After enjoying Portland and Great Diamond Island in Maine, I headed down to state #48 on my 50 by 50 quest: Rhode Island.
We drove into Providence, a polished and beautiful city at the mouth of the Providence River, at the head of Narragansett Bay. Founded in 1636, it is one of the oldest cities in the United States. We stayed at the Old Court Bed & Breakfast, situated in the heart of historic Providence. Built in 1863 by Alpheus Morse and originally a rectory, Old Court is filled with antique furniture, chandeliers and memorabilia from the nineteenth century. Its location on Benefit Street makes for a lovely walking tour of the largest collection of Colonial homes in the United States.
We got a great introduction to the city via water with the Providence River Boat Company. Our captain and guide took us the river through downtown, the waterfront district, and out to the bay.
After a visit to the Roger Williams National Memorial and the State House of Rhode Island, we headed to Federal Hill — otherwise known as Little Italy — for some sightseeing and dinner. We ended up eating on the patio of Costantino’s Ristorante, which has been making pasta for more than 70 years in the Old World tradition. There was a fun live music duo that night as well, with dozens of people dancing to their old school, big band sound.
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From Providence, we drove down to spend the day in Newport — home of the waterfront row of mansions from the Gilded Age. Rhode Island was definitely a place I could spend a LOT more time!
