Submitted by YodaHead t3_zq3w5n in RhodeIsland
I'll start
Also the friendly businesses environment, and how the north of the state is like the south of the country.
The cheap cost of living is #1 for me. Our electric rates are so low, and housing well, it’s a steal.
speaking of cheap living even our pharmaceuticals are inexpensive and so plentiful especially on broad street downside is the hours are wierd
This ⬆️⬆️⬆️⬆️. Rhode Island can be ridiculous, but Rhode Islanders are in on the joke!
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We really need Tolls to address the roads… I just came back from a third world country with better roads than us… they would leave their hut, look at our roads and think we’re poor.
I think the term is developing country, these days.....
And when you leave the US : Political correctness is no longer a thing, even they described it as such… Also saw that Obesity is truly an American issue, they would eat fried chicken, pasta, and pork every day and STILL you’d barely see an Obese person.
/s
-https://www.reddit.com/r/TheoryOfReddit/comments/8xxh76/the_s_tag_is_the_worst_thing_to_come_out_of/
I love the story of Roger Williams, his principles, and his founding of this place.
It's spectacularly beautiful.
That it's on the ocean.
That it's in New England.
That it's a blue state.
That it's the smallest state.
That people think it's an island (and how it can seem like one at times).
Fantastic food culture.
Not bad in the rest of the arts either.
It's ever so slightly slower paced than MA.
Providence. Specifically, Fox Point. I really love living in Fox Point.
Honestly it’s the people. The characters. The stereotypes are all true and it’s occasionally annoying but for the most part wonderful
Honestly there's no way everyone isn't- at MOST- 3 degrees away from each other. I would gamble everyone is only 2 degrees away.
The people can be a little nuts, but at least they are consistent.
It's 2. It's just a matter of time before you find the link.
New York System Hot Wieners.
The holy prophet himself Guy Fieri would agree - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nI8a2PriILE
That's cute, they wore an arm sleeve that day when putting all the dogs up the arm.
Aw man I haven’t thought about New York system since college 20 years ago.
Block island baby! Plus the world is so small to everyone in RI - it’s like the Shire - drive out of state and it might as well be another country.
My partner and I were talking about this the other day. No other place where you find a population as passionate about where they live than RI as a whole. Go up to MA and you'll only find Sox and Boston merch, go to ME and you'll find pockets of town pride but rarely much pride for Maine outside of the major tourist areas, CT has... something about Mystic Aquarium probably idk.
But in RI you'll find people just generally pumped about RI as a state. As an ex-pat from Mass I found that very interesting when I first moved here.
Your beaches are fucking amaze
State parks are fantastic as well! Love going for a sunday morning run through colt state.
NarragansettBay
and -
The different Harbor Towns
Girl I fell in love with is from RI
Met a girl for a date in Bristol at the herreshoff dock a couple years ago while I was still living in Attleboro. We're getting married next september :)
Attleboro is the defunct city within the Providence metro area. Source grew up in N. Attleboro.
More diverse than the rest of New England. Not perfect but people who are different or weird seem to have it a bit easier here.
Historic preservation is an industry.
Take the first right after where the Bennys used to be and there’s a great bakery that has the best pizza strips (applies to pretty much any town in the state)
>where the Bennys used to be
RI directions
Wait till you hear about where Almacs used to be. Edit: spelling.
Location! An absurdly high density of cool things within a 6 hour radius.
Beautiful beaches, parks, and general nature things to enjoy, close to more beautiful beaches (the Cape), a walkable capitol city with a top tier food scene and interesting events, easy travel to more events in Boston and New York, easy travel to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine for awesome nature, camping, and hiking, when you’re bored of that Montreal is also a pretty easy drive and so is Philly.
Seasons! We have all four.
Summer here is awesome. Fall here is awesome. I find winter here to be awesome too (I love that it snows just not constantly and the temperatures don’t get super low for long). Spring here kinda sucks but 3/4 is pretty pretty good!
It’s impossible for me to pick a favorite place, but really long story short is everything I could possibly want is within a days drive and I think that’s amazing. Con: cost of living, but that’s because it’s so desirable.
Also: if you do decide to leave for some reason, there’s a very small painless airport. I love TF Green.
The most reasonable long-term parking I’ve ever paid for.
