GENERAL
Sights & Sites
●Rhode Island Coastal Birding Trail – 1401 Hope Street (Bristol, Audubon Environmental Education Center); 401-245-7500; asrieec.org or visitrhodeisland.com/what-to-do/nature-trails/bird-watchers-nature-trail; stops include: Quonochontaug Breachway (Charlestown, best birding all seasons but Winter, follow Route 1 to West Beach Roadd. in Charlestown, take West Beach Road to terminus at dirt road that accesses to state operated Quonochontaug Breachway Boating & Fishing Area, park at far end dirt road near boat launch & explore from there; Burlingame State Park/Kimball Wildlife Refuge (Charlestown, best birding in Spring & Summer, from Route 1 Southbound take exit for Burlingame State Park Picnic Area (not Campground), will be on Prosser Trail, left at Picnic Area sign & go to parking lot); Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge/Ninigret Park (Charlestown, best birding in Spring & Fall, west refuge parking area reached from Route 1 in Charleston, northbound lanes, east area farther on in this discussion); Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge (South Kingstown, best birding is all seasons, from northbound Route 1 take Moonstone Beach Road Exit in South Kingstown, follow 1 mile to intersection with Matunuck Schoolhouse Road, turn right & look for entrance to visitor parking lot about 1 mile in on left); Charlestown Breachway (Charlestown, best birding all seasons, from Route 1 northbound take Downtown Charlestown exit (look for Tim Horton’s Restaurant beyond ramp), go to service road end & turn left on Post Road (Route 1A), take Post Road to 1st intersection & turn right on Narrow Lane, go to end of Narrow Lane & left on Matunuck Schoolhouse Road, 1st right on Charlestown Beach Road, 1 mile across bridge connecting Ninigret Pond & Green Hill Pond, continue to follow road as it takes sharp right turn & approaches breachway entrance & parking area (Kayaks can be rented Kayak Centre on Charlestown Beach Road
by Ninigret-Green Hill Pond bridge)); Burlingame Management Area (Charlestown, best birding in Spring & Summer, take Route 1 South to Route 216, turn right & follow Route 216 North about 1.5 miles to Buckeye Brook Road, right & follow Buckeye Brook Road, through sharp left turn & across Buckeye Brook, after you cross brook & start uphill, watch for small parking lot on left); Carolina Management Area (Richmond, take Route 1 Northbound to Route 2 intersection, go north on Route 2 to Route 112, north on Route 112 through intersection with Route 91 in village of Carolina, after crossing river, take next left on Pine Hill Road, about 1 mile in on your left is small parking area for 1st of 2 trails that lead into Carolina Management Area.
NEWPORT COUNTY
Little Compton
Hotels
●Stone House – 122 Sakonnet Point Road; 401-635-2222; stonehouse1854.com; lovely, historic seaside retreat; 13 guestrooms in mainhouse and barn; try to get Plover Suite in barn; idyllic.
Newport
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
●Franklin Spa – 229 Spring Street; 401-847-3540; down-to-earth diner with red vinyl booths.
Bars & Nightclubs
●5th Element – 111 Broadway Avenue; 401-619-2552; thefifthri.com; dancing; nondescript lounge and restaurant is local hangout who come for quality pub food; on Friday nights, tables are moved and DJ performs.
●Fluke – 41 Bowen’s Wharf; 401-849-7778; flukewinebar.com; nice place for sunset cocktail while watching boats slide under Newport Bridge; bar is in attic-like space on 3rd floor; try Fluke Sunset.
●Pour Judgement – 32 Broadway; 401-619-2115; pourjudgement.com; impressive beer list; crowd includes officers from nearby Naval War College and traveling yacht crews.
●White Horse Tavern – 26 Marlborough Street; 401-849-3600; whitehorsetavern.us; dark gray and maroon walls, low ceilings, oil lanterns, and wooden beams; built in 1673; self-proclaimed, oldest tavern in America; good food; try lobster macaroni and cheese.
Beaches
●1st (Easton’s) Beach – Memorial Boulevard; 401-846-1389; parking fees.
●2nd (Sachuest) Beach – Purgatory Road; 401-849-2822; parking fee.
●3rd Beach – east along 3rd Beach Road (Middletown); 401-849-2822; parking by permit.
●Reject’s Beach – on corner of Bellevue and Ocean Drive (near Rough Point); no parking.
Hotels
●Admiral Fitzroy Inn – 398 Thames Street; 401-848-8000 or 866-848-8780; admiralfitzroy.com; former convent turned into 18-room inn.
●Castle Hill Inn & Resort – 590 Ocean Drive; 401-849-3800 or 888-466-1355; castlehillinn.com; on 40-acre peninsula, at Newport’s Ocean Drive west end; consists of Agassiz Mansion, private Harbor Houses, Swiss-style Chalet with adjoining Terrace, and beach houses and cottages, all along coastline; also on property is lighthouse reached by secluded walking trail, which continues to private beach.
