Spring Awakening: Top Ten Places To Visit On Aquidneck Island This Spring

By: Lauren Maidrand
Posted In: News

The weather is warming up, the layers are coming off and those first signs of spring are finally here. As the sun begins to push through the dreary days of winter, and spring showers awaken the butter-colored daffodils from their hibernation, here is a list of 10 things to enjoy this spring in Newport and the surrounding area.

For Days of Spring Showers
5. Newport Potters Guild (Located at 302 Thames St., Newport) Downtown on Thames Street, Newport Potters Guild is a gallery and studio that features pieces made by artists from Newport. From Apr. 17 to Apr. 25 2010, the Guild will be offering pottery demonstrations. Visitors are even invited to give the potter’s wheel a try during the demonstrations.
4. Redwood Library & Athenaeum (50 Bellevue Ave., Newport) Established in 1747, it is older than the United States. It is also the oldest lending library in the U.S. With stunning architecture and boundless books, the Redwood Library & Athenaeum makes for a spectacular visit for the book-nerd in all of us.
3. Belcourt Castle (657 Bellevue Ave., Newport) Everyone knows that the Newport Mansions are beautiful, historic and a little creepy. No establishment embraces the creepy side quite as well as Belcourt Castle. Rich with stories of the paranormal, Belcourt Castle is a great excursion for amateur ghost-hunters. Enjoy a ghost tour or a murder mystery at the Castle-just be careful where you sit.
2. The International Tennis Hall of Fame (located at 194 Bellevue Ave., Newport) Right on Bellevue Avenue, The International Tennis Hall of Fame offers a variety of exhibits dedicated to the sport of tennis. Whether you are an avid tennis fan or know nothing about the game besides the Williams sisters, the Hall of Fame provides for an interesting afternoon activity and a fun photo-opt under the giant tennis balls.
1. Newport Art Museum (located at 76 Bellevue Ave., Newport) An art museum dedicated to artists from Newport and southeastern New England, it offers a variety of exhibits, from classical to contemporary with pieces ranging from the 1800s to the present. With a student discount admission of $6, a trip to the museum is the perfect way to spend a rainy spring day.

For Days of Spring Sunshine
5. Norman Bird Sanctuary (located at 583 Third Beach Rd., Middletown) With seven miles of trails, spectacular views of the Atlantic and lush plant life, the Sanctuary earns its name. Pack a lunch and spend the day taking in the rich beauty the Sanctuary has to offer.
4. Ballard Park (located at the corner or Hazard and Wickham roads, Newport) Noted as Newport’s only nature preserve, Ballard Park is a spectacular site for a walk. According to its Website, spring is the perfect time to see Cooper Hawks, Northern Harries, deer and turtles. The pristine landscape makes it feel more like a secluded wooded area than a park in the city. On Apr. 24,2010, the park invites volunteers to come and clean-up for Earth Day.
3. Purgatory Chasm (located on Purgatory Road, Middletown) Open dusk to dawn daily, Purgatory Chasm is located in a picturesque setting just far enough off the main road to feel like your miles away. The rock clefts have been split by the eroding power of the ocean over eons. A short walk from Sachuest (Second) Beach, a visit to the Chasm is sure to make you appreciate the wonders of Mother Nature.
2. Fort Adams State Park (located on Fort Adams Dr., Newport) Away from the hustle of downtown Newport, Fort Adams State Park offers spectacular views, fascinating history and free parking. Although the Fort does not open until May, the sprawling lawns outside the Fort offer the perfect setting for an ocean-side picnic.
1. Easton’s Beach (located at 175 Memorial Blvd., Newport) A short walk from campus, Easton’s Beach is a Salve Regina favorite. Even though it is still a little bit too cold to jump in (although a few die-hard polar bear clubbers may disagree), the beach is the perfect place to sit on the sand, watch the surfers and read for class on a sunny spring day.