Providence and Newport swim in attention from Rhode Island visitors, but there’s plenty to see beyond the city and the sea in the Ocean State. Here are five destinations, from quiet New England harbor villages to bustling towns repowered with breweries and entertainment venues that deserve more than a wave when charting your personal Rhode map.
Jamestown
Best for: a low-key island alternative to Newport
Located on the “next island over” from Newport’s mansions and beaches, Jamestown offers a pleasantly chill alternative to the summer crowds in “America’s First Resort.” The town of 5,600 on Conanicut Island is a little slice of Americana. A single street largely defines the commercial district, where you’ll find house-made pasta and grilled seafood at Beech; superlative pastries, breakfast burritos, and sandwiches at Slice of Heaven; and danceable live rock and blues music at the venerable Narragansett Cafe. A block over is the Lionel Champlin Guest House, a onetime Victorian tea room that’s a cute and convenient base for exploring town on foot or by car.
The roughly 10-square-mile island invites touring by bike or car. At the southern end is Beavertail Lighthouse, which has guided mariners through the mouth of Narragansett Bay since 1856. Visitors can poke around a museum in the former keepers’ quarters, sun on rocks above the breaking waves, and explore a network of clifftop hiking trails.
The restored and functional Jamestown Windmill has stood on Conanicut Island’s high point since 1787; it’s open on weekend afternoons and holidays from May to October and whirls into action annually on Windmill Day in July. A hike through the Rhode Island Audubon Society’s Marsh Meadows Wildlife Refuge provides excellent odds of viewing nesting ospreys.
Ocean House, in Westerly’s Watch Hill neighborhood, has 46 rooms and 23 suites.
Photo by Ron Starr
Westerly
Best for: beach days and downtown nightlife
Westerly is named for its location in the far southwest corner of Rhode Island, where its thriving downtown abuts Pawcatuck, Connecticut. Misquamicut Beach is where the party happens here. A mix of summer rentals and small hotels—such as the Pleasant View Inn, which has balcony rooms overlooking the beach—fills up in summer. Days spent lounging on the beach are typically followed by oceanside drinks and dancing at the lively, unpretentious Paddy’s Beach Club or the Windjammer Surf Bar. A summer drive-in movie series is a nostalgic family favorite.
In the upscale Watch Hill district, kids will love a ride on the Flying Horse Carousel, the country’s oldest platform carousel, before getting a scoop of watermelon sherbert at the St. Clair Annex, a family-owned ice cream shop that’s been operating since 1887. Take a peek at seasonal resident Taylor Swift’s sprawling mansion before checking into the AAA Five Diamond Ocean House. The iconic property provides a classic New England coastal resort experience—motorboat cruises, croquet, lobster boils—and some of the state’s finest dining, guest accommodations, and spa facilities.
The restored United Theatre has breathed new life into downtown Westerly nightlife. Built as a cinema in 1926, the theater still presents a regular schedule of movies but also hosts a variety of cultural events, including educational programs, open mic nights, comedy shows, and productions by the in-house United Music School. The nearby and affiliated Knickerbocker Music Center is a historic nightclub that has been showcasing local and national acts since the end of Prohibition. Author talks are a regular occurrence at the elegant Martin House Books, which also houses a café and art gallery.
Wickford Village has numerous Federal and Colonial period homes, as well as a bustling harbor.
(Left) PTHamilton/Shutterstock_(Right) jconnors713/Shutterstock
Wickford
Best for: small-town shops and historic architecture
A collection of boutique shops, 18th- and 19th-century captain’s homes, and historic houses of worship—including the oldest Episcopal church in New England—line the streets of Wickford, one of the country’s oldest preserved colonial villages. Set at the head of a protected harbor and bisected by a tidal marsh, this village in North Kingstown was the inspiration for the titular town in John Updike’s Witches of Eastwick; in the fall, costumed witches can be seen among those who come to kayak through Wickford’s calm waters.
The Wickford Art Festival is a 60-plus-year July tradition that attracts more than 200 artists working in a variety of media. Year-round, Main Street and Brown Street are occupied by specialty shops selling everything from cheese and ice cream to pottery, children’s toys, gourmet kitchen goods, and beach-friendly clothing. By day, the waterfront Tavern by the Sea has a sunny outdoor deck and a menu of local seafood, pizzas, and Greek specialties. In the back is the only outdoor bar in town. When the village grows dark and quiet after 9 p.m., it’s easy to imagine that you’ve stepped a few hundred years into the past.
While there aren’t any hotels in Wickford Village, there are a handful of Airbnbs, some of which are in historic homes, as well as a sweet two-bedroom stay located above the café Shayna’s Place.
The Bristol Ferry Lighthouse is on the shores of Narragansett Bay.
Allan Wood Photography/Shutterstock
Bristol
Best for: patriotic pastimes and peaceful pedaling
Once a sailing and shipbuilding hub, Bristol is most famous for having the oldest continuous Independence Day parade in the U.S., dating to 1785. The patriotic festivities start long before July 4 (usually kicking off in early June) and include a fair, a ball, a Miss Fourth of July pageant, and a concert series.
Of course, there’s much more to this town than stars and stripes. Visitors can embrace the Gilded Age with a stroll through the mansion and grounds at Blithewold, a 33-acre estate and arboretum that includes the largest redwood tree east of the Rocky Mountains. Or they can view America’s Cup winning boats once helmed by Vanderbilts (and others) at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Those who prefer biking to sailing can pedal the East Bay Bike Path, a 14.5-mile scenic rail trail that begins at the Bristol waterfront.
Bristol is rich in Portuguese heritage thanks to the hardworking sailors who settled here in the 19th century. At Folklore Provisions, try pastel de natas and piri piri chicken. Or visit Cafe Central, a modest, family-owned restaurant favored by locals for its octopus stew, shrimp Mozambique, and clams and chorizo. Around the corner is Pivotal Brewing Company, which crafts some of Rhode Island’s best beers. The former industrial building hosts a broad range of weekly events, including concerts, bonsai-making classes, and trivia nights. The Bradford-Dimond-Norris House, neighboring the historic 1810 mansion turned museum Linden Place, is a charming and convenient place to spend a night in the center of town.
The Met in Pawtucket hosts local and touring bands (left); the riverfront city is undergoing significant revitalization (right).
Wangkun Jia/Shutterstock
Pawtucket
Best for: local brews and live music
Just north of Providence on the Blackstone River, Pawtucket is considered the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. It’s home to Slater Mill, the first water-powered textile mill in the United States. Built in 1793, the mill is open to visitors, but like most of the factories in the region, it ceased operating long ago.
The upside is that many of Pawtucket’s former mill buildings have been repurposed in fun and interesting ways. The Guild brewing cooperative now pours pints where screws and fasteners were once manufactured; artisan pretzel maker Malted Barley provides the cushioning carbs. Pawtucket’s Creative Commerce Center, formerly a lightbulb factory, now includes the Electromagnetic Pinball Museum, where for $10 visitors can play as much pinball as they want on more than 100 restored vintage tables.
Ten thousand square feet of another historic mill have been transformed into a nursery (and occasional event venue) called Jordan’s Jungle. The multifaceted Hope Artiste Village, in a sprawling former textile mill, includes artists’ workshops, a bowling alley once used by mill workers, escape rooms, an improv theater, and one of the state’s top venues for live music, The Met. A very fitting stay is in nearby Providence at Dye House, a boutique hotel with three stylish suites and a studio carved from the lofty interior of a former textile factory.
