7 Standout Main Streets In Rhode Island
Rhode Island makes walkable town centers feel normal. You step off a ferry in Jamestown and land on Narragansett Avenue. And if you follow the sidewalk in Warren, the Palmer River stays right beside you as Main and Water streets pull you past food counters and storefront windows. In Bristol, Hope Street starts near Independence Park and keeps going through the historic district without breaking the rhythm. Across the state, the pattern repeats in different ways: one compact core, clear landmarks, and enough to do on foot to keep the car from moving.
Newport
Alongside its Gilded Age glamor and coastal comfort, Newport’s Main Street quietly supports and broadens the town’s charm. Thames Street provides all the amenities of a New England Downtown in one place, from water-side fun and historical highlights to exquisite dining and superb shopping. This comfortably walkable Main Street lies East of King Park Beach, a gorgeous beach with something for the whole family, and which provides a stunning view of why Rhode Island is called the Ocean State.
With history stretching back to the 1600s, Thames Street has its roots running deep, such as its well-preserved cobblestone sections, which date back as far as the 18th century, and it has always been in a historically Irish section of Newport. As such, a good way to simultaneously experience the street’s history and a good meal is to stop in at O’Brien’s Pub, a traditional Irish Pub dating back to 1945, which offers a stout pint and both traditional Irish fare and New England classics such as Lobster Rolls. For those looking to shop, Thames Street has a wide variety of spots, many of which are family-run. Shore Soap Co. has been family-run since opening its doors in 2013 and provides a wide variety of scents, soaps, and skin-care products.
Westerly
Planted right on the border of Rhode Island and Connecticut, Westerly has an entire historic district named after its Main Street, as the area has been vital and vibrant throughout the town’s past, and still holds its own in modern times, so you can bounce from cuisine and culture to curiosities. Starting with a special supper can set a hopeful tone for a night on the town, which makes the High Hope Tavern a perfect place to start a romantic evening, while on the weekends, you can start an afternoon of fun with a hearty lunch before walking to Main Street for some fun. The High Hope serves classic New England tavern fare combined with a variety of more unique dishes, and of course, quality cocktails.
Afterwards, or perhaps before, you can walk to the nearby Babcock-Smith House Museum. Since 1972, this 18th-century Georgian mansion has given guests a look at the bedrock of Westerly’s industry, literally. With a focus on the granite industry and life within the mansion, which often included visits from famed patriot Benjamin Franklin. Finally, for those looking for fun, Westerly’s main street isn’t too far from the oldest continually operating carousel in the US, the Watch Hill Carousel. The carousel’s mysterious origins don’t stop it from being a fun ride.
Bristol
Home to, reportedly, the oldest 4th of July traditions in the country, Bristol’s history comes alive throughout this coastal charmer southeast of Providence, especially in Bristol’s main thoroughfare, Hope Street. Instead of yellow lines, Hope Street’s lines are painted red, white, and blue, making for not only patriotic parking but also showing that Hope Street will take visitors on a tour of Bristol’s past. A prime place to start is on the southern end of the street with a visit to the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Built to celebrate the shipbuilding company housed in Bristol and the family who founded it, the museum not only has an extensive campus, but it also has a collection of artifacts and models of the various ships built by the company.
Further down the road and a little outside of Bristol, another historical highlight is Blithewold Manor, a restored summer estate with a breathtaking view of Narragansett Bay. Visitors can stroll around the gardens and arboreum on the 33-acre estate and tour the over forty rooms in the mansion to see how the wealthy lived in the late 19th century. And once you’ve worked up an appetite for the ages, you can buzz on to the Beehive Café just off Hope Street and enjoy their freshly-made fare.
Narragansett
With a population that doubles in the summer months, the summertime refuge of Narragansett has so many excellent streets it’s hard to narrow down just one, but the Boston Neck Road, which runs through Narragansett and all the way South to Point Judith, proves to be a vital vein for any visitors. Countless culinary charms cover the Boston Neck Road, but one of the best places to enjoy a seaside view with your seafood is Twin Willows. This Family-owned restaurant has been serving fresh seafood since 1984, and the family-friendly atmosphere makes it perfect for fueling up.
