Great Things to Do in Rhode Island -- find fun activities year-round

Rhode Island > State > Things to Do and See > 60 Great Things to Do in Rhode Island

Art and children's and cooking museums; historic houses; nature trails; boat cruises; historic Newport tours; unusual shopping, and more fun activities on land and water, year-round. Be sure to phone ahead or look at the website of places you want to visit to check hours and other details, especially for activities affected by weather.

Save The Bay

Multiple Centers & Dock Locations Providence, Newport, Westerly, RI and Fall River, MA Phone: 401-272-3540

Hands-on fun on beautiful Narragansett Bay

Narragansett Bay is home to one of the most diverse ecosystems on earth and Save The Bay connects you to it with hands-on and on-the-water experiences for families, groups, students and schools. Enjoy 360° views of harbor seals on winter Seal Tours. Get up close with hundreds of Bay critters year-round at the Exploration Center & Aquarium in Newport. Take in the beauty and history of Narragansett Bay on summer and fall Lighthouse Cruises. Enroll in week-long summer BayCamps that give K-12 students the perfect mix of fun and marine science education. Join Save The Bay in protecting and improving Narragansett Bay, keeping it swimable, fishable and accessible to everyone.
Boat tours depart from Newport, Westerly, and Providence RI.

Roger Williams Park Zoo

1000 Elmwood Avenue Providence, RI, 02907 Phone: 401-785-3510

Make WILD Zoo Memories to Last a Lifetime

Roger Williams Park Zoo has a 146 year history as a favorite New England family destination bringing excitement and discovery of the natural world to generations of visitors. Home to local and international award-winning conservation and environmental education programs – as well as, over 160 rare and fascinating animals from around the world! Discover hands-on armadillo encounters, camel rides, giraffe feedings and more. For something slightly out of the ordinary, ride the new Soaring Eagle Zip Ride or hop on-board the Zoo’s family-friendly train ride. Make every Zoo visit an adventure for the whole family! For more information and hours, please visit rwpzoo.org.

Naval War College Museum

686 Cushing Road Newport, RI, 02841 Phone: 401-841-4052

See & learn the Navy’s role in New England, and in history

Want to learn about naval activities in the Narragansett Bay area in colonial times? Or how the science of naval warfare has changed from the time of the Greeks and Romans through the Civil War, both World Wars to today? Then head to the Naval War College Museum, free and open to the public, where naval battles and strategies come to life via changing art collections, exhibits and documents. Starting Dec. 14, learn about the Navy’s role in World War I from the new exhibit, “To Win or Lose All: William S. Sims and the U.S. Navy in the First World War.”
Year round hours: Monday -Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Closed weekends & federal holidays. Reservations required in advance for those without base access.

Paddys Beach Club

159 Atlantic Avenue Misquamicut, RI, 02891 Phone: 401-596-2610

A summer place for everything your summer self desires

A summer of sun, fun, and surf is upon you and Paddy’s Beach Club on Misquamicut Beach. Join the crew as the sand and waves come alive and let the prime beachfront location and expansive tented deck overlooking the ocean keep you smiling, tanned and dry. There’s seating for 350 for your next party or event and a top-notch staff and casual, fun atmosphere. Paddy’s is kid friendly and there’s always lots of parking and great events including Monday Night Trivia, Wednesday night Kids Nights, Thursday Non-profit nights July 4th Fireworks and the always popular DJ Dance Parties. Enjoy great food, drinks, and entertainment in the Tikki Beach VIP area or Ocean Lounge. Book a cabana, daybed, or chaise Lounge and just chill.

Paddys Beach Club - Misquamicut Beach, RI

Visit Misquamicut Beach - Rhode Island's family beach town

Newport, Rhode Island - A Year Round Destination!

Newport Vineyards

909 East Main Road (Route 138) Middletown, RI, 02842 Phone: 401-848-5161

Raise a glass, have a laugh, enjoy the view

More than a place about wine, for more than 20 years Newport Vineyards continues its traditions of outstanding wines with daily tours and tastings, and adds the Brix Restaurant, The Marketplace, Vineyard Cafe, a new Tasting Room and Tank Room, new and expanded venue facilities for public and private event, and a unique wine shop. The vineyard is the largest grower of wine grapes in New England producing and bottling over 20,000 cases of estate-grown wine each year through sustainable farming methods on nearly 60 acres of historically preserved farmland. The region’s leading agritourism destination, the vineyards are alive with seasonal activities including music, comedy, annual clambakes and celebrations of every kind.

