Explore Rhode Island || 72 hours in Rhode Island

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Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States, and it packs a mighty punch. One of the nicknames for Rhode Island is the “Ocean State” and this is because the entire state is pretty much surrounded by water with nearly 400 miles of coastline. Therefore, I think it goes without saying that the best time to visit this state is sometime during the summer.

In the next few paragraphs, I’m going to outline a detailed itinerary packed with plenty of things to do on a solo trip to this beautiful location within 72 hours. So strap on your life vest and climb aboard for an adventure-filled and unique New England experience of a lifetime.

What to Pack:

Obviously this is all dependent on the type of events you plan on attending, activities you plan on doing, etc. However, if you’re planning to follow this itinerary in any shape or form, this is what I recommend to bring with you for your little adventure. (Disclaimer: I’m an overpacker. No shame here.)

• Warm, loose fitting clothing
• Toiletries
• Bathing suits
• Beach bag (fully equipped with beach towels and beach blankies)
• Water proof phone case
• *If hiking* Day pack, water bottle, sun screen and bug spray
• Electronics and their associated chargers
• Here’s one I’m adding to my packing list from here on out; PORTABLE PHONE CHARGER
• Whatever else you desire

Where to Stay:

Typically, when I bring the dogs along for trips I opt to stay in AirBnb‘s or VRBO‘s as it’s just all-around easier. However, when planning this trip, we decided to stay in a hotel. I’m a Hilton girly so we stayed in a Hilton Garden Inn nearby the airport (Warwick, RI) so that we’d be relatively central to the majority of the places I planned to visit during the week. Whether you decide to stay in hotels, or rentals, there are no shortage of places to stay, many of which are pet friendly! If you decide to follow this trip itinerary, then I recommend Warwick as it was in the perfect location for nearby drives to each city.

Now that we’ve got the boring stuff laid out, let’s get right into it!

Day 1: Newport, Rhode Island

I can’t start out any day without a nice big cup of coffee, so day one starts at Empire Tea & Coffee. The location is smack dab in the center of the city of Newport, so it was incredibly easy to pop in for my morning joe and then get headed to my next destination. I opted for a classic iced vanilla latte and it was heaven in my mouth. Empire Tea is a cute little shop that is dog friendly, and their service was excellent. They also serve plenty of little bites to grab and go.
Location: 112 William St., Newport, RI

9:30 AM: Cliff Walk
One of the main attractions in Newport, Rhode Island is Cliff Walk. This 3.5 mile walk (approximately 2.5 hours) combines the beauty of the eastern shore with century-old mansions. To access the path, I parked at Easton’s Beach and walked up to the trail marker just a short distance up the road. At the beginning of the path, there are kiosks that offer trail maps so that you can follow along with the history of each stop along the path. Some of the major attractions I was interested in finding were Forty Steps, The Breakers, and Marble House.

Location: 175 Memorial Blvd, Newport, RI

The majority of the pathway is paved and easy to walk in whatever type of attire you choose. However, the remaining 1/3 of the path is a bit more rocky and will likely require close toed shoes and breathable clothing. All in all, this was a beautiful way to start my morning and I thoroughly enjoyed soaking in the history of Newport, Rhode Island while sipping on my coffee.

12:00 PM: Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge
If you know me, a trip to a different state isn’t complete until I’m able to find a trail head and some nature. Therefore, my next stop takes me to Sachuest Point Wildlife Refuge. This breathtaking wildlife refuge is home to nearly 200 species of birds, most notably the Harlequin ducks that winter here November through March. There are approximately 3 miles of trails to hike, and I chose to tackle the Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge Trail.

Location: 769 Sachuest Point Rd, Middletown, RI

This 2.4 mile, 45 minute hike allowed me to get lost on a beautiful trail of salt marsh, with multiple overlook points of the rocky shoreline of the Sakonnet River. It was the perfect way to spend my early afternoon connecting with nature, and working up an appetite for my next stop.

1:30 PM: Newport Vineyards
This family-owned vineyard is just a short 15 minute drive from the wildlife refuge and has so much to offer for a post-hike pit stop. Over 100 acres of farmland to explore, a large list of estate-grown wines, a full dinner menu, and even an on-site tap room with a number of hop-forward brews to taste.

Location: 909 E Main Rd, Middletown, RI

I’m more of a dessert wine girly, so I opted for a crisp and refreshing kolsch, which paired perfectly with the BEST BLT I have ever had in my entire life. Afterwards I walked around the vineyards, and stopped at their gift and wine store on my way out. I’ll admit, if I had more time to spend here, I definitely would have tried their Vidal Ice dessert wine, because it sounded DELICIOUS.

4:00 PM: Shopping on Thames Street
Now, I kept it light at lunch, but still needed to work up an appetite for dinner, so I spent the next hour and a half on Thames Street. This street is right in the center of the downtown Newport and is lined on either side with a number of unique boutique shops that I could have spent much longer than I did perusing around (and spending more money than I dare admit). I even found this cute little art installation and met a cute little family willing to help me get in a quick photo-op.

