Getting out and about Small in size, Rhode Island is rich in places to play outdoors By Nicole Dionne
	Rookies' Guide 2003 Getting out and about Small in size, Rhode Island is rich in places to play outdoors By Nicole Dionne Dig this A hipster’s guide to Providence By Jessica Grose The real deal Providence has more than its share of places for irony-free fun By Alex Provan Outside Providence A bevy of culinary and cultural viastas beckons beyond the capital BY Johnette Rodriguez

ALTHOUGH Rhode Island is the smallest of the 50 states, it boasts hundreds of miles of coastline and a heavy concentration of woodlands. These natural attributes can be easily forgotten while surrounded by the concrete, brick, and glass structures of Providence. But Rhode Island offers so much to do outside, and the best part is that it’s all so close by. Even if you live in the city, you can drive for 15 minutes and feel like you’re in a different world. What you decide to do all depends on your interests.

If exercise is your thing, Blackstone Boulevard on Providence’s East Side is about a mile-and-a-half long, and it’s a fine place to run, bike, or walk off excess stress. Although it’s in the city, the median dirt path, surrounded by towering trees, makes it a soothing place to walk. However, if you’re feeling even more athletic and want some concrete, the East Bay Bike Path, a great place for cycling and skating, extends 14.5 miles from Providence to Bristol and links eight parks (India Point Park in Providence; Bold Point and Squantum Woods in East Providence; Haines and Veteran’s Memorial Park in Barrington; Burr Hill Park in Warren; and Colt State and Independence Parks in Bristol). The bike path offers amazing views of some of these sites.

At the start of the path in Providence, sea roses grow wildly, while Narragansett Bay sits on one side and swans and ducks can be seen swimming in a pond on the other. Once in Warren, egrets can be seen, usually closer to evening. Although the bike traffic is heavy at times, the atmosphere is still much better than on a congested road. For more information, visit www.riparks.com/eastbay.htm

If hiking through the woods is your idea of a good time, the Cumberland Monastery is a great choice. It was once the site of a Cistercian Monastery called Our Lady of the Strict Observance (sounds fun, huh?). In 1900, the monks bought 530 acres from the Town of Cumberland after a fire had destroyed their abbey in Nova Scotia eight years earlier. The monks lived in Cumberland until 1950, when another fire destroyed their guesthouse and church. The Town of Cumberland now owns the property and people go there to hike on the trails, fly kites, play with their dogs, and picnic on the lush grass. The Cumberland Public Library sits where the monastery once was. Along with having a rich history, the monastery site is rumored to be haunted. A monk’s ghost is said to wander the library, moving books. A phantom horse rider is said to "come upon you out of nowhere" in the nearby woods. The ghost of a child has also reportedly been seen running near the swamp area and through the back trails. The monastery is located at 1464 Diamond Hill Road, Cumberland. For information, call (401) 728-2400.

Other options for more challenging hiking are the Norman Bird Sanctuary and Joe’s Rock. The Norman Bird Sanctuary, in Middletown, is a 450-acre wildlife refuge with more than seven miles of hiking trails. The sanctuary was established in 1949 when Mabel Norman stipulated that her farm be preserved as a wildlife refuge and remain open to the public. A nonprofit group, the Friends of the Norman Bird Sanctuary, owns the sanctuary. There are 11 trails, the most popular of which is Hanging Rock Trail, which overlooks the ocean, Gardiner’s Pond, and marshlands. Walking through the sanctuary, it’s almost impossible, unless you’re an avid nature hater, to not be awed by the strong scent of the woods and the utter lack of noise pollution. Every Sunday, from 8-9 a.m., the sanctuary offers a free, guided bird walk. The Norman Bird Sanctuary is located at 583 Third Beach Road, Middletown. For more information visit www.normanbirdsanctuary.org or call (401) 846-2577.

Joe’s Rock is equally impressive. It’s located right outside of Woonsocket, on Cumberland Road in Wrentham, Massachusetts, and is a cool place to hike, rock climb, or just take in the view. With an elevation of 267 feet, it overlooks what was once a cranberry bog, and it’s in such a great location that at dusk you can see the skylines of both Providence and Boston. A common story is that Joe’s was named for a Native American who jumped to his death from the cliff because settlers murdered his lover. However, it was actually named for Joe Grant, who once owned the land. The parking lot was once the site of a house owned by a lion tamer for Ringling Brothers. Lions were kept on the premises and occasionally escaped. The house burned down in 1970 and arson was suspected.

