9 Places to Explore in Rhode Island

Hello, fellow travelers! When people talk about New England, their minds usually go to Massachusetts, Vermont, and other states like that. However, one state has a lot of hidden gems. Rhode Island may be the smallest state, but it has so many cool things.

Newport

Newport is probably the top tourist attraction in Rhode Island, and for good reason. It’s located in Newport County all the way on Aquidneck Island (formerly known as Rhode Island, the island the state is named after). There are a lot of attractions including its Gilded Age Mansions (The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms being the big three ones), its Cliff Walk, and Thames Street, a shopping street.

Prospect Terrace Park

Moving onto Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, we have Prospect Terrace Park, which offers a cool view of the Providence skyline and the Rhode Island State House

Roger Williams Park

Roger Williams Park is a huge public park in Providence which has a zoo, botanical garden, many smaller gardens, and a casino. It’s named after the founder of Providence and Rhode Island, Roger Williams. The park itself is free to get into, but the botanical garden costs $5 per person, and the zoo is $20 per person.

Slater Mill

Slater Mill is a National Park in Pawtucket, not far from Providence. It was named after Samuel Slater, who apprenticed in England with another miller, and decided to bring his mills to America.

Rocky Point State Park

Rocky Point State Park is a passive use park in Warwick. It used to be Rocky Point Amusement Park from 1847 until it closed in 1994. There are still a few structures left behind from when it used to be an amusement park.

Kinney Azalea Gardens

This was probably my favorite place to go. Kinney Azalea Gardens is located in Kingston, which is close to Newport. The gardens have over 1000 species of rhododendrons, azaleas, native and exotic trees, shrubs and wildflowers. The best part is that it’s free, and donations are welcome.

The Fantastic Umbrella Factory

The Fantastic Umbrella Factory is an adorable little series of gift shops located in Charlestown (down by the beaches). It has a little pen full of animals, and a small bamboo forest (not as big as the one in Arashiyama, but still rather impressive).

Farms

Rhode Island has a surprising amount of farms. They change by seasons, but I’ve visited farms that offer flowers and strawberries. Some farms I visited were:

• Salisbury Farm located in Johnston for strawberries
• Sweet Berry Farm in Middletown for sunflowers
• Wicked Tulips Flower Farm in Johnston

Swamp Covered Bridge

The Swamp Covered Bridge is the only covered bridge in Rhode Island and is located in Foster.

Have you ever been to Rhode Island before?

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