Rhode Island Tourist Attractions
Rhode Island Tourist Attractions
"Must See Tourist Attractions in Rhode Island."
The compact state of Rhode Island is most recognizable for its 400 miles of shoreline, which has resulted in the nickname, The Ocean State. This state offers much for visitors in a comparatively small area. Tennis enthusiasts and players alike should not miss Newport, which is home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Located south of Newport is the state capital, Providence. Block Island, which is found a short, one-hour ferry ride from the state's shore, offers many outdoor activities, such as hiking and biking.
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Providence South County East Bay Blackstone Valley Newport National Parks
Waterfire Providence - The award winning multi-media installation created by artist Barnaby Evans, is a riverfront symbol of the city's renaissance. With its fires tended from sunset to midnight by volunteers in boats passing softly in front of the flames, it has captured the imagination of thousands of people and brought life and revitalization to Rhode Island's capitol city.
Providence Performing Arts Center - The Providence Performing Arts Center is an architectural jewel and landmark theatre located in the heart of the capital city. PPAC presents Broadway, children's, and popular musical entertainment.
Providence Children's Museum - Providence Children's Museum is Rhode Island's only museum especially for children and their families. Providence Children's Museum is a hands-on place where kids and grown-ups play and learn together. Explore the swirling, whirling ways of water, discover the secret world beneath the city streets and learn how much fun learning can be!
Perishable Theatre Arts Center - Perishable Theatre is a theatre arts center focused on producing and presenting new works for adults and children that challenge assumptions about how we live today. Perishable's programming consists of the shows for Young Audiences touring program, Mainstage, Stage 2, and theatre arts school.
Rhode Island School of Design Museum - The RISD Museum traces the history of art from antiquity to the present through its collection of more than 85,000 works of art in all media from all cultures. The Museum is widely acknowledged as one of the country's best museums of its size, and brings its collection alive through special exhibitions, lectures, family-oriented activities, educational programs and other initiatives.
Providence Athenaeum - The Providence Athenaeum is part of the history of the city - a treasure to be used and enjoyed by all. Located at the corner of College and Benefit Streets, it is the oldest library/cultural center in Providence and one of the oldest libraries in the nation.
Roger Williams Park and Zoo - This beautiful 430-acre Victorian park is comprised of waterways, walks, outdoor gardens, a Carousel Village, Museum of Natural History and planetarium, and the Roger Williams Park Zoo. The zoo is home to hundreds of rare and fascinating animals from around the world including polar bears, snow leopards, moon bears, giraffes and elephants
Smith's Castle - Smith's Castle is an award-winning historic site, providing an opportunity for adults and children to experience nearly four centuries of Rhode Island history. The castle and grounds provide an up-close look at plantation life in Rhode Island in the 1600's.
Wickford Village - Nestled along the waterfront of Wickford Harbor, Historic Wickford Village offers a taste of New England life as it was a century or more ago. Wickford, on the western shore of Narragansett Bay, is a welcome change....... it's 1700's historic homes, Churches, gardens, and pituresque harbor offer a glimpse of our nation's early history.
Southland Riverboat - The Southland Riverboat has been providing harbor tours, sightseeing cruises, sunset cruises, fall foliage cruises, boat charters and private charters for over 29 years. The tour boat is one of the most popular attractions in Rhode Island. Go aboard the Southland Riverboat and you will see some of the most beautiful scenery in all of New England, there is nothing else like it!
South County Museum - Since 1933, the South County Museum has helped to keep alive the rural, village, and maritime heritage of the past two centuries in the southern Rhode Island region. Its collection of over 20,000 artifacts offers a fascinating survey of the handcrafted technology and everyday life of an earlier time.
Frosty Drew Observatory - Frosty Drew Observatory is a true observatory where you will see the real sky through a real telescope. This unique facility provides hands-on experience in observational astronomy to people of all ages.Frosty Drew Nature Center - The Frosty Drew Nature Center houses a collection of seashells and local artifacts. The main room serves both a lecture room and a work area. The Center's deck overlooks a pond filled with littoral animals and plants. It also contains bathrooms, a kitchen, and storage rooms. Adjoining the Center are the Frosty Drew Observatory and a picnic area.
