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LITTLE RHODY
Brush Up on Your History
As one of the country’ s original thirteen Colonies, Rhode Island and its inhabitants go way back. Dive into the state’ s past with outings to these five historical sites.
Newport Mansions Claim to Fame: Called“ summer cottages” by their wealthy nineteenth-century owners from New York and Philadelphia, this is where folks can witness Gilded Age splendor in all its glory. newportmansions. org
Old Slater Mill, Pawtucket Claim to Fame: Home to the first water-operated cotton-spinning mill in the United States, Old Slater Mill is considered the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. Stop by to see the preserved Colonial-style factory and its textile machines dating back to the 1700s. nps. gov / blrv / learn / historyculture / slatermill. htm
Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum, Saunderstown Claim to Fame: Many people don’ t realize Gilbert Stuart, the famous painter of the George Washington portrait that appears on the U. S. one dollar bill, was a Rhode Islander. This homestead-turned-museum features more of his works as well as a rich history embedded within beautiful gardens and a traditional gristmill. gilbertstuartmuseum. org
Fort Adams, Newport Claim to Fame: Fort Adams is the largest and most complex coastal fortress in North America. Available for self-guided tours, the grounds feature mysterious tunnels, pre-Revolutionary earthen cannon emplacements and a WWII command center. fortadams. org
Narragansett Towers Claim to Fame: The sole remaining structure from the once great Narragansett Pier Casino, the Towers’ granite walls have withstood not just one, but two disastrous fires as well as a number of nor’ easters and hurricanes. Today, it offers historical accounts of the coastal town and singular views of the ocean. thetowersri. com
LEARN A THING OR TWO
From sports to arts to history, these locally minded museums have a lot to share.
Providence Children’ s Museum The interactive exhibits at Providence Children’ s Museum( think: a woodlandsthemed treehouse and a science-driven water area) inspire lifelong learning through creativity and exploration. Become a member for unlimited admission all year long, or purchase a day pass at their website. Providence, providencechildrensmuseum. org
Bus and Walking Tours Explore the state on foot through a guided tour from Experience Rhode Island. If you’ re ambitious, take the Rhode Island in a Day tour, a full seven-and-a-half-hour adventure. experienceri. com
Boat Tours Check out the Rhode Island Fast Ferry’ s Lighthouses in Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor tours, Providence River Boat Company’ s twilight river cruise, Newport Classic Cruises’ sunset sail or Save The Bay’ s seal watch tour( wintertime only). fastferry. com; providenceriver boat. com; sail-newport. com; savebay. org
History Tours For a historical account, check out Benefit Street: The Mile of History. Providence, mileofhistory. org
RISD Museum Established in 1877 as part of a vibrant, creative community, the RISD Museum( yes, RISD as in the Rhode Island School of Design) is home to thousands of art pieces dating from ancient times to today, including paintings, sculpture, photography, textiles, furniture and more from all over the world. Providence, risdmuseum. org
Take a Tour
See the state from a new perspective with one of these tours.
Tomaquag Museum in Exeter.
Rail Explorers Tour Ride down the Old Colony Railroad, built in 1862, via peddling“ explorer” vehicles attached to the original train tracks. Experience unique views of Narragansett Bay, Jamestown, the Mount Hope Bridge, Hog Island Lighthouse and coastal woodlands. Portsmouth, Rail Explorers USA. railexplorers. net
Food Tours For local culinary insights, check out Newport Foodies Stroll or Rhode Island Red Food Tours. newportfoodiesstroll. com; rhodeislandredfoodtours. com
Ghost Tours Check out Providence Ghost Tour or Newport Ghost Tours. providenceghost tour. com; ghostsofnewport. com
40 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY’ S NEWCOMERS’ GUIDE l 2025