Ocean House Resort

1 Bluff Avenue Watch Hill, RI, 02891 Phone: Toll-Free: 877-346-9442

Taste, create, learn – and have fun – at this wine and culinary arts center

Whether your goal is to be a better home cook, or a famous chef, the Center for Wine & Culinary Arts at Ocean House has an experience for you. Study classical French cooking, sign up for a blind wine tasting (and there’s plenty to choose from among the inn’s 8,000-bottle collection) or explore the region’s agricultural bounty with the inn’s “food forager.” No superior skills required: The Wine Education Program offers hands-on experiences for casual wine drinkers as well as connoisseurs. And among top-of-the-line appliances in the gorgeous Gaggenau Demonstration Kitchen, cooks both confident and just curious will have lots to learn. The center is a marvel, with its wide-plank walls and post-and-beam structure.

Visit our sister properties - Weekapaug Inn - Watch Hill Inn

Rough Point

680 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-847-8344

An Heiress’s mansion is her gift to the public

The oceanfront estate of heiress Doris Duke was built by Frederick Vanderbilt in 1887 with the grounds landscaped by Frederick Law Olmstead’s’ firm in 1890. It was then the largest summer house in Newport. In 1922, James B. Duke purchased the house then left it to his 12 year-old daughter upon his death. Upon her death in 1993, Doris bequeathed the estate to the Newport Restoration Foundation, which opened the estate as a museum in 2000. The house is decorated with French furniture, European art, Chinese porcelains, and Flemish tapestries. Open seasonally April – November. Check website for tour times and events,

Heliblock Helicopter Tours

63 Tom Harvey Road Westerly, RI, 02891 Phone: 401-859-1001

Your spirits will soar when you tour the coastline in a helicopter

The sky is not the limit when it comes to HeliBlock tours, where guests see Block Island or the Westerly shoreline from the seats of a helicopter, piloted by experienced and knowledgeable guides. They’ll tell you about lighthouses, wildlife, Block Island’s Mohegan Bluff and Great Salt Pond, or Westerly’s Misquamicut Beach (and celebrity estates). Tours over North America’s only offshore wind farm are also available, as are trips that also include dinner at an island restaurant or an open-water parasailing experience. Kids of all ages are welcome, and it’s your choice on doors open or closed. Whatever you decide, you will be making memories of a lifetime as your soar over these beautiful coastal locales.

Sekkonk Grand Prix Family Track Seekonk MA

Seekonk Grand Prix

1098 Fall River Avenue Seekonk, MA, 02771 Phone: 508-336-8307

Seekonk Grand Prix's got Go Karts and games

Experience the wildest Go Kart action at this state of the art facility offering competitive fun at an affordable price. Challenge family and friends on more than 60 arcade games including Guitar Hero, Ski Ball, Air Hockey and Dance Dance Revolution. The Family Track, the longest in New England, features tunnels, hairpin curves and straight-aways and new two-seater go-karts. Little guys and gals get in on the action with the new Rookie Track, with the Kiddy Track and Beginner Track just ahead. Bump and bounce your buddies in bumper cars and boats and finish the day off with a friendly game on the adventure mini golf course.

What's Old Is New Again

Designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt and built in the 1890s for Alva Vanderbilt, Belcourt at 657 Bellevue Avenue in Newport is an ornate tableau reflecting the Palace of Versailles in France up to the Freemasons of America. Under new ownership, the mansion is undergoing a major renovation enabled by modern technology. By rerviewing historic photographs and using reclaimed materials, a group of experts is bringing Belcourt back to life, and he public can join guided tours to see the reclamation work as it moves forward. Tours are 45-50 minutes, followed by a 15 minute Q&A session.

Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum in Warwick IR

Find a Warm Welcome to the Victorian Age at the Mansion

People interested in beauty and elegance of the Victorian age will love a visit to Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum at 4157 Post Road in Warwick. The house was built in the 1870s a wedding gift for Elizabeth Ives Slater. Ownership of the house descended through the oldest female and is now in the fourth generation of the family. Since 2000, Clouds Hill has been opened to the public. (It is also on the National Register of Historic Places.) The museum hosts lots of special events, including formal dinners five times a year. Displays of wedding attire, household appliances, carriages and riding equipment are perfectly intriguing. Guests are met with a true spirit of hospitality by volunteer docents who love discussing Victorian culture. 401-884-9490. [photo by Ian Iannuccilli.]

Twin River Doubles Down on Gaming Fun

The Twin River Casino opened in Lincoln in 2007 and it just keeps growing. Formerly the Lincoln Park greyhound track, the casino has offers 300,000 square feet of gaming space, with 4,500 video slot machines; virtual table games (including blackjack and roulette); and 80 live table games, including blackjack, roulette, craps and more. It hosts simulcasting of the best thoroughbred and greyhound racing from around the country. There is live entertainment by national headliners, comedy, dining, and a cigar bar, Twin River Casino is a 10-minute drive from Providence and less than an hour from Boston. 877-82-RIVER

Magnificent House With a Marvelous History

Which is more beautiful, the house or the gardens? Blithewold Mansion Gardens & Arboretum at 101 Ferry Road in Bristol is a turn-of-the-century mansion on 33 acres of landscaped grounds overlooking Narragansett Bay. The house is grand but very comfortable and very much a reflection of the generations of accomplished men and women who lived there. A tour is an eye-opener into earlier generations of elite Rhode Island families. In warmer seasons, the gardens offer 50,000 flowering bulbs, a Japanese water garden, and an exotic bamboo stand. Lots of special things to do and seasonal gardening events and displays, including a monumental Christmas tree, take place throughout the year. Phone: 401-253-2707.

Theater Presents Entertainment for Every Taste

The Stadium Theatre in Monument Square in Woonsocket, listed on the National Historic Register and a fine example of the Vaudeville period in American entertainment, was built in 1926 and restored in 2001. The range and variety of performances at the Stadium is vast and includes classic plays, comedy, music, and tribute groups. There are lots of seasonal shows at holiday times and plenty of good live entertainment all year. Fans of the theater come back again and again. A sample of the shows in recent years include “Nunsense,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Show Me the Glory,” “Annie,” “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” “Cinderella,” and “The Wizard of Oz.” 401-762-4545.

Eploration center and aquarium by save the bay

Start Saving the Bay by Knowing the Bay

Save the Bay is a non-profit dedicated to protecting Rhode Island’s glorious Narragansett Bay. The organization also wants everyone to understand and enjoy the bay as much as the marine scientists do. This all leads to the Exploration Center and Aquarium, open to the public and located right ON Easton’s Beach, at 175 Memorial Blvd in Newport. Open year-round, this marine science center displays 40 species of animals from Narragansett Bay in touch tanks and dozens of exhibits. There is a new theme every month for activities like scavenger hunts, story hours, crafts, and science experiments. Build a future marine biologist in your family or come to simply slake your own curiosity. The third Thursday of each month is Feeding Frenzy, when you can help feed the animals. Admission is only $8. 401-324-6020.

The Blues Finds a Place to Wail at the Knickerbocker

The Knickerbocker Café , a longstanding club serving up primo blues, jazz, and R&B, reopened in 2009 on Railroad Avenue in downtown Westerlyafter having been shuttered for a number of years. As if to make up for lost time, the places howls every weekend with excellent live music in a small, relaxed club atmosphere with tables wrapped around a little but hard-used dance floor. Groups that appear and re-appear at the reincarnated Knickerbocker include Soul Shot, The Shiny Lapel Trio, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones, The Commander Cody Band, Johnny and the East Coast Rockers, Roomful of Blues … you get it. Got it? 401-596-4225.

You Think You’ve Seen Reality? Try It Virtually

Base Station VR, at 286 Thayer Street in Providence,, is Rhode Island's first dedicated virtual reality arcade and lounge. This is a virtual reality experience that you cannot get with cheaper headsets. Experiences include Beat Saber, Arizona Sunshine, Superhot VR, Skyfront VR, Elven Assassin, Job Simulator, and many more. Categories of experiences include action, adventure, scary, puzzles, and others. Come alone or bring friends. An eight-by-eight-foot space allows room for movement. Try a $5 demo. The operators swear you’ll be hooked on this otherworldly experience. Open year-round, but hours vary. Check the website. 401-484-1895.

