Here are a few reasons why Rhode Island is actually a lot cooler than you think.
Quick Facts
Before I get into some things to do in Rhode Island, I'd like to hit y'all with some FACTS:
1. Rhode Island is the smallest state - it covers an area of 1,214 square miles. (Source)
2. It was the last of the thirteen colonies to become a state. (Source)
3. It never ratified the 18th amendment (prohibition). (Source)
4. The first jail sentence for speeding was given in Newport, RI in 1904. (Source)
5. As of 2012, Providence, RI has 19 Dunkin' Donuts - the city, including water, consists of only 20.5 square miles. So, that's about 1 Dunkin' every mile. (Source)
Beaches
Although the state is only 37 miles wide and 48 miles long, is has over 400 miles of coastline! This means there are hundreds of beaches to go to.
According to Trip Advisor, the top 5 beaches to go to in Rhode Island are:
Mohegan Beach in New Shoreham (which is apparently a nude beach)
Sachuest Beach in Middletown, RI
Narragansett Beach in Naragansett, RI
Mansion Beach in New Shoreham, RI
and Scarborough State Beach in Narragansett, RI
(My boyfriend, who is from Rhode Island, would like me to include Beaver Tail as a good beach to visit, even though it is not on Trip Advisor's List)
Del's Lemonade
I, personally, do not like lemonade. However, Del's frozen lemonade saved my life on July 4th, 2018. After sweating out all of the liquid in my body, I was able to enjoy Del's for the first time and immediately appreciated it's taste and ability to make me not want to die of heat exhaustion. Thank you, Del's.
Newport, Rhode Island
Sure, the billionaires of the Guilded Age were greedy and paved the way for modern capitalism, but they left behind some cool houses. In Newport, nine mansions stand, looking over the Atlantic ocean. The insides of these buildings are filled with beautiful art and intricate architecture that can amaze anyone.
4th of July
Spending the 4th of July is a must for anyone who prides themselves in being patriotic. They have the longest running 4th of July parade in United States History, starting all the way back in 1785, 9 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed.
In Bristol, the festivities technically start on June 14th, and last throughout the month and ends on July 4th. Every year, thousands of people attend the parade - with the record number being 300,000 in 1980. The parade route, which is about 2.4 miles long, a has red, white, and blue stripe going down the middle, in place of the normal yellow one. (Source)
