04/2018 The Newport…read moreMansions in Rhode Island are magnificent pieces of history that are an absolute Must-see! I toured several of these amazing mansions during my first trip to Rhode Island. The architecture & furnishings are opulent & so beautiful. The self-guided audio tours, filled with history, personal stories & tragedies of these mansions & the Gilded Age, allow for meandering at your own pace. The Bellevue Avenue area feels safe & clean. Of the spots I visited, parking is easy & free. Staff members were very nice. You can purchase individual mansion tickets or I'd suggest a package as they are unique & worth seeing. Currently, I'd say my favorite is the Marble House. I highly recommend the Newport Mansions tours & look forward to exploring more on future trips and taking the Cliff Walk, weather providing!

Stunning & majestic grandeur at 360 degrees for these historic mansions. Amazed and grateful that…read morethese have been restored for us to view this piece of lavish history. We joined the Historic society for the well worth is discount and toured 3 homes in a day, which is just the right amount. A must in the self guided audio tour via the mansions phone app. It really adds to the history of the mansion and gives great insight to the families and their world. Please explore these fabulous gems when in the area. Can't wait to see the rest!

We were a group of four. One person was mid-tour when we arrived. As there is only one docent, she…read morebegan the tour over. We were 3/4 way through our first floor tour when another party arrived. Instead of adding them to the tour, and then covering what they missed, she asked them to wait. The living room is beautiful. Plaster work, beautifully hand painted walls (by a modern artist), elegant furnishings. Photos of the home pre-restoration are showed and discussed in this room. So much work has been done! There are also photos of the family and you learn a bit about them here. We also had the opportunity to ask questions about the home and family. Through this Q&A we discovered in what types of 'shipping' the family were involved. The dining room table displays a variety of period china. The fireplaces on this floor are marble. The dining room light fixture is very interesting, and although not original fits very well and makes a statement. Sadly, the kitchen is not restored for guests to view. There is however a butlers pantry in the dining room displaying more serve ware. An Antarctic research station is named after Captain Palmer and a live feed is shown in the next room as well as several ship models including the one Capt. Palmer was on when he discovered the continent. Information on the gentleman who created these models is also presented. There is a variety of information in this room about Capt. Palmers Antarctic discovery and one of his shipping trades: seal pelts. The short hallway between dining room and this include other items of trade such as Palmer tea and jade. The upper floors are self toured and there are three of them. Stair cases narrow as you ascend. The highest point is a small cupola surrounded by windows with a small bench seat that fits about three. There was a nice breeze with the windows open and long views. The two floors between include bedrooms, 'toilet' rooms, children's play room, fire alarm display, sewing room, office space and storage. Plenty of old furnishings, linens, toys etc. I particularly love the sewing box. Beautiful, intricate work. The price for the two locations is very reasonable and if you have time, are looking for an air conditioned space, love history/architecture/home décor, then this is going to be a nice stop. Free parking is available at the side of the house. Enter at the grand front door. A gift shop is located just inside to the left of the entrance. A restored ice house, storage and out houses are behind the home. I saw no public facilities (but didn't ask). There is a fair amount of land with the home including a small pathway with bench seating along the water on the other side of parking. In July there were plenty of mosquitos. Picnic tables are located behind the research library next to parking. Tickets may be purchased on line through their website as well as at the Stonington light house museum. Stonington residents and historical society member admission is free. Military, senior and first responder discounts are available. July and August the museum is open daily 10am - 4pm. The rest of the year hours are limited - check the website for information.

We visited after being informed that our Stonington lighthouse entrance fee also included entrance…read morehere. It's right down the street Who was Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer? He was credited with discovering Antarctica (whilst hunting for seals) in 1820 at the young age of 21 with a minimal crew. He grew rich and built a stately home in his birthplace of Stonington, CT. After his brothers wife died, Nathaniel and his wife (who were childless) shared the home with his widowed brother and his 4 children. It was great to learn the history of this family and home, feeling transported to another time and imaging what it must have been like. I want to know more. Beautiful furnishings, interesting history and a beautiful setting. Parking is free and plentiful and the grounds are serene and quiet. A great way to spend an hour or so in this quaint town.

This is a must stop for the holidays. The 30 foot high tree is made from lobster traps that are…read morewrapped with colorful lights and hand painted buoys of all creations that are wonderful to see. you can even go inside the tree. Very simple and fun to see what the artists created on the round buoys

We went after Christmas and it was a nice way to enjoy without the crowds. The buoys are…read morebeautifully painted and each very different and unique in its own way. Definitely a must if you are in the area.

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!

Cool place to dive into the history of submarines. Some interactive sections, some video sections,…read morelots of readings, artifacts, and visuals. Going on the sub was awesome. This is a free experience and was not crowded. I did not feel rushed. Took us about 2 or so hours to get through all the exhibits, sub, and videos. It is cool talking with some of the service men/women that work there about their experiences!

Easy to find. Plenty of parking. They do suggest a donation but it is free…read more The museum is not huge but it's a nice walk with an upstairs area as well. They also have a small gift shop inside and the prices were pretty decent. The best part is outside you can go in an actual submarine. It's incredible how people have spent months inside these small quarters. Definitely suggest walking through it. Also, when I was there, there was a small flea market in the back parking lot. Some really nice items there too. Nice day trip for me.

