rhode island
US state is a dream holiday destination
AS the smallest of the US states, you might think Rhode Island is a “blink and you’ll miss it” kind of place.
However, it’s actually a bustling and interesting little haven.
Stunning colonial mansions, historic buildings, a vast array of culinary delights, pristine beaches and plenty of homely charm, Rhode Island packs a lot in to its small size.
And in spite of it’s name, isn’t actually an island!
It only takes 45 minutes to traverse, but has 400 miles of coastline, as well as a huge sense of history which I learned during a four-day trip, with boutique hotel, The Dean, as my base.
I’m amazed to learn that Rhode Island actually has a British history.
The capital city, Providence, was founded in 1636 by Englishman Roger Williams.
His name has been lent to parks, universities, memorials and a zoo and his legacy is also preserved, bizarrely, in the root of an apple tree.
Legend has it that in 1860, the people of Providence decided to create a suitable memorial to Williams and went in search of his remains. When they dug up the spot, they found only nails, teeth and bone fragments – and an oddly-shaped apple tree root, which looked as if it had taken on the form of Roger Williams.
It had travelled the length of Williams’s body, splitting at the hips, bending at the knees and turning up at the feet.
After seeing it for myself at the historic John Brown House on Benefit Street, I move on to more sightseeing with Ted Strickland, of Rhode Island Tours.
His knowledge of the city is encyclopaedic and his bus tours take visitors from the old to the new parts of New England – and everywhere in between. But some of the best views are from the water.
Tom McGinn is Captain of the Providence Riverboat tour and narrates while he pilots the vessel.
He told me the rivers are the reason Providence is here. It’s main industry was sea trade, and ships travelled as far as India and Africa.
Whilst the trade has now gone, the river system has renewed itself as a centre for tourism.
One of the
biggest draws is Waterfire, an impressive free public art installation which attracts thousands of people with its carnivalesque festival feel.
When it comes to culinary delights, Providence is certainly the home of tradition.
While the American Diner concept is well known throughout the US, many people may not realise that it actually started here.
Haven Brothers Diner has served up burgers and shakes to the night-time crowd since 1893.
Owner Ian Giusti told me the concept originally operated from a horsedrawn cart and was established to feed the
factory workers who worked late into the night.
Now, Havens is the only mobile diner left in America.
For more than 70 years, the Stephens family have been serving Olneyville NY system hot Wieners (hot dogs) and coffee milk from the same location.
In fact, one man I spoke to had been brought there through the years by his father and grandfather and now visits with his own son and grandson.
On holidays and weekends, Rhode Islanders head to the beach.
Newport is the epicentre of this temporary mass migration and is home to some of the most historic mansions in the state, at one time owned by families such as the Vanderbilts and Astors.
Newport was also the location of “summer White House” for Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy.
These days, the area’s famous resident is Taylor Swift, who owns a huge beach house.
The centre of Newport is compact and has everything within easy reach, from historical sites such as the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Fort Adams State Park to the countless restaurants and shops which crowd around the marina, as well as some very expensive-looking cruisers. Well, it’s nice to catch a glimpse of how the other half lives!
Whilst there may be a sense of money in Newport, when you walk around and start to peel the layers off the city, you find it has a rich history and some surprising roots.
Even my digs, the Hilltop Inn, are a historic house which dates from 1905 and has been sympathetically restored to its original New England style.
Overall, Rhode Island is a fascinating and welcoming state with a strong identity.
They say the best things come in small packages, and that certainly rings true here.