International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame & Museum - The International Scholar-Athlete Hall of Fame & Museum, located in the Feinstein Building and administered by the Institute for International Sport, is a comprehensive educational and resource center that will select individuals every two years. Hall of Fame inductees are chosen based on their distinguished athletic, academic, and humanitarian achievements.
Atlantic Beach Park - Nestled on the south shore of Rhode Island overlooking Block Island and the tip of Long Island, Atlantic Beach Park offers a carousel with antique band organ, kiddie amusement rides, bumper cars, game room, shower and bath house facilities and much more.
America's Cup Hall of Fame - The America's Cup Hall of Fame is a tribute to the people who, through their accomplishments and devotion to the boating world, have made this great race possible.
Herreshoff Marine Museum - Bristols reign as the yacht-building capital of the world is recalled with displays of 40 historic yachts, steam engines, fittings, photographs and memorabilia of the accomplishments of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company.
Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology - The Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology is Brown University's major museum, located at the base of historic Mount Hope in Bristol, Rhode Island. A treasure house of exotic objects from around the world, the museum houses fascinating artifacts from the native peoples of the Americas, Africa, Asia and the Pacific.
Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum - Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum is a beautifully landscaped historic property situated on Bristol Harbor with sweeping views overlooking Narragansett Bay. A forty-five room mansion, trees, lawns, flowers, and the sea combine to produce an aesthetic experience that is exciting and refreshing.Audubon Environmental Education Center - The Environmental Education Center is RI's largest aquarium, situated on a 28 acre wildlife refuge on Narragansett Bay. It is open year-round, and features a life size model of a Right Whale, aquarium, tide pool tank, trail and gift shop. There are environmental exhibits for the whole family, representing every one of RI's diverse habitats.
Stadium Theatre Performing Arts Centre - Renowned for its acoustics, intimacy, and artwork, The Theatre has been a center for performing arts since 1926. When built, no theatre of similar size and class in the country offered musical equipment superior to that of the Stadium. Today, the Stadium Theatre has been full restored to it's original grandeur and offers performances by local, regional and national companies.
Slater Mill Historic Site - Located on the Blackstone River in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, the Slater Mill Historic Site is a museum complex dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the American industrial heritage.
Museum of Work & Culture - This interactive museum presents the compelling and touching story of the French Canadians who left the farms of Quebec for the factories of New England. Illustrating a remarkable cultural preservation story of faith, language and customs, the exhibits recreate the unique Woonsocket labor story of the rise of the Independent Textile Union which grew to dominate every aspect of city life.Blackstone River Theater - The Blackstone River Theatre (BRT) is a cultural arts center where the music, dance and folk arts traditions of the Blackstone River Valley come to life. BRT presents weekly acoustic-based music concerts with an emphasis on the ethnic groups that settled in the Blackstone River Valley, monthly folk dances and children's events, as well as special events on a year-round basis.
Artillery Company of Newport - The Artillery Company of Newport, chartered in 1741 by King George II of Great Britain, is today a ceremonial unit of the Rhode Island Militia, Council of Historic Military Commands. As such, the Company provides cannon salutes, color guards, and honor guards for official state and local ceremonies, as well as for privately sponsored patriotic and veterans' events.
Cliffwalk - The Cliff Walk along the eastern shore of Newport, RI is world famous as a public access walk that combines the natural beauty of the Newport shore line with the architectural history of Newport's gilded age. Wildflowers, birds, geology ... all add to this delightful Walk.
Arts & Cultural Alliance of Newport County - The Arts and Cultural Alliance of Newport County was formed in 1991 by artists, organizations and concerned citizens, with support from The Prince Foundation and Salve Regina University, to promote art and culture in Newport County. The Alliance aims to enhance the quality of life in Newport County for both residents and visitors by cultivating a healthy cultural environment.
Fort Adams - Make history come alive for every member of your family. Just a short drive or a water taxi ride across Newport Harbor stands the largest coastal fortification in the United States. Visit this engineering and architectural masterpiece to see where the soldiers lived, enter the casemates, explore the tunnel system, and climb the bastions for breathtaking views.
