ODE TO YAWGOO VALLEY
CATCH A GAME Everything you need to know about the teams you ’ re now expected to root for .
On the Ice Most people ( hockey fans and not ) have heard of the Boston Bruins , but Little Rhody is pretty partial to its AHL affiliate , the Providence Bruins . Get to know them before you bundle up in black and gold for an exhilarating rink-side afternoon . providencebruins . com Founded : 1987 Formerly Known As : Maine Mariners ( 1987 – 1992 ) Current Nickname : PBruins League : American Hockey League Division : Atlantic Titles : 50Division , 3 Regular Season Colors : Black , gold , white Home Turf : Amica Mutual Pavilion , Providence Season : October to April
On the Field The sport of polo first arrived on Rhode Island shores during the Gilded Age , and by 1876 , the Newport summer set had established America ’ s first polo club . Today , Newport Polo remains a trailblazing club , holding matches at Glen Farm in Portsmouth every Saturday afternoon from June through September . Dress up in your finest summery digs and watch Newport ’ s top players take on rivals from around the world from the open lawn , grandstand seating or your own tailgating spot . nptpolo . com
If you ’ re in the mood for summer baseball , stop by Cardines Field on America ’ s Cup Avenue and cheer on the Newport Gulls , a summer collegiate baseball team . The outdoor field was a pit stop for major league teams passing through Newport to play local all-star teams at Freebody Park on Sunday afternoons . Due to blue laws at the time , there was no Sunday baseball played in New York or Boston , so Newport was the go-to spot . newportgulls . com
On the Court While in Newport , tour the International Tennis Hall of Fame or nab a ticket to the annual Hall of Fame Open . In the early 1950s , Jimmy Van Alen , then-president of the Newport Casino , and his wife Candy , dreamt up a space to honor great figures of tennis . The Newport Casino was in danger of demolition , and with its rich tennis history was the perfect location . Afterward , check out the local shops and take a stroll throughout the City by the Sea . tennisfame . com
Hometown Rivalry While we all collectively cheer on the Boston Celtics , Rhode Islanders are pretty evenly split when it comes to college basketball . In fact , the annual contest between the South County-based state university , URI , and the capital city-based private university , PC , is practically a local holiday . Need help picking a side ? Here ’ s a quick breakdown . uri . edu ; providence . edu
The University of Rhode Island aka URI Nickname : Rams Mascot : Rhody the Ram Colors : White , light blue , navy blue Turf : The Ryan Center , Kingston Division : I NCAA Tournaments : 10
Providence College aka PC Nickname : Friars Mascot : The Friar Colors : Black , silver , white Turf : Amica Mutual Pavilion , Providence Division : I NCAA Tournaments : 20
ODE TO YAWGOO VALLEY
No matter the season , Yawgoo Valley is an iconic destination for family fun . In the winter , we bundle up and head for either the valley ’ s snow tubing park or its ski area . The latter contains thirty-six acres of easy , intermediate and advanced trails , complete with double chair lifts and rope tows . The grounds also feature a pro shop for seasoned skiers and snowboarders and a rental shop for dabblers , plus a snow sports school for newbies . Visitors are welcome to get a season pass or a day pass . In the summer , we grab our swimsuits and make a beeline for the valley ’ s water park , where you can slide down its almost 400-foot water slides or relax and cool off in the giant pool . Exeter , yawgoo . com
HIT THE WATER
As an Ocean State resident , it ’ s only fitting you try out a new water sport or two .
Surfing Hang ten with Peter Pan Surfing and SUP Academy or Warm Winds Surf School , both in Narragansett . You can find totally tubular wetsuits and boards at Island Surf and Sport in Middletown or Rhode Island Surf Co . in Westerly . surfcamplistings . com / peter-pan-surfing-and-sup-academy ; warmwinds . com ; islandsports . com ; rhodeislandsurfco . com
Paddleboarding Find your balance with a stand-up paddleboard rental from Paddle Surf RI in Westerly , Water Wanderers in Charlestown or Rhode Island Paddle Sports in East Greenwich . paddlesurfri . com ; waterwanderers . com ; ripaddlesports . com
Kayaking Navigate local waters with a kayak rental and lesson from Narrow River Kayaks or Providence Kayak Co . narrowriverkayaks . com ; providencekayak . com
Parasailing Glide through the ocean breezes with Island Style Parasail in Newport . islandstyleparasail . com
Sailing Learn to set sail with the Narragansett Sailing School in Narragansett , the New England Sailing Center in Jamestown or Sail Newport in Newport . narragansettsailingschool . com ; sailnewport . com ; nesailingcenter . com
Fishing Get your fishing tackle from Ocean State Tackle in Providence , Quaker Lane Bait and Tackle in North Kingstown or the Saltwater Edge in Middletown before casting your lines . facebook . com / oceanstatetackle ; quakerlanebaitand tackle . com ; saltwateredge . com
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving Get certified and see Rhode Island ’ s underwater residents up close with Dive On It Scuba in Cumberland or Giant Stride Dive Shop in Warwick . diveonit . com ; giantstridediveshop . com
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY ’ S NEWCOMERS ’ GUIDE l 2023 31
GRAPHICS : GETTY IMAGES .