Cinema for Elite Tastes

People who love movies: do yourselves a favor and get out of those multiplexes that look and feel like a walk through the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. New England has a healthy scattering of proudly small, independent movie theaters that show new releases along with independent films, shorts, and other cinematic art that doesn’t necessarily include exploding helicopter scenes. Among these is the Jane Pickens Theater at 49 Touro Street in Newport, Rhode Island. This is a historic and glamorous movie house for a glamorous town and it is a fun thing to do on your next family vacation or romantic weekend getaway. It presents a mix of first run movies, documentaries and art films. And when you walk out after the show, you have lovely Newport all around you. 401-846-5252.

Craftland is Gift-Shopping Heaven

A little bit like a brick-and-mortar Etsy tucked into Providence’s artsy Downcity district, Craftland , at 212 Westminster Street, is an artist-owned shop full of unusual handmade gifts and “and select pieces of artistry and weirdness from across the country,” according to its proprietors. It’s hard to tell what you might find here, but categories could include photography, stationery, clothing, accessories, original artwork, housewares, toys, prints, jewelry, stationery, and oddities that defy categorization. Craftland began in 2002 as a holiday pop-up, but its popularity led it to become a year-round establishment. And, Craftland purchases are tax free.

Get the Spirit at Pump House Music Works

You get the feeling from the street view – just from the beauty of this old stone building – that the Pump House Music Works at 1464 Kingstown Road in Wakefield is a special place. The place started as a guitar-making school by Shady Lea Guitars, and has evolved into a live music venue, with shows every Friday, Saturday & Sunday. All manner of performers play music in all genres in this cozy, 125-seat space. Monthly open mic and pot luck socials, backyard barbecues and holiday parties are times for music makers and listeners come together and build community. A full bar helps add to the joviality. See schedule of events. 401-824-9971. [photo by Bob Kidd]

providence children's museum providence ri

Children's Museum Is a Delight for the Small Fry

The Providence Children’s Museum on South Street in Providence is a joy for kids and parents because of the enormous variety of themes, and play and discovery areas. Examples: Water Ways is a water play environment; Play Power uses air tubes and magnetic mazes to enhance pure play; The Children’s Garden is an oasis of native plants; The Climber is a two-story-high climbing maze; Underland is a subterranean world of roots, worm tunnels and critters’ burrows. And that is only a partial list. The museum hosts lots of seasonal and special events. Really – the place has everything for kid fun and learning. 401-273-5437.

the Arcade, in the Financial District of downtown Providence RI

Visit the Arcade for Classic and Classy Urban Shopping

In basic terms, the Arcade, at 130 Westminster Street in the Financial District of downtown Providence, is a place for shopping and dining. But it so much more than that. Built in 1828, it is the country’s oldest indoor shopping mall, and it is surrounded by ornate 19th-century city architecture that is the essence of classic urban beauty. The two-story Arcade, with its arched glass ceiling and fancy ironwork, is typical of the lavish public spaces of 200 years ago. Stores offer interesting and creative clothing, jewelry, artwork, gifts, and vintage household decorative items. Lots of places to find coffee and lunch. 401-454-4568

Tour the Blackstone Valley, Bite By Bite

The Blackstone Valley is wealthy with the food cultures of the French-Canadians, Irish, Portuguese, Cape Verdean, and Asian who have lived and worked there. Now, the weekly Blackstone Culinaria Secret Ingredient Tour allows foodies to get inside those cuisines. From plantains to spring rolls to kielbasa, cuisines from Colombian to Cape Verdean are featured on the tour to various restaurants in Central Falls, Pawtucket, Cumberland, Lincoln, and Smithfield Wednesdays from March 27 to June 19, 2013. Each dining event includes a cooking demonstration and a meal or tasting, depending on the venue. 401-724-2200.

