Rhode Island, a state is so small, that I can open my window and wave at any citizen I want. We Rhode Islanders (pronounced Rho-DIEland) are a proud and eclectic mix, and we can hold our heads high knowing that in 2016 that 54.4% of us voted for Hillary Clinton.
Neato Facts about Rhode Island
- We have a Roger Federer hologram at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. 360 degrees of swoon. We also have the shoes Roger wore at 2012 Wimbledon on display in the ITHF museum. Spoiler alert, Roger has very big feet.
- Rhode Island is nothing but complex on the senses. We have the best tasting oysters on the planet, and we have the worst accent known to man. The Providence area — and more specifically the Cranston area — accent sounds like a South Boston accent with a lingering sinus infection. It’s very New England and very nasal. “Can I tehk to your mannnageh?!” Rhode Island…easy on the tongue, hard on the ears.
- We don’t drink milkshakes; we drink Awful Awfuls. Unless we are in Warren, RI, and then we drink cabinets. In love with dairy, the state drink is coffee milk. Our state body fluid is mucous.
- Corrupt Providence politics is the subject of one of the best podcasts of all time, Crimetown Season 1.
- With Governor Gina Raimondo’s signature in June, Rhode Island codified Roe v Wade for the women of our state.
- CVS is headquartered in Woonsocket. Long-ass sales receipts were born here.
Why Are We the Ocean State?
This one is easy. Rhode Island has nearly 400 miles of coastline. Save this tidbit in case you need it for your next round of bar trivia.
Where to Visit
Now is the perfect time to visit Newport because all the WASPs-from-Connecticut-who-went-to-Choate have gone back home. At the tip of Aquidneck Island, Newport was founded in 1639 (that’s very old for America) and has the oldest operating restaurant in America, The White Horse Tavern. Benedict Arnold was the first governor of our old colony town, and the former mayor of Newport, Dennis Shea, used to live in my house. Cool history is everywhere! (Don’t come to my house).
We have Gilded Age mansions — aka monuments to capitalistic greed — filled with treasure. We have Ghost Tours, and we have a vineyard. We have sailboats available for rent and goat yoga. And if you come visit and don’t let me take you out for a French pear martini with my favorite bartender, Maurice, at The Chanler at Cliff Walk, I will be bereft.
Take a RHODE TRIP to Rhode Island! And just in time for Halloween, Rhode Island is celebrating Boos & Brews, with mid-week Halloween-inspired attractions along with local beer events and Midweek hotel deals.
All photos courtesy of Discover Newport.