Rhode Island also has a slew of great parks. One of the best is Colt State Park in Bristol. It was originally owned by Colonel Samuel Colt, who believed that the public should enjoy his farm. He even had engraved at the main entrance, "Colt Farm, Private Property, Public Welcome." Before he died in 1921, he left the farm to be run with the condition that it would remain open to the public and not be sold until the death of all but one of his grandchildren. In 1957, the will was almost broken when the heirs went to court because they wanted to sell the land for upper class residential housing. It didn’t happen because one of Colt’s grandchildren decided she didn’t want it sold and the judge respected her wishes. The state purchased the land for a park in 1965 and continued Samuel Colt’s tradition of keeping it publicly available. The western border of the park runs along Narragansett Bay and offers a terrific view of the water. The park has four miles of bike trails, more than 400 picnic tables, and 10 playing fields, as well as an open air "Chapel by the Sea." It’s a great place for a big picnic or just a small outing. For info, call (401) 253-7482, or visit www.riparks.com/colt.htm

If all of this going outside and enjoying nature’s beauty seems a little taxing, you can always just relax, drink a beer, and watch a baseball game at McCoy Stadium in Pawtucket. It’s the home of the Pawtucket Red Sox, the top minor league team of the Boston Red Sox, and decent seats can be had for $5 — as opposed to $20 for bleacher seats at Fenway. Built in 1942, McCoy Stadium was renovated in 1999. It holds the record for the longest game ever played — a 1981 game lasted 33 innings and was played over three days (the PawSox won, 3-2, against the Rochester Red Wings). For a schedule, go to www.pawsox.com or call (401) 724-7300.

Another place where there’s more to do than just appreciating the outdoors is Roger Williams Park and Zoo in Providence. It gets its name from the founder of Rhode Island. Roger Williams founded Rhode Island after being banished from Massachusetts for such radical ideas as believing that land should be bought, rather than taken, from Native Americans. In 1871, his great-great-granddaughter gave her 102-acre farm to the City of Providence for use by the public. In 1872, it became home to the third zoo in the country when raccoons, guinea pigs, white mice, squirrels, rabbits, hawks, peacocks, and anteaters were put on display. It now boasts more than 1000 animals and 139 different species.

The zoo is Rhode Island’s number one outdoor tourist attraction, with attendance from 650,000 people during the past year. Aside from the zoo, the park also offers many other interesting things to do. On the lake, you can rent paddleboats, canoes, and kayaks, or take an electric boat tour. There is a carousel on the grounds, a planetarium, a museum of natural history, or you can just wander through the botanical gardens and greenhouses. For more information visit www.rogerwilliamsparkzoo.org or call (401) 785-3510. Roger Williams Park and Zoo is located at 1000 Elmwood Avenue in Providence.

Don’t forget that Rhode Island is the Ocean State. With 40 public beaches, choosing one just depends on what you’re looking for. Salty Brine Beach in Narragansett has great places to eat and shop, while beaches in towns like Little Compton get charm from being farther removed from the outside world. Whatever you decide, the crisp, salty smell of the ocean and the feeling of gritty sand between your toes is guaranteed to make you feel a little more carefree. For descriptions and locations of Rhode Island’s beaches go to www.visitrhodeisland.com/recreation/beaches.html

What about winter? Let’s face it — winters here can be less than pleasant and staying warm in the house can seem like a good option. But we actually do have some skiing in this flat state. Yawgoo Valley in Exeter has many great ski trails as well as a snow-tubing park. We have to deal with all of that messy white stuff anyway, so we might as well have some fun in it. Visit www.yawgoo.com or call (401) 294-3802.

So it turns out that Little Rhody offers a veritable treasure trove of outdoor pursuits. We really have the best of both worlds — an exciting capital city and peaceful natural settings within an easy drive.

When not researching nature articles, Phoenix intern Nicole Dionne can be found indoors with a book.