5:30 PM: Dinner, Roof Deck at The Vanderbilt
If you’re looking for the best views of the Newport Harbor just before the sun starts to set over this cute little town, I highly recommend dinner at the Roof Deck. The menu is on the smaller side, but entirely worth it for the big views this place has to offer. Definitely make a reservation before you go, because the seating is slim, and reservations are required.

Location: 41 Mary St, Newport, RI

I was torn between the shrimp and the lobster roll, however, I knew a lobster roll was in the plan for later during my trip, so we went with the shrimp, and it was an excellent choice. Even better than their food, is their list of specialty cocktails. I selected the Lavender Haze, a delectable take on the classic gin and tonic with the addition of lavender bitters and blueberry.

7:00 PM: Newport Creamery and Sunset Ocean Drive
If you don’t follow anything else on my recommendation list, at LEAST follow this one. Hear me out, okay? Go to Newport Creamery and order an Awful, Awful! What is an Awful, Awful you ask? It’s some sort of concoction of whole milk, flavored syrup, and a “secret” frozen ice milk that tastes like you just won 100 million dollars, but in your mouth. (Also known as a “cabinet” to the local Rhode Island folk). They have a number of different flavors, but I asked for the most popular, and I ended up with a Choc o’ Nutter. (I’d drive the 7 hours back just to get another one right now).

Location: 208 W Main Road, Middletown, RI

Alright, so picture this; Awful, Awful in hand, and now you hop back in the car and make your way along one of the most picturesque drives that the East Coast has to offer. Ocean Drive offers 10 miles of beautiful coastline sunset views. I don’t see how you could find a more perfect way to end the day in Newport.

Location: Start at the intersection of Thames Street and Wellington Avenue (with the Newport Harbor and Ida Lewis Yacht Club on your right)

Day 2: Providence, Rhode Island

How do we start the day? You guessed it! Coffee. I chose to start my morning with a delicious iced honey latte at The Shop; a quaint little coffee shop in the middle of the Fox Point neighborhood in providence. You can tell that this place means business about it’s coffee and they really put their heart and soul into every cup. They also offer a variety of health conscious and carefully curated breakfast options friendly for every diet that exists on planet earth.
Location: 460 Wickenden St, Providence, RI

9:00 AM: Explore Brown University’s Campus
For someone who spent the majority of my adult life studying day in and day out and practically living inside of a college library, it’s a wonder to me that this was a top destination on my list for Providence. However, here we are, and I make no apologies. While I had no intention of attending an ivy league college for my own personal studies, I have always wanted to experience what it would be like to walk the campus of one. I also found it super cool that this school holds the third oldest medical program in New England. If none of this interests you, at least visit for the architecture, because these buildings are breathtaking.

Aside from the campus itself, I also made it an absolute goal to visit the John Hay Library. Why do you ask? Because this very library holds three anthropodermic books. What is an anthropodermic book? It’s a book bound in human skin. The morbid curiosity inside of me couldn’t keep me away. The downside? You can’t freaking touch them or look at them. There’s just something about being in the same place as something so innately odd that drew me to explore the library regardless.
Location: 20 Prospect St, Providence, RI

11:00 AM: RISD Museum
One of my favorite things to do in a new city is explore their local art museum. Luckily, Providence has the RISD; one of the first art and design schools in the United States. I spent hours perusing the many exhibitions they had on display, my favorite being The Performative Self Portrait.
Location: 20 N. Main St., Providence, RI

After getting lost in all the different installations from centuries past, I highly recommend you take a walk just up the street to find a separate art installation entitled “Gun Totem” that lives just across the street from the Court House on S. Main Street. This steel and concrete constructed monument contains nearly 1,000 reclaimed used handguns that were obtained from a government buy-back program in Pittsburgh, PA. The artist’s name is Boris Bally, and he has a number of similar projects in the works.

1:00 PM Lunch at Camille’s
After all that walking around, you’ll work up quite the appetite. So it’s time to head over to the Federal Hill area of Providence. Hidden along a side street in the neighborhood is one of the best restaurants I’ve eaten at in a while; Camille’s on The Hill. Know before you go: There is a dress code, but they didn’t seem to mind that my jeans had holes and that I was wearing tennis shoes, so I’m not sure how strict they actually are (during lunch time at least).
Location: 71 Bradford St. Providence, RI

For an appetizer I opted for the Calamari Fritti which was perfectly crispy and served in a delectable champagne butter sauce. My entree was probably my favorite part of the meal, and for this I ordered the Capesante E Risotto. The most tender and juicy sea scallops with a soft and creamy asparagus risotto. My mouth is watering typing this just remembering how amazing this meal actually was. Lastly, if you’re going to do a meal here, do it right; end it with dessert. I chose the Creme Brulee and was not one bit disappointed.

Now during my dinner here, I met a super cute waiter (and yes, he did give me his phone number, score). I had been asking him for recommendations on local shopping for my next destination. He pointed me in the direction of Garden City in Cranston. Not quite the boutique shopping I was looking for, but it made for an excellent way to spend the next few hours.

