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Cities and Towns
Home » Rhode Island » Rhode Island Overview and History » Cities and TownsLocated in the southeastern corner of New England, Rhode Island consists of 39 cities and towns and five counties. Rhode Island offers it all, urban areas such as Providence, suburbs such as Portsmouth, seaside communities such as Newport, and many rural areas.
The following is a brief look at some of the cities and towns in Rhode Island:
• Providence – The third largest city in New England, Providence was founded in 1635 by Roger Williams as a refuge from the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay Colony. Providence, the capital of Rhode Island, is home to Brown University, the Rhode Island School of Design, and Johnson and Wales University Culinary Institute. Providence is well known for its historic and cultural attractions such as the Mile of History, Federal Hill, and Little Italy.
• Newport – Located thirty miles south of Providence, Newport is called the City by the Bay. The city was founded in 1639 as a commercial seaport. Many colonial landmarks have been preserved and you will find Newport still has a colonial feel to it. With a hundred years of America’s Cup yacht racing taking place in Newport, it has become known as the Sailing Capital of America. You will find beautiful beaches, waterfront shops, restaurants, and activities in Newport. The country’s leading socialites summered in Newport at one time. Many of those summer cottages are open for public touring as well as many of the Gilded Age mansions which were at one time home to the likes of the Vanderbilt’s and the Astor’s. Newport has year-round festivals such as the Jazz Festival, and Harvest-by-the-Sea. Newport is also home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum where some of the greatest tennis players of all times have played and are enshrined.
• Bristol - A beautiful waterfront town surrounded by Mount Hope Bay and the Narragansett Bay. Bristol is known as the most patriotic town in American because of its huge Fourth of July celebration each year. Bristol is home to several museums, such as the America’s Cup Hall of Fame, Bristol Art Museum, and the Herreshoff Marine Museum. The many seaside bistros, restaurants, and shops in Bristol bring countless tourists each year.
• Warwick – Centrally located, Warwick is the second largest city in Rhode Island. The city is comprised of 30 villages and has 39 miles of beautiful coastline with several beaches and two historic lighthouses. The streets are lined with historic homes, restaurants, and shops galore. There are historic walking tours and an annual month long celebration called Gaspee Days in which there is a recreation of the Rhode Island patriots capturing the H.M.S. Gaspee.
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