Rhode Island

Big Character in a Small Package

Do not let the size fool you. Rhode Island, the smallest state in the Union, packs an extraordinary range of experiences into its 1,545 square miles. From the cobblestoned lanes of College Hill to the crashing surf at Narragansett Beach, every corner rewards curiosity. Providence alone keeps visitors busy for days with its world-class universities, a thriving arts scene and one of the best restaurant cities on the East Coast.

Newport and the Gilded Age

Newport is where American excess once went to summer. The cliff walk traces the edge of Aquidneck Island past Gilded Age mansions of staggering scale, many now open for tours. Bellevue Avenue reads like a who's who of late nineteenth century wealth: The Breakers, Marble House and Rosecliff each tell a story of ambition and spectacle. Between mansion visits, the harbour fills with sailboats and the waterfront buzzes with excellent seafood restaurants.

Coastline, Coves and Fresh Catches

The Ocean State earns its nickname across 400 miles of tidal shoreline. Narragansett and Scarborough State Beach draw swimmers and surfers while Block Island, a short ferry ride offshore, offers tranquil bluffs and almost no cars. Rhode Island clam chowder, creamy rather than tomato-based, is a point of fierce local pride and appears on menus everywhere alongside fresh lobster and johnnycakes made from local stone-ground cornmeal.

History at Every Corner

Rhode Island was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams on the principle of religious tolerance, making it one of the earliest experiments in American pluralism. That spirit lives on in Providence's Federal Hill neighbourhood, a celebration of Italian American culture, and in the Touro Synagogue in Newport, the oldest surviving synagogue in the United States. History here is not roped off or preserved in amber; it sits alongside coffee shops and creative studios as a living backdrop to everyday life.