Summertime Experiences to Try in Rhode Island

Families traveling to New England this summer shouldn’t overlook Rhode Island. The state may be small, but it packs a lot of summertime experiences, with one of the country’s finest zoos, an engaging children’s museum, endless beaches and spacious parks.

Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence is a shining example of modern zoo design. Largely cage-free, animals live in environments as close as possible to their native habitat, where visitors can see them with a minimum of visible barriers.

Kids can watch snow leopards, alligators, zebras, giraffes, elephants, wildebeest, kangaroos, red pandas, and dozens more native and exotic animals in different settings, encouraging kids to learn more about them, their habits and their habitat. Exhibits are designed for different ages, with a treehouse for younger children to climb, and engaging exhibits about animals and their environment for older kids.

Rhode Island’s unquestionable summer stars are its Narragansett Bay beaches. In the towns of Narragansett and South Kingstown, you’ll find a string of public beaches on the protected waters of Narragansett Bay. Along the coast are several state parks with changing facilities and parking. More beaches face onto Long Island Sound, where the surf can be a bit heavier; Watch Hill is an old-fashioned resort town with a beach, a lighthouse and a historic carousel.

Overlooking the opposite shore of Narragansett Bay, Colt State Park covers 464 acres with 4 miles of shoreline. Kids have plenty of room to run off steam here in what was once a wealthy farm estate with lawns, fruit trees, flowering shrubs and stone walls. Bring lunch and find a table in one of its six picnic grounds.

You can cycle there on East Bay Bike Path, which travels 14.5 miles from India Point Park in Providence to Independence Park in Bristol, passing several parks and recreation areas. Four miles of the trail follow the shore through Colt State Park.

While planning your travels through Rhode Island, check the dates for WaterFire, when the city celebrates the Woonasquatucket River as it winds through Downcity, Providence. Throughout the evening, more than 100 bonfires blaze in large iron pans in the river’s center while locals and tourists stroll along the riverside walkways and footbridges. Street performers, vendors and world music highlight these relaxed and family-friendly celebrations.