A beautiful addition to the city of Providence! Every time we visit, we would make a stop there…read more This bridge was renamed to the Michael S. Van Leesten Memorial Bridge in 2020; it opened in August 2019. It was built on existing piers from the old highway, I-95. The bridge goes over the Providence River and connects two neighborhoods, Fox Point and the Jewelry District. There's a park nearby, called District 195; events are hosted at this location. The bridge was beautiful to walk on day and night. There were railings, benches, tables, and chess tables; at night there were LED lights that brighten the area. A wonderful area for walkers and cyclists. The view of the city skyline was breathtaking. One evening we were there, we saw the star-link satellite flying by, it was awesome. The downfall was, this bridge cost the city $21.9 million when the original budget was supposed to be $2 million. People were opposed with building this bridge because RI had the highest amount of bridges with structural issues. In the end, the bridge was built and it's become a popular attraction and landmark.

I can't imagine a time when Providence didn't have this bridge to connect the city like this! It is…read moreso beautiful and I love all the events that they have!

While visiting family in Massachusetts this summer, my wife and I took a detour to search for the…read moreDambo trolls in RI. Our first stop was in East Providence, to see Mrs Skipper. A fun installation watching over the waterfront. She was can be a bit difficult to find. The address we found online brough us to the parking lot for a medical center, but instead, we needed to pull into a driveway before this locations, and go down the hill towards the water front and greenway. She's a little off the beaten path, but a fun design, holding an actual steel boat over her head as she heads to the water. Worth checking out if you're in the area. Though, there is signage saying you're not supposed to walk down on the rocks in front of her, though that is where the actual signage for her is located. I think it's more of a liability thing, there is no one there policing where you do and don't go, just proceed with caution.

I enjoy the Thomas Dambo's recycled sculptures and they are now on my list of things to see when…read moretraveling! Mrs. Skipper is on a small rocky peninsula near a boardwalk over the bay. You are not supposed to walk out on said rocky outcrop and a sign at the entrance says the area is off limits. Still, plenty of intrepid adventurers were out there getting a closer look. There is plenty of parking for the Urban Coastal Greenway behind a huge Orthopedic building. Follow the paved trail down to the main trail, turn left and then take your first right. This part of the path is in a bit of disrepair, but I did see a couple of strollers on the path here so it's passable. Once on the boardwalk, you can look off to the south and see Mrs. Skipper perched on her rock. I am sad it's not easily accessible to the little one's. The details though are all there and it's Mrs. Skipper seems to be enjoying her perch.

While crossing Toll Bridge leaving Narragansett Beach Rhode Island on our way to Warwick Rhode…read moreIsland, we passed by this beautiful small Lighthouse of Rhode Island! You have to take a boat out to it! Built on 1899 this area is considered Jamestown RI !

If you've ever crossed the Jamestown bridge you've seen this lighthouse. In fact, this is the…read morelighthouse to the side of it. 2nd one on the lighthouse tour. Easily distinguishable by its bright orange stripe, it can be seen from a distance even without the light.

Planning began in the 1960s, as the original Jamestown Bridge that was opened in 1940 struggled to…read morehandle growing traffic, especially after the Newport Pell Bridge opened in 1969. After years of debate over location, width, and materials, construction finally began in September 1985. It was completed in 1992, spanning the West Passage of Narragansett Bay and linking North Kingstown to Jamestown. The bridge's design is a post-tensioned, double-cell concrete box girder. This design was chosen for its durability and clean lines. It stretches 7,350 feet long, with a width of 72 feet and a tallest span of 135 feet above the water. It carries four lanes of Route 138 and includes safety walkways, though they're not open to pedestrians. And there is NO TOLL to cross the Jamestown Verrazano Bridge. For me? That's five stars. [Review 1077 of 2025 - 83 in Rhode Island - 24631 overall]

The Jamestown Verrazano Bridge is an iconic bridge in RI. It has four lanes and connects North…read moreKingstown to Jamestown. It's made of concrete and opened in 1992. It goes over Narragansett Bay. When I go to Newport, this is the first bridge I take to get to the Newport Bridge. The Jamestown bridge is a little smaller and less grand than the Newport Bridge. It's still a cool bridge to drive over and see the lovely views of the bay. I've also gone boating/fishing right under it. Overall, it's decent bridge that was recently repaired in 2008; definitely a RI landmark.

This beautiful bridge is one of the many that connects downtown Providence with the East Side…read more During Waterfire nights, this is one of the bridges that closes to vehicular traffic to setup for the tents and vendors in the area. One of them main features of this bridge is that many of the gondolas from La Gondola Providence and many of the boats used to refill the wood in the Waterfire braziers are stored under this bridge. This bridge serves as a connector between Memorial Boulevard and North Main street...the street at this point is called Washington street, but as it meanders up the hill towards Brown University, it becomes Waterman st.

If you are visiting RI, Wickford is a cute seaside village. There are a couple of restaurants with…read morewater views that serve good food. Shops in town include coffee, antiques, clothes, household goods, day spa, kayak rental/tours and so on. Some of the older, long time businesses have closed in the past decade and a couple of 'big businesses' have taken over those spots. Still, it's a charming walk down tree line streets. We will often walk the town, and through the nearby neighborhood, ending at the town dock. There is a seafood market and a Seal Tour boat company near the dock with a few parking spots for customers. Information boards have been installed in the neighborhood near historic buildings, along the sidewalk. This is a nice addition. There are quite a few lovely older homes, a church and burying yard to see if you are willing to wander. Public parking is available on street and behind buildings on Brown St., on the water side. There are public restrooms in the parking area where you will find a water bottle filling station and diaper stations. The building is not signed, but is located near the Narragansett Rune Stone - A bit of local history and folklore. Walk down to the historic Hussey Bridge for water views of the marina.

We made a quick drive through parts of this historic village while on vacation. There were many…read moreinteresting shops waiting to be visited as well numerous historic houses that deserve more of our time than we had available. Perhaps a return will be made later this fall.

In the early 20th century, the Providence river was largely covered by the Crawford Street Bridge…read more It earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's widest bridge, extending upstream for about 1,150 feet, or nearly a quarter mile. This bridge largely hid the river from view in downtown Providence, which was probably all well and good considering that the smell of sewage in the river back in those days.... The massive original Crawford Street Bridge, was demolished in the late 1980s, reintroducing the city to the long-hidden river as part of an urban revitalization project. Today, the river is spanned by a series of smaller, more ornate bridges and this new and improved Crawford Street Bridge is a beautiful example of the beauty of the downtown area.

Old and unique…read more The Brayton Cemetery is also known as RI Historical Cemetery No. 34. It's a large graveyard with over 3,000 graves, some as early as the mid 1700s. Over a hundred Civil War veterans are buried here and most of their graves are marked. Several old family cemeteries from around the area have been moved here over the years and the cemetery is surrounded by a lovely stone wall. There are distant views of Apponaug Cove from the east side. The cemetery has lots of unique and very distinctive graves. Many have odd and interesting patterns and designs of stones placed around them. Not many very elaborate or huge memorials, most tend to be simple and some are just wooden crosses or plain stones. A historically important and fascinating old graveyard that contains a wonderful peek into the city of Warwick's past.