East Bay attractions reveal the the area's natural and social history

Audubon Society of Rhode Island

Environmental Education Center
1401 Hope Street, Route 114 Bristol, RI 02809 Phone: 401-245-7500

Connect people to nature and its astounding discoveries.

The purposes of the Audubon Society of Rhode Island are to foster conservation of wild birds and other animal and plant life, to conserve wildlife habitat and unique natural areas through acquisition or other means, to carry out a broad program of public conservation education, to focus public attention on natural resource problems, to provide leadership when action on natural resource problems is necessary, and to take other actions to foster better management of the natural environment for the benefit of humans and all other life.The Audubon Society of Rhode Island, independent and unaffiliated with the National Audubon Society, was founded in 1897. Today, with 17,000 members and supporters, the Audubon Society of Rhode Island is dedicated to education, land conservation and advocacy. Audubon independently protects or owns almost 9,500 acres of woodlands and coastal property embracing diverse natural habitats. More than 33,000 students from area schools participate annually in our educational programs. A voice in statewide ecological issues, the Society actively fulfills its environmental stewardship through preservation and protection of Rhode Island's natural heritage.

Barrington Preservation Society Museum

Rte. 114 Barrington, RI 02806 Phone: 401-246-0999

On the lower floor of the Barrington Public Library, this museum houses a fine collection of artifacts and memorabilia from Barrington's rural past and industrial background. Exhibits change frequently. Open Tuesdays and Saturdays, 10 am-2 pm, and by appointment.

Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum

101 Ferry Road / Route 114 Bristol, RI 02809 Phone: 401-253-2707

This 45-room mansion was built in 1908 as the summer home of coal magnate Augustus Van Wickle. The property features gardens and arboretum on 33 acres overlooking Narragansett Bay. The mansion is open to visitors interested in a look into High Society at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. Grounds are open year-round, 10 am-5 pm; Mansion is open April 13-October 14, 10 am-4 pm.

Bristol Fourth of July Celebration

Bristol, RI 02809 Phone: 401-253-0445

Started in 1785, the Bristol Fourth of July celebration is the oldest in the United States. Each year the Bristol Fourth of July Committee raises approximately $200,000 to put on the celebration. The event includes the annual button and essay contests and concludes with a parade and fireworks display over Bristol Harbor.

Charles W. Greene Museum

Main Street Warren, RI 02885 Phone: 401-245-7686

This museum houses the Charles R. Carr collection of pre-Columbian, Peruvian, and North American Indian artifacts including wampum and glass beads. Colonial fishing and farm also are featured. Open Wednesday from 2 pm to 4 pm and by appointment.

Coggeshall Farm Museum

Off Route 114 Bristol, RI 02809 Phone: 401-253-9062

Open: October-March, Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; for self-guided tours; April-September, Tuesday –Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This is a 35-acre colonial farm, established in 1750. The museum features rare breeds of livestock, a barn, cooling house, blacksmith, and springhouse. Cost: Adults, $3; children, $2.

Colt State Park

Route 14 Bristol, RI 02809 Phone: 401-253-7482

Enjoy the Ocean State

This is a 464-acre state park on the shore of Narragansett Bay, with four miles of hiking and biking trails, gardens, 10 playing fields, and six picnic groves. Fishing, concerts, and naturalist programs offered in season. Open year-round.

Crescent Park Carousel

Crescent Park, 700 Bullocks Point Avenue Riverside, RI 02915 Phone: 401-435-7518

The Crescent Park Carousel, one of the finest surviving examples of hand-carved carousels in the country, was built just prior to 1900 by Charles I. D. Looff as a display model. Open Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 7 pm. Easter weekend and Memorial Day weekend and from June through Labor Day. After Labor Day through Columbus Day, open Saturday and Sunday, noon to 8 pm. Wheelchair accessible.

Fire Museum

Baker Street Warren, RI 02885 Phone: 401-245-7600

This former fire barn on Baker Street once housed the Narragansett Steam Fire Co. Station #3 in the 1800s. Faithfully restored, it now houses the volunteer fire department’s museum and The Little Hero, the first fire engine purchased by the town in 1802. Open by appointment. Call the fire chief.

Herreshoff Marine Museum and America's Cup Hall of Fame

1 Burnside Street Bristol, RI 02809 Phone: 401-253-5000

Open: April 26-November 2; 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

The Herreshoff Marine Museum and America's Cup Hall of Fame present the story of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and the America's Cup competition. From 1863 to 1945, the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, on the site of the present day museum, produced the world's finest yachts on the cutting edge of design and engineering. The collection includes 60 original Herreshoff boats, steam engines, artifacts, and photographs related to America's greatest naval architect and builder during The Golden Age of Yachting.

Newport & Bristol County Convention and Visitor's Bureau

23 America's Cup Avenue Newport, RI 02840 Phone: 401-849-8049 Toll-Free: 800-976-5122

Home to spectacular coastal scenery, awe-inspiring architecture, a thriving waterfront downtown, and welcoming hospitality, Newport, Rhode Island is considered by many to be a shining gem in the coastal crown of New England. From weekend getaways spent touring the famed Gilded Age mansions that were once the summer playground for socialite families with names like Astor and Vanderbilt to an afternoon of wine tour and tasting through Newport's three scenic vineyards, the options for interesting activities, distinctive stories, and enticing photo opportunities are countless!
Did you know that visitors to Newport can rent court time to play where the legends have played on the lawn courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame? Or that guests looking for a unique bit of history can take a tour of the Astors' Beechwood mansion where they will be escorted by guides in character of the powerful family that once vacationed there? Home to the oldest operating synagogue in the United States, the oldest operating tavern in the nation, and rows of historic homes, walking tours through Newport offer visitors a unique way to experience and learn the many stories of the city-by-the-sea!
Discover Newport RI - a spectacular destination brimming with stories to be told!