While visiting family in Massachusetts this summer, my wife and I took a detour to search for the…read moreDambo trolls in RI. Our first stop was in East Providence, to see Mrs Skipper. A fun installation watching over the waterfront. She was can be a bit difficult to find. The address we found online brough us to the parking lot for a medical center, but instead, we needed to pull into a driveway before this locations, and go down the hill towards the water front and greenway. She's a little off the beaten path, but a fun design, holding an actual steel boat over her head as she heads to the water. Worth checking out if you're in the area. Though, there is signage saying you're not supposed to walk down on the rocks in front of her, though that is where the actual signage for her is located. I think it's more of a liability thing, there is no one there policing where you do and don't go, just proceed with caution.

I enjoy the Thomas Dambo's recycled sculptures and they are now on my list of things to see when…read moretraveling! Mrs. Skipper is on a small rocky peninsula near a boardwalk over the bay. You are not supposed to walk out on said rocky outcrop and a sign at the entrance says the area is off limits. Still, plenty of intrepid adventurers were out there getting a closer look. There is plenty of parking for the Urban Coastal Greenway behind a huge Orthopedic building. Follow the paved trail down to the main trail, turn left and then take your first right. This part of the path is in a bit of disrepair, but I did see a couple of strollers on the path here so it's passable. Once on the boardwalk, you can look off to the south and see Mrs. Skipper perched on her rock. I am sad it's not easily accessible to the little one's. The details though are all there and it's Mrs. Skipper seems to be enjoying her perch.

According to Wikipedia, The Blackstone River and Canal Heritage State Park is a 1,000 acre state…read morepark managed by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. The Blackstone River and Valley is where the industrial revolution was born in America. Toward the middle of the park you will find The River Bend Farm Visitor Center with access to canoeing, fishing, trails, and snowmobiling or cross-country skiing. If you walk southerly on the beautiful canal walkway, you arrive at the historic Stanley Woolen Mill, currently being redeveloped into offices and shops. The Stanley Woolen Mill is the common name applied to a defunct company based in southeastern Massachusetts and to the company's buildings. The Stanley Woolen Mill is the centerpiece of the Central Woolen Mills District which is part of the National Historic Register. There is a plaque at the end of the canal walkway which provides historical information about the mill. The mill is made of wood and brick, and is an interesting, though hardly spectacular structure. That said, there are some very cool views from the canal bridge, and great walking, canoeing and biking trails in the park. There is a public parking lot if you want to begin your hike here, a nice antique shop in the mill, and you can catch bass and carp in the canal here or near the visitor center.

most certainly -the- most unsettling cemetery i've ever been to. every so often footsteps would…read moreinterrupt the dead silence, only for no one to be around. unfortunately (or fortunately), the ghost of freddy fingernail failed to show.

A very very creepy…read moreplace There are lots of haunted and creepy places in Rhode Island. It's well known to paranormal investigators because of all the weird, old and bizarre houses, woods and of course graveyards. Of all the spooky places in the state perhaps the old Elder Ballou Cemetery has the reputation as being the creepiest of the creepy. All kinds of strange things have occurred and still occur here. Or so people say. The most consistent story is seeing some old fellow dressed in a grey suit walking around. He never says anything, just sort of appears and disappears and it seems like he is looking for something. Other people hear moans and cries of pains or see vague apparitions and faces appearing out of nowhere. Even people driving by of the road have stopped because they hear strange noises coming from the graveyard. What makes this place rather unique is that people see and hear things in the daylight and not just the dark of night. I have to admit I am quite skeptical of such things but this is definitely a really, really creepy place. It's sort of on a small rolling hill so it is hard to see and it has a nice variety of the morose and lugubrious gravestones, some worn virtually away while other old ones look almost brand new. Perhaps the creepiest thing are the "holding tombs". You just don't see them around anymore. These were crypts where the dead bodies were kept until the families could find the money, space or time to give the deceased a proper burial. Many now had bars in front of them. Not sure if there are to keep people out of keep something else in. No, I didn't see any ghosts or really see anything out of the ordinary except for a really creepy, old cemetery. The mosquitoes were really bad but I suspect they were real ones and not zombie mosquitoes. I remain extremely skeptical of ghosts and their kin but this is a very cool and historic place. One that is exceptional creepy and weird at the best of times and a place I would rather not be in the dark of night.

