“Thanks for sharing all this stuff. Most of us just load the map and go from Point A to Point B as fast as possible.”
I wanted to open this post by sharing a message from a reader. Aside from the nice sentiment, it captures exactly what this blog is all about. My wife and I rarely just get in the car and drive to our destination. Rather, we explore, seeing where the roads less traveled take us. Along the way, that curiosity has allowed us to see some really interesting sites (world’s largest duck? check), meet new people, and gain an appreciation for what exists when you exit the interstate and see this nation through its small towns, county roads, and natural vistas.
My wife and I were registered to attend the same professional conference in Providence, Rhode Island recently. If ever there was a reason to drive from Point A to Point B, it would be this: head to Rhode Island, attend the conference, and come home. But anyone who has ever read this blog will know that is simply not our style. Instead, we added in a detour to a boat cruise to see nine lighthouses in an afternoon. Throw in an exploration of the restaurants of Providence, along with the discovery of a cool donut shop, and we have the recipe for another adventure!
Let’s begin:
The Lighthouses of Providence
Lesson from a lifelong Northeasterner: map estimates are always wildly over-optimistic compared to actual travel times from New Jersey to New England.Seeking to minimize the amount of traffic we needed to fight, we started our trip after dinner on Monday night. By the time we left, rush hour was over and we had relatively smooth sailing.As we made our way along I-95 in Connecticut we encountered mercifully little traffic.Rather than completing the entire drive in one day we decided to spend the night at a Hampton Inn near New Haven. The hotel was clean, close to the highway, and most importantly for our morning departure, only a block away from a Starbucks.After a boring (in a good way) drive to Rhode Island the next morning, we stopped for an early lunch at Jitters Cafe in North Kingstown. In addition to coffee and baked goods, the cafe also sells salads and deli sandwiches.We ordered sandwiches (my wife’s was served on a gluten free bun) and chips. Although I wasn’t in the mood for coffee, my wife thoroughly enjoyed an almond milk cappuccino. Jitters was a nice stop on the way to our next destination!We arrived at the Quonset Point ferry terminal for a special afternoon adventure. After parking the TLX with a view of Narragansett Bay, we headed to the terminal to check in. It was so dark and gloomy when we arrived that we checked with the staff to make sure the tour had not been cancelled.The Rhode Island Fast Ferry offers daily tours of the lighthouses that dot Narragansett Bay, along with an exploration of Newport Harbor. The tour is fast-paced, as the entire bay is explored in 90 minutes.After a painless boarding process, we were heading out to sea (well… the bay). Despite gray skies and a forecast of storms, the rain held off for the entirety of our trip.Our first stop was Poplar Point Lighthouse. Built in 1831, it’s the oldest lighthouse in Rhode Island still in its original location. It’s also the oldest wooden lighthouse in the US. Decommissioned in the late 19th century, the lighthouse is now privately owned (via Wikipedia).Next up was Plum Beach Light. Built in 1899, this spark plug lighthouse fell into disrepair after being decommissioned in 1941. A private group purchased the lighthouse and restored it in the early 2000s. It is currently active and the US Coast Guard lists it as a private aid to navigation (via Wikipedia).A small island further down Narragansett Bay holds Dutch Island Light. Built in 1857, this lighthouse is operated by the Dutch Island Lighthouse Society, which is responsible for the operation and upkeep of the light (via Wikipedia).Built in 1856, Beavertail Lighthouse sits at the entrance to Narragansett Bay. Like every other lighthouse on the bay, it is overseen by a private organization.One of the iconic lighthouses of Rhode Island is Castle Hill Light. Located in Newport, it’s one of the most-photographed locations in the state, and is frequently the backdrop for wedding photography. It was built in 1890 and remains an active navigation aid along Narragansett Bay’s rocky shores (via Wikipedia).I can see why Castle Hill Light is the most-photographed lighthouse in the bay!Castle Hill Light was built by Harvard professor Alexander Agassiz in the late 19th century. His mansion is now the Castle Hill Inn. Interested in reserving this charming spot for your wedding? It can be yours for a mere $50,000 – $100,000, depending on which day you choose for your big event.Clingstone, a house built atop a small rocky island in Narragansett Bay, has sat in this location since 1905. Built by J.S. Lovering Wharton, the house has remained in the Wharton family to this day. Clingstone is available as a rental for $8,000 – $10,000 per week. Given the prices of vacation rentals at the Jersey shore, neither my wife nor