Maine Travel Guide
Tour Newport's Gilded Age mansions, sail Narragansett Bay, and explore charming coastal towns across America's smallest seaside state.
Places to See in Rhode Island
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Newport★
Seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its historic mansions and its rich sailing history
Macaolards, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Providence★
Capital and most populous city in Rhode Island and one of the oldest cities in the United States
Luke Campbell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Image Size Adjusted
Landmarks and Landscapes
Overview
Rhode Island is the smallest state in the U.S., with about 1.1 million people, and it is known for its sailing, coastline, and Gilded Age mansions. Providence is the capital and largest city, and the state's official name is the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. It is called the "Ocean State."
Visitors come for the mansions and harbor of Newport, the college town and food scene of Providence, and the beaches of Narragansett. Others come for sailing, lighthouses such as Beavertail, seafood, and a carousel at Crescent Park. The state can be seen in a day or two.
Geography
Rhode Island is only about 48 miles long and 37 miles wide, yet it has 400 miles of coastline. Narragansett Bay cuts deep into the state, with more than 30 islands, including Aquidneck, Conanicut, and Block Island. The state has flat coastal lowlands and low hills inland, and Jerimoth Hill, at 812 feet (247 m), is the highest point. Its beaches face the Atlantic along the south shore.
History
The Narragansett, Wampanoag, and Niantic peoples lived here when Roger Williams, banished from Massachusetts for his religious views, founded Providence in 1636 on principles of religious freedom. Rhode Island declared independence from Britain on May 4, 1776, two months before the national Declaration. It was the last of the original 13 states to ratify the Constitution, in 1790. Newport grew rich in the colonial slave and trade economy and later became a Gilded Age summer resort, and Slater Mill in Pawtucket started the American Industrial Revolution.
Newport
Newport sits on Aquidneck Island at the mouth of Narragansett Bay and is Rhode Island's best-known destination. In the Gilded Age, wealthy families such as the Vanderbilts built lavish "summer cottages" here, including The Breakers, and many are open for tours. The 3.5-mile Cliff Walk follows the shoreline past the mansions, and the harbor is lined with boats, shops, and seafood restaurants. Newport is also a sailing capital and the home of the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals at Fort Adams.
Providence
Providence is the state capital and largest city, set at the head of Narragansett Bay. Home to Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design, it has a lively arts scene, historic College Hill, and one of the country's best restaurant cultures, along with the Roger Williams National Memorial. WaterFire, a summer event of floating bonfires along the downtown rivers, draws crowds on select evenings, and Federal Hill is known for its Italian restaurants and bakeries.
National Protected Areas
Rhode Island's national park sites include Touro Synagogue National Historic Site in Newport, the oldest synagogue in the U.S., and the Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence. Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park preserves the birthplace of American industry, and Block Island and Sachuest Point are national wildlife refuges. The Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail also crosses the state.
State Parks and Historic Sites
Rhode Island has many state parks and beaches. Fort Adams State Park in Newport is the largest coastal fortification in the U.S. and hosts the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals, Brenton Point State Park has views of the ocean, and Block Island has bluffs and beaches. Roger Williams Park in Providence has a zoo and gardens. The Towers in Narragansett is a historic stone landmark, and Newport's Cliff Walk links ocean views and mansions.
Seasons and When to Visit
Summer is the peak season for the beaches, sailing, and festivals, including the Newport Jazz Festival in August. Fall is pleasant with fewer crowds and early foliage, and winter is cold, quiet, and good for harbor walks and holiday events. Spring brings blooming gardens and the Newport Flower Show, and hurricanes and nor'easters can affect the coast from late summer through winter.
This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Rhode_Island", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. Additional information was drawn from National Park Service, Rhode Island State Parks, and Visit Rhode Island.