Shhh.
>Spring here kinda sucks
I used to feel that way, but now I love Spring here!
Around Feb 5, it's the end of the Dark 13 -- the darkest 13 weeks of the year. From this point, the days will get lighter longer exponentially faster.
In February, visit the glassed-in botanical gardens in Roger Williams Park. Stepping over the threshold is like Dorothy leaving b&w Kansas and entering technicolor Oz, back when technicolor was brand-new
And February is when all the citrus trees there come into bloom. Bury your nose in them: the fragrance is otherworldly 🤤
Meanwhile, back in the neighborhood, end of February is when the first spring flowers bloom: on witch hazel. The blooms look like a slightly pallid forsythia.
Then start looking on the ground in sunny spots for snowdrop shoots. There are some that bloom in my neighborhood as early as end of Feb and certainly by early March.
Right after them come the crocuses.
By that time, even though we'll get snow on our daffodils, they can take it: get buried in snow and road salt yet spring right back, good as new. And the snow melts fast by now. You can easily feel how much warmer the sun is.
Visit the grounds of Blithewold in Bristol: there are literally tens of thousands of daffodils blooming throughout their woods.
And next, there's a parade of flowers that come into bloom, each in their turn marking progress toward warmth.
The flowering trees are spectacular here, especially on the East Side of Providence. Magnolia are the earliest, dogwood the final ones. By the time you see those, summer is nearly here.
Around Mother's Day, when you notice rhododendrons are starting to bloom, visit the Kinney Azalea Gardens in S Kingston near URI. Prof Kinney devoted his life to traveling the world (mostly China) and bringing back cultivars of azalea and rhododendrons, and using the grounds of his house to further develop them. I believe he is the reason RI has so many spectacular rhodos and azaleas everywhere. The blooming time at his garden spans at least 5 weeks. He's passed but left the garden as a legacy with a staff to maintain it, and open to the public.
Spring is spectacular in RI if you know where to look
You’re not wrong about any of this and I very much appreciate you providing a counter narrative to “spring sucks”.
But like, the WIND. There is so much wind in spring particularly. That’s the thing that kills me. We have a lot of spring days that would be temperate enough to enjoy sitting around outside and then the wind makes that impossible.
Well, there's the whole "March comes in like a lion" only here it's more like last half of March+ 😆 -- but just in recent years, we've been having way more wind it seems than ever in the past. Crazy windy. Climate change?
Twins’ Pizza
No excise tax on cars
So many cultures’ delicious foods to try
Beavertail Park
So. Many. Trails
So many states (with their own cultures) within a couple hours’ drive
California Taco Shop
Roger Williams Zoo
People always know someone who can help (altruistic “I know a guy”)
Honestly, they should change the state motto from"Hope" to "I know a guy."
I love Twins pizza! There’s no other pizza like it, I live out of state now but every time I go home to visit my family gets a few large Twins pizzas and a cake and pastries from Pastiche and it’s just my definition of food heaven.
Same here, Twins is a must-visit whenever I go back. Along with Sicilia's.
My friend Nate
Nate is awesome!
Indeed!
Fireballs baby
Ayye
Ocean, lots and lots of ocean
The water fire in providence is really pretty, There's some great hiking trails in RI, and all my friends are here
1.) RISD & Brown - the East Side is one of the coolest, artsy-est places on earth.
2.) The beaches are some of the most beautiful (those rich-types who settled in Newport for the summer could have gone anywhere).
3.) Love of the outdoors and the environment - Save the Bay, RI Audubon, the wildlife refuges, the bike paths, all the local farms - there's just so much to get out and do!
The men.
I love that we love Rhody. I am so proud to say I live here
its not miserably boring and flat like the midwest.
I love how hilly it is here
Met a girl for a date in Bristol at the herreshoff dock a couple years ago while I was still living in Attleboro. I made her cookies and we drank beer and laughed until about 1am when it was time to go home.
We're getting married this upcoming september. Very thankful that RI gave me that :)
Speaking from someone in the city...
Matos bakery as well!
