RHODE
ISLAND: THE OCEAN STATE
BY CLAY LARROY
A
vacation can soothe the soul and leave you renewed, refreshed, and invigorated.
Whether you are just now starting to plan your next vacation, or are merely
looking for travel
ideas and suggestions, read all the articles about travel. So take away some of
the stress of making travel plans, and get started thinking about the fun and
relaxing times you will soon be having on your next trip! When you are ready to plan an
exciting vacation contact me!
It
may take just 45 minutes to drive from one end of Rhode Island to the other,
but this tiny state offers more than its fair share of broad sandy beaches,
green parks, vibrant cities and a wealth of historic attractions. Rhode
Island's capital city, Providence, underwent a major facelift in the 1990s,
giving it something of a renaissance; visitors will now find the city lined
with beautifully landscaped pedestrian walkways and Venetian-style footbridges.
For
those looking for some seaside activities, top sailing spot Newport is an
all-seasons resort, offering an attractive harbour that is rich in colonial
history, and in easy reach of bone-white beaches.
Rhode
Island's size has also never deterred the state from making some
ground-breaking political decisions: it was the first state to declare
independence from Great Britain on 4 May 1776, and the first, in 1774, to pass
laws against slavery.
Rhode Island's climate is milder than
that of the other New England states. Winters are relatively cold with temperatures
ranging from -6.1 to 2.2°C (21 to 36°F) and summer temperatures averaging
between 17.2 and 27.2°C (63 to 81°F). Precipitation is fairly evenly
distributed throughout the year.
Things
to see and do in Rhode Island
Festivals
Enjoy Newport's summer jazz and folk
festivals. Classical music takes center stage in July during the Newport Music
Festival (www.newportmusic.org). In August the Apple &
Eve Newport Folk Festival and the JVC Jazz Festival in Newport, one of the
oldest and best known in the country, draw music-lovers to Fort Adams State
Park.
Jazz and folk festivals
Enjoy Newport's summer jazz and folk
festivals. Classical music takes center stage in July during the Newport Music
Festival (www.newportmusic.org). In August the Apple &
Eve Newport Folk Festival and the JVC Jazz Festival in Newport, one of the
oldest and best known in the country, draw music-lovers to Fort Adams State
Park.
Museum of
Natural History and Planetarium
Spend a day at the Museum
of Natural History and Planetarium (www.providenceri.com/museum),
looking at collections containing over 24,000 archaeological and ethnographic
specimens, with the focus on Native American and Pacific Island heritage.
National Wildlife
Refuge
Take the one-hour ferry trip from
Point Judith to Block Island to see the National Wildlife Refuge and the magnificent
60m- (200ft-) high Mohegan Bluffs (http://lighthouse.cc/blockisoutheast).
Newport
Sail into the pretty harbor at
Newport. Many of the town's magnificent mansions (including those built by the
Vanderbilts and the Astors) are open to the public. Visit the Touro Synagogue (www.tourosynagogue.org),
the oldest synagogue in America, and the White Horse Tavern, built in 1673 by a
pirate.
Providence
Visit the state capital, Providence,
and wander through Waterplace Park, a 1.6-hectare (4-acre) urban park that
surrounds a tidal basin. Admire many finely restored homes on the East Side,
and Brown University's 18th-century buildings.
Sailing
Sail into the pretty harbor at
Newport. Many of the town's magnificent mansions (including those built by the
Vanderbilts and the Astors) are open to the public. Visit the Touro Synagogue (www.tourosynagogue.org),
the oldest synagogue in America, and the White Horse Tavern, built in 1673 by a
pirate.
Slater Mill Historic
Site
Tour the Slater Mill Historic Site (www.slatermill.org)
in the city of Pawtucket, the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution.
Watersports
Join in the state's numerous
watersports, from canoeing, scuba diving, parasailing and deep-sea fishing, to
every type of sailing in this yachtie's mecca. Most cruises, sailing lessons
and charters depart from Newport. Narragansett Bay is home to yachting regattas
as well as a thriving fishing industry.
REFERENCE SITES:
The painter leaves his mark. And I just put in two statues in Rhode Island that I'm working on. And I think that's going to make me last longer than me.
-- Anthony Quinn
-- Anthony Quinn
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