●Chanler Hotel – 117 Memorial Boulevard; 401-847-1300; thechanler.com.
●Cliffside Inn – 2 Seaview Avenue; 401-847-1811 or 800-845-1811; cilffsideinn.com.
●Forty-One Degrees North – 351 Thames Street; 401-846-8018; 41north.com; marina complex resort; 28 rooms for savvy guests; guests issued iPad on checking in; 2 restaurants.
●Francis Malbone House – 392 Thames Street; 401-846-0392 or 800-846-0392; malbone.com.
●Vanderbilt Grace – 41 Mary Street; 401-846-6200 or 888-826-4255; vanderbiltgrace.com; former Vanderbilt mansion; indoor and outdoor pools; 33 suites.
Restaurants
●Asterisk Restaurant – 599 Thames Street; 401-841-8833; asterisknewport.com; contemporary French food.
●Black Pearl – 10 West Pelham Street; 401-846-5264; blackpearlnewport.com; among Newport’s most popular restaurants; seafood.
●Castle Hill – 590 Ocean Drive; 401-849-3800; castlehillinn.com; fine dining.
●Cooke House – 26 Bannister’s Wharf; 401-849-2900; clarkecooke.com; legendary casual fare.
●5th Element – 111 Broadway Avenue; 401-619-2552; thefifthri.com; nondescript lounge and restaurant is local hangout who come for quality pub food; no dinner served on Friday nights.
●Flo’s Clam Shack – 4 Wave Avenue; flosclamshack.net; New England classic looking over First Beach.
●Fluke – 41 Bowen’s Wharf; 401-849-7778; flukewinebar.com.
●Franklin Spa – 229 Spring Street; 401-847-3540; down-to-earth diner with red vinyl booths; great lobster benedict.
●Mooring – 1 Sayer’s Wharf; 401-846-2260; mooringrestaurant.com; former “Station 6” clubhouse for New York Yacht Club; try brown paper bag of crab, lobster, and shrimp doughnuts.
●Ocean Breeze Café – 580 Thames Street; 401-849-1750; casual food.
●Perro Salado – 19 Charles Street; 401-619-4777; perrosalado.com; Mexican food; surprisingly good.
●Salvation Café – 140 Broadway; 401-847-2620; salvationcafe.com; back patio, tiki bar, and great desserts.
●Scales & Shells – 527 Thames Street; 401-846-3474; scalesandshells.com; seafood; dinner only.
●Tallulah on Thames – 464 Thames Street; 401-849-2433; tallulahonthames.com; reservations necessary; unpretentious, 10-table dining room with creative and homey cooking and feel.
●Tucker’s Bistro – 150 Broadway; 401-846-3449; tuckersbistro.com; dimly lit gem of romantic restaurant.
●22 Bown’s Wine Bar & Grill – Bowen’s Wharf; 401-841-8884; 22bowens.com; chops and steaks.
●White Horse Tavern – 26 Marlborough Street; 401-849-3600; whitehorsetavern.us; open since 1673; typical Newport colonial-style structure.
●Yesterdays and The Place – 28 Washington Square; 401-847-0116; yesterdaysandtheplace.com; brewpub.
Services
●Classic Cruises – Bannister’s Wharf; 401-847-0298; cruisenewport.com; bay tours in former rum-smuggling yacht and/or 72' schooner.
●Ten Speed Spokes – 18 Elm Street; 401-847-5609; tenspeedspokes.com; bicycle rentals.
Shopping
●Clarke Cooke House Candy Store – 26 Bannister’s Wharf; 401-849-2900; clarkecooke.com.
●La Maison de Coco – 28 Bellevue Avenue; 401-845-2626; lamaisondecoco.com; high-end, tea-enfused truffles, and other chocolates.
●Newport Chocolates – 82 Williams Street; 401-841-8975; newportchocolates.net.
●Newport Wine Cellar – 24 Bellevue Avenue; 401-619-3966; newportwinecellar.com.
●Le Petit Gourmet – 26 Bellevue Avenue; 401-619-3882; artisanal cheeses and local Aquidneck honey.
Sights & Sites
●Belcourt Castle – 657 Bellevue Avenue; 401-846-0669; belcourtcastle.com; Oliver Hazard Perry Belmont’s (Belmont Stakes founder’s son) former summer cottage, constructed 1891-94; in Gilded Age, noted for extensive carriage and stable areas; Belmont, still bachelor during construction, desired this 50K' square, 60 room summer villa to be based on Louis XIII hunting lodge at Versailles; Belcourt Castle is 3rd largest mansion in Newport, after Breakers and Ochre Court.
●Bellevue Avenue – notable for ornamental landscaping; can ride bike along to Atlantic Ocean and visit Rough Point.