Very lovely spot though you should arm yourself with some bug spray as it was a bit buggy when I…read morevisited the other night. If you enjoy nature and the sweet sound of rushing water, then this is a place you must visit. While I was taking in the sounds of the birds, frogs and rushing water a Great Blue Heron gracefully glided past me and landed in the water just at the base of the water fall. While I was watching him he was surely watching, waiting for his dinner to come flipping over the falls. A place where the water, trees, birds and fish come together in harmony.

The Shad Factory Pond is one of my favorite outdoor escapes to visit. Wonderful place to go, walk…read morearound, admire the beauty that is the countryside, clear your head, and learn a little bit about wildlife along the way. No real parking in the area, just pull your car off the road in the dirt/grass. The Shad Factory pond is a fresh water pond, containing a dam and waterfall with a large amount of greenery to go along with it. Within minutes of stepping foot on the shore you are surrounded by tall plant life, flowers, dragonflys darting around, lilies sprouting up out of the water. Absolutely beautiful! One of the most interesting things to see here is the fish ladder that was recently rebuilt in 2007. The old one fell into disrepair (as it had been originally built in 1911). A fish ladder is a series of, in this case, concrete steps with rushing water that lead from the Palmer River up to the pond itself. Rehoboth is home to one of two remaining American Shad runs in coastal Massachusetts. This fish ladder allows eels, trout, herring, and you guessed it. . . shad to swim upstream to the fresh water pond for mating season. Prior to its being rebuilt, the fish population had sharply decreased. The address I posted is not specific to the pond itself but gives you a general idea of where along the road it is located. As it is October and Halloween is fast approaching, I will mention that this place has a bit of a ghost legend associated with it. Though I have never encountered anything during my time here, there are many reports of a man in dark clothes appearing and vanishing in the surrounding woods along with strange white lights and overwhelming feelings of terror. Beware!

The hurricane of '38 wiped this lighthouse out, killing the gatekeeper in the process. As our tour…read moreguide said tongue-in-cheek, that's why you don't come in on your day off. This is a lighthouse on the lighthouse tour offered by RI Bay Cruises, although it is really only a small foundation now. The location is actually Narragansett Bay, too, not Manville.

A broken lighthouse…read more Rhode Island doesn't get a lot of hurricanes but has had some whoppers. The monsters in 1938 and 1954 changed the coastline and caused literally billions of dollars in damage. The one in 1938 even managed to break in half a nearly indestructible cast iron light called Whale Rock Light. Whale Rock is a treacherous reef that was responsible for the destruction of many ships over the years. Laying right in the middle of the west passage of Narragansett Bay it was difficult to avoid and miss in bad weather so in 1882 the authorities finally decided to mark this deadly spot with a sturdy and stout cast iron "spark plug" light. This design was popular in severe areas because it was thought to be able to withstand anything nature could throw at it. Of course people underestimated the fury of exactly what nature was capable of. The light serve well until 1938 when an unprecedented and unbelievably powerful cat 3 hurricane slammed into the bay without warning. Sustained winds of over 120 miles per hour and gusts of almost 200 miles per hour literally shook the ocean and hurled it toward the shore. They didn't give official names for hurricanes back then but the colossus of 38 has been called The Yankee Clipper, The Long Island Express, The Great Hurricane or simply The Beast. Over 600 people died in New England and probably another hundred or so in other states. A 25 feet storm surge hit in places like a giant tidal wave and parts of Providence were under 35 feet of water. Millions of trees were destroyed and thousands of houses and buildings were laid waste. The destruction was sudden, complete and unimaginable. The intrepid and faithful lighthouse keeper was the 40 year old Walter Eberle, a father of 6 who was no stranger to the sea. He was off duty but knew a big one was brewing and bravely went out to the lighthouse to relieve his less experienced assistant who went back to shore. Walter stayed at his duty at the light as the waves and winds grew. He probably had to go up to the top of the structure but might have believed that nothing could actually destroy this lighthouse. Unfortunately he was wrong. The next morning the lighthouse was gone and Walter's body was never found. Over the years the the remains of the lighthouse were examined to determine why it failed. No reason was every found except for the fact that the storm was just so incredibly powerful that nothing could stand in it's way. Just a short distance north of Whale Rock five more people died in Prudence Island Lighthouse and the entire island was completely wiped out. Today a new hurricane called Irene is taking aim at Narragansett Bay. I have heard some of my neightbors along the water say that they aren't worried or scared because it will probably "only" be a cat one when it hits. Sometimes it is wise to be afraid, sometimes very afraid, it what keeps you alive. Perhaps people forget exactly what the ocean and wind is capable of but what remains of Whale Rock can be seen out in Narragansett Bay if anyone needs to be reminded. Perhaps this storm will turn out to be nothing more than just the usual histrionics of the modern media. But the again perhaps Irene will decided to get nasty and unleash the fury of her some of her predecessors. Perhaps people along the coast have nothing to worry about or perhaps now is the time to be very worried. We shall see.

