Warwick, RI Road Trips

Historically the second-largest city in the state of Rhode Island, Warwick has fallen to third place due to the growth of neighboring Cranston. While Warwick remains a "big city" by Rhode Island standards, don't be fooled: it's almost entirely suburban in character. The city is known for both its colonial history and its beaches; at Conimicut Point, the Providence River widens to form New England's largest estuary, Narragansett Bay, which gives the city the northernmost saltwater beaches in the Ocean State and brings many summer visitors from points north who don't want to brave the South County beach traffic. Warwick is largely defined by the water, with the city's entire eastern edge bordering the Providence River, Narragansett Bay and Greenwich Bay, and many of its attractions are on the 39-mile shoreline. When many Rhode Islanders hear "Warwick," they think of the residential neighborhoods full of mid-20th-century Cape Cod houses, the traffic on Post Road near the airport, and the big-box stores that line busy Route 2. This is the Warwick right off Interstate 95. But even in this sprawling city, you don't have to look very far to find a different and considerably more charming Warwick. The city is home to two popular state parks as well as a hidden-gem city park with a tranquil beach, and that's just scratching the surface. Look a little deeper and you'll find two historic lighthouses, iconic clam shacks, stunning waterfront neighborhoods, and a serene nature preserve that may be all yours.

Warwick is a very seasonal location, considering a good portion of its outdoor locations appear along the Narragansett Bay. For this reason, finding things to do can sometimes be difficult, particularly during the winter. Still Warwick is one of the state’s biggest cities and there is plenty to discover: from galleries, to villages to colonial monuments, Warwick provides a myriad of exciting places. There are many historical landmarks within Warwick because of its colonial history. The museums and galleries of Warwick provide a balanced presentation of modern and historical subject matter. Complements Art Gallery, 50 Lambert Lind Highway, ☏ +1 401 739-9300. Complements Art Gallery is one of the largest art galleries in New England. The gallery features artists from all over the world in all types of media and styles. The styles range from old world traditional to contemporary. It which also offers professional art consultation and framing services, and will present the art in your home. 1 Historical Warwick Museum of Art, 3259 Post Road, ☏ +1 401 737-0010. Tu-Sa noon-4PM. As Warwick's largest non-profit arts organization and the area's cultural center since 1976, the Warwick Museum of Art provides a performance and exhibition space for the most talented artists, writers and performers in Rhode Island. It is the host of a wide array of cultural and artistic activities including comedy, theater, music, poetry and literature as well as monthly visual arts exhibitions.

Warwick provides fun activities for residents and visitors to participate in throughout the year. There are many events and places to be noted. Safe Harbor Cowesett - Apponaug, 2 Shattock Ave, ☏ +1 401 739-5005. If you are someone who loves the water and owns a boat, this is the marina for you. It's right in the heart of Apponaug, Warwick's most commonly known village, and has a beautiful view of the bay. It is surrounded by a few restaurants and is equipped with 204 slips and 30 moorings for easy come and go access. Kent County YMCA, 900 Centerville Rd, ☏ +1 401 828-0130. 5AM-10PM. Offers family swim and gym hours daily in addition to free childcare in the Kids Gym. Workout, swims, air bounce, board games, blocks, video games, books and hundreds of new toys available. $5. Movie theaters. Hours Vary. Two locations: Showcase Cinema Warwick (1200 Quaker Lane, near Division St.) and Apple Cinemas Warwick Mall (400 Bald Hill Road). Both theaters have several screens showing the most up-to-date movies, plus DLP and Dolby Digital technology, 3D movie capabilities, stadium seating, game room, free parking, and food courts. Both theaters are in walking distance of popular restaurants and shopping locations. Children/senior $7.75, adult $10.50, adult matinee $8. McDermott Aquatic Center, 975 Sandy Lane.. Daily 5:30AM-9PM. Public swim times vary, however, there are many times during the day that the public is welcome to swim. $5 adults, $3 for children 5-17, and free for children under 5 years old. Tennis Rhode Island., 636 Centerville Road.

