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Rhode Island

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Rhode Island [1] is the smallest state in the United States of America, tucked between Massachusetts and Connecticut in New England. Nonetheless, it has over 400 miles of coastline, courtesy of Narragansett Bay and islands such as Aquidneck Island, home to Newport, the "City by the Sea".

[edit] Counties

There are five counties in Rhode Island:

Bristol County
Kent County
Newport County
Providence County
South County
Rhode Islands summer region, full of small communities on and near the beach

[edit] Cities

There are 39 cities and towns in Rhode Island. Some of the major ones are:

  • Providence - The state capital, largest city and main commercial center. Unless you plan to spend the entire week at the beach, find some time to get to Providence.
  • Central Falls - Spanning merely one square mile, it is one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
  • East Greenwich - Founded in 1677, its historic district along Main Street features charming shops, excellent restaurants, and a community theater.
  • Narragansett - Best beaches in New England.
  • Newport - Located on Aquidneck Island. Once the darling city of the American elite, it is famous for yachting, mansions, and jazz.
  • Pawtucket - Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution
  • South Kingstown, including the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Matunuck, Peacedale and Wakefield.
  • Warwick - home of TF Green Airport, two malls, and "Gaspee Days," it is an easy (and less expensive) place to land from your flight, and rent a hotel room and car.
  • Woonsocket - Once known as "Little Quebec", it has the largest French-speaking population in Rhode Island. Today, French is rarely heard, replaced by English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

[edit] Other destinations

  • Block Island - Island off southern coast of RI. This island packs great scenery and great beaches into a small, walkable and bikable area.

[edit] Understand

The state's full name, as established by the Royal Charter granted by King Charles II in 1663, is "The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations." Despite east coast urban sprawl, there is still both gently-developed oceanside territory and farmland here. The origin of the name (pronounced "road island") is debatable. It is either derived from the name Roode Eylandt given to it by Dutch explorer Adriaen Block, because of its red clay, or because Block Island reminded the Italian navigator Giovanni Verrazano of the Greek Island of Rhodes, and subsequent explorers became confused and renamed Aquidneck Island 'Rhode Island.' The state's population is just over a million, so even though it is the smallest state in the U.S., it is ranked 43rd in population.

[edit] Talk

Rhode Islanders talk with a distinctly eastern-New-England accent, similar to Boston's famous broad a and dropped r. Some words you might hear while visiting: "bubbler" (water fountain), "grinder" (submarine sandwich), and "cabinet" (milkshake).

Natives also have names for certain landmarks, sometimes with a historical aspect with it. For instance, the Henderson Bridge, which is a mini-freeway/bridge in the Providence area, is affectionately known as the "little red bridge" because before the present bridge was built, a red wooden bridge stood there. Central Falls and East Providence will be known, especially in newspapers, as CF and EP respectively. Barrington will sometimes be called Borington because there are no liquor stores there (it is prohibited by a town ordinance).

Rhode Island's national pastime is politics, which can get very emotional here. Rhode Island has the only surviving parliamentary democracy in the US. Combine that with an "everybody knows everybody" state of mind and you've got Rhode Island politics in a nutshell.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

  • Theodore Francis Green State Airport (PVD), Warwick. T.F. Green is serviced by many major US airlines, either non-stop or from a spoke. From Canada, Green offers service to Toronto Airport.
  • Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS) is much larger and is generally used for international flights.

[edit] By train

  • Amtrak (From the south), +1 800-USA-RAIL, [2] has three Rhode Island train stations - Providence (PVD) (downtown), Kingston (KIN) (located in the town of South Kingstown, close to the University of Rhode Island and the beaches of Narragansett), and Westerly (WLY), (the westernmost town in Rhode Island, along the Connecticut border). Providence is also on Amtrak's Acela Express and Northeast Regional routes connecting Boston through the south and west to Washington and Virginia. The Acela train takes just under 3 hours to arrive at New York's Penn Station on the way to points further south. From Boston, it is more economical to take the MBTA commuter rail.
  • MBTA (From Boston), +1 617-222-5000, [3] travels from Boston’s South Station via the T's Attleboro/Stoughton commuter rail line to the Providence AMTRAK station (100 Gaspee St.). Trains run 7 days/week. Construction has begun on the new Warwick Intermodal Facility (opening late 2010) that will provide commuter rail/train service from T. F. Green Airport through Providence and up to Boston.

[edit] By bus

  • Bonanza Bus Lines, [4].
  • Greyhound Bus, [5].