You Have One Hour

Who says Rhode Islanders can’t escape? Escape Rhode Island in Providence invites you and your friends to a challenging game in which you have 60 minutes to escape from a locked room. The only way out is to work together to solve the many puzzles, riddles, mysteries and games confined within the room. This location offers four themes: Ex Machina, The Study, The Gallery and The Mausoleum. Challenge your mind, work as a team, confound your senses and think creatively. Once you are in, there’s only one way out, so team up! Ages 10 and up. Players under 15 must be with an adult, and 15-17 must sign a waiver. Phone: 401-572-3889

Sophisticated Jazz Sounds

Since 1965, Chan’s Fine Oriental Dining on Main Street in Woonsocket has been a legendary place to take in a Chinese dinner followed by a close-up, live performance by masters of jazz, blues, folk, cabaret, and comedy in a sophisticated nightclub setting. Your host is John Chan, son of the founder, who greets and seats guests in family-style tables close to the best music to be found anywhere on the East Coast. Music is live and vibrant every weekend and some weeknights, including open mic nights once a month. Some upcoming performers include Duke Robillard Band, Commander Cody, Bellevue Cadillac, Ana Popvic Band, Lil’ Ed and the Blue Imperials, and more great jazz and blues. Silk ties and high heeled shoes are right in style at this place of glitter, fun, and excellent music. Phone: 401-765-1900.

Food Trucks of Providence – Downcity, That Is

Food trucks are rolling with delicious, creative chow in the streets of Providence. Find these in Downcity, which is the area bounded by Weybosset, Exchange, Washington, and Empire streets.
Friskie Fries are not like any French fry you’ve met before. Try Buck Naked with a sauce or the Cluck U fries topped with crispy chicken, buffalo sauce, and blue cheese. Find Friskie Fries at Snow and Washington streets Friday and Saturday nights. Email: friskiefries@gmail.com
Tricycle Ice Cream is on a three-wheeled journey to perfect the ice cream sandwich, using ice cream and cookie combinations that are delicious and unique. Email: tricycles.ri@gmail.com
Find the Tricycle. And for pure sophistication, there is O’Crepe, a little bit of Paris on the street of Providence. Find it.

walking tour by the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

Walk the Majestic Streets of the East Side of Providence

Providence has many distinctive neighborhoods, and one of them – The East Side – is particularly endowed with natural and architectural beauty, along with connections to the state’s founding principles of religious freedom. The self-guided East Side walking tour created by the Providence Warwick Convention & Visitor’s Bureau starts at the magnificent State House and then ambles across the Providence River, past a national memorial named for Roger Williams, the city’s founder, and other places along North Main and Benefit streets that are equally stirring for their roles and their architecture: First Baptist Church, Rhode Island School of Design, the Providence Athenaeum and Brown University. Follow the tour on your phone and feel the pull of lofty minds from our past.

Primitive Country Furnishings and a Warm Welcome

Brown & Hopkins Country Store on Putnam Pike in Chepachet defines itself as “purveyors of fine primitive country wares, period lighting & reproduction furniture [with] everything from penny candy to primitive cupboards.” The store, in business since 1809, sells primitive country home accessories, curtains, furniture, lighting, quilts, framed prints, fabric by the yard, candles, florals, garlands, primitive dolls gourmet specialties and, of course, penny candy. The shopkeeper, Liz McIntyre, promises: “Stop in soon... old fashioned hospitality awaits you!” Open daily. Phone: 401-568-4830

rogue wave painting at block island gallery

Galleries Are Full of Surprises on BI

Block Island is all about restful pleasure and what is better for that than a stroll through one-of-a-kind art galleries? Among our favorites is Jessie Edwards Studio on Water Street, presenting contemporary American paintings, works on paper, wood turnings, and fine ceramics (open May through December, and always by appointment in the winter). Find a ferry to make the trip over. [Painting shown here is by Rhode Island artist Susan Klas Wright]

On a Peninsula in Narragansett Bay

Beavertail State Park, at the southern tip of Jamestown Island, is a refreshingly beautiful place starting with the fact that the commercial footprint is very light. The tip of the park has the neat Beavertail Lighthouse. Every side of this peninsula tip has great views of life on Narragansett Bay: sailboats, rocky coasts, distant shorelines with beautiful houses and harbors. It’s easy to clamber around on the rocks and visit the sea life in the tide pools near the water or to stay up on the higher ground and fly a kite. Provided you’re dressed for it, a trip to this park is fine in all seasons; people sometimes go here to watch big weather coming up the Bay. Phone: 401-884-2010.