Everything is in walking distance
East side Providence history and architecture
Boba
Diversity of restaurants
Chili's
The fact we complain about our politicians but elect the same ones for decades
Prov place mall
Growing bike culture
Coffee milk
Strip pizza or whatever it's called
RI having the best pizza scene, better than New York and Boston
Cannolis
You kind of know everyone, if something happens, it feels so close and personal
I'm gonna need you to clarify re: Chili's
One of the cheapest sit down restaurants to eat at during this period of inflation, even fast food is more expense. Also, pretty fucking good for a chain restaurant, the unlimited chips and salsa are amazing. However, the service is usually absolute trash at most locations, sometimes I don't even get a server... whatever, chips and salsa as I angrily wait lol
All spot on, I have to say!
You threw me for a loop with Chilis out of all the restaurants in RI, but you backed it up so that’s awesome but I must ask, what does one do when they don’t have a server? Do you go in the kitchen like “fucks my food man?” and get it yourself and bring it back to the table? Next, do you give yourself a bill? I understand if you do, morally, but do you tip yourself a little extra, not at all, just the bare minimum? I need answers to this.
By the way, I find the Chilis at Lincoln mall to be the best, but keep that just between us.
It's just a personal favorite of mine... there's so many damned good spots that I prefer over it if that makes sense. There've been a few times I nearly walked out after waiting 45 minutes at my table just for a menu... idk why I do this to myself sometimes
Lord Nibbles
My husband just found out nibbles’ name a few weeks ago- I was so shocked.
Frisky Fries
Moonlight house of weiners
Dan's pizza place
Being 45 mins from Boston and 3 hours from NY
the sideshow attraction known as Woonsocket
Autumnfest
Roger Williams pumpkin exhibit
The RI border being 5 mins from my house
I am a bit worried about Nam Khong! I went to check their website the other day and I got a sense they were closed or being bought out by aPVD based restaurant. I didn’t get a chance to call/go to scope it out, hopefully that’s not the case!
That would be a major bummer. Last time I ate there, I was taken to another world.
I hope not!
So many crazy stories in such a small area - I love it
Beautiful roads, plenty of free public access to the beaches and free parking, considerate educated drivers, honest politicians, low cost of living.
I never get lost - if I find myself in unfamiliar territory, I can just drive for a bit and I’ll know where I am
I was just talking about this the other day to someone who doesn’t live here! It’s great, I never worry when I end up somewhere unfamiliar.
The beaches in the summer (East Beach in Charlestown)
Wickford
Bristol
The East Side
Roger Wiliams Park
Edgewood
Best quality of life in New England for the money (Boston / MA is overrated and overpriced)
Ok, there is plenty of bad. Like I grew up in a developing country and the corruption is at that level. The racism outside mayor metro areas is also pretty 80’s However: Best Mexican food in New England. Close to MA without the price tag If you are LGBT, living in Providence is pretty good. I would not recommend anywhere else in the state though. Italian Food It is a small pond, so advancing in a career that does not require political influence is relatively easy (if you want to be in a Gov. Position you will def need the connection because the corruption part.) If you are a crook you can do pretty well for yourself ALL BEACHES ARE PUBLIC. It is part of the constitution which is amazing considering other states charge you to enjoy nature and the fucking ocean. It is not New Jersey Lots of beautiful parks History!
I love it and you can live here is you don’t pay attention to local politics and work outside the state/private sector because it is truly a shit show.
>Living in Providence is pretty good. I would not recommend anywhere else in the state though.
This makes me think you’ve never actually BEEN anywhere else in the state.
I mean, I buy a beach pass every year, so wtf you mean
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> If you are LGBT, living in Providence is pretty good. I would not recommend anywhere else in the state though
The southern part of the state is a great place to be LGBT. Wakefield, Jamestown, Newport, Narragansett, Wickford... so many happy LGBT folks.
Can confirm, Southern Rhode Island Swamper here. We love our LGBTQ folks. We just ain’t fond of city slickers :p
Yup
East Cranston is very LGBT friendly. The west part of Cranston is Fung country.
agree - pawtuxet village area especially
Where's this good Mexican food?
Chilango's
Can confirm Chilango's is the best for plated Mexican food. If you're looking for more of a focus on handhelds (tacos/burritos, etc), the best ones are Masa, Tacos Don Nacho, or El Paso.
For sure! La Lupita in Olneyville is excellent as well.
Haven't been yet but I know of it. I'll have to get there soon.