●Breakers – 44 Ochre Point Avenue; 401-847-1000; tickets.newportmansions.org/mansion.aspx?id=1000.com; grandest Newport summer “cottages” and symbol of Vanderbilt family’s financial and social preeminence during turn of century America.
●Fort Adams State Park – Eisenhower House, 1 Lincoln Drive; 401-841-0707; fortadams.org; make sure to visit Yachting Museum.
●Green Animals Topiary Garden – Cory’s Lane (Portsmouth); 401-683-1267; newportmansions.org.
●Marble House – 596 Bellevue Avenue; 401-847-1000; tickets.newportmansions.org/mansion.aspx?id=1004; built between 1888-1892 for William K. Vanderbilt (Commodore’s grandson and Cornelius II’s brother) as summer “cottage.”
●Newport Distilling Company (Coastal Extreme Brewing Co.) – 293 J.T. Connell Road; 401-849-5232; newportstorm.com; in 1769, with 22 distilleries, Newport was world’s rum capital; by 1869, last distillery had closed; this is 1st to open since; offers tours.
●Norman Bird Sanctuary – 583 3rd Beach Road (Middletown); 401-846-2577; normanbirdsanctuary.org; hike trail to “Hanging Rock”; check out “Barn Museum” for excellent taxidermy.
●Jane Pickens Theater – 49 Touro Street; 401-846-5252; janepickens.com; films.
●Rough Point – 680 Bellevue Avenue; 401-849-7300; newportrestoration.org; in 1894, Vanderbilts begin renting Rough Point to summer guests; “Tinplate King” William Bateman Leeds, Sr., rents in 1904-1905; he purchases 10-acre estate in 1906; after he dies in 1910, his wife, Nancy Leeds remains owner until 1922; their son, William Bateman Leeds, Jr., marries Russia Princess Xenia Georgievna and sells house to James Buchanan Duke, electric power and tobacco entrepreneur and his 2nd wife Nanaline; James died in 1925, bequeathing estate to only child, 12-year-old Doris Duke; Rough Point becomes 1 of her prize properties; spends her summers there but after 1938 New England Hurricane (that devastates RI) and WWII, her visits less frequent; in 1950s, she empties Rough Point of all furnishings; in 1962, after Nanaline’s death, she again becomes frequent visitor; Rough Point reopened in 1962; in 1966, most controversial event in her entire life occurred at estate; she and her interior designer, Eduardo Tirella, leaving Rough Point by station wagon; when Tirella left car to open front gates, she slid over to driver’s seat to pull car out gates and wait for Tirella to close them; accelerating station wagon, Duke caught Tirella and dragged him across street where crushed against tree, instantly killing him; death recorded as accident; during Hurricane Bob in 1991, solarium serves as shelter for Princess and Baby, Duke’s 2 pet Bactrian camels (gifts from billionaire Saudi arms-dealer and businessman Adnan Khashoggi.
●Thames Street – Newport’s main tourist strip with bars, boutiques, and restaurants.
PROVIDENCE COUNTY
Forestdale
Restaurants
●Village Haven Restaurant – 90 School Street; 401-762-4242; thevillagehaven.com; open for 30 years; ordinary in appearance; good comfort food; try roast chicken.
Harrisville
Restaurants
●Wright’s Farm Restaurant – 84 Inman Road; 401-769-2856; wrightsfarm.com; feels like theme park; large motel or conference center atmosphere; excellent chicken dinners and comfort food.
Providence
Bakeries, Coffee, Ice Cream, Juice & Tea
●Seven Stars Bakery – 820 Hope Street; 401-521-2200; sevenstarsbakery.com; award-winning, artisan bakery.
●Seven Stars Bakery – 342 Broadway; 401-521-2200; sevenstarsbakery.com; award-winning, artisan bakery.
●White Electric Coffee – 711 Westminster Street; 401-453-3007; whiteelectriccoffee.com; has pastries, as well as “potent” coffee.
Bars & Nightclubs
●AS220 FOO(d) – 115 Empire Street; 401-831-3663; as220.org; restaurant run by non-profit, AS220; art studio, bar, gallery, music venue, and restaurant; try house-infused vodkas (apricot sage and maple-pumpkin).
●Avery – 18 Luongo Memorial Square (Federal Hill, on side street and easy to miss because no sign); 401-351-5492; averyprovidence.com; dimly lit, art nouveau “vixen” pictures; looks like yacht interior.
●Cook & Brown Public House – 959 Hope Street; 401-273-7275; cookandbrown.com; much-hyped craft cocktail venue.
●Dorrance – 60 Dorrance Street; 401-521-6000; thedorrance.com; architecturally splendid (stained glass windows, gilded candelabra, and elaborate, cake-frosting moulding); cocktails.
