PHOTOGRAPHY ( TOP ) EMILY RIETZEL ; ( BOTTOM ) COURTESY OF PWCVB .

Hiking

If you ’ re looking for more than a walk around the neighborhood , hit the trails at Burlingame State Park in Charlestown and Middletown ’ s Sakonnet Greenway Trail . Both offer shelter from the cold and peace among the protected forest . Escape into the woods in Arcadia Management Area in Exeter via eleven main trails with 14,000 acres of trails . Leash up your pup and head to Wolf Hill Forest Preserve in Smithfield . ailt . org / trails-maps ; riparks . ri . gov

Hit the trail at Diamond Hill Park in Cumberland along the brook . For a more challenging hike , Long Pond / Ell Pond in Hopkinton presents rock formations and rocky cliffs . cumberlandri . org ; asri . org

Take a break from the city and dive into the woods at Neutaconkanut Hill Conservancy in Providence . nhill . org

When on Block Island , you ’ re either on wheels or on foot . While the main roads are hilly enough , head to Clay Head Trail or Rodman ’ s Hollow if you ’ re looking for more adventure . blockislandinfo . com

If you ’ re down in Newport for the day , stop by Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in the late winter and early spring to catch a glimpse of migratory birds . Then head over to the Cliff Walk for seaside trails with stunning views . NOTE : The trail between Webster Street and Narragansett Avenue collapsed in 2022 and there is a four-minute detour around the area . fws . gov ; cliffwalk . com

Trail Riding

Channel your inner equestrian and ride a horse on a clear or snowy winter morning . Sunset Stables offers horseback riding in Lincoln Woods State Park weekly , all year long . By appointment only . sunsetstablesri . com

C & L Stables in Warwick ' s Goddard Memorial State Park offers eighteen miles of scenic trails overlooking Greenwich Bay . Reservations only . candlstables . info

Long Pond / Ell Pond in Hopkinton .

Biking

Take a ride along the East Bay Bike Path , which stretches from Providence to Bristol and offers fantastic views of Narragansett Bay ; along the South County Bike Path , which follows the old Narragansett Pier Railroad through a large portion of South County ; or along the Blackstone Valley Bikeway , which crosses the Blackstone River with views of waterfalls , marshes and wildlife . dot . ri . gov / travel / bikeri

Birding

More than 400 species of birds call Rhode Island home — especially near the coastline . Grab your binoculars , download the National Audubon Society ’ s handy Bird Guide App and head to places like Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge in Charlestown for up close looks at waterbirds and migrant songbirds or to Block Island , a birder ’ s paradise , for glimpses of rarer birds like the forktailed flycatcher . fws . gov / refuge / trustom-pond

A Walk in the Park

No matter the time of the year , these parks are the perfect place to start your day with a brisk morning bike ride , midday picnic or evening stroll . Colt State Park in Bristol has panoramic waterfront views with winding paths perfect for biking , roller skating or traveling on foot . Aside from music festivals , Fort Adams State Park in Newport is home to a nineteenth-century fort with sprawling greens open to kite flying and a lookout point on Narragansett Bay . Pack a lunch and get your friends together for a day at Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick before gearing up for the front nine at the enclosed golf course . Explore what has grown in place of the former Rocky Point Amusement Park with a mile-long asphalt walking path along the shore of Narragansett Bay at Rocky Point State Park in Warwick . Sit by the fountain at Wilcox Park in Westerly or spend the day at Lincoln Woods State Park swimming , fishing , kayaking , horseback riding or jogging .

Outdoor gardens for when the temps start rising .

WICKED TULIPS FLOWER FARM Pick Your Own Tulips : Late April to mid-May

Sell-out crowds flock to this farm to tiptoe among 100 varieties of tulips . Tickets go on sale a few days before the farm opens and are sold a week at a time . Johnston , wickedtulips . com

GREEN ANIMALS TOPIARY GARDEN This spring , take a stroll amongst the unique topiaries , some in the shape of whimsical animals . The gardens also feature flowering bulbs , perennials , annuals and shrubs with colorful blooms . Portsmouth , newportmansions . org

THE FANTASTIC UMBRELLA FACTORY While exploring this shopper ’ s bazaar , stop by the Umbrella Factory Gardens , which boast a bounty of beautiful , exotic blooms for sale . Charlestown , fantasticumbrellafactory . com

BLITHEWOLD MANSION , GARDENS AND ARBORETUM Gather the family and enjoy nature ’ s beauty at Blithewold . The seaside estate ’ s gardens feature an exceptional collection of rare plants , specimen trees and an accessible greenhouse . In April , Blithewold opens its gates to highlight the mansion ’ s 50,000 daffodils during Daffodil Days . Bristol , blithewold . org

ROGER WILLIAMS PARK BOTANICAL CENTER A magical place to visit this winter or spring . You will discover a wide variety of plants at one of the center ’ s four greenhouses , including majestic palms , carnivorous plants , cacti and succulents . Providence , providenceri . gov / botanical-center

Horseback riding at Goddard Park in Warwick .

ALSO CHECK OUT : India Point Park , Providence Chase Farm , Lincoln Village Green , South Kingstown

Need more ways to enjoy spring ?

visitrhodeisland . com / events / springtime-in-rhode-island