Redwood Library & Athenĉum - The Redwood Library and Athenĉum is the oldest lending library in America, and the oldest library building in continuous use in the country. Founded in 1747 by forty-six proprietors upon the principle of 'having nothing in view but the good of mankind,' its mission continues over 250 years later.
International Tennis Hall of Fame - The Hall of Fame contains 13,000 square feet of ezhibits which present a comprehensive history of tennis, beginning with its medieval roots and culminating in today's fast paced world-wide game. The complex also contains a Museum shop, court tennis court, and 13 grass courts - all open to the public.
The Museum of Yachting - The Museum of Yachting is dedicated to the preservation of yachting traditions and heritage. The Museum has a 10,000 square foot collection of yachts, artifacts and exhibits which interpret the sport and its history. The Museum is located at Fort Adams State Park, overlooking beautiful Newport Harbor.
National Museum of American Illustration - The NMAI restores, conserves, researches provenance, exhibits and interprets its unique collection of original art works in order to preserve this rich and significant part of our American heritage. Art works include pieces created by artist/illustrators such as Maxfield Parrish, Charles Dana Gibson, Howard Pyle, Norman Rockwell, NC Wyeth, Jessie Willcox Smith, JC Leyendecker and others.Norman Bird Sanctuary - The Norman Bird Sanctuary is 450 acre wildlife refuge offering over 7 miles of hiking trails. Visitors can enjoy a leisurely stroll through the woods or hike to the top of Hanging Rock to a breathtaking view of the ocean and surrounding areas. A wide variety of educational programs are offered for all age groups. A trailside museum and the Barn Owl Gift Shop are also available for browsing.
Newport Art Museum - The museum collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets historic and contemporary visual arts of the highest quality with an emphasis on the rich artistic heritage of Newport, the state of Rhode Island and southeastern New England. The Museum is housed in three buildings on a 2-acre campus with exhibitions, lectures, concerts, special events, an art school and two shops.
Astors' Beechwood Mansion - A visit to the Astor cottage is no ordinary mansion tour. Visitors journey back to 1891 as guests if the Mrs. Astor, queen of American society. As Mrs. Astor's family members, society friends, and domestic staff guide you through Beechwood, you will get a glimpse of the splendid lifestyle the Astor family brought to Newport during the Victorian era.
Newport Mansions - The Preservation Society of Newport County invites you to explore their eleven properties, representing more than 250 years of social and architectural history in the city that was America's First Resort. Colonial, Victorian, the Gilded Age-Newport has it all, and the Preservation Society offers tour packages to meet every budget and interest.
The Old Colony and Newport Scenic Railroad - Sit Back, relax, and enjoy the salt air breeze as you travel along the cozy west shore of Aquidneck island (Newport RI) in an open platform coach built 1904 or an 1884 parlor car.
Thames Science Center - The TSC is recognized for its pioneering efforts as a model regional science center developing and testing dozens of unique, interactive thematic science and pre-engineering learning programs for all ages. These programs include Watershed Worlds, RobotACTS, Shoot for the Moon!, Mentors for Explainers and others. 77 Long Wharf, Newport. (800) 587-2872.
Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor - The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a special type of national park. It is a region of nearly 400,000 acres located within Worcester County in central Massachusetts and Providence County in northern Rhode Island. The National Corridor was designated by an Act of Congress on November 10, 1986 to preserve and interpret for present and future generations the unique and significant value of the Blackstone Valley. It includes cities, towns, villages and almost one million people.
Roger Williams National Memorial - Roger Williams National Memorial commemorates the life of the founder of Rhode Island and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Williams, banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs, founded Providence in 1636. This colony served as a refuge where all could come to worship as their conscience dictated without interference from the state. The Memorial is located on a common lot of the original settlement of Providence and includes 4.5 acres of landscaped park.
Touro Synagogue National Historic Site - Touro Synagogue, dedicated in 1762, is the oldest synagogue in the United States and the only one that survives from the colonial era. The congregation was founded in 1658 by Sephardim, descendants of Marranos who fled the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal and who were themselves seeking a haven from religious persecution in the Caribbean. A trap door under the bimah is symbolic of their fear and apprehension. But in America they, like millions of others, found the religious toleration they had so long sought.