●E&O Tap – 289 Knight Street (Federal Hill, on side street); 401-454-4827; eandotap.com; raucous dive bar with 16 tap beers.
●Salon – 57 Eddy Street; 401-865-6330; thesalonpvd.com; pinball, ping-pong, and 80s music, along with dance floor.
●Tini – 200 Washington Street; 401-383-2400; thetini.com; good bar food.
Hotels
●Dean Hotel – 122 Fountain Street; 401-455-3326; thedeanhotel.com; 52 rooms in former brothel; close to RISD and Brown; boutique.
●Renaissance Providence Hotel – 5 Avenue of Arts; 401-919-5000; renaissanceprovidenceri.com; former 1920s Masonic temple with contemporary interior; some rooms overlook Rhode Island Statehouse; affordable.
Restaurants
●Abyssinia – 333 Wickenden Street; 401-454-1412; abyssinia-restaurant.com; Ethiopian food; offers take-out.
●AS220 FOO(d) – 115 Empire Street; 401-831-3663; as220.org; restaurant run by non-profit, AS220; art studio, bar, gallery, music venue, and restaurant.
●Chez Pascal – 960 Hope Street; 401-421-4422; chez-pascal.com; French; neighborhood brasserie.
●Classic Café – 865 Westminster Street; 401-273-0707; classiccaferi.com; for breakfast, especially; can order half portions, which is advisable; old-fashioned breakfast joint.
●Dorrance – 60 Dorrance Street; 401-521-6000; thedorrance.com; architecturally splendid (stained glass windows, gilded candelabra, and elaborate, cake-frosting moulding); excellent, inventive food.
●Farmstead & La Laiterie – 186 Wayland Avenue (Foxpoint); 401-274-7177; farmsteadinc.com; notable for cheese offerings; fresh, often home-canned products; cramped dining area.
●Flan y Ajo – 225A Westminster Street; 401-432-6656; flanyajo.com; BYOB tapas bar in small space (stools only, no tables); can buy liquor next door at Eno Fine Wines.
●Gracie’s – 194 Washington Street; 401-272-7811; graciesprov.com; grows much of own produce; New American cuisine.
●Julian’s – 318 Broadway; 401-861-1770; juliansprovidence.com; for breakfast, especially; includes vegan items; but, at carnivore spectrum end, try braised short rib eggs Benedict.
●Ken’s Ramen – 69 Washington Street; 401-859-1998; kens-ramen.com.
Shopping
●AS220 FOO(d) – 115 Empire Street; 401-831-3663; as220.org; restaurant run by non-profit, AS220; art studio, bar, gallery, music venue, and restaurant.
●Craftland – 235 Westminster Street; 401-272-4285; craftlandshop.com; gewgaw emporium.
●Eno Fine Wines – 225 Westminster Street; 401-521-2000; enofinewines.com; liquor and wine, including regional craft beers.
●Farmstead & La Laiterie – 186 Wayland Avenue (Foxpoint); 401-274-7177; farmsteadinc.com; notable for cheese offerings; fresh, often home-canned products.
●Queen of Hearts – 222 Westminster Street; 401-421-1471; queenofhearts.com; women’s boutique.
●Wharf – 212 Westminster Street; 401-272-1231; shopwharf.com; nautically themed men’s store.
Sights & Sites
●AS220 FOO(d) – 115 Empire Street; 401-831-3663; as220.org; restaurant run by non-profit, AS220; art studio, bar, gallery, music venue, and restaurant.
●Big Nazo Lab – 60 Eddy Street; 401-831-9652; bignazo.com; art studio; alien creatures and monsters peer from storefronts.
●Blackstone Boulevard Walking Path – Blackstone Boulevard & Hope Street; blackstoneparkconservancy.org; begins at Blackstone Park (at Angell Street and River Road intersection) and cuts through beautiful, historic neighborhood.
●Cable Car Cinema & Cafe – 204 South Main Street; 401-272-3970; cablecarcinema.com; for glass of wine while watching little known, feature art film.
●Chace Center – 20 North Main Street; 401-454-6500; risdmuseum.org; branch of Museum of Art at Rhode Island School of Design; exhibition space.
●India Point Park – India Street (Fox Point); friendsofindiapointpark.org; can get take out from Abyssinia and picnic here.
●Museum of Art at Rhode Island School of Design – 224 Benefit Street; 401-454-6500; risdmuseum.org; Manet’s Le Repos (Berthe Morisot portrait); also, important American decorative arts collection.
Woonsocket
Restaurants
●Bocce Club Restaurant – 226 St. Louis Avenue; 401-767-2000; open since 1930s; Italian and Portuguese; try roast chicken; not much to look at.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Watch Hill
Hotels
●Ocean House – 1 Bluff Avenue; 401-315-5599; oceanhouseri.com; yellow clapboard, rambling porticos, and salvaged original fixtures.
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