9 Prettiest Small Towns In Rhode Island

Few states pack as many charming points of interest into a small space as Rhode Island, a part of the New England region of the northeast United States. As one of the 13 Original Colonies to throw off British rule, the state — the smallest one in the Union — can make a claim alongside much larger ones, like New York and neighboring Massachusetts, as a founding contributor to America's start as a country. Today, Rhode Island enjoys fame for its picturesque Atlantic coastline, its quaint towns and byways, and a quality of life on par with the best places in America. Beyond its larger towns, like the state capital, Providence, a pleasant visits awaits here. And did you know? Rhode Island's state motto stands as a single, optimistic word: "Hope."

Bristol

In petite Bristol, in the eastern part of the state, leisure-seekers flock in warm weather for the town's views to two bays: Narragansett Bay, and Mount Hope Bay, which lie west and east of the peninsula on which Bristol sits. The town itself, incorporated in 1681, bears the same name as the city in southern England, after which the American settlement was named. Bristol actually belonged to Massachusetts until 1746, when it was annexed to the Rhode Island colony.

Those and other histories abound in and around town. The town once hosted a major rifle factory, as well as a boatmaking industry that turned out eight championship racing yachts for America's Cup, a major boating competition. Bristol hosts a marine museum dedicated to yachting as a sport and a pastime. The same site doubles as the America's Cup Hall of Fame. For more history with a touch of class, check out Linden House, a stately home that serves as a popular local wedding venue. At dinnertime, the Lobster Pot, with gorgeous views to the water, serves seafood in a sublime setting.

Charlestown

In the state's southwest corner, Charlestown hugs the Atlantic coast above Block Island Sound and, beyond it, looks to the eastern tip of New York's Long Island. This town offers the peace and quiet that many, more popular beach destinations in Rhode Island have surrendered to the tourist trade. Nature lovers will enjoy the town's Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, Burlingame State Park northwest of town, or ocean views from East Beach. Nearby sits the Charlestown Breachway, with more water access as well as a campground for RVs and tents.

Local culture here includes the Charlestown Gallery, an art site, featuring contemporary American works from more than 40 artists. Grab a daytime coffee at Jitter's in town, or a beer in the evening at Charlestown Rathskeller, a bar and speakeasy tucked in the woods north of town.

Hopkinton

The hamlet of Hopkinton, set against the state line with Connecticut in southwest Rhode Island, offers another quiet alternative to the busy coast in warm-weather seasons. Within the Grills Preserve, a 550-acre nature area, walkers can explore its wealth of mostly flat trails, some of which run alongside the tranquil Pawcatuck River.

The town knows how to show off its creative side, too. Each fall, the HopArts Annual Studio Trail organizes open houses to the town's many creative studios, where visitors can see painters, potters, hatmakers and other artisans in action. Hopkinton sits just off the Interstate 95 highway, giving easy access in and out of the town.

Matunuck

A village east of Charlestown, Matunuck promises a good time for all different kinds of fun-seekers. The town surf shop fosters a healthy waterside lifestyle, while the several state beaches offer ocean opportunities to the visiting public at no cost. The Pub on Matunuck provides cold beer and a warm welcome, and the Matunuck Oyster Bar serves shellfish on the halfshell, harvested from local farms and wild mollusk populations.

If families traveling with children are looking for something out of the ordinary for beach towns, the Matunuck Alpaca Farm opens its grounds to visiting kids and adults, and sells alpaca-fur keepsakes, the better to remember this unusual spot that will delight children and deliver a break from the sun and sand.

Narragansett

Set on a peninsula that must be some of the best natural real estate on the U.S. east coast, the town of Narragansett beckons with as many diverse attractions Rhode Island has to offer. The Narragansett Casino delivers a shot (but less often success) at winning big at its slot machines and card tables. Local food runs from On Point Pizza, with stellar local pies, to bubble tea creations at Gong Cha Narragansett. Like in Matunuck, surfing is popular here, especially from Narragansett Town Beach in the north end.

