The 19 best things to do in Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the USA but it has plenty for visitors to do. This destination where land and sea are intertwined promises 400 miles (643km) of coastal adventures, a passion for local produce and sustainable seafood, and a captivating blend of history and innovation. 

There is a strong sense of place here, perhaps because you’re never far from the inspiring beauty and power of the sea. You can road-trip from any corner of Rhode Island to the far side of the state in under an hour, but give yourself plenty of time – these 1034 sq miles (2678 sq km) are densely packed with sights and activities. You can hit the beaches; explore the arts, academia and foodie culture in Providence; admire ocean views and Gilded Age sparkle in Newport; or go seal watching and kayaking between the islets in Narragansett Bay. 

Whether you’re day-tripping from Boston or New York City, or visiting from across the country or world, here are the top things to do in Rhode Island to experience the heart of the Ocean State.

1. Kayak on the Providence River

You’ll likely spend time alongside the Providence River while exploring downtown Providence, but slipping onto the water’s surface gives you a whole new view of the city. Providence Kayak offers 45- and 75-minute rentals of single and tandem kayaks, the perfect amount of time to paddle up and down the main stretch of the river.

When you’ve finished kayaking under bridges and admiring the architecture, head back to The Landing, inside the Providence Kayak building. You’ll find coffee and ice cream – a great way to refuel after some time on the water.

Planning tip: Rentals sell out quickly in the summer months, so make a reservation ahead of time.

2. Attend the WaterFire extravaganza

All three rivers running through downtown Providence flicker gold during the city’s WaterFire nights, when more than 100 bonfires are lit on the surface of the waterways on select Saturday nights, drawing close to a million people to Providence each summer. 

These floating flames are part of a mesmerizing art installation by Brown graduate Barnaby Evans. The bonfires are lit by torchbearers in gondolas, and musical performances take place in parks along the banks.

Planning tip: You’ll want to come early to claim a spot along the waterfront. The bonfires are lit around sunset, and the fires burn until midnight. WaterFire takes place from May through November, on roughly two Saturday evenings each month. 

3. Try all the state delicacies

Spend just a few hours in Rhode Island and you’ll hear locals talking about some unfamiliar foods, many involving clams. Look out for quahogs (clams), stuffies (stuffed quahogs), clam cakes (clams fried in a doughy ball of cornmeal), coffee milk (coffee-flavored syrup stirred into milk), johnnycakes (unleavened cornmeal pancakes), hot wieners (like a hot dog but smaller, slathered in meat sauce and mustard) and Rhode Island clam chowder (with a base of clear, briny broth). 

4. Pedal the rails on a historic route

In the 1850s, maintenance workers on US railroads used handcars with a crank arm to move along the tracks. Today, visitors to Portsmouth near Newport can enjoy a similar concept but now riding along the old railway tracks in pedal-powered, hands-free vehicles with Rail Explorers. Consider taking one of the popular brunch excursions; you’ll stop halfway and picnic on local pastries, coffee and a mimosa or a Bloody Mary. On the evening lantern ride, you can bring a dinner picnic to have beside a roaring bonfire – a beautiful way to take in a cool evening in Newport.

Planning tip: Book a two- or four-seat vehicle in advance and it will have your name on it when you arrive. You can choose between a 3-mile (4.8km) one-way trip or a 6-mile (9.65km) round-trip ride.

5. Step into the historic Providence Athenaeum

About halfway up a steep hill on Benefit St, the Providence Athenaeum, housed in a Greek revival building built in 1838, is an exciting refuge of literature and learning. The library's interior, filled with densely lined shelves, is drenched in sunlight on clear days. 

Despite its prestige, the Athenaeum is a warm and welcoming space, with an impressive collection of rare books and an art collection with rotating exhibits. Visitors can view items in the rare books and special collections by appointment. 

Planning tip: Visitors are invited to make a small donation (the recommended amount is $5) to enter the library. Plan for an hour or two if you want to hang out and read – or swing by for a quick stop while touring the Brown campus.

6. Take a two-wheeled Block Island tour

Hop on the ferry in Newport or Point Judith, travel just 12 miles (19km) into the ocean and you’ll find all you could want from a beach vacation. Block Island is lush and dramatic, with green hills, craggy bluffs dropping into the ocean and 17 miles (27km) of public beaches wrapped around its rim. The island covers just 9 sq miles (23 sq km) and often feels wonderfully remote, yet there’s still an abundance of shops, restaurants and hotels. 

A popular self-guided cycling route loops around Block Island’s varied terrain, with stops at beaches, lighthouses and viewpoints. The circuit involves about 7.5 miles (12km) of mostly easy riding, but there is some hill climbing; if you prefer to coast, consider renting a moped or e-bike.

