When someone asks us where some of our favorite places in the world are, they don’t typically expect to hear that one of them is just a couple hours from home. Bordering on Connecticut and Massachusetts, Rhode Island is called The Ocean State for good reason – 14% of it’s total area is made up of bays and inlets that the Atlantic is flowing freely in and out of. We were tasked with spending four days driving around the state in the off-season and to share some highlights which you’ll see below. After a beautiful drive through South County with some exceptional fall foliage along Ministerial Road, we made our way to Providence and Newport, two places we know well.
In Providence, we visited some of our favorite spots on College Hill including Wickenden St, Benefit St, the RISD Museum and Nature Lab. Since we collectively spent about 8 years living there, it was nostalgic to see how so much of the city was just as we remembered it. The most notable difference was the abundance of impressive downtown cafes and restaurants. We made sure to hit up some old haunts, including Nick’s on Broadway, Julian’s and Coffee Exchange, then took advantage of the delicious food and atmosphere at Oberlin on Union St that opened in early 2016.
In Newport, after oysters at The Mooring, we got out on the water to visit Rose Island which was used by the U.S. Navy during WWI & WWII to store torpedos. Since 1984 it has been restored and preserved by the Newport Lighthouse Foundation who have now made it available for short term rental. With it’s incredible history, Light House and views of the entire Newport Bay and Bridge, it should not be missed. After a coffee refuel at the new Empire Tea & Coffee, we crossed the street to gawk at the restored cars at Audrain Automobile Museum. After that, we were off to take our time exploring the Ocean Drive loop.
Although we didn’t have time this trip to make it to our favorite place in Rhode Island, not to mention the world, Block Island is just a short ferry ride off the coast and an absolute must-see.
This post is sponsored by Visit Rhode Island