Rhode Island fall foliage looses a wash of colored leaves
With its wonderful seaside communities and views, Rhode Island is justly known as the Ocean State. But the small state also has many wooded and forested areas that ripen to beautiful colors in foliage season. Try a drive along Ocean Drive in Newport, through South County, or northwest of Providence toward the historic Blackstone Valley.Use the New England Foliage Map to determine where and when you are likely to see the best foliage. Once foliage season begins the Foliage Reports will be regularly updated.
Blackstone Valley Region
Gloucester Loop
-- Ride along country roads, dotted with farms and picturesque apple orchards.
¡ö Take Exit 7 off of I-295 and travel on Route 44 West
¡ö Pass through Chepachet and stay on Route 44 to the hamlet of West Gloucester
¡ö Turn left onto Route 94 South
¡ö Travel through the other small hamlets of North Foster and Foster Center
¡ö Route 94 ends at Route 14; turn left
¡ö Follow Route 14 through Scituate; at Route 116 turn left to travel northbound
¡ö When you reach Route 44 turn right and return to I-295
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Foster -- Things Made Wonderful Country Store, 114 Danielson Pike. 401-647-7555
♦ Chepachet -- Purple Cat Restaurant, 4 Stafford Yard, 401-568-7161
♦ Scituate ¨C Scituate Art Festival, always on Columbus Day weekend.
Newport Region
Ocean Drive in Newport
Conanicut Island-- This winding drive that offers fantastic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Fort Adams State Park. Tip: If you are making the drive on sunny afternoon travel Ocean Drive beginning at the Fort Adams end to avoid glare from a setting sun.
¡ö Enter Newport, located on Aquidneck Island, by taking Route 138 East across the Jamestown Verrazano Bridge, across Jamestown Island, and then across the Claiborne Pell (Newport) Bridge into Newport
¡ö Exit the bridge to the right. Follow Farewell Street to America's Cup Avenue through the downtown
¡ö America's Cup Avenue turns into Thames Street and Thames Street turns into Carroll Avenue
¡ö At the end of Carroll Avenue, turn right onto Ocean Drive (or follow signs)
¡ö Ocean Avenue loops around the perimeter of the tip of the island, returning to rejoin Thames Street
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Newport ¨C Cliff Walk, starting at Memorial Boulevard
♦ Newport ¨C Fort Adams State Park, 1 Lincoln Drive, 401-841-0707
♦ Newport -- Newport Exploration Center, Easton's Beach, 175 Memorial Blvd., 401-849-8430
Conanicut Island (also called Jamestown Island)
-- Driving the roads of this island town will provide spectacular scenery of Narragansett Bay, rolling fields, historic homes and the quaint village center in Jamestown. Enjoy meandering and don't worry about getting lost.
¡ö Enter Jamestown, located on Conanicut Island, by taking Route 138 East across the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge.
¡ö Take the first exit off Route 138 after entering the island. Turn right. A series of roads loops around the perimeter of the entire island: North Road to Southwest Avenue to Hamilton Avenue to Walcott Avenue to Conanicus Avenue to East Shore Road to Summit Avenue to North Main Road.
¡ö Side trip: at the end of Southwest Avenue, take Beavertail Road to Beavertail State Park, located on a spur of land southwest of the main body of the island.
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Jamestown ¨C Beavertail State Park, Beavertail Road, 401-884-2010
♦ Jamestown ¨C Watson Farm, 455 North Road, 401-423-0005
♦ in Narragansett Bay -- Rose Island Lighthouse, 401-847-4242
Providence Region
Goddard Park in Warwick/East Greenwich
-- Goddard Park, a local favorite surrounded by miles of beautiful stone walls, has miles of woodsy horse trails, open fields with large old trees, a beach and nine-hole golf course.
¡ö From I-95 take Exit 8 to Route 2 South
¡ö At the first set of lights turn left onto Route 401 and take 2.5 miles into the village of East Greenwich
¡ö Turn right onto Route 1 South. At next light turn left onto Forge Road
¡ö Goddard Park comes up on left behind the very long stone wall. Entrance is at the far end of the wall
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Warwick -- Goddard Memorial State Park, 1095 Ives Road, 401-884-2010
Scituate Loop
-- This drive will take you around portions of the Scituate Reservoir, the pristine water source for much of Rhode Island. Access to the shoreline and water is not allowed.
¡ö From I-295 take Exit 4 to Route 14 West.
¡ö Go through the intersection with Route 116. You will pass over part of the reservoir and then into the pretty town of Scituate
¡ö Continue on Route 14 out of town and then turn left onto Route 12. This will take you across the Hope Dam.
¡ö At Route 116 turn left, traveling north. At Route 14 turn right and retrace your drive back to I-295.
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Scituate ¨C Scituate Art Festival, always on Columbus Day weekend
♦ Cranston ¨C Pippin Orchard, 1199 Pippin Orchard Road, 401-828-0358
South County Region
Route 3 Through West-Central Rhode Island
-- A quiet drive through many pretty, small towns
¡ö Route 3 parallels I-95 from Exit 1 to Exit 6. Traveling north on I-95 take Exit 1 just after you cross into Rhode Island from Connecticut
¡ö Get on Route 3 North in Hopkinton. You'll drive through the little village of Hopkinton with its old country store and then on to Hope Valley
¡ö At a traffic light in Hope Valley Route 3 forks to the left, and Route 138 to Newport goes to the right. Bear left, staying on Route 3. Pass the State Police barracks and travel under the interstate
¡ö Stay on Route 3 as you travel through Exeter and West Greenwich
¡ö After you pass a big field and cemetery on the left and travel down hill you will see an elevated I-95 running parallel on your left. You can soon rejoin I-95 at Exit 6
Route 1A Along the Rhode Island Coastline
-- Route 1A is a delightful, scenic diversion from US Route 1. The road meanders along the coves and inlets, affording riders with views of water and the countryside. It is accessible from Route 1 at several points in South County. The following directions begin in Westerly, at the state's extreme southwestern corner.
¡ö Get to Westerly by taking I-95 (northbound or southbound) to exit 92 in Connecticut.
Follow Route 2 south of West Broad Street in Pawcatuck, Connecticut
¡ö Turn left onto Broad Street and cross the Pawcatuck River and you will be in downtown Westerly
¡ö Follow signs for Route 1A through Westerly, and along the shoreline, traveling through communities and towns, including Misquamicut, Charlestown, Wakefield, Narragansett, Saunderstown, and into Wickford
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Westerly ¨C Misquamicut Beach
♦ Charlestown ¨C Burlingame State Park, 401-322-7994 or 401-322-7337
♦ Charlestown ¨C Ninigret Pond
♦ Charlestown -- Fantastic Umbrella Factory, 4820 Old Post Road, 401-364-6616
Route 138 Through Hope Valley and North Kingstown
-- This route will take you past scenic farmland and the historic site of the University of Rhode Island.
¡ö Take I-95 to Exit 3. Follow Route 138 East to Route 1 in Narragansett
¡ö Also possible to stay on Route 138 eastbound and cross the Jamestown-Verrazano Bridge into Jamestown and the Claiborne Pell (Newport) Bridge into Newport
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Kingston ¨C University of Rhode Island, Route 138, 401-874-1000.