America’s smallest state provides more than enough sightseeing for a large visit.
Rhode Island. UNSPLASH Cloris YingRhode Island, or the Ocean State, is the smallest in the country, yet its nickname explains one of its top attractions: the coastline. There are plenty of piers, lighthouses, beaches, and coast-related adventures. The town of Newport is a popular attraction, situated near the water and home to gargantuan colonial mansions.
Coincidence or not, we spent a very small amount of time in this very small state by passing through the entirety of Rhode Island – roughly 45 miles – to reach Connecticut. As we entered Providence, the capitol and main metro area of the Ocean State, I noticed a collection of tall buildings inhabiting what must have been downtown. A dome-shaped stadium stood out in front, and instantly captivated my eye. I knew a major league team did not reside here in fact, and after further research, I discovered that it was the Dunkin’ Donuts Center – home to the Providence Bruins, a hockey team in the AHL.
FACEBOOK Rhode IslandAs the Providence area disappeared and dusk settled in, I could see thick forests starting to appear. A common feature I noticed during my New England trip was the presence of forests in all six states. The Midwest has cornfields and the Southwest has deserts, New England was all about its vast forests. As the sky transitioned to pitch dark, we were also approaching the Connecticut border. That’s when I suddenly realized that I essentially saw the entire state. What a mind-boggling concept considering I had never experienced one in such a condensed amount of time. The metro area and forests packed into one small area highlighted how diverse Rhode Island actually is, and I hadn’t even seen its iconic shoreline. There’s always next time, when I plan on spending more time in Rhode Island than the amount of time it takes to cross through it. It may just be enough time to cover twenty more drives through this incredible Ocean State.
