Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
that in turn nourishes a wide variety of life—from shrimp and flounder to black ducks and
snowy egrets.
InlateSeptembervisitorsmayglimpsehordesoforange-and-blackmonarchbutterflies
as well as flocks of migrating hawks. A walk along one of the old airplane runways is a
good way to spot a deer, fox, or even a coyote.
5. Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Piping plovers that fill the air with their whistling calls; mute swans gliding across the wa-
ter with unerring grace; American woodcocks that perform elaborate courtship rituals; os-
preys that plummet down from nowhere, then suddenly soar skyward with a fish in their
clutches…These are but a few of the 300-odd species that frequent this bird-lover's para-
dise. Once a farm, the 640-acre refuge—among the best wildlife preserves in Rhode Is-
land—is now covered with abandoned orchards, a scrub forest, and fields of alfalfa, which
the refuge still cultivates to help make the area more inviting to wildlife.
6. Galilee
Legend has it that this bustling fishing village was named for its biblical counterpart by a
Nova Scotia fisherman who settled here at the turn of the century. The best time to arrive
is at sundown, when trawlers are returning with their catch. Nearby Roger Wheeler State
Beach (also known as Sand Hill Cove Beach) has calm, shallow waters, making it ideal
for children. One mile east of Galilee is Point Judith, where visitors can enjoy spectacular
ocean vistas and photograph an octagonal lighthouse.
7. Narragansett Pier
In its heyday—the period between 1878 and 1920—the Narragansett area (named for the
tribe that once occupied the region) was a mecca for affluent vacationers, who were lured
to the region by its luscious landscapes and beautiful beaches. Reminiscent of those by-
gonedaysistheRomanesquearchthatgreetsvisitorsastheyenterNarragansettPier.Once
part of a lavish casino, The Towers, as the massive stone structure is called, now houses
the chamber of commerce. The town beach offers fine white sand and long, smooth waves
ideal for surfing.
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