Ocean House on Bluff Avenue in Watch Hill RI

Five Diamonds for One Magnificent Hotel

Ocean House on Bluff Avenue in Watch Hill (Westerly) has been named a Five Diamond Lodging by AAA. This is among the most prestigious awards any lodging can receive, and the first received by a Rhode Island establishment, according to AAA. "Five Diamond lodgings feature extraordinary physical attributes and meticulous personalized attention,” said an AAA spokesman. The Ocean House is the last of the grand Victorian hotels, where life is still lived much as it was a century ago, a tranquil timetable of tides and sun, teatime and cocktails, sailing regattas and strolls on the beach. The hotel first opened in 1868 and was closed in 2003 in a state of disrepair. Later that decade it was restored to its original state and reopened. Phone: 401-584-7000

Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. South Kingstown RI

American Whiskey Reborn, From the Sons

Pumpkin spice whiskey? Hop flavored whiskey? Seasonal whiskies? If you’re curious, here’s a way to taste these ideas. Sons of Liberty Spirits Co. at 1425 Kingstown Road in South Kingstown was born because of a few unanswered questions: “Why is no one distilling single malt whiskies from the beers we love?” and “Why are there so many seasonal beers, but no seasonal whiskies?” The distillery is the owners’ answer to this gap in whiskey tasting. And it also is brewing craft beers. Come for tours and tastings Thursdays through Sundays, and live music on weekend nights. Voted 2017 Craft Producer of the Year by Whisky Magazine. 401-284-4006.

Hope Street and wickenden Street in Providence RI

Hope for Fun & Interesting Encounters

To enjoy a relaxed and interesting view into Providence’s boulevard society, take a stroll along Hope Street on the city’s East Side. The street moves among the properties of Brown University and it is dotted with fun eateries. Hope connects with Wickenden Street , also a near walk with plenty of cool shops and a sidewalk society that loves to sit, sip, and walk the world go by. Lots of nice shops of Wickenden, purveying goods from fish for you aquarium to art supplies. Denizens of the Brown University community will be kicking about too. Neat walks in all seasons.

Distinctive Wines in an Island Setting

Newport Vineyards at 909 E Main Road in Middletown Is a showcase of the excellent wines and hospitable vineyard operators in New England. Since its founding in 1978 this family-owned orperation has grown to 50 acres of varietal and hybrid grapes. Visitors are offered public tours every day. These include a tour in the vineyards, a behind the scenes look at the winemaking process and a tasting of five wines. The winery features an art gallery and retail shop, occasional Paint Nites, yoga sessions, clambakes, farmers market on Saturdays in season. Open year around. Phone: 401-848-5161.

Make Yourself at Home at Yellow Kittens Tavern

When people go on vacation and say they really want to mix with the local folk, the Yellow Kittens Tavern – in this case on Block Island – is the very place they are talking about. Yellow Kittens has been a watering hole on Corn Neck Road since 1876. Obviously, it is doing something right. Clme for the drinks, dancing, chat, people-watching and general, all-around feel-good summer vibe. From 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Yellow Kittens serves tasty Mexican food and legendary frozen margaritas! on the outside deck. Later in the evenings, the live music kicks in and the dance floor gets crowded. Don’t miss it!

Light Atop the Bluffs

Please don't miss this Block Island icon. That is, Southeast Lighthouse, perched atop the Mohegan Bluffs, which rise abruptly to a height of about 200 feet above the sea and stretch for nearly three miles along the southern shore. The lighthouse was moved from the edge of the bluffs in 1993 as natural forces eroded the bluffs closer to the structure. You can go into the lighthouse in July and August. A short distance west of the lighthouse along the Mohegan Trail is the top of a chain of stairs built into the side of the bluff, leading to the beach far below. If you are fit to climb lots of stairs and are looking for a fun thing to do outdoors, the hike to the beach is fantastic. Phone: 401-466-5009

Historic Blackstone Valley

The Blackstone River Valley, from Providence, RI, to Worcester, MA, is a crucible of American industrial history. The town of Pawtucket, RI, is where the Englishman Samuel Slater built our country’s first cotton spinning mill in 1790, based on plans stolen from England. Over the next centuries, the river became an industrial zone for early mills and a magnet for immigrant workers from French Canada and elsewhere. Today, visitors can enjoy tours of historic sites -- principally the Slater Mill.
Six visitor centers help you plan your tour. Choose a self- guided tour and follow this map.

