Rhode Island may be the smallest state in the union, but ‘Little Rhody’ punches way above its weight. With a rich history, 400 miles of coastline and some of the best festivals in the USA, it has long been a popular national and international destination. Providence and Newport stand shoulder to shoulder with America’s most historic cities, the beaches of South County are perfect for family fun, and there are even vineyards, producing award-winning wines. To step back to the good old days of the 1950s, take a ferry to tiny Block Island, where bicycles take priority over cars. But, it is Rhode Island’s role in the history and philosophy of the USA that is so vital. Established by Roger Williams, after he was banned from Puritan Massachusetts, the state was built on religious tolerance – that is why America’s oldest Baptist church (1638) is in Providence, and the oldest Jewish synagogue (1763) is in Newport. Oh … and Rhode Island is not an island. Blame Giovanni da Verrazano for the misconception; when he sailed up the east coast of America in 1524, he compared Block Island to Rhodes in Greece!

SPECIAL CITIES
When it comes to awards, Providence has a shelf-full. During the 1990s, a major urban renewal program accentuated the positive and eliminated the negative. Its success put the city in the spotlight. Today, visitors come to walk Benefit Street, the ‘Mile of History’, lined with 18th and 19th century homes. They discover the Italian restaurants and bakeries of Federal Hill; they stroll through Waterplace Park and even take a gondola ride on the Providence River. In summer, this waterway becomes the stage for WaterFire, a unique spectacle, with music and 100 floating bonfires.

Nowhere else is like Newport. A century ago, this was where the Astors and the Vanderbilts built what they called ‘summer cottages’. To see them, follow the Ten Mile Drive or the Cliff Walk; best of all, tour the interiors. About a dozen of these stately homes, such as the Breakers, Marble House and Rosecliff, are open; each is filled with the finest antiques, tapestries and china. There are hundreds more historic houses, from Victorian back to Colonial times. Some are private homes; others have been converted into luxurious B&Bs – perfect for that romantic getaway. On the sporting side, you can watch polo on America’s oldest polo grounds and play on the world’s oldest grass tennis courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. With its memorabilia, this is a must for tennis fans. Or, take a cruise on a yacht that won the America’s Cup, the sailing competition that was held here for 50 years.

SCENIC ROUTES
Rhode Island’s back roads are just waiting to be explored. In the east, start in Tiverton Four Corners and take Route 77 south through fields and past farms before stopping in picture-perfect Little Compton, where the Sakonnet Vineyards offer tastings and a tour. Finish this relaxing 15-mile drive at Sakonnet, with its little harbor, and nearby lighthouse, restored to working order and re-lit in 1997.

VERY RHODE ISLAND
Since 1785, Bristol has commemorated the Fourth of July – that’s longer than any other community in the country! Festivities include fireworks and a parade. Providence is home to Brown University, one of the oldest and best-known in the USA. The campus on the historic East Side neighbors the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design, or RISD (pronounced Ris-dee). New in 2007 was New England’s largest indoor garden. In Providence, the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center boasts 12,000 square feet under glass, with a tropical garden, an orchid garden, fountains, and ponds. The surrounding outdoor gardens are outstanding in spring.

LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
Take time out from Rhode Island’s history to go shopping in the state capital’s Providence Place Mall. The 170 stores, restaurants, and entertainment venues are at the heart of the downtown renaissance. For individual shops and galleries, try Wickenden Street, on the East Side. In Newport, you can find jewelry and antiques, stylish boutiques – and everything for boating types! Check out the Brick Market, Bowen’s Wharf, Thames Street and Bellevue Avenue. Warwick offers two malls, across from each other on Route 2, just off I-95: Warwick Mall and Rhode Island Mall. In the USA, river power kick-started the Industrial Revolution and the Blackstone River was the first to be harnessed. From the mouth in Narragansett Bay, right up to the source near Worcester, Massachusetts, an area the size of Surrey is protected as the Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor. Visit historic sites such as Slater Mill, in Pawtucket, the first operating cotton mill in the country and now a lively museum. Take a boat trip on the river itself; or cycle along special trails. Running for 14 miles from Providence to the small town of Bristol is the East Bay Bike Path. The trail runs along the Providence River and Narragansett Bay, then heads for Bristol, with its Herreshoff Marine Museum and America’s Cup Hall of Fame.

In Bristol, Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum overlooks Narragansett Bay. A 100-ft giant sequoia dominates the 33-acre garden, while inside the house, most of the rooms still have the original early 20th-century wallpaper. There’s also a fine doll collection.

Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay is criss-crossed with ferry routes. For something different, take a ferry between Newport and Providence. Or head 12-miles out to sea to the beaches of Block Island. Choose between the traditional 55-minute ride and the 35-minute high-speed ferry service.

Twin River in Lincoln is the state’s new gaming destination. But, even if you are not interested in trying your luck, there is plenty of live entertainment with top-name bands and the Catch a Rising Star comedy shows.

FAMILY FUN
In Newport, step back in time to the Gilded Age with actors bringing the Astors’ Beechwood Mansion to life. Tours take in the posh upstairs as well as the servants’ quarters. An extra special treat is the ‘Victorian Christmas’ in November and December. Meet a teddy bear and a unicorn, a giraffe and a camel at Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth. They are among 80 pieces of topiary, including 21 animals and birds, all trimmed from California privet, yew, and English boxwood. Ride one of the world’s oldest carousels at Watch Hill, near Westerly. Built in 1867, this 19th-century thrill ride has hand-carved horses with real leather saddles, horse hair manes and tails.

ART, MUSIC AND MORE
New England has more fine small museums than any other region of the country. In Providence, for example, the Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art houses 80,000 works, ranging from ancient Greek sculpture to Impressionist and contemporary paintings. Then, there is the Providence Art Club, founded in 1880, and still going strong with its studios and galleries. Newer is Gallery Night. Founded a decade ago, some 20 galleries stay open late on the 3rd Thursday of the month, from March to November. Walk round or take the Art Bus.

In Newport, each of the grand mansions is a must for anyone interested in antiques. To understand the families behind the grand architecture, take a tour with the knowledgeable guides. Even in the winter, the Breakers and Marble House remain open. Newport also has a Gallery Night, the 2nd Thursday of the month. As for music, the Newport Music Festival celebrates 40 years of presenting chamber music in the most glamorous of settings – the Gilded Age mansions.

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD
Not for nothing is Rhode Island known as ‘The Ocean State’ – seafood is a specialty. At Newport’s Great Chowder Cook-off, the coveted title of Best Chowder of the Year is awarded. But, at almost anytime in Newport, you can order up Chilled Crab Napoleon and Native Scallop Chowder at The Mooring restaurant on Sayer’s Wharf. Locals have their own lingo: clams are ‘steamers’; quahogs are pronounced ‘co-hogs’ and baked stuffed clams are known as ‘stuffies’. As well as these dishes, ethnic dishes from all over the world are all part of the training at the College of Culinary Arts in Johnson & Wales University, Providence. Many of the students intern in restaurants in the Federal Hill district. Long known for its Italian trattoria, the area now also features Asian, Indian, Mexican and Contemporary American cuisines.