RHODE TRIP from Providence to Newport, Rhode Island

Check out the second half of our road trip through Connecticut: Road Trip Along the Coast of Connecticut.

Providence

Untitled (Lamp/Bear)

• This 24 foot high painted acrylic glass and bronze sculpture is currently on loan to Brown University at 190 Thayer Street. 

Traveling Gingerbread Note: The statue isn’t visible from the road; you must enter Brown University’s campus near the Metcalf Research Building.

Gun Totem

• The Gun Totem is constructed from concrete, steel, and 1,000 used handguns collected through Guns for Good. The program offered cash or gift cards to local businesses in exchange for unwanted guns in New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

The Arcade

• The Arcade, constructed in 1848, is the oldest indoor mall in the United States. There are more than 50 businesses throughout the 3 floors.

Union Station Brewery

• Union Station Brewery, Rhode Island’s first brew pub, located in a former train station, has a small menu of appetizers, sandwiches, and entrees with about 5 beers on draft. There is an outdoor patio and plenty of indoor seating. We recommend Irish Divorce, an Irish dry stout.

Trinity Brewhouse

• Trinity Brewhouse, one of Rhode Island’s original brew pubs, has an outdoor beer garden, indoor dining area, and a basement bar with pool tables. The menu offers sandwiches, burgers, entrees, pizza, and salads. Sample almost all 10 beers on draft with a flight of 6 and watch the talent at the nearby skate park from the outdoor patio.

Beer on Earth

• Located next to Fearless Fish Market, Y Noodle & Bar, and The Slow Rhode, Beer on Earth doesn’t need a food menu. This small, artsy tap room has almost 10 beers on draft.

Traveling Gingerbread Note: There wasn’t anything we didn’t love about Y Noodle & Bar from the Vegetable Gyoza and Noodle Trio to the Ozenki Ikezo Peach Sake Jelly Shots and Yogurt Soju.

Olgie’s Trailer Park

• Who doesn’t want to enjoy a cocktail in a fun, cozy trailer park? We recommend grabbing a picnic table in the outdoor back patio at Olgie’s Trailer Park, but seating is also available indoor or at the outdoor tiki bar. Granny Boo’s small menu offers a variety of tots and sandwiches.

Traveling Gingerbread Note: Check WaterFire‘s upcoming schedule for a chance to see the art installation of more than 80 bonfires in the 3 downtown Providence rivers.

Newport

Newport Vineyards and Taproot Brewing

• Newport Vineyards and Taproot Brewing offers wine and beer flights of 4. A menu of snacks, shareables, entrees, and sides from Brix Restaurant is available. We recommend a seat on the outdoor patio, a glass of Great White, a blend of Cayuga, Riesling and Vidal Blanc, or Pulp Fiction, a strawberry, lemon sour gose, to wash down street tacos or the local tomatoes.

Newport Cliff Walk

• The 3.5 mile Cliff Walk passes through 64 private properties and is marked with 16 points of interest. The only bathrooms on the trail are located at the Narragansett Avenue entrance. We recommend starting the cliff walk at Rugglers Avenue, following the trail left towards Easton’s Beach, and then right towards Bailey’s Beach.

Left (From Ruggles Ave) Towards Easton’s Beach

Walk down Forty Steps for this view.

• The trail to the left is an easy 1.5 mile (3 miles round trip) paved trail ending at Eaton’s Beach. We were able to move at a fast pace and (in our opinion) the walk was more scenic in this direction.

Right (From Ruggles Ave) Towards Bailey’s Beach

The China Tea House and 1 of 2 tunnels along the cliff walk.

• To the right is a 2 mile (4 miles round trip) moderate to difficult trail with unpaved paths, rocks, and boulders ending at Bailey’s Beach. We travelled much slower over the boulders and loose gravel but enjoyed the challenge.

Traveling Gingerbread Note: Remember, the distance of each hike is 1 way making the total cliff walk distance 7 miles. After at least 6 miles, our feet were tired. Reaching Ledge Road, we ended our cliff walk. We followed Ledge Road to Bellevue Road back to our car passing by Rough Point, Marble House, Rose Cliff, and many other beautiful Rhode Island mansions.

Newport Tower

• Newport Tower, located in Touro Park, is the remains of a 17th century windmill.

Thames Street and Brick Market Place

• Thames Street is one of the original streets of Rhode Island. The 1.5 mile street runs parallel to the harbor and is home to many local pubs, restaurants, and boutiques. We parked at the Brick Market Place and walked along a one way section of Thames Street to admire the colorful storefronts providing a boardwalk feel.
• The first street, Pelham Street, lighted with gas in the United States is around the corner from One Pelham East and Ryan Family Amusements. Address: 260 Thames Street.

• Located near Thames Street, the Brick Market Place consists of more than 25 shops and restaurants throughout 3 parallel streets. 

West of Newport

Beavertail Lighthouse

• The Beavertail Lighthouse, located in Beaver State Park was the third oldest lighthouse in the United States. The original wooden lighthouse, built in 1749, was destroyed by fire 4 years later and rebuilt from stone. In 1779, the British burned the tower and stole the lighting equipment. In 1856, the present day lighthouse was built, the stone tower was torn down and replaced by a fog signal building. In 1938, the fog signal building was destroyed in the Great Hurricane, but the original foundation remained and still is intact, 100 feet in front of the current lighthouse at the southernmost point in Jamestown. The Assistant Keeper’s home was transformed into a museum and opened in 1989.

East Ferry Beach, Jamestown

Fantastic Umbrella Factory

• The Fantastic Umbrella Factory, established on an old farm in 1968, is a unique international bazaar with about 10 vendors, a garden center, emus, goats, turkeys, and roosters. The artistic, free spirit village located in Charlestown has clothing, candles, windchimes, henna tattoos, artwork, jewelry, handmade gifts, and more for sale.

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July 2020