Explore Rhode Island’s Woods and Fields

ExploreRI offers great, easy maps and guides to walks and hikes all over this beautiful state, from the leafy woods of western Hopkinton to Narragansett By-side walks north of Newport. Find a trail scaled to your fitness and interests on an excellent interactive trail mapper or a list identified by town names. The icons on the map mark trailheads, meaning places to access a trail system. Note that some trail systems may be accessed via more than one trailhead.

Fort Adams Is a Window Into Colonial Warfare

For a tour of a beautifully preserved Revolutionary War fort, make a trip to Fort Adams on Harrison Avenue in Newport. During this tour, visitors may see the officers’ quarters and tunnels under the fort; visit a scenic overlook for views of Newport Harbor; and stroll the six-acre parade field and the complex outerworks; and learn bout more than 180 years of American history, military culture, architecture, and engineering. Check fort website for details on tour dates and hours. Phone: 401-841-0707.

Paint the Town

Rhode Island may be the smallest state, but it sure packs a punch when it comes to art and relaxed fun with a group of friends. Paint and Vino at 150 Main Street, Pawtucket offers a unique ladies' night out at 7 p.m. nearly every day of the week and weekends. Practice the art of painting in a relaxed, social atmosphere. Even if you've never picked up a paintbrush before, Paint and Vino can provide you with a full evening of creative fun and wine tastings in Pawtucket’s buzzing art scene and night life. Local artists teach these group painting classes step-by-step, and New England wine will be served during the party. Reservations are required; make reservations through the website. 401-680-0856

Know Your Ecosystem

People who are fascinated by Rhode Island’s complex coastal ecology should high-tail it to the Kettle Pond Visitor Center on Bend Road in Charlestown, the local habitat of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Located on the north side of U.S. 1 between Burlingame State Park and Ninigret Park, the center offers an interactive gallery of dioramas, murals, and giant photos of sandy beaches, rocky shores, and other Ocean State ecosystems. Hiking trails and gift shop. Phone: 401-364-9124.

A Quiet and Beautiful Walk on Block Island

Maze and Clayhead Preserve off Corn Neck Road in Block Island is secluded spot to take in the peace and quiet of nature on the island. The preserve is 190 acres of walks and rambles where you can see some of the most spectacular scenery on the island. Within the preserve is a sandy beach that’s off the beaten path enough to be almost deserted. You can walk along picturesque bluffs or wander a series of interconnected, unmarked paths. During the fall, the maze is one of the best spots on the continent to see migratory songbirds. To reach the trail, look for a post marker on the right side of Corn Neck Road, about 3 miles from town and across from a big yellow farm house. Turn right down the dirt road and go straight for one-third of a mile until you reach a parking area.

Immerse Yourself in Bird Life at Sachuest Point

At 240 acres, Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown is important stopover and wintering area for migratory birds. Nature- and bird lovers know this rocky peninsula as the place to see colorful harlequin ducks, loons, eiders, gannets, and, in winter, snowy owls. A walk on the three miles of trails around Sachuest Point reveals several habitats, including salt marshlands and steep rocky shorelines around the perimeter. Elevated observation platforms along the trails provide unobstructed views. The visitor center is an ideal way to begin or end a trail walk; creative exhibits tell you all about the land and creatures you will be traversing. You can get a permit for nighttime fishing. Trail map. Brochure.

Purple Cat Winery Welcomes Adventurous Explorers

Lots of people don’t know how much inland beauty is found in Rhode Island’s western regions. A drive out to the wonderfully named village of Chepachet will get you to the famous Ancients and Horribles Parade on July and also to the new Purple Cat Vineyard and Winery at 11 Money Hill Road. The Purple Cat offers small batch handcrafted wines, available for tasting and purchasing in the tasting room daily, year-round, from noon to 8 p.m. The Cat also has a delightful bistro featuring a healthy menu with teas, javas, and smoothies; and a theater company presenting performances by local people. Come to the pretty inland places of Rhode Island. 401-566-9463

