Things to Do Across the US: Part 4 - Pennsylvania to Rhode Island

Day five of our travel was supposed to be spent in the same way as day four: in Hershey, Pennsylvania. However, we decided to call an audible. At the last minute, we decided to skip the second day at Hershey. We were so close to home, we just could not resist. We drove the last 6 hours of our trip.

To get back to Rhode Island, we had to venture through more of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut. What's funny is, this was our shortest day of driving, but we passed through the most number of states in our trip thus far. Just goes to show you how close together things are on the east coast.

This was also, by far, the most annoying leg of the trip. No more wide open stretches of highway with nothing more than farmland. We were definitely dealing with city driving, and I must admit, I was not a fan. It was certainly a project trying to get to I-95, the highway that would take us back to the motherland (Rhode Island).

So, as the title suggests, take cash with you on your trip. I very rarely carry cash. When we had to pay a toll on the Jersey Turnpike, I was very surprised when I offered my debit card and the teller told me cash only. I had never run in to an issue like this before. I told the teller that I had no cash, so they had to write down my information and bill me. Yup, I really had to write a check for several dollars after receiving that bill in the mail.

As if the New Jersey toll experience wasn't bad enough, the same thing happened to us in New York. Still with no cash, we yet again hit a cash only toll booth in New York. Of course, I tried to offer my card, but no luck. Sure enough, when I got that bill in the mail I had to write a $13 dollar check to New York.

Moral of the story, bring at least a small amount of cash on a road trip. Even if it's only $20, it will save you the hassle of having to write a check for a ridiculously small toll.

After roughly five hours of driving, we were about to cross the Connecticut-Rhode Island border. We were excited once we crossed the border, because we knew we only had to drive about forty five more minutes to reach our destination. Go ahead and laugh, because that forty five minutes of driving was also going to get us nearly the whole length of the state.

It was early July, and we were looking forward to getting to spend 4th of July with our families for the first time in three years. Also, we could not wait to get to a beach, seeing as how Colorado offers no such luxury. The 4th is great in Rhode Island. One advantage to the state being so small is that you can see fireworks from almost anywhere in the state. If you are in the northern part of the state, you will more than likely see the fireworks at McCoy Stadium, which is where the Pawtucket Red Sox, Triple A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, play their home games. If you are in the southern part of the state, look in any direction and you will likely see fireworks. There are too many places to name that shoot off fireworks yearly down near the beaches and on the islands.

I am not going to go into too much depth on this page, but there are a vast number of things to do in Rhode Island, particularly in late spring, summer, and early fall. Rhode Island borders the Atlantic Ocean, so the majority of attractions are located near the beaches. That leads me into the cheapest and easiest thing to do in Rhode Island. Go to a beach. There are a countless number of beaches in Rhode Island, each offering something different. Along with these beaches is a great number of seafood restaurants. Want to now how fresh most of their seafood is? Stick around for a few hours and chances are you will see a boat dock and make the delivery.

Besides beaches, there are number of parks with green space and trails for picnics, bike rides, hikes, etc. Adding to Rhode Island's charm, you can drive through, or shop in, some of the oldest towns in the country. No matter what you like to do, Rhode Island will be a place for you (I promise, I did not mean to make that rhyme).

If you will be in Rhode Island long-term, or are planning on moving here, you will enjoy all four seasons. No really, you will actually experience all four. We don't just have Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall because the calendar says so, we actually have different weather for each season. Enjoy mostly sunny skies, some humidity, and temperatures in the high 80's (F) in the Summer. The Fall brings cooler, breezier days, as well as changing leaves. If you have never been able to witness the changing foliage, Rhode Island and New England is the place to be in the fall. Winters can be cold and snowy, but enjoy outdoor ice skating and sledding. Spring starts to bring back temperatures in the 50's (F), as well as rain. Needless to say, you will enjoy Rhode Island year 'round.

I know that this "Things to Do" section is a little lackluster, but, as I say in the next section, there will be an entire hub dedicated to the many things to do in Rhode Island.

Now that we have been back in Rhode Island for some time, I feel that it is time to dedicate a page to all of the great things to do in Rhode Island. Now, I know you could simply search "Things to Do in Rhode Island," but those results probably won't give you a list of things to do off the beaten track. Take it from a native, the local spots are far greater than the tourist-filled spots. It should be up soon, so keep an eye out for it.

DISCLAIMER: I did my research, so you should do yours. While I hope my blog helped you, do not take my word for anything, especially those involving prices, weather, etc. I take no responsibility for anything that may go wrong on your trip (although hopefully all will go well).