Rhode Island

Vintage card from Misquamicut Beach

Rhode Island is the smallest of the United States.  When I was a teenager, if you said Rhode Island, my brain immediately thought “Beach!”  It was only a few hours away from where we lived to Misquamicut Beach which was our favorite.  Some of my best (or worst) sunburns came from our trips there.  I remember one in particular.  My husband (boyfriend at that time) and his two sisters and I went on the bus to the beach.  It was an overcast day and of course we didn’t think we would even get a tan.  It didn’t feel very hot because of the cloud cover so we lay on the beach for much too long.  The rest of them have darker complexions since they are French and German but they also burned.  I am one of those very fair skinned people who burn easily so the trip on the bus home was miserable for all of us.



Rocky beach in Rhode Island

During that time one of my best friends invited me to accompany her family for a week at their camp on an inlet off the ocean.  I’m not sure exactly where it was located but we could walk down the path to a tiny wooden dock to go crabbing.  The water was shallow there and you could lie on the dock to grab the crabs with a net.  We sometimes could get permission to take her Dad's boat for a short ride in the bay.


Narragansett Bay is a large part of the eastern portion of Rhode Island and has many miles of sheltered beaches and coves.  There are about thirty islands within the bay and of course wonderful access to the ocean.  There are many beaches along the western section of Rhode Island directly on to Long Island Sound.

 

Rhode Island Junior College in Warwick RI

Providence is not only the capital city but the largest city in the state.   It boasts the first Baptist Church, the first fully automated Post Office and a capitol building made from white marble.  Providence is also home to Brown University and several other higher education institutions.  Summer visitors can enjoy WaterFire, a musical delight held in WaterPlace Park along the downtown river.   



Lighthouse Point - Watch Hill/Westerly RI

Newport showcases the mansions built by the industrial founders who chose Newport for their summer “cottages”.  Many of them are open for tours and provide a glimpse into the luxurious life of these families.  The Blackstone Valley is considered the home of the Industrial Revolution in Pawtucket at Slater Mill.  You can enjoy a twelve mile ferry trip to Block Island off the southern shore of Rhode Island for a wonderful day trip.  Beaches, shops, nature trails, two 19^th Century lighthouses and lots of fresh ocean breeze make a memorable adventure.  For further information on Rhode Island and the many things to do and places to see, check out their website at  http://www.visitri.com/