[edit] By ferry

[edit] Get around

[edit] By car

It should be noted that local custom often overrules traditional driving right-of-way laws at intersections. Drive defensively, and be aware of the locals' casual disregard for turn signals, stop signs and red lights. As of 2009, major highway interchanges are being rerouted in Providence near the junction of 195 and 95 (exits 18-23). Understand that your map or navigation system may be out of date, even if it has been recently updated. Drive with caution.

  • Rental cars are available Downcity in Providence, at T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, and other places around the state.

[edit] By bus

  • Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority (RIPTA), Phone: +1 401-781-9400, [6]. Services 38 of RI's 39 cities and towns with a central hub in Providence at Kennedy Plaza. RIPTA operates public transit 7 days a week with a program called RIde specifically for senior citizens and the disabled. They provide 27 sites for Park n’ Ride service throughout the state and special seasonal routes to the southern beaches for $2. On Air Quality Alert Days, they offer free services to everywhere except the beach. On an average day $1.50 will get you from one end of the state to the other, and if you need a transfer, it's $.10.

[edit] By ferry

  • RIPTA also runs a seasonal ferry from Providence to Newport (mid-May to mid-October), while a separate company, Block Island Ferry [7], runs ferries to Block Island.

[edit] By train

[edit] By foot

  • If you're in Providence, you may want to forgo a car and walk. There is no on-street overnight parking in the city (although this is changing for some neighborhoods under a pilot program). Federal Hill, Downcity, and most of the East Side are quite walkable, and a number of bus routes serve the area. Use common sense when walking alone or at night, as you should in any city.

[edit][add listing] See

Bowen’s Wharf Christmas Tree Lighting in Newport.

Bright Night Providence - Dec. 31. Providence. Features hundreds of the best local sings, actors, dancers, acrobats, musicians, magicians and clowns.

Bristol 4th of July Parade, Bristol The oldest Independence Day celebration in the country, the parade attracts marching bands from all across the nation.

The Chocolate Delicacy, East Greenwich A small family owned confectioner's shop with Chocolates and Frozen Lemonade. All chocolates made on premises.

International Tennis Hall of Fame at the Newport Casino in Newport. Features the only professional tennis events played on grass in North America and the largest collection of tennis memorabilia in the world.

Jamestown Penguin Plunge - Jan. 1. Jamestown. Hundreds of tuxedo-clad swimmers take the frozen plunge into the water to raise money for charity.

Museum of Work & Culture in Woonsocket - The exhibits recreate the unique Woonsocket labor story of the rise of the Independent Textile Union which grew to dominate every aspect of city life.

Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence. The zoo features a park, a dinosaur exhibit, and blends history and culture with the animals each area.

Six vineyards and wineries - which allow for scheduled tours and tastings. Includes Diamond Hill Vineyards, who offers custom labels for their wines.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade - Newport, is the place to be for St. Patrick’s Day.

WaterFire in Providence. A piece of environmental art, it consists of up to 100 bonfires which float on the rivers which flow through the city accompanied by ambient music.

[edit][add listing] Do

Autumnfest Held every Columbus Day Weekend (October) in Woonsocket, this 5-mapleleaf festival in one of New England's "Little Canadas" attracts a varied crowd of locals and out-of-towners.

Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre in Woonsocket. Renowned for its acoustics, intimacy, and decor, Stadium Theatre has been a center for performing arts since 1926. Though it stopped operating in the 1970's, a grassroots project and strong business support in the 1990's raised over 3 million dollars for restoration. It has been operating ever since.

Newport Folk Festival - The first place where Bob Dylan played electric. Part of the Festival Network.

Newport Jazz Festival - Held every August in Newport, this festival attracts some of the biggest names in jazz. Founded in 1954, it was the first outdoor music festival devoted to jazz and is now internationally known. Highly recommended for any music lover.

Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence. A multipurpose facility with approximately 100,000 square feet available for almost any event, from dog shows to trade shows. Services include space rental, catering, parking, A/V, exhibitor services, business center and weddings.

Providence Place Mall located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island’s premier shopping center. With 3 levels of shopping and restaurants and another level devoted to entertainment, visitors can spend the whole day without visiting the same place twice.

Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence “The Dunk” is the home of the Providence Bruins and Providence College Friars and is host to several different attractions including Stars on Ice, Ringling Brothers & Barnum and Bailey Circus, and boxing matches featuring “Contender” finalist Peter Manfredo Jr.

Pawtucket Red Sox at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket, McCoy Stadium is a popular summer site for families looking for an inexpensive night of fun.

The Ryan Center in South Kingstown, University of Rhode Island sports, concerts and events.

Providence Performing Arts Center in Providence. A world-class facility hosting first-class Broadway touring shows, plays, contemporary acts, concerts, and much more.

Rustic Tri-View Drive-In in North Smithfield. Seasonal outdoor movies just like the good old days!

