|
July 4, 2011
We headed east this morning from Branford, CT toward Rhode Island. We didn't have exact plans for the day - 4th of July, but some ideas of what we might do. We decided to head first down to Newport, Rhode Island and see the famous "Newport Mansions". They were every bit as amazing as he had heard. As we drove the 10 mile loop through Newport, each mansion elicited more oohs and aahs than the last! The hustle and bustle of the little resort town reminded us of the little town where the movie "Jaws" was filmed. Newport is truly an incredible place and somewhere we could imagine going for a longer vacation in the future.
After exploring Newport, we headed north to the capital of Rhode Island - Providence. We enjoyed a picnic roadside along the way and arrived in Providence around 3:30 pm. We went straight to the Roger Williams National Memorial Park and learned a bit about the history of Rhode Island. From the National Park area, we drove down Bennett Street. Bennett Street has the more historical homes built in the 18th and 19th centuries along a one mile stretch than any other place in the United States. We enjoyed seeing the homes and reading the placards that indicated the year in which they were built. From Bennett Street we headed up to Brown University to explore the campus and Thayer Street where the bookstore and all the college "hangouts" are located. We tried to limit walking since Darby is still in the ankle boot and we didn't want to wear her out for the remainder of the vacation! We also located the First Baptist Church in America right on North Main Street. After a complete driving tour of Providence, we settled into the Hampton Inn and Suites right downtown for a little rest. Grayson and Jonna set out on foot and checked out the river walk which was fantastic and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Providence. At 9 pm,we perched on the 11th floor to enjoy the fireworks display right downtown over the Providence River. It was a fantastic show. We were delighted with all Rhode Island had to offer!
 |
|