I thought the cost was extraordinary, especially with its spectacular location and view. The only downside? Forget about trying to rent it via VRBO or AirBNB. You’ll only get access if you know the owner.Perhaps my favorite story from the trip is that of Ida Lewis Rock Light. Originally named Lime Rock Lighthouse, it was tended beginning in 1857 by James Stockbridge Lewis and his family. His eldest daughter Ida Lewis assumed many of the duties when he suffered a stroke. She became the sole lighthouse keeper from 1879-1911 and was involved in numerous rescues of stricken ships along the bay. In 54 years of service, she saved the lives of at least 18 sailors. The lighthouse was renamed in her honor in 1924, 13 years after her passing (via Wikipedia).Newport Harbor is a prime location for yachts during the summer months. Boats from all across the world converge on Newport. During our cruise, I lost track of the number of yachts we saw.Some yachts are available for chartering. Budget a cool $100,000 per week and the boat will come equipped with a crew and personal chef. Makes my dream of renting Clingstone seem positively affordable!IndyCar team owner Roger Penske’s yacht felt as big as a US Navy destroyer.Newport Harbor Light (sometimes called Goat Island Light) was built in 1842 to warn ships of a nearby reef. Like the other lighthouses on the bay, it is now managed by a private organization (via Wikipedia).Perhaps my favorite lighthouse of the tour was Rose Island Light. Built in 1870, it is now managed by the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation. Fun fact – for a fee, you can stay at the lighthouse and perform the chores of a 19th century lighthouse keeper (via Wikipedia).Our last lighthouse was Conanicut Island Light. Built in 1886, it is now a private residence (via Wikipedia). Our tour was excellent, and the tour guide was terrific. A retired TV news reporter, he spoke for 90 minutes without checking any notes and seemed to truly love sharing information about Narraganset Bay.As we stepped off the ship the rain, which had held off for our entire journey, began to fall. We got to the car and headed north toward Providence. Along the way, we drove by the massive General Dynamics Electric Boat assembly yards where nuclear submarines for the US Navy are constructed.About 45 minutes later we had checked into our hotel, stashed the Acura in a nearby parking garage, and settled into our room at The Graduate. Formerly the Biltmore Hotel, longtime readers might recognize this lobby from when we attended a wedding in Providence a few years ago.Not a bad view! A hotel like The Graduate would typically be a bit outside of our price range, but the conference organizers negotiated a fantastic rate so we settled into a luxurious double-king suite. It was quite lovely!
Eating Our Way Through Providence
Being in all-day conference sessions meant that opportunities to explore the city were few and far between. Instead, we decided to explore Providence’s restaurant scene at lunchtime and dinner. Side note: I attended college and graduate school in the Boston area, and I regret not coming down to Providence more often. It’s a cool city.In the mood for Mexican? We tried Viva Mexico Cantina and Grill, located only a few blocks from our hotel.A family-owned business, Viva Mexico has been serving home-style Mexican cooking for over 4 decades. As the menu notes, nearly every dish served is gluten free.Both my wife and I had tacos (she had shrimp, I had carnitas). The refried beans and rice were both outstanding as well. A friend from the conference joined us and had the vegetarian fajitas, which looked and smelled amazing. An excellent meal!Our next stop of note was to The Malted Barley, a pub that makes all of its food from scratch.I don’t drink much soda anymore, but I’ve heard good things about Yacht Club which bills itself as “the official soda of Rhode Island.” I tried the “Yacht Up,” which tasted like Sprite but far better. I’m now a fan.As the kitchen makes all the food from scratch, wait times can be a little long. Fortunately, the restaurant has a number of games you can borrow while you wait. My wife and I got in a spirited round of Bananagrams before the food arrived.The Malted Barley serves their sandwiches on soft pretzels (available regular or gluten free). While I had the Cali (roasted chicken, tomato, avocado, mixed greens and chipotle aioli), my wife indulged in the monthly special – BBQ pulled pork on a gluten-free pretzel. The meal was excellent!We were in the mood for Italian and so for dinner one night tried Massimo, an Italian restaurant in the Federal Hill section of Providence.Massimo offers an entirely separate gluten-free menu.My wife and I went to Massimo with some colleagues from the conference, and we started with an order of gluten free calamari for the table. It was absolutely excellent!My wife loved her order of chicken parmigiana with gluten free pasta, while I thoroughly enjoyed my short rib gnocchi. Everyone at our table enjoyed the meal – I would highly recommend