Slater Mill Historic Site in Pawtucket. A museum complex displaying interpretation of the American industrial heritage.

Blackstone River Theater in Cumberland. Continuing Blackstone River Valley folk traditions.

Blackstone Valley Polar Express in Cumberland. A live story presentation of “The Polar Express,” based on the children’s book by noted Rhode Island author Chris van Allsburg.

Christmas at the Newport Mansions and Newport Winter Festival in Newport.

Block Island late-night Christmas Shopping - Dec. 20.

Mardi Gras Ball in Cranston. New England’s only authentic Louisiana Mardi Gras celebration.

Golfing –There are over 50 golf courses in Rhode Island, including some oceanfront and PGA courses.

Newport Cliff Walk - enjoy the three miles of ocean view and the grandeur of some of the finest mansions in the US. There is no entrance fee and it is open 365 day a year.

Crescent Park Carousel in East Providence.

Blackstone River Bikeway in Cumberland. 17.1 mile long scenic bike-path that runs along the Blackstone River. Scheduled to link to the East Bay Bikepath.

Scituate Arts Festival in Scituate, Rhode Island. Held on Columbus Day Weekend every October. 400 plus painters, artists, and craftsmen sell their wares in the scenic historical New England village of North Scituate. One of the largest and oldest art festivals in the country, the 3-day weekend art festival of paintings, antiques, arts and crafts, music, and food can draw over 200,000 people during the three days.

[edit][add listing] Eat

There are many different types of culinary venues available: from diners, to theme-based establishments, to the most formal dining. The College of Culinary Arts and Johnson and Wales University[9] provide a steady stream of well-trained chefs to the area.

Providence's Federal Hill district lives up to its heritage with some outstanding Italian restaurants, but there is great Italian cuisine throughout the state. If you happen to be in the area on St. Joseph's Day (March 19th), pop into an Italian bakery and join the locals eating zeppoli, a heavenly sort of cream puff.

Unique Clam Cuisine can be found at "clam shacks" along RI's beaches, especially in South County. Chowder (sometimes pronounced and spelled "chowda," in deference to the local dialect), is much debated and always delicious. The three major varieties are: traditional white (made with cream), Manhattan red (made with tomatoes), and Rhode Island clear (unsullied by either cream or tomatoes). Add quahogs (stuffed clams or "stuffies"), clam cakes (fried dough with pieces of clam in it), and a summer beer to guarantee a perfect trip to the shore, no matter what the weather.

The Port of Galilee is where many locals purchase live lobsters directly off the fishing boats to cook (boiled with corn, potatoes, and quahogs) at home.

Coffee milk is the official drink of RI and can be ordered in most local restaurants. It is sweet like chocolate milk and very nearly tastes like coffee.

Del's Lemonade[10] is a state-wide phenomenon. Once delivered only in small "ice cream truck" style vehicles, it is now available in more than twenty-five fixed locations and in six flavors besides the original lemon. Get some.

[edit][add listing] Drink

Rhode Island is home to quite a few great bars, a few brewpubs, a couple of vineyards, and one or two breweries.

Newport is the home of the Newport Storm brewery. Try the excellent local brew in many places across RI.

Rhode Island law specifies that beer and wine are only sold at liquor stores, not supermarkets or convenience stores, but liquor stores are open on Sundays.

[edit][add listing] Sleep

From chain motels to boutique hotels or campgrounds, any accommodations to fit your needs can be found online at http://www.visitrhodeisland.com/ or by contacting the Rhode Island Tourism Division 800-250-7384. If you are driving from the south (North on Rt. 95) the Rhode Island Welcome Center is located between exits 2 and 3 in Richmond. For any questions just call or stop by.

[edit] Stay safe

RI is generally safe in most neighborhoods you would intentionally go to. The most dangerous part is probably driving, as the locals are prone to run red lights and shift lanes with no warning.

Providence is relatively safe, but be careful while walking around the capital city at night. Areas in which to exercise caution, unless you know where you are going, are Camp Street on the East Side, South Providence, and the Olneyville section of Providence.

[edit] Respect

Arguably one of the most gay-friendly states in the U.S., with scores of bars and entertainment venues in Providence, and even a visible "out" community in smaller towns and villages.

[edit] Get out

It's not hard to get out of the smallest state. Great day trips include Boston, which is roughly an hour north by car and less by train/MBTA, and New Haven, which is about an hour and a half southwest. If you are looking for a weekend jaunt, anywhere in New England, New York, or Pennsylvania is easy, and Canada is within reach, too.

This is a usable article. It gives a good overview of the region, its sights, and how to get in, as well as links to the main destinations, whose articles are similarly well developed. An adventurous person could use this article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

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