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A CHILD’S-EYE VIEW OF RHODE
ISLAND
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 18th and 19th
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.
Article
and Pictures Courtesy of
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