Narragansett's history will appeal to students of the past. The name itself comes from a Native American tribe of the same name. The Narragansett Rune Stone, famous among archeology experts and layman tourists, bears what look like old Norse runes, or letters, though the rock's precise origins remain shrouded in histories lost. At Hazard Rock, also north of the downtown, the picturesque but dangerousls slippery outcropping draws visitors and painting enthusiasts, but walking the area advised only with caution.

New Shoreham

The town name hardly tells the whole story. New Shoreham, set on Block Island, sits south of the state mainland in the open Atlantic. Accessible via 30-minute ferry ride, New Shoreham delivers impossibly pretty island views and genteel shopping in town. For more affordable places to eat and sleep, try the Poor People's Pub (real name), or the Darius Inn, a centrally located bed and breakfast. But for those who really want to splurge, or to mark a special occasion in this special place, consider the Spring House Hotel, a historic landmark, or the 1661 Resort, whose luxury offerings count antique furniture, hot tubs — and its own zoo, with exotic animals like camels, fainting goats, red kangaroos, and even a zebu, which is a species of humpbacked cattle native to Southwest Asia.

Tiverton

Another town found along Mount Hope Bay, the small place called Tiverton, which sits just west of the state border with Massachusetts, provides a quiet place to rest beside the water. Gamblers come to town for Bally's Tiverton, a slots-focused location, with an associated, upscale hotel. Cuteness hits a new level at Tiverton Four Corners, a set of preserved 18th-century buildings that now house fine art, antiques, decorative products, and other goods in a downtown setting. For a classy dinner out, Boat House Waterfront Dining delivers on the promise in its name, with views to the Sakonnet River.

For a slice of nature, Tiverton's mostly-rural landscape will spoil the visitor for choice of green and blue spaces. The Weetamoo Woods and Pardon Gray Reserve set aside a natural play area that is great for families. Sapowet March, a wildlife area, sits along the water of the bay. The Audobon Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge, on the coast just north of Sapowet, provides protection to the area's diverse species.

Westerly

The town of Westerly makes up the far southwest corner of Rhode Island, just across the Pawcatuck River from neighboring Connecticut. The town's setting combines river, ocean, and forest environments for a rich collection of atmospheres in one place. Downtown, food options are very diverse, as reflected in local restaurants' colorful names like The Cooked Goose, Vesta Bakery, and Amigos Taqueria Y Tequila.

Westerly's accommodations may constitute a destination in their own right. Ocean House, set on the ocean heights of Bluff Hill, have earned a five-star rating — one of just 14 resorts in the world with that rank — and offers all the spa treatments, kids' programs, and luxury holiday brunches one might expect from such an establishment. For a less expensive stay, the Shelter Harbor Inn and Margin Street Inn offer refined, yet more affordable, digs for a weekend or longer stay.

Woonsocket

Developed around the Blackstone River, in Rhode Island's northeast corner and neighboring Massachusetts, the town of Woonsocket promises a glimpse at small-town elegance in the New England style. The past is taken seriously here: the town's historical society works to remember and promote local legacies, such as its role through from the 19th century as a center of textile manufacturing. Many of Woonsocket's longtime residents have French-Canadian roots, and whose forebears came here as factory workers. The historical society has published cookbooks with traditional recipes from Quebec and elsewhere.

For a family-friendly outing or two, have a look at the events of the Stadium Theatre, or the Polar Express Station, a revamped train station that celebrates Christmastime cheer each winter with a leisure train through town and the surrounding, beautiful Blackstone Valley.

Rhode Island's Prettiest Towns Are Often Its Smallest

Towns like these show that, in a state as small as Rhode Island, slight stature does not rule out beautiful results. On the contrary: some of the state's quieter places reveal major attactions. Among these are seaside destinations, from Bristol and Charlestown to Narragansett and Westerly. Other hidden gems sit inland, like Hopkinton, with its bucolic preservation land and lively arts scene. History runs deep in this former colony, and places like New Shoreham and Woonsocket offer it up to locals and out-of-towners alike. For a next trip that packs a ton of interest into a small space, Rhode Island's smaller towns make a great, highly attractive choice at all times of year.