A large 150-feet high sculpture created as a Memorial for those who served in World War I. The…read moresculpture was created in 1939 by Paul Cret. This was located in Memorial Park on South Main Street. It's a large obelisk with a statue of a female up top; she represents peace. At the bottom, there were carvings of more females characters and various quotes on each side. Names of those who served and were from Rhode Island were carved into the sculpture. There were stairs going down which lead to various paths. These paths will being you to other memorials within the park. Like art in a museum, I highly recommend taking a moment to admire this sculpture.

This memorial in the city of Providence commemorates the loyal courage and fidelity of all her…read morecitizens who served in World War I. The monument was initially erected in 1929 by The City of Providence and today is located on South Main Street close to College Street. The granite memorial, designed by architect Paul Cret, stands 150 feet high. The statue at the top of the column represents Peace. Being close to Brown University, the RISD college, the riverwalk and the downtown area, it's a highly visible memorial in the city and much visited by locals and tourists alike.

Are elephants native to North America? Of course not, someone had to bring them here…read more In 1822, a show biz promoter named Hachaliah Bailry brought an elephant named Betty (or by her stage name "Little Bett") to America. Some accounts say she was the second elephant brought to the US. Little Bett was a sensation and played at carnivals and circuses up and down the East coast. Unfortunately, on May 25, 1826, as Betty was walking across a bridge in Rhode Island, she was gunned down in cold blood by a gang of hooligans. To remember the 150th anniversary of Betty's arrival in Elephant Heaven the Rhode Island General Assembly proclaimed May 25, 1976 "Elephant Day". This bronze commemorative plaque was dedicated on the bridge to note the very spot where Little Bett was blown away. The plaque is inscribed: MAY 25, 1826 - MAY 25, 1976 DIVERSE HANDS FIRED UPON BETTY ONE OF AMERICA'S FIRST ELEPHANTS AT THE NORTH END OF THE RUSTIC SPAN THAT ARCHED CHEPACHET RIVER GIVEN IN OBSERVATION OF THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE EVENT BY RICHMOND AND EDNA KENT

What a beautiful experience!! Went with my family and what an informative event with top notch…read morestaff who truly love the volunteer work they do at the lighthouse. The boat ride was very relaxing and the entire trip was flawless by a very professional staff. It was very easy to find, it's 2025 folks just use gps on your phone and it's just over the Providence line. Found a great breakfast spot nearby afterwards All Favorites Cafe another gem. Highly recommend without any reservations!!

Maybe it's awesome but we never made it...the directions take you to a waste management site that…read moreyou can't enter. Really disappointing since we went out of our way to stop their on our road trip.