before family pilgrimages to mega theme parks became a way of life. Vacationers delight in the simplicity they find here - miles of shoreline dotted with winsome beachfront cottages and inns, friendly roadside vendors selling the freshest seafood, locally grown produce, and piping-hot fruit pies. Beach-goers while away the summer days by building sandcastles, riding the waves on boogie boards, surf-casting and digging for clams.
Rhode Island Tourism Division
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