Massimo if you are visiting Providence!After dinner, we all took a little stroll through Federal Hill for some dessert.Our destination? Pastiche Fine Desserts, a Providence institution for over 40 years.Pastiche reminded me of some bakeries I visited when I traveled through Europe in my 20s.While I had a blondie (delicious!) my wife ordered a slice of flourless chocolate cake which was simply divine. Pastiche earns an Open Road Ahead score of two thumbs up!Federal Hill is a beautiful section of Providence – I would highly encourage a visit if you are in town.Our favorite coffee break was definitely Bitty & Beau’s! We visited another location in Bethlehem and fell in love with the place, and the one in Providence is equally as good. Bitty & Beau’s employs individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.While the shop’s mission is excellent, so too is their coffee! We fueled up with two iced lattes, and the barista knew exactly the right message for me that day!One day my wife had a conference session that ran through lunch so I went off to explore Track 15, a food hall in what was once Union Station. Since opening in 2025, Track 15 has been immensely popular, and is always busy.I opted to get lunch at Dolores, a family-run Mexican eatery. I sampled the chicken quesadilla (served on a hard tortilla) which was absolutely fantastic.Our best meal in the city, however, was at Bayberry Garden. The restaurant offers New England flavors through locally sourced produce, meats, and seafood.We arrived at 5:30 pm and were seated in a quiet section of the restaurant (by the time we left, however, there were no empty tables available). Our server was excellent and talked us through the menu, including helping us to choose items that met our dietary needs. She also helped us select wines that paired well with our meal.Rather than order entrees, we ate our way through several small plates and appetizers. We began with an order of oysters and shrimp cocktail. Both were out of this world!After eating our way through a yellowfin tuna crudo, an order of mushroom fritto misto, and smoked whitefish hush puppies, we finished with a cucumber and greens salad. It was an excellent meal!We treated ourself to a raspberry sorbet and chocolate mousse dessert, which was a lovely way to mark the end of the conference. The food was fresh and delicious, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was perfect. If you are in Providence, Bayberry Garden is a must-visit spot.On our last morning in Providence, we met up with our friend Kathryn for brunch at Nick’s on Broadway, an upscale comfort food eatery in the Federal Hill neighborhood.Kathryn had given us a list of gluten-free-friendly restaurants before we came to Providence, and many of those establishments appeared in this blog post. Nick’s was also on the list, and my wife absolutely loved her gluten-free eggs benedict.My dish was the “Special Plus,” which has eggs, potatoes, and chicken sausage (made fresh), along with a country biscuit that was maybe the most amazing breakfast carbohydrate I have ever eaten. It’s good I don’t live any closer to Nick’s because I’d come back every day for the biscuit.Longtime readers might recognize Kathryn’s Honda Accord – it’s been featured on this blog previously as a member of the Quarter Million Mile Club!Her Accord is now at 261,000 miles – 270,000 is right around the corner!After criss-crossing the backroads of Rhode Island and eastern Connecticut, we made a quick pitstop for coffee and snacks at Branford Beach Donut.In addition to excellent coffees, the shop offers an array of donuts, including ones that are gluten-free (and are kept in their own individual containers to minimize cross-contamination). The coffee was great, the donuts were delicious, and soon we were on our way!We needed the sustenance because we battled seemingly endless, mind-numbing, absolutely horrific traffic through most of I-95 in Connecticut. Once we crossed into New Jersey, I asked my wife if I could pull over so I could kiss the ground.After many, many hours of fighting traffic, we were finally home. How bad was the drive? My fuel economy for my 600+ mile round trip dropped from 33.1 miles per gallon to 30.9 in the course of an afternoon. Ah, well, at least we were home, and the Acura brought us back in comfort and ease. 80,000 miles is right around the corner!
Wrapping Up
If you are in the Ocean State, the Rhode Island Fast Ferry lighthouse tour is definitely worth the money. Beside enjoying a relaxing tour of Narragansett Bay, you’ll also learn a lot about Rhode Island history. After you disembark, please head up to Providence to sample the vibrant restaurant scene! It’s a cool city and well worth a visit.
And thanks, as always, for joining us on another journey down the open road ahead.
Looks like a fantastic tour. The hotel looks amazing! I think I got fat just from reading about all of your meals from the trip.
Glad you enjoyed the post – sounds like I’ll have to go do a big hike to burn off those calories… maybe a mountain climb? 🤣