3:00 PM: Garden City Shopping Center
Garden City Shopping Center is a HUGE outdoor shopping mall with all of the classic stores that you’ll see in pretty much any mall. With a stuffed belly, I spent next two hours here walking in and out of each of the stores here shopping for the upcoming fall season and was not disappointed at all. I know that the concept seems strange, to go shopping at stores you could find back at home, and to be honest, I wish that they would have had some lesser known, locally owned businesses, but regardless this was a welcomed way to spend the remainder of my afternoon.

Location: 100 Midway Rd, Cranston, RI

5:00 PM: Apponaug Brewing Company
Not sure if you’re noticing a pattern here, but I do like to end my days with a nice cold beer, particularly at breweries I haven’t yet been to prior. Therefore, after a long two hours of excessive shopping and zero self-control, I decided to stop at Apponaug to see what they had to offer. I think in terms of the breweries that I’ve visited this summer, this one is definitely up there on my list of favorites.

Location: 334 Knight St, Warwick, RI

This brewery sits right next to the Pawtuxent River, and therefore you can sip on some beers riverside for a refreshing naturesque view. The staff was super friendly, inviting, and attentive. The menu offers some delicious snacks if you’re hungry (I have to admit I didn’t eat because I was still super full from lunch). Therefore, I decided just to opt for a flight and drink in the views. They have a rotating beer list, but my favorite of the day was definitely the Positive Bias; a light beer that’s brewed with black tea and lemon peel. It was perfectly crisp and refreshing for the end to a hot day.

Day 3: Narrangansett, Rhode Island

I have to admit that this was probably the day I was most excited about by far. What’s on the agenda? Kayaking and beach day; two of my absolute favorite things (water and nature). If you know me by now, the day has got to start with some sort of sweet treat (albeit coffee, or some sort of breakfast pastry). So let me take you to our first stop.

9:00 AM Pick up donuts at Allie’s Donuts
A quaint little roadside donut shoppe that has been there since 1968 and family owned. Their most popular hit? Donut cakes! Don’t let solo travel hold you back from ordering one of these delicious monstrosities. I opted for a half dozen of their donuts though so I could get a taste for the variety that Allie’s had to offer.

Location: 3661 Quaker Ln, North Kingstown, RI

Things to know before you go: This place is cash only. Additionally, there is not really any place to sit down and chow down on the donuts, which is why WE’RE TAKING THEM TO THE BEACH!

10:00 AM Narrangansett Beach
Fueling up before I went kayaking for the afternoon, I took my package of donuts to the beach, (stopped to get a Starbucks coffee, yes), and headed out to the beach for a bit. Narrangansett is filled with gorgeous beaches back to back to back, so you don’t have to choose this exact one. But I do recommend starting any day you can in your life with donuts on the beach because, yes.

Location: 39 Boston Neck Rd, Narangansett, RI

2:00 PM Kayaking at Narrow River
After a great start to my day, I packed up my beach towel, shook off the sand, and headed back upstate to meet my kayak dealer (hehe) for an afternoon of kayaking along the Narrow River. Bring snacks for the water, because you’ll work up an appetite, (but not too many because you’ll need to have an appetite for dinner after)! I rented a kayak for several hours from the group Narrow River Kayaks. It was super affordable, and they even delivered the kayak directly to me at the drop in point and picked it back up when I was finished. They also delivered a map of the river I was traversing and pointed out highlight areas to paddle to. The whole process was seamless. I highly recommend.

Location: Pollack Avenue Boat Ramp, South Kingstown RI

5:00 PM Dinner at Coast Guard House
Coast Guard House is a beautiful establishment located right along the water. There are several floors, including a roof deck that serves all courses. This place has been around since the 1940’s, and all of their seafood is locally harvested. The staff was incredibly friendly, the views were phenomenal, and their lobster roll was the perfect way to end my day. I definitely recommend making reservations however, because even for single dining, it was difficult to get a table without one. They even offer free valet service for diners which was a great touch.

Location: 40 Ocean Rd, Narrangansett, RI

7:00 PM Night Cap at Tilted Barn Brewery
You certainly could have opted to have your night cap at Coast Guard House and take in the twinkling lights of ships on the water as the sun goes down. I’m sure their cocktails are just as phenomenal as their food. However, we all know I’m all about the breweries, and I wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to experience one of the more popular breweries in the area. Therefore, on my way back to the hotel I stopped at Tilted Barn Brewery to try some of their taps.

Location: One Hemsely Pl, Exeter, RI

The entire place is a big barn outside. The place was PACKED when I visited, and I believe there was some sort of event going on (they tend to have these throughout the week, so there is always something to do). This place is big on their IPAs, so if you’re an IPA person, you’re in luck. I went with their “Lawn Boy” and it was delicious. Overall, loved the environment, the staff was super friendly, and even despite the volume of people, there was always somewhere to sit and sip, and the line moved quickly.

After heading back to my hotel room, packing up, and sleeping the night away, it was time to leave Rhode Island. 3 days well spent in a beautiful state, and another one marked off of the list. I was already brimming with anticipation for my next trip. I wonder where/when that will be? I’ll be posting about it in the upcoming months. If you’re interested in where and what I’ll be doing next, subscribe to read more!

In the meantime; live well and safe travels!
Xo, C