7. Kayak the Pawcatuck River

The ocean isn’t the only body of water worth exploring in Rhode Island. In Westerly, Watch Hill Outfitters rents kayaks for paddles on the Pawcatuck River. Pack a picnic lunch and your beverages of choice for a full or half day on the river. 

Use the launch behind the shop or the folks at Watch Hill can drive you to another launch spot to paddle your way back. Along the way, you can stop for lunch and say hello to the cows grazing along the river. It’s a lovely way to spend some time on the water and a peaceful alternative to the beach crowds in the summer.

8. Soak up water views in Newport

Let the ocean breeze carry you down Newport’s cobblestone streets to the shimmering sea. Located at the southern tip of Aquidneck Island, Newport is bordered by Narragansett Bay to the northwest, with the Atlantic Ocean at its rocky southern edge. 

Long a hub for seafaring types, Newport is dotted with marinas graced by sleek sailboats and yachts, and the city’s 18th-century architecture is meticulously preserved. In the summer months, tourists fill the walkable downtown area looking for seafood and ocean views.

Planning tip: The city is great for walking and cycling, with mostly flat streets and a compact downtown. Popular attractions can be reached by the city’s trolley, which offers a free hop-on-hop-off service from May through October, departing from the Newport Transportation Center.

9. Tour a Rhode Island oyster farm

At Matunuck Oyster Bar near East Matunuck State Beach, you can join a morning tour of the oyster farm in Potter Pond. You’ll board a small boat and motor out onto the water, where floating lines stretch like a field of crops, attached to 9000 mesh bags containing growing oysters. You’ll finish the one-hour tour with a new appreciation for the work and care that goes into oyster farming. 

Planning tip: Afterward you'll obviously want to stay for lunch and try the Matunuck oysters, whose taste is unique to the pond. The jumbo shrimp, sushi, stuffies and steamers are all excellent too – you really can’t go wrong here!

10. Tour the gilded mansions of Newport

In the late 19th century, the wealthiest citizens of New York and Philadelphia built extravagant Newport homes on rolling estates with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Today, you can tour a handful of these lavish mansions for a look inside the Gilded Age. 

The house tours are self-guided, and you can download the Newport Mansions app for an audio tour of each of them. You can purchase a tour ticket covering one, two or three mansions, either online or in person at the Breakers, Marble House, the Elms, Rosecliff or the Green Animals Topiary Garden. 

Once you have your ticket, you can visit the properties at any time. Mansions are open at different times on different days, so check the schedule before picking which ones you’ll visit. 

Planning tip: To go deeper into the history of the mansions, book a themed tour to explore the subterranean levels of the houses, servants' lives in the homes and HBO's Gilded Age series locations.

11. Experience design and creativity at the RISD Museum

The Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) was founded in 1877 by a group of women – more than 40 years before women gained the right to vote in Rhode Island – with a focus on progressive thinking and curiosity. But you don’t have to be a student to learn about art here; you can visit the RISD Museum, located between the river and Brown University. 

The collections range from ancient Greek and Egyptian artworks to designer items from the 21st century, with over 100,000 objects on display.  Before or after your museum visit, take a walk around the RISD campus and along the river.

Planning tip: If you love art, plan to spend a few hours here. Admission is $22, but it’s free on Thursday evenings and Sundays; reserve free tickets in advance for these popular days. 

12. Say hello to seals in Narragansett Bay

Winter isn’t a popular time for humans to be out on the icy waters of the North Atlantic, but harbor seals love the chill. Over 400 of them hang out in Narragansett Bay from November to April, but if you want to see them, you’ll need to bundle up and join the largest environmental nonprofit in New England, Save the Bay, for a seal tour. 

You’ll board a boat in Newport and cruise to the seals’ favorite spots, learning about these semiaquatic mammals along the way. After the hour-long tour, you can visit Save the Bay’s aquarium to learn more about the underwater world of Narragansett Bay and the North Atlantic, and efforts to protect these waters. 

13. Sleep on an island among the birds and stars

Just offshore from Newport lies Rose Island, in the east passage of the lower Narragansett Bay. The 18-acre (7.25-hectare) island is a peaceful wildlife refuge, home to nesting American oystercatchers, glossy ibis, snowy egrets, Canada geese and seagulls – and the Rose Island Lighthouse, perched on the island’s highest point. 

