Our Snail Tracks

October 20, 2024

The smallest state seems spacious with its breathtaking ocean views. Rhode Island represents the best of maritime New England. We enjoyed some R&R at our good friends’ place while catching up on laundry and watching a football game (first time seeing a TV in six weeks.)

First stop, the beautiful Misquamicut State Beach.

Rhode Island’s history as the star of the Gilded Age is fascinating. We enjoyed our walk along Newport’s Cliff Drive to see the huge “summer cottages” built at the turn of the century. The Breakers is the largest of these. Its history is inspiring yet sad, reminding us that all the wealth in the world doesn’t always mean a happy ending.

Posing in front of the entrance gate to the Vanderbilt’s “summer cottage” known as The Breakers. I got to live out some of my Downton Abbey dreams walking through.

Getty Images

The view from the patio. Imagine having your morning coffee here.

The 3.5 mile Newport Cliff Walks takes you along the rocky coast past several incredible Gilded Age Mansions, including the Vanderbilt family’s famous Breakers mansion.

Newport is also famous for its historic waterfront Bowen’s Wharf. It is full of shops, restaurants and galleries and was packed with sightseers while we were there.

Newport also features The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame right on the waterfront. The museum was a great tribute to the sport of sailing. The first thing we saw as we walked up was a statue of Buddy Melges, one of the most accomplished sailors in history.

There were displays highlighting the history of sailing, as well as several America’s Cup boat designs and hands on activities to demonstrate the sport to non-sailors who wish to learn.

The museum also featured a traveling marine art exhibition. Beautiful marine art from around the world was on display, and for sale at a very hefty price.

Our trip included a stop at the amazing Providence Athenaeum Library, first founded in 1836. Before we had modern day tax-supported public libraries, it was difficult to gain access to books. The only people lucky enough to enjoy reading a variety of books were those with personal collections, or the wealthy who paid fees to join exclusive “membership” libraries such as the Providence Athenaeum.

The gorgeous entry to the Providence Athenaeum Library.

The dreamiest study carrel.

Our time in Rhode Island went way too fast. Our last stop was a visit to the historic Watch Hill Lighthouse, built in 1807.

You walk through the fancy Watch Hill neighborhood to get to the lighthouse, where you are then rewarded with a view of Taylor Swift’s Rhode Island home, shown below.