Once your stomach is full, you can feast your eyes on the shoreline at Narragansett Town Beach. As classic a New England beach as they come, Town Beach is both central in Narragansett and easily accessible from the Boston Neck Road, so you can take in the gorgeous views while enjoying the sun and surf. For those who want to experience some of the region’s history, The Towers are located towards the Narragansett Piers area of town. Once a part of the Narragansett pier casino, these towers survived the terrible fire of 1900, which destroyed much of the famed resort, and in fact have survived many calamities, serving today as both a symbol of resilience and, now restored, a glimpse at yesteryear.
Little Compton
Some small towns, such as southern Rhode Island’s Little Compton, predate Main Streets, and so their Commons serve as their heart. Dating back to the town’s settlement in the 1600s, many of the original buildings remain, such as the United Congregational Church of Little Compton. Built with the timbers of the original church in 1724, and while it has been renovated several times, it has continued service for over three hundred years. Other historical landmarks are a bit more down-to-earth, such as the Rhode Island Red Monument. This unique monument commemorates Little Compton’s poultry-based past and its citizens’ contributions to breeding a vital species of chicken, the Rhode Island Red. Agricultural and historical tourists will find this an amusing addition to their trip. In addition to the poultry industry, Little Compton also has a special place in another industry, as its Sakonnet Vineyard is the oldest vineyard in New England. Open to the public in the latter part of the week, you can tour the more than twenty acres of this over fifty-year-old vineyard.
Jamestown
Spread along its own personal portion of Rhode Island, Jamestown is encapsulated on Conanicut Island in Narragansett Bay, giving its main street its name. Jamestown’s Narragansett Avenue is a center for shopping, food, and fun on this gorgeous island, and offers visitors a great starting point for experiencing Jamestown, as it bisects the downtown area. You can start your exploration right after stepping off the ferry and having brunch at 1 Ferry Wharf. With excellent views of the bay and food to match, 1 Ferry Wharf is the perfect place to start or end a trip to Jamestown. On the Avenue, there’s plenty to keep you entertained, especially at the Conanicut Gift Shop & Arcade. With more than twenty radical video games, candy, puzzles, and Jamestown souvenirs, families will especially enjoy this avenue attraction. After you’ve shopped and played until you’ve almost dropped, local hotspot The Narragansett Café opens at noon and closes at midnight. Better known to locals as “The Ganny,” their classic tavern and bar menu is available during any afternoon or evening excursions.
East Greenwich
Roughly twenty miles from Providence, East Greenwich is a comfortable destination for those seeking something special, and its main street proves a perfect spot to find something unique. East Greenwich’s main street runs alongside Greenwich Cove, giving it a comfortable, cozy feel that helps highlight its unique, quirkier locations. For instance, Third Rock Emporium is the premier rock and crystal shop of the Ocean State. Offering both rawer pieces, such as fossils and crystals, and worked stone, such as statues and carvings, the Third Rock is the perfect spot to spend an afternoon.
Travelers who always have their four-legged friends with them will find something for everyone at Bone Appetit, an eco-friendly pet food store that offers healthy food, treats, toys, and more, perfect to keep Fido and Fluffy happy during your travels. In East Greenwich, Main Street’s fun doesn’t end when the street signs change, either. Following it north will eventually bring you to the turn to reach Clouds Hill, a restored 19th-century Victorian house which was opened to the public in 2000. Visitors can immerse themselves in the history of the house and the attached carriage museum, which has over a dozen carriages from a variety of time periods.
Regardless of whether your trip is one day or a dozen, a fun Main Street is often one of the first places to check for when planning a trip, but with its bounty of options, especially in the small towns that sparkle across the US and in New England. Luckily, Rhode Island makes planning your next trip as simple as beelining to the Ocean State, then following your feet. If you want a day of shopping and fun somewhere fresh and new, a day experiencing something unique and rooted in history, or just something quirky and colorful, the main streets of Rhode Island stand out like few others.
