Millions of people visit Rhode Island throughout the year. They come for lots of reasons, including spending time family and friends, shopping, recreation, and work. During the summer is when travel peaks, with tourists streaming into the state. But what do they do? As a resident of Rhode Island reading this, you may be able to name some of the activities that draw people from all over the country to our little corner of New England, but it might be interesting to note how many of the attractions on the following short list you’ve visited in the past, and which ones you have yet to visit.
As far as Newport goes, while it is no longer the playground of the rich and famous that it once was in the 19th century, the summer crowd of that era surely left their mark behind and created a destination place for many tourists around the world. Most Rhode Islanders at some point have probably experienced firsthand one or more of these opulent mansions from the Gilded Age, which include Rosecliff, The Elms, Marble House, and The Breakers. However, I’d wager that fewer have walked the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, which features some interesting displays, such as a holographic theatre where a likeness of tennis champion Roger Federer greets visitors.
Block Island is on the list, and it’s no surprise that this familiar little jewel gets so much deserved attention from non-natives of Rhode Island. Roger Williams Park Zoo is another one of those places we are all familiar with and have visited a time or two as children, or even later in life as parents taking our own children to enjoy the animal life and all the other attractions there, not to mention the popular Carousel Village and playground. If you haven’t been in a while, you’ll find many new, exciting exhibits such as Dinosaurs Among Us, an outdoor walk-through experience featuring 60 life-size animatronic dinosaurs.
Providence’s 2023 WaterFire schedule is already underway, and the crowds this event attracts will only grow in the summer months, with two dates scheduled for July; July 4th & July 17th.
The RISD Museum may not be for everyone, but the Providence’s renowned institution, Rhode Island School of Design, preserves and displays many beautiful and unique forms of fine art for the public that can’t be seen anywhere else, with modern and classic pieces from Picasso and Van Gogh to the present-day artists.
Rhode Island is not called the Ocean State for nothing, boasting over 400 miles of shoreline and numerous public beaches that are a rite of passage for locals while being visited by many others all summer long, particularly Narragansett Town Beach and Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly.
Beavertail Lighthouse and Museum, which attracts its share of sightseers, has been hidden in plain site from most Rhode Islanders since it was built in 1749. On the southern tip of Jamestown, above Narragansett Bay, is the third oldest lighthouse in North America. It’s light rotates continuously every six seconds, and it has a foghorn that repeats every 30 seconds in stormy weather conditions. You don’t have to be a marine biologist to appreciate the history and the amazing view this structure offers.
Providence’s Trinity Repertory Company is an iconic performing arts theatre and is probably best known for its annual interpretation of Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol, but Trinity Rep’s production of many of other classic works as well as contemporary plays are also well-attended. With few more than 500 seats and each no more than fifty feet from the stage, it’s an intimate and unforgettable experience, not matter what performance you catch.
That’s just some of the summer delights that our state has to offer. There are only a few months to enjoy this time of the year, and it goes fast, so we would all be well-advised to put the cell phones away for a few hours and take in some of the beauty and sites that make Rhode Island a summer destination for so many.
