There’s a lot to see in do in the Ocean State, but some activities really stand the test of time. Read our picks for the best classic attractions in Rhode Island.
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHT – BEST FAMILY FUN
SPRING LAKE ARCADE, Glendale (1931)
Bring all of your spare change. America’s oldest penny arcade really has penny, nickel, and dime machines—mechanical precursors to today’s electronic video games, which you can pump with quarters. You’ll keep gravitating back to the low-tech yet super clever challenges devised by the nerds of the 1900s. There’s also a lakeside beach right outside. Beach admission: $5.
52 Old Hillside Drive. 401-568-8288;
springlakearcade.com
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHT – BEST ITALIAN LIKE GRANDMA MADE
ANGELO’S CIVITA FARNESE, Providence (1924)
Fried peppers, antipasto, tripe, braciola, meatballs and gravy: There’s a section of the menu at this Federal Hill institution that’s unchanged since 1924, when Angelo Mastrodicasa opened a restaurant to sustain his hardworking fellow immigrants. Veal and peppers simmer for four hours until they’re as tender as the moments when grandson Bob Antignano hears a tearful customer say, “You brought my grandmother back to life.” Entrées from: $5.25.
141 Atwells Ave. 401-621-8171;
angelosri.com
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHT – BEST VIEWS
THE CLIFF WALK, Newport (1880)
New England’s most celebrated seaside pathway, a 3.5-mile trail that threads between Gilded Age mansions and the tumbling Atlantic, received a $5.5 million upgrade in 2014. While most of the investment repaired stretches of the Cliff Walk damaged by Superstorm Sandy, funds also allowed for enhancements, including one that can make or break a romantic stroll or outing with kids: restrooms. Adopting the Parisian tradition, couples have adorned new fencing with “love locks.”
Memorial Blvd. & Eustis Ave.
visitrhodeisland.com
HISTORIC HIGHLIGHT – BEST CLAM CAKES
AUNT CARRIE’S, Narragansett (1920)
It’s been 95 years since Ulysses and Carrie Cooper opened a restaurant to meet the demand for her deep-fried invention: clam cakes. Aunt Carrie’s descendants still turn out these amorphous, golden crisp, doughnut-type balls f illdd with tender clam bits. They’re Rhode Island’s number-one comfort food: a meal in their own right or the tastiest part of a complete shore dinner. Half dozen: $4.15.
1240 Ocean Road. 401-783-7930;
auntcarriesri.com
BEST RETAIL REVIVAL
THE ARCADE, Providence
America’s oldest indoor shopping mall has a hip new identity following a 2014 makeover. Home to 48 micro-loft apartments, boutique shops, and locavore eateries, this Greek Revival National Historic Landmark is the place for clothing fashioned by local designers and cocktails mixed with regional spirits.
65 Weybosset St. 401-454-4568;
arcadeprovidence.com
