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Where to Stay in Bristol
There are a handful of inns and bed-and-breakfasts in Bristol, but no large hotels, so plan to pay slightly more for a room here than you would at a major hotel chain. Summer months are busy, so book a room well in advance at the end of May—when Roger Williams University holds commencement ceremonies—and around the July 4th holiday.
Bristol Harbor Inn Situated at the newly renovated Thames Street Landing complex along the waterfront, the Bristol Harbor Inn has a range of options, from standard rooms to waterfront rooms to plush suites with gas fireplaces. The least expensive units are no-frills but perfectly agreeable, while the pricier suites are more finely adorned. This is not a destination hotel but rather a good, basic, affordable alternative to higher-priced B&Bs nearby.
259 Thames St. www.bristolharborinn.com. 866/254-1444 or 401/254-1444. 40 units. Apr–Oct $135–$249 double; Nov–Mar $95–$135 double. Rates include continental breakfast. 2-night minimum weekends Apr–Oct. Free parking. Amenities: Restaurant; pub; spa; Internet (free).
William’s Grant Inn In the center of town, five impeccably furnished guest rooms welcome guests to an historic Federal-style clapboard home built in 1808 by William Bradford III, the third generation of one of the original settler families. Three rooms have gas fireplaces and all have private baths; rooms are bright and airy, decorated in a cozy country style with bed quilts and antiques but also up-to-date features like air-conditioning.
154 High St. www.williamsgrantinn.com. 800/596-4222 or 401/253-4222. 5 rooms. June–Sept $214–$327, Oct–May $180–$282. Rates include full breakfast. Free parking. 2- or 3-night minimum stay some holiday weekends. Amenities: Guest barbeque area; Wi-Fi (free).
After Dark in Bristol
If you’re spending the night in Bristol, less than 5 miles north in Warren is The Galactic Theater (508 Main St.; www.galactictheatre.com; 401/555-5555), a fun entertainment venue run by the lead singer of a local rockabilly band. There’s something going on there most nights, from vintage film screenings to open-mic nights where aspiring musicians make their bid for stardom.
Where to Eat in Bristol
Once strictly home to family restaurants, sub shops, and pizza joints, Bristol has seen a number of upscale restaurants pop up in recent years. For coffee and pastry or a custom-built lunch sandwich, there’s Angelina’s (301 Hope St.; 401/396-5592) and The Beehive Café, overlooking the harbor at 10 Franklin St. ( 401/396-9994).
DeWolf Tavern NEW AMERICAN Located in a renovated 1818 warehouse, this interesting tavern’s decor consists of the building’s original stone and mortar walls and exposed wooden beams. The menu is contemporary American with a tilt toward Bristol’s seafaring heritage and a dash of the East: steamed mussels in coconut milk with curry leaf and chili; tandoori marinated swordfish. Don’t miss roasted Brussels sprouts and cornbread hash from the selection of side dishes.
259 Thames St. www.dewolftavern.com. 401/254-2005. Main courses $14–$42. Mon–Fri 11:30am–10:30pm, Sat–Sun 8am–2pm and 2:30–10:30pm.
Le Central Bistro FRENCH Typical French bistro dishes served in this lively local gathering spot include traditional steak frites, salade Niçoise, charcuterie plates, country style pâtés, Moroccan chicken, and rack of lamb. Lunch specialties include a bistro burger with fries or lobster BLT. Try the warm lemon-ricotta crepes with seasonal fruits for dessert.
483 Hope St. www.lecentralbristol.net. 401/396-9965. Main courses $16–$24. Mon–Sat 11am–2pm, Sun 10am–2pm; dinner daily 5pm “til closing.”
The Lobster Pot SEAFOOD A consistent winner of Rhode Island Monthly’s Best of RI Award for seafood, this traditional waterfront restaurant has sat overlooking the Bristol harbor since 1929. For all its fame, the atmosphere is friendly and unpretentious. Sleek it isn’t; it’s a traditional shore-hall, but with white tablecloths—the image of places all along the New England shore. Build your own seafood platter of littlenecks, cherrystones, oysters, lobster, and jumbo shrimp, or order from a menu of traditional seafood dishes created from impeccably fresh fish and shellfish.
119 Hope St. www.lobsterpotri.com. 401/253-9100. Main courses $17–$40. May–Oct Mon–Fri noon–9pm, Sat–Sun noon–10pm; Nov–Apr Tues–Sun noon–9pm.
Newport
71 miles S of Boston; 178 miles NE of New York City
Look out today across the marina filled with pleasure craft and it’s hard to imagine how vital Newport was during the Colonial and Federal periods, rivaling Boston and even New York as a center of New World trade and prosperity. In the following century, wealthy industrialists, railroad tycoons, coal magnates, financiers, and robber barons were drawn to the area, especially between the Civil War and World War I. They bought up property at the ocean’s rim to build what they called summer “cottages”—which were, in fact, mansions of immoderate design and proportions, patterned after European palaces.
Today’s Newport reflects all these eras. Immediately east and north of the business district are blocks of Colonial, Federal, and Victorian houses, many of them designated National Historic Sites. Happily, they are not frozen in amber but very much in use as residences, restaurants, offices, and shops. Taken together, they are as visually appealing as the 40-room cottages of the super-rich, the Gilded Age sites that draw so many visitors to Newport.
Newport has been spared the coarser intrusions that afflict so many coastal resorts. T-shirt emporia have been kept within reasonable limits—a remarkable feat, considering that some 4 million visitors come through its narrow streets every year.
Despite Newport’s prevailing image as a collection
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