Yeah, no shit. You can't casually drop that bomb in there without saying where it is.
Aquidneck Island
What is Nam Chong in Westerly?
I googled it. Nam Khong, Franklin St.
I think they got struck by autocorrect.
So many things:
Monahan's Clam Shack Tilted Barn Brewery Food trucks, notably Butterheads Narrow River Paddling to the mouth Mission Burger/TSK Biking the Blackstone Greenway Eastside Pockets An All-Italia from Sandwich Hut Thames St and the Wharf especially during Christmas...
There's too many!
There's also a lot of great donuts here: Allie's Donuts RI Guys Donuts Knead Donuts Glaze n' Daze
Want to hike in the woods? 15 minutes Want to go to the beach? 15 minutes Wanna hang in the city (Providence)? 15 minutes
Add in Olneyville Weiners, clam shacks and coffee milk
Wrights Chicken Farm
My favorite part is leaving.
I love that all of these are in Souther RI! Northern RI is a totally different vibe
I don't really get to South RI often so I don't get those cutesy town vibes with twinkle lights everywhere.
Instead I get Providence traffic, the nonsense of the 6/10 connector, great Asian food, and incessant sirens !!! Still love it tho, great weather, close distance to lots of places, and relatively chill/non pretentious people
The north and south are balancing forces. I love the northwest part too, because they're all delightfully apeshit.
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That’s where my boyfriend lives and when I visit him we always have great adventures
I’ve lived in the north west of England, Northern California and here. Rhode Island is like the perfect blend of the two. Plus people here are kind and helpful, but not overly nice. I appreciate that, coming from a very “all smiles but heck off” hometown. Better sense of community.
It holds a big part of my past, and now possibly a piece of my future.
Good luck
Beaches. Coffee milk. Italian food. Dels. 4 seasons. Chowdah.
This is the most Rhode Island answer.
Lol, just being honest! 🤣
it smol
Everything’s close even if it’s far, plenty of nature, diversity of hobbies and even if it’s not in RI it’s right across the border, colleges, sports, food in abundance and diversities of cultures, artistic culture. History. Modernization. You can be put and about or chill at home. As long as we don’t turn too into Boston 2.0 we’re pretty set. Hopefully we get a new school too for Pawtucket though I feel for people who will get the short end of the stick in that. A night school I worked at was limited in their own way.
How did you not mention coffee milk? Or Chourico?
Pascoag Reservoir and Burlingame are worth visiting every summer
Life is so crazy tho
Charlestown. Low taxes, nice beaches, lots of woods, quiet, no box stores, nice people in general.
The yeah I know a guy, abundance of great Italian food, water front always less than an hour away, the history and just being close to everything.
Narragansett will have my hear forever
I love the fireball nips nailed to the light poles some asshole hit when they were wasted and killed their friend in the accident
It’s perfect!
I'll see your Ocean Mist and raise you the Coast Guard House.
Too stuffy. Stay at the OMist.
Well, it WAS the steak tips at Box Seats.
Jim Taricani and Bill Rappleye, RIP
Small state with a lot diversity which makes a lot of great fusion restaurants.
I love when I drive to Mass, and cross the state line and the road suddenly becomes a quality road, because it wasn't put in by someone's cousin who got the contract.
Oh Champlin’s… college job for life
Used to be the buffet scene
RIP Fire and Ice, Hometown Buffet, and countless others.
Love Champlin’s! Be sure to check out James and the Giants next summer most weekends!
I’ve lived in Cranston for one year and let me tell you it is the worst state I have ever lived in hands-down you people suck at fucking driving. Your customer service sucks and the list goes on and on and on.
but it was Cranston
Laughed out loud at your comment. Sitting at the bar at the OMist.
Its all over rhode island not just cranston i travel everyday been doing so 20+yrs
High costs of living and stupid taxes are just great.
Yo, is this satire?
I think a key character trait for a lot of Rhode Islanders is talking down about the state. I get it. When you’ve lived somewhere for a long time it’s hard to see the good, but there really is so much good.
I think it’s a trait of locals that haven’t lived in other places for long stints. It kinda blinds them to all the good stuff they’re taking for granted
Accurate-Historian-7 t1_j0wgjaf wrote
Probably the smooth roads and polite drivers.