To live in a…read morelighthouse Latimer Reef Lighthouse is a 49 foot tall, brick lined, cast iron light that was build back in 1884. It is the oldest cast iron lighthouse that is still operational in the east and his area was so important and treacherous that reports indicate that the first small tower was place here back in 1804. This is a typical spark plug type of light that became popular at the time because of it's relatively inexpensive construction costs and durability. The light and surrounding reef was named after James Latimore, the revolutionary war hero. It originally had a 4th order Fresnel lens but the lens was moved to another lighthouse in Delaware when Latimer was modernized. In a bid to say money on maintenance costs the light recently went up for sale. Private bids that started at 10,000 were accepted. Sounds like a pretty cool idea to buy a lighthouse and my first thoughts were that it would make a great little place to entertain, relax and enjoy the water. However there is a catch and a rather big catch at that. The interior of the light of these spark plugs is actually tiny and Latimer will remain an active light. That means the lights stays on and the horn keeps blasting twice every 15 seconds day and night. The horn almost blows me off my kayak from hundred feet away so I suspect that actually being on the light isn't exactly relaxing. Plus the all maintenance must be keep up and paid for by the new owner and the light must keep all historically features. Not an insignificant cost but the light did finally sell for 225,000 dollars a short time ago. No word about why the new owner bought the light or what he or she is going to do with it. There are still several lights for sale in the area but the maintenance arrangements are the same. You aren't just buying the light, but also the responsibilities of maintaining it. Owning a lighthouse would be cool but for now it's enough just to admire them from a distance.

Good. Had a good time looking at the old buildings and seeing the tools that they used.read more

Ready for an adventure kiddies? Then come to Fall River and see the aging ruins of the Old Fall…read moreRiver Ice House. But please, be discreet. Signs around the entryway state that fishing, boating, swimming and camping are strictly prohibited. But ever since I was a child I always wondered what the old Medieval looking ruin had to offer the not so faint of heart. Now as an adult literalist, I interpret the absence of a no trespassing order as something akin to an invitation. One side of the structure can be seen on the right while driving north on Route 24 coming from 195. Take exit 5 and follow Eastern Avenue then take a left onto New Boston Road. At the end, turn left onto Willow Street which turns into Ruth Street (over the freeway) and then Meridian Street (in a very short distance). Park on Hannah Street or Bergeron Street and then walk back toward whence you drove and go around the left of the fence across the road. What awaits you on the other side is a lonesome path long neglected over time. Weeds and trees flourish between cracks in the crumbling asphalt. Once past the noise from the street, an eerie quiet sets in. A short walk will lead you to the northern shores of the pond. Continue along and watch for the ruins on the right. Inside you will find excellent photo opportunities and a remarkable example of structural decay and a forest gradually reclaiming lost ground. Vines ensnare the surrounding trees and creep alongside the walls of the massive building. The colossal inner chambers are full of trees and enormous stones that have given way to time. Interesting exterior brickwork nestled among stones can be seen as one moves along the southern edge of the building closer to the shore. One wall bears the scar of what may have been a large lightning strike. Most of the walls have soaring vacancies in the stonework that may have once held windows or doors. Sadly, there is some graffiti, but it's a minor distraction in such an exciting place. After you've had your fill of the ruins, continue along the path and feel the eyes of the forest upon you. Low walls of stone accompany you throughout most of your journey and it would be difficult to get lost. Bear left when the path splits about a half mile after you've gone over the causeway (it can be difficult to discern) and you will eventually return to Meridian Street. Do NOT forget your camera!

The Roseland Cottage is truly a beautiful historical gem in CT! I recently took a tour of the house…read moreand it was super interesting. Though the grounds are always open to visitors, guided tours of the house are only available June through mid-October, Thursday-Sunday from 11AM-3PM, every hour on the hour. Timed tickets can be purchased online in advance (and this is recommended). Adult admission is $20. Once I arrived, I was greeted by staff who were very friendly. The tour guide, MaryLou, took me through the house and explained the history of Henry Bowen (the original resident of the house) and his family. She was extremely knowledgeable and it was very interesting! The tour was supposed to last around an hour, but she went for about an hour and 15 minutes. After the tour you are free to roam the grounds and take photos, and there's also a small gift shop. Non-flash photography is allowed inside the house, but no video. Overall I found this to be a really beautiful historical spot in Woodstock, CT and would definitely recommend taking a tour!

My husband and I had our wedding here, the place was absolutely beautiful and that is the only…read morething that made the venue worth it. Laurie the women who handles Roseland cottage, on the other hand ended up being a bit difficult as our wedding got closer and closer. Sadly on the rehearsal day and wedding day she was rude and did things that we did not agree upon or said she wasn't going to do. She made herself seem understanding up until those days. She gave me sass remarks and honestly made the rehearsal day and wedding day more stressful. The only thing that made it worth it, like I said, was the beautiful venue. But Laurie in the end did make things feel way more stressful and difficult. Our catering was wonderful though, I could not have asked to better catering. They handled Laurie and everything else with class. Thank you renees Bistro.

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.

Beautiful. Picture perfect!…read more We ventured out to Point Judith to just get a glimpse. It's in with the coast guard. So be respectful of the area. Stay out of the fenced in area. There is a small parking lot. I do suggest getting out of your car and going around to the top of the hill and take a look at the water. There are many other viewing opportunities to see Point Judith Light house. I highly recommend just taking a drive around after You venture to the coast guard area. The history behind this lighthouse is pretty neat. So many opportunities to photograph the lighthouse.

The lighthouse itself is a classic set in a beautiful place. We had eaten nearby and drove out to…read morethe point to see the lighthouse in good weather. The last time we were in Narragansett it was raining and we did not go to the point. We had seen it many years ago and wanted to revisit it on this trip. It is sad that there has to be so much fencing around it that we could not get close. You can get a picture from the parking lot but it is not attractive. If you climb the grassy berm facing the ocean you can get a better picture from up there. Because it is a still functioning lighthouse, it is secured by the Coast Guard which is responsible for this property, as the signs will remind you.