Crusty's Pizza, 1331 Warwick Ave, ☏ +1 401 463-5123. Closed Monday, Crusty's serves delicious pizza with a Greek touch along with grinders, trojan horses, and more. Friendly staff with a real "personal" atmosphere. Dear Hearts Ice Cream, Open seasonally (usually beginning in late April) with three locations around Warwick (Pawtuxet Village, Norwood, and Wildes Corner) serving delicious and reasonably priced soft serve, cones, and cups of ice cream in additional to milkshakes. A wide variety of flavors. Del's Lemonade, 2050 Warwick Avenue. Open seasonally. Del's is more than a Rhode Island tradition: it is a way of life. Each spring lines form as Del's Lemonade stand opens its doors. A favorite outing for many Rhode Islanders is to get Del's and take a stroll on one of the local beaches. To avoid looking like a tourist make sure you drink it like the locals. Since Del's lemonade is a soft frozen drink, many tourists tend to ask for a spoon or straw. Every Rhode Islander knows that you squeeze the cup from the bottom in the palm of your hand as you drink. Dimitri's Pizzeria, 2105 Warwick Ave, ☏ +1 401 732-3838. Su-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM. Great little pizza place to bring the kids. Has an old school diner feel with the best tasting pizza around. George's Pizza, 2912 Warwick Ave, ☏ +1 401 738-5776. A small family-owned Pizza and sub shop that in great for lunch or dinner. Gregg's Restaurant, 1359 Post Rd. Big portions and huge slices of homemade desserts.

Bottom Line Bar & Grill, 415 Palmer Ave, ☏ +1 401-285-7950. Dave's Bar & Grill, 2339 Post Rd, ☏ +1 401 739-7444. A lot of TVs. Great place to watch a game on Sundays. Hour Bar, 1193 Main St # B, ☏ +1 401 826-5200. Picasso's Pizza (Picasso's Pub), 2323 Warwick Ave, ☏ +1 401 739-5030. Cheap, good food and cheap, good drinks, Picasso's has what you're looking for every night of the week. Karaoke on Thursdays and a permanent feeling of being with friends, Picasso's is a local sports bar hotspot that you should catch at least one home game in their hole-in-the-wall Tavern 12, 2299 Post Rd, ☏ +1 401 490-2340. The Shanty, 3854 Post Rd, ☏ +1 401 884-7008. Whalen Cafe, 2647 W Shore Rd, ☏ +1 401 737-9646.

Sonesta ES Suites Providence - Airport, 500 Kilvert Street, ☏ +1 401 737-7100, fax: +1 401 739-2909. Best Western Airport Inn, 2138 Post Road, toll-free: +1-877-634-1780. Courtyard Providence Warwick, 55 Jefferson Park Road, ☏ +1 401 467-6900, fax: +1 401 467-2666. $140. Crowne Plaza Hotel, 801 Greenwich Ave, ☏ +1 401 732-6000. $140. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Providence Airport Warwick, 1940 Post Rd, ☏ +1 401-732-0900, toll-free: +1-800-228-2800, fax: +1 401 785-1260. $140. Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 901 Jefferson Boulevard, ☏ +1 401 736-5000. $120. Extended Stay America - Providence - Airport, 268 Metro Center Blvd, ☏ +1 401 732-6667. Homewood Suites by Hilton, 33 International Way, ☏ +1 401 738-0008. $150 & $170. DoubleTree by Hilton Providence Airport Warwick, 2081 Post Rd, ☏ +1 401 739-3000. The LOOM Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton, 400 Knight St, ☏ +1 401 734-4460. Hilton Garden Inn, 1 Thurber St. Small refrigerators, microwaves & coffee pots in the room. Lobby has apples & cookies. Business center, workout room, indoor pool. Iron Works Tavern connected to hotel.

1 Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport (PVD IATA), 2000 Post Road (Exit 29 off Interstate 95), ☏ +1 401 691-2000. With service from about a dozen airlines, T.F. Green offers domestic connections to numerous destinations east of the Mississippi. Despite the name, there were no international flights in 2022. Amtrak doesn't stop here, but the airport is connected to Boston via the MBTA Providence Line, which runs about 10 trains daily, one every two hours give or take. A skywalk connects the terminal with the train station, and walking between the two takes about 10 min. A one-way trip costs