http://www.boston.com/travel/explorene/rhodeisland/articles/2012/05/20/roam_25_ri_sites_on_the_family_guy_tour/

http://www.tourblackstone.com/familyguyroadtrip.htm

I love diners...and that seems to only be about a half hour away...

We used to crack jokes about Outside Providence making Rhode Island look more exciting than it is...one of the main tropes of the film is that they do drugs because there's nothing more exciting going on than pot and shitty beer.

In reality, RI has some nice museums and restaurants but they're mostly in Providence. Newport has some interesting mansion tours but unless you're into Architecture or Home & Gardens, that tends to get boring fast. I found a tourism website for Newport; see what piques your fancy.

http://www.gonewport.com/things-to-do

I'll be in class all day but will be out at night so I doubt I can get to any tours (I would probably enjoy some architecture - I like taking pictures of buildings that strike my fancy but it will probably be dark by the time I get out of class)

Checking out the website now though!

If there is anything uniquely Rhode Islandian in the food world I;d be happy just eating something I can't get at home. I live in Florida but I bet RI seafood might be different than Floridian...

basically just clams in a clear, garlicky broth. Of course the traditional New England style is available too.

There is also something called a "torpedo" or "dynamite" which is basically a spicy Sloppy Joe.

I love NE style and would like to try this garlicky broth style - in fact, now that I think about it, I am sure I saw something on the Travel or Food network about that style...but I think the place that served it is only open in summer? I'll have to hunt down another place that has it.

I'm down for spicy sloppy joes too! lol

Lobster rolls. Chowder. I'm trying to remember what else I ate growing up that is out of the national norm. (Actually quite a bit.) Yankee Pot Roast. Boiled Dinner. Clam Bake. White Cheddar Mac and Cheese.

RI has a lot of Portuguese-Americans so there's that influence in the cuisine. In addition, they're regionally famous for extremely-spicy hot-dogs.

It's also an epicenter of the micro-brewery culture in the Northeast.

Micro-brews! All that other stuff sounds pretty great too. Once I get up there I'll be sure to ask the locals where to find the best...

A RI gastro-pub that brews their own and has all that food would be perfect lol...

http://providence.thephoenix.com/
It covers ALL of Rhode Island, including the Newport area. Nearby Middletown and Portsmouth, too.

Micro-brews. Oh boy, do they have a great craft brewery nearby!
Coastal Extreme Brewing Co. (Newport Storm beers and Thomas Tew Rum)
http://www.newportstorm.com/index2.php

As far as food goes, lots of great restaurants in Newport and vicinity, but a couple of spots I know of that I've been in (not tourist traps, I promise), try these:

Anthony's Seafood Restaurant (Middletown, RI, on the outskirts of Newport)
Clam cakes, chowder, and clam stuffies! Also, seafood to go. When I've been to Newport (for the folk festival during summer, I've made this place my last stop before heading home - to get a couple of quarts of chowder and some stuffies.
http://www.anthonysseafood.net/restaurant.php

Pour Judgement Bar and Grill carries the Newport Storm craft brew line:
http://pourjudgement.com/pjhome.html

Good luck and good eating/drinking.

I have to go there just for the awesome name - Coastal was one of the places I was looking at from Chan's link - glad to see a rec for them as that Storm beer looks fantastic...

Thanks for the tips! Anthony's sounds exactly right!

Food was great. Had a Newport storm brew and the clear RI Chowder was fantastic. Loved it! (On the plane up today I was sitting next to a lady who asked me what I was in town for - I told her for some classes and asked her about the clear RI clam chowder and she gasped and said "Ewww You don't want that stuff! My mother made clam chowder for 80 years and she puts milk in it! b That's the way it should be!" Turns out she was just passing through RI on her way home to Mass. Glad I ignored her lol!

It got dark before 5:00 today! I won't get to see much stuff in the daytime but I will enjoy the food and fun at night!

I was there a couple weeks ago and had fun in Boston. Went to Legal Seafood and had a HUGE Lobster Roll (my first).

We went to Newport one night but didn't see too much there. Had a mediocre meal at the Brick (something) Tavern(?)

Whenever I go to Baltimore I stop in there...I'll check out the train thing - I'm not used to public transportation and things like that! lol

Thanks!

The train to Boston was $10 (or so) and it took about an hour to get up there.

We went to the aquarium which was pretty cool.

I've forgotten the name of it. Something and Johnson.

Johnson and Wales University - but it is closed until 2014 for inventory - looks like it would have been pretty cool! I like the old food prep items in the pics: http://www.culinary.org/Default.aspx

Thanks though!

I knew I could count on loungers for good stuff!

the Holiday season up good… lots of restaurants, good music, art and if you go up to Providence there is more of the same… all depends on what you like…

PPAC has some fun stuff in December… "Wicked" and the "Nutcracker" are perennial favorites… Wickendon Street in Providence is funky and fun… Julian's Restaurant on Broadway is yummy… but there are so many restaurants

Shouldn't have to go to Boston to have a good time and see wonderful things… maybe the mansions in Newport and a trip to the Beach (brrr)

with Brown, Johnson and Wales and RISD there is always something going on...

It's not often (three times in the last 30 years) that I get up north in the winter.

If I get into the class I want it's a 3 day training course from Tuesday through Thursday - if I fly up on Monday early enough I might have time to see some cool stuff...and foooooooooooooooooooooooood!

Chateau sur Mer, built by George Peabody Wetmore.


http://www.historic-structures.com/ri/newport/wetmore_house.php

I hope I get to see it up close!

http://beeradvocate.com/beerfly/city/52

http://www.beer100.com/brewpubs_o_to_z/rhodeisland.htm

I hope I learn something in the classes....I'm beginning to wonder if I'll make it to all of them...

Huge collection of craft/micro beers

Right next to it is the Black Pearl restaurant - best clam chowder I have ever had.


Visit the mansions - they are decorated for Christmas

The Breakers are beautiful.

man I'm gonna be fat when I come home...

lots of historical buildings and great bars/restaurants.

I may not make it to any of the guided tours but I can find enough cool buildings to photograph if I'm pointed in the right direction...it would be especially nice if they get a bit of snow while I'm there...snow and holiday decorations and old buildings make for a good photo shoot!

The buffet food isn't anything to write home about but the plays (all comedies) are pretty good and the cabaret after the play is really friggin funny.

http://www.newportplayhouse.com/sched.html

but if I'm reading it right they won't have any shows during any time I'll have to see them...

thanks though!

take the cliff walk along the ocean.
www.cliffwalk.com

I think classes run from 9 to 5 so I might be able to get there! I'll try on the Monday I fly in just in case the other is too late...