Feed Your Inner Explorer at Biomes

The marine biologists at Biomes Marine Biology Center at 6640 Post Road in North Kingstown really want to teach you what they know about sea life, particularly the plants and creatures who live in Narragansett Bay. The Biomes Center is New England's only private marine education facility and the most hands-on aquarium zaround. The scientists here host demonstrations throughout Saturdays, Sundays, school vacation days, and every day during the summer, noon to 5 p.m. Daily events include pufferfish and octopus demonstrations, and feedings of tortoises, shark, horseshoe crabs, skates, stingrays, and sea horses. Discover the marine biologists in yourself or your family! 401-885-4690

roger williams park in providence RI in winter

Expert Maps for a Glorious Park

Roger Williams Park at 1000 Elmwood Avenue in Providence is a gorgeous Victorian-era park comprising 435 beautiful acres of drives that are great for walking or biking, lakes, a carousel, gracious buildings, a zoo and a museum and planetarium. The park’s conservancy organization offers some really helpful downloadable maps that allow you to explore it on your own. Enjoy! Notable buildings map. Walking trails map. Notable art map. Notable trees map.

Bookstore on the Square Is Actually Pretty Groovy

Books On the Square at 471 Angell Street I Providence is a privately owned independent bookstore in the charming Wayland Square neighborhood of Providence’s East Side, tucked behind the picturesque Brown University neighborhood. The store feels neighborly – it is not large; parking is easy; and there are many nearby cafes to enjoy a coffee or smoothie with your bookish boodle. Fans note that the store is clean, organized, and easy to navigate. And it’s not packed to rafters, so you don’t feel so overwhelmed. The store hosts author talks and other social gatherings, and it is very welcoming to children. Read on! 401-331-9097

Swan Point Cemetery off Blackstone Blvd. in Providence RI

It's a Nice Place to be Alive, Too

The paths and gardens of Swan Point Cemetery off Blackstone Blvd. in Providence make for one of the most peaceful and interesting walks in all of Providence. Within the gates of this 200-acre garden cemetery are manicured lawns that flank the Seekonk River, replete with laurel, rhododendrons, azaleas and other flowering shrubs. A walk through Swan Point is always educational; the grounds are home to an abundance of rare and beautiful trees with plaques for easy identification, and the gravestones are pieces of artwork by themselves. Here you’ll find the final resting places of everyone from Civil War officers and early state politicians, to the writer H.P. Lovecraft.

Sacred Labyrinth on Block Island

Off Corn Neck Road on Block Island is a labyrinth of paths lined by stones, with a beautiful view of the North Light and Sachem Pond. The labyrinth, unlike a maze, is a single winding path that leads to the center point and back out. Walking the labyrinth is a universal ritual that has survived unchanged for thousands of years. People report that labyrinths can heal body and soul. It's on the west side of the road, just a little bit south of Sachem Pond. Look for wooden steps over the stone wall.

Visit the Turk’s Head While You’re in Providence

Downtown Providence is a joy to walk in and through. Highlights are the WaterPlace Park – paths, stairways, and ornate foot bridges along the city’s rivers – along with Kennedy Plaza and many quaint streets. The city is rich in interesting statues : honoring people and historic events like Abraham Lincoln, General Ambrose Burnside, John Kennedy, the Irish Famine, and more. The Turk’s Head building alone is a camera-grabbing bit of sculptural delight. You can find an online tour of Providence provided by the Downtown Providence Parks Conservancy. Follow the guide to gems of sculpture and history in this delightfully walkable New England city.

Natural History Lessons on Block Island

Got kids? Got a rainy day on your hands? The Block Island Conservancy Education Center at 234 Weldon’s Way on Block island is a place for all family members to learn about the island’s natural features in a place of active fun. Scavenger hunt (earn a badge), craft and learning stations let kids learn about constellations, and the land and waters of Block Island. Usually open 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the high season; call ahead at 401-466-3111.

Dance and Listen at This Grand Casino

The Towers is a visual symbol of the lively and historic seaside town of Narragansett, dating from a grand casino and resort that thrived in the town from the 1880s into the 20th century. After a modern refurbishing, the Towers continues as a hub of culture and fun. Ballroom dancing and dance lessons happen ever Wednesday evening at the Towers. Lots of live music is performed at this iconic place, which also happen to be across the street from the Coast Guard House, where all of the state goes to drink and dine in the beach seasons.

Blackstone Valley

Block Island

Newport

Providence Warwick

South County