12 Amazing Rhode Island Day Trips That Are Worth The Drive
Rhode Island, the smallest U.S. state, is packed with rich history, stunning coastal scenery, and charming small towns. Whether day trippers are into historic sites, beach activities, or simply exploring charming New England towns, Rhode Island’s vibrant mix of attractions makes it a memorable destination for any of these amazing day trips from the T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) in Warwick, near Providence. Thanks to Rhode Island’s small size, all these getaways are within two hours of the airport.
Roger Williams Park Zoo - Providence
One of the oldest zoos in the United States, the 400-acre Roger Williams Park Zoo features over 100 rare and fascinating species from all over the world. The animals are grouped in habitats, so take the time to visit the zebras, cheetahs, elephants, and Masai giraffes in the Savanna, journey to the Amazon Rainforest to see Chilean Flamingos or Bolivian Gray Titi monkeys, or trek to the Himalayan Mountains to spot the elusive Red Panda.
Located just a .25 mile from the Zoo is Carousel Village, where kids and adults can enjoy a turn on the iconic carousel itself. There’s a Big Backyard play area, too. If visitors want to get up close and personal with the animals, they can book a 30-minute Wild Connection with a zoo keeper for an additional fee. The zoo is twenty minutes by car from the airport.
Sachuest Wildlife Refuge - Middletown
Nature lovers, birders, and photographers flock to Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge to see colorful, easy-to-spot birds in this important stopover and wintering area for migratory birds. The refuge is home to the second-largest population of wintering harlequin ducks on the Atlantic Coast. Named after the harlequin character from Italian Commedia dell’arte, the lively, playful birds have bold colors and patterns they resemble.
Three miles of trails surround Sachuest Point, allowing visitors to view and take photos of the birds and animals in the refuge year-round from elevated observation platforms along the trails for unobstructed views of the refuge. The refuge also includes 40 acres of salt marshlands, and nearby at Third Beach, a newly restored salt marsh habitat has quickly become a birding hotspot. The refuge is less than an hour’s drive from the airport.
The Breakers Mansion - Newport
In the forty-five minutes it takes to drive from the T. F. Green International Airport to The Breakers, lovers of architecture and history buffs will be transported to another era on a tour of The Breakers, a National Historic Landmark built in 1895. The grandest of the Newport summer “cottages,” The Breakers was once the summer home of the Vanderbilt family during the 1870-1910 Gilded Age—a period of change in America that welcomed a new wealthy class of people with names like Vanderbilt, Carnegie, and Rockefeller. Massive fortunes were made quickly and spent on lavish lifestyles and homes known as the Newport Mansions.
Today, The Breakers is visited by hundreds of thousands of people each year. It is the flagship of the Newport Mansions and a world-famous iconic image of Newport— the “City by the Sea.” After the visit, stroll along the famous Newport Cliff Walk for scenic views of the Atlantic Ocean or visit other historic mansions, like the Marble House and Rosecliff.
Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park - Pawtucket
Fans of history who enjoy outdoor pursuits will enjoy spending a day in the Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, a thirty-minute drive from the Rhode Island Airport. The park is often described as the Birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution. It is home to the first successful water-powered cotton-spinning factory—the 1793-built Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket. Meet park rangers on the patio in front of the mill for a guided tour.
Inside the park, which runs from Worcester, Massachusetts, to Providence, Rhode Island, there’s a paved multi-use trail that follows the banks of the Blackstone River and passes other historic mills, important landmarks, and cultural sites. Pack a picnic and enjoy the scenic views while hiking or biking along the river.
Narragansett
Narragansett is a charming coastal town famous for its beautiful beaches, scenic coastline, and laid-back atmosphere, only forty minutes from the airport. It is a popular summer destination for beachgoers and vacationers, but there’s still plenty to see and do the rest of the year. The most beautiful beach is the 19-acre stretch of soft sand known as Narragansett Town Beach. Visitors can’t miss the stunning view of the Towers of Narragansett—a remnant of the town’s Gilded Age. Tour the Towers to learn more about Narragansett’s glamorous past.
Nearby, the 51-foot Point Judith Lighthouse stands as a beacon for ships and boats navigating the waters west of Narragansett and the north part of Block Island Sound. Built in 1810 and reconstructed after an 1815 hurricane, this granite tower continues to play an active navigational role in an area renowned for treacherous rocks and shipwrecks.
Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum - Bristol
The Blithewold Mansion in Bristol may not be the largest or the grandest in Rhode Island, but it is very charming. Its name means “happy woodland,” and it is a happy place for nature lovers and their families to spend a day exploring its 33 acres of gardens and woodlands on the shores of Narragansett Bay in Bristol, an hour’s drive from the airport. The gorgeous 45-room mansion exemplifies the Country Place Era in the U.S. and the influence of the Arts and Crafts movement in the country.
Blithewold’s trees are legendary, planted by the former owner from the mid to late 1800s, and include exotic and native trees from Europe, China, Japan, and North America. Some of the more notable trees in the arboretum include a Giant Sequoia, a Weeping European Beech, a Japanese Umbrella Pine, and a Star Magnolia. Book a guided Garden Stroll through Blithewold’s Gardens and Grounds, and until August 2025, see the six beautiful bamboo bird sculptures that have landed at the gardens. These magical sculptures are made from bamboo and upcycled material and range from 15 to 30 feet tall.
RISD Museum - Providence
The RISD Museum is an internationally renowned art museum founded in 1877. Located in downtown Providence, the museum is less than a half hour from the airport and a top cultural hound destination. Housing over 100,000 works of art, the RISD Museum's broad range includes pieces from ancient Egypt, Asia, Africa, ancient Greece and Rome, Europe, and the Americas.
Expect to see works by prominent artists, including Monet, Degas, Picasso, Andy Warhol, Paul Revere, Chanel, and Kara Walker. The collections also feature notable works by Rhode Island artists and designers, including 18th-century Newport furniture makers Goddard and Townsend and 19th-century Rhode Island painters such as John Noble Barlow and Gilbert Stuart. Take a break between exhibits with a pastry and a latté at Café Pearl onsite.
Fort Adams State Park - Newport
Military enthusiasts and history buffs can learn about Fort Adams by exploring its extensive history, strategic significance, and architecture at Fort Adams State Park in Newport. A National Historic Landmark, the fort was built between 1824 and 1857; it was one of the principal coastal defenses along the Atlantic built to control the entrance to Narragansett Bay.
Visitors can take guided tours of this historic coastal fort and learn about Rhode Island’s military history while enjoying scenic views of Narragansett Bay. Guided tours take visitors from the top of the fort’s walls to the barracks, officer quarters, and underground tunnels. Pack a picnic and make a day trip out of the visit. This renowned park is also the location of the annual Newport Jazz Festival, one of the oldest jazz festivals in the U.S., and is a 45-minute drive from the airport in Warwick.
Beavertail State Park - Jamestown
Day trippers wanting to take advantage of the 400+ miles of coastline in the “Ocean State will enjoy exploring the 153-acre Beavertail State Park, only 45 minutes from the T. F. Green International Airport. The park is located in Jamestown, on the southern tip of Conanicut Island, at the entrance of Narragansett Bay, and has some of the most impressive views of the entire New England south coast.
Beavertail State Park is the site of the third lighthouse built in the U.S.—the Beavertail Lighthouse was built in 1794. Located on the southern tip of Jamestown, the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum features information, artifacts, and history about the lighthouse. Visitors to the park enjoy sightseeing, saltwater fishing, and hiking along the rocky coast.
Historic Wickford Village - North Kingstown
For visitors interested in Rhode Island’s colonial past, the Historic Wickford Village, thirty minutes from the airport in North Kingstown, makes for a terrific day trip wandering through its picturesque streets. The village was established in the early 18th century as a bustling seaport known for shipbuilding and trade. Many historic buildings remain in Wickford Village, ideal for visitors interested in American history.
Must-see landmarks include the Old Narragansett Church, believed to be the oldest Episcopal Church in the Northeastern U.S., St. Paul’s Church, and the birthplace and museum of Gilbert Stuart, one of America’s best-known portraitists. Nearby in an area known as Cocumscussoc, part of the ancestral homeland of the Narragansett People, is Smith’s Castle. Not technically a castle, Smith's Castle is the oldest surviving plantation house in the U.S. and is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge - Charlestown
Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge is one of Rhode Island’s five national wildlife refuges. Established in 1970, it comprises 858 acres of wetland habitats, including grasslands, shrublands, wooded swamps, and freshwater ponds. What’s most striking about the refuge is its otherworldly landscape, shaped by glacial activity from the last Ice Age, especially the kettle ponds—depressions left behind by melting ice blocks. Hiking along the six miles of trails allows outdoor enthusiasts to witness visual reminders of the great ice sheet.
From the observation platform at Grassy Point, visitors can enjoy an excellent view of Ninigret Pond, the largest coastal salt pond in Rhode Island. For bird lovers, over 250 species of birds have been spotted at Ninigret. The refuge shores also support marine life, such as blue crab, bay scallop, and winter flounder. The refuge is about an hour’s drive from the airport in Warwick.
The Providence Athenæum - Providence
Bibliophiles will want to spend all day in the Providence Athenæum, one of the oldest libraries in the United States. It was founded in 1836 and houses over 200,000 rare books, manuals, and periodicals, including works by Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft. The building itself is an architectural masterpiece, showcasing beautiful Federal and Greek Revival styles with ornate furnishings and a show-stopping mezzanine, where 16 niches hold famous busts of illustrious ancient and modern writers and philosophers like Socrates, William Shakespeare, Louisa May Alcott, George Washington, and others.
Of course, the library has a storied past where visitors can discover which book Poe checked out when he visited, who the library’s patron goddess is, and what painting was stolen from the library. At the Visitor Center, be sure to “check out” its 44-page self-guided tour book that visitors can borrow during the visit. The library is less than thirty minutes from the airport.
The tiny state of Rhode Island is the perfect starting point for various amazing day trips for nature lovers, history buffs, and art enthusiasts. Animal lovers can enjoy the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, home to over 100 rare species, while nature enthusiasts can explore Sachuest Wildlife Refuge, known for its migratory birds and scenic trails. History aficionados will appreciate exploring the renowned Newport Mansions amid spectacular coastal scenery. For outdoor activities, the Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park features trails along the historic mill sites, or explore the charming Historic Wickford Village. Finally, book lovers should not miss the Providence Athenæum. Each amazing day trip offers a unique glimpse into Rhode Island’s rich culture and natural beauty.