The best way to visit Rose Island is to stay overnight. The island has four rooms available to rent, three of which are in the lighthouse and one in the former barracks building. Staying here falls somewhere between camping on the beach and being at a cozy bed-and-breakfast. Amenities are comfortable but basic, and you’re close to the elements – the water just outside of your window, the star-speckled sky on clear nights and the cool morning fog. The lack of wi-fi is a great excuse to ignore emails and let yourself sink into the surroundings. 

Planning tip: Room reservations open up in December of the year before, so set a calendar reminder – they book up fast!

14. Traverse the stunning Cliff Walk in Newport

You’re never far from the ocean in Rhode Island, but Newport’s Cliff Walk is one of the loveliest ways to be right beside it, listening to the caw of gulls and the crash of the waves on the rocks. 

This National Recreation Trail passes through a National Historic District, offering both wildlife and architecture on one path. You can start at any of the seven entrances, depending on how much of the 3.5-mile (5.6km) path you want to cover. Along the way, you’ll get views of the ocean to one side and the opulent mansions on the other.

15. Explore vibrant Providence

Providence is the only major US city whose entire downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places, but the city definitely isn’t living in the past. Instead, it buzzes with modern, progressive energy. 

A series of self-guided walking tours help visitors get a feel for the Rhode Island capital. Start by exploring the historic buildings and cultural landmarks downtown, including the Trinity Rep and Providence Performing Arts Center theaters, and Johnson & Wales University, with its quirky culinary museum.

Planning tip: If you’re willing to get in your steps, you won’t need a car to explore. But if you do bring one, street parking is plentiful in most neighborhoods – and not prohibitively expensive downtown.

16. Take a birding hike at Norman Bird Sanctuary

Just outside of Newport, Norman Bird Sanctuary is a 300-acre (121-hectare) habitat dedicated to the conservation and restoration of coastal grasslands, woodlands and wetlands. Every year the sanctuary installs 300 nest boxes for tree swallows and eastern bluebirds. 

Visitors can enjoy the quiet woodlands of the sanctuary on a hike to Hanging Rock for ocean views, or bring binoculars for bird-watching from the cliffs on the Nelson Pond Trail. 

Planning tip: The sanctuary hosts regular activities to educate visitors and promote a personal connection to the area, from outdoor yoga classes to free nature walks. Check its calendar for upcoming events.

17. Visit the oldest topiary garden in the US

A green expanse of shrubs and whimsy, Newport’s Green Animals Topiary Garden is home to over 80 topiary animals and figures. This 7-acre (2.8-hectare) property is packed with delightfully clipped and trained perennials and pretty walking paths. 

The garden comes to life in the spring and summer, when flowers paint the paths between bushes shaped like lions, giraffes, bears and more, making for an even lovelier stroll. In the early spring, 37,000 tulips erupt into a rainbow of colors. Tours are available every day from 10am to 5pm.

Planning tip: On a sunny day, this is the perfect place to bring a picnic and relax, surrounded by nature. If you visit in May, you might catch the annual plant sale, where you can purchase flowers, vegetables and herbs. 

18. Light up for PrideFest

Providence’s PrideFest is one of the state’s biggest and most celebrated annual events, and the only illuminated night parade in the region. Providence supports LGBTIQ+ inclusivity year-round, so it’s no surprise that the city hosts New England’s largest celebration of queer identity and liberation. 

Dates and times vary each year, but PrideFest usually kicks off midmorning in District Park, where over 100,000 people come to enjoy street vendors, music and lively celebrations. Well-known acts hit the main stage throughout the day, and there’s a kid-friendly section in the park for families. 

As nightfall nears, find a spot to watch the illuminated parade, which is really more of a roving party, full of sparkling floats and participants wearing all kinds of costumes and twinkling lights. If you’re here for the nightlife, you can join a block party or hit the bars after the parade (GayCities has listings). 

Planning tip: Celebrating the festival and parade makes for a long day, especially if you’re drinking alchohol, so take it slow, wear comfortable shoes and let your pride sparkle!

19. Watch sunsets at the lighthouse

The Southeast Lighthouse is a Gothic brick structure sitting atop the 200ft (61m), red-clay cliffs known as the Mohegan Bluffs at the southeast end of Block Island. Built in 1873, it’s one of the most recognizable sights on the island and the tallest lighthouse in New England. 

Beyond the tower, there’s a dramatic drop-off into the ocean. The bluffs are exposed to the full force of the elements, and in 1993, the lighthouse had to be moved back from the eroding cliff edge so it wouldn’t tumble into the water. After admiring the lighthouse, walk down the steep steps to a narrow beach, backed by bluffs. It’s the perfect spot to watch the sunset.

Planning tip: You can take a guided tour of the tower for $15 or check out the lighthouse museum for $10.