From the sandy shores of Westerly to Providence’s "Plains of Africa," the state of Rhode Island is jam-packed with tourism attractions the whole family will enjoy, especially the children.

With more than 400 miles of scenic coastline, Rhode Island is the ideal spot for the quintessential family seaside vacation. Adults can relax on long sandy beaches while children build sandcastles in the sun and swim in the clear blue Atlantic Ocean. For an up-close-and-personal look at marine life, several charter companies offer half and full day whale watching excursions in search of humpback, finback, right and minke whales, as well as sharks, sea turtles, giant ocean sunfish and pelagic birds.

Providence, Rhode Island’s capital city, is home to Roger Williams Park & Zoo, a veritable playground forthe young and young at heart. This beautiful 430-acre Victorian park (1878) is comprised of waterways, walks, outdoor gardens, and a Carousel Village, Museum of Natural History, and the park’s crown jewel, Roger Williams Park Zoo. The animals live in exhibits resembling their natural habitats and are grouped geographically – Plains of Africa, Tropical Rainforest, Madagascar, and the Arctic (complete with polar bears and penguins) are among visitor’s favorites. Other children’s activities in the park include paddleboats, a carousel, miniature train ride, pony rides and a jungle gym.

The newest attraction to the capitol city is the relocated Providence Children’s Museum. Designed for children ages 1-11, the museum features fun and educational hands-on exhibits including a time traveling adventure; a wet and wild exploration of the ways of water; a hands on geometry lab and much more. Another "especially for kids" attraction, The Enchanted Forest, can be found in the southern Rhode Island town of Hopkinton. This fairyland-theme amusement park features storybook exhibits and child-size rides, and is located within easy driving distance of South County beach areas.

Newport County, long renowned as the Gilded Age playground for the rich and famous, today attracts vacationing families from around the world. Children will delight in the performances by costumed actors portraying servants and guests at The Astors’ Beechwood mansion, marvel at the adult-size children’s playhouse on the grounds of The Breakers mansion, and may not be able to tear themselves away from the interactive video exhibits in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. They’ll also enjoy walking Newport’s famous Cliffwalk or flying a kite at Brenton Point park. In nearby Portsmouth, Green Animals Topiary Gardens features 80 trees and shrubs sculpted into geometrical forms and animal shapes – everything from a giraffe to a teddy bear!

Treat youngsters – and yourself—to a tour of Casey Farm (c. 1750) in Saunderstown or Coggeshall Farm (c. 1790) in Bristol, two authentic historical working farms. Both feature livestock and tours of historic farm buildings; Casey Farm was the site of Revolutionary War activity. To learn even more about rural life in the 18^th and 19^th centuries, visit South County Museum in Narragansett. On display are exhibits of articles of early Rhode Island life, including Grandma’s Kitchen, a cobbler’s shop, an old-fashioned pharmacy, a collection of antique toys and dolls, a working print shop, and an antique carriage and tack and livery collection.

Sprinkled throughout Rhode Island are three of the estimated 150 historic carousels remaining in the United States. Watch Hill, a resort enclave in Westerly, is home to the Flying Horse Carousel, believed to be the nation’s oldest (c. 1867). Unlike traditional carousels, the horses are suspended by overhead sweeps, causing them to "fly out" as the carousel turns. Two fine examples of carousels by Charles I.D. Looff can be found in the northern part of the Ocean State: Slater Park Carousel in Pawtucket and Crescent Park Carousel in East Providence. The Slater Park Carousel (1894) is said to be the fastest of the Looff carousels, while Crescent Park Carousel (1895) is considered a museum of Looff’s work, having once served as a showcase for his hand-carved horses – no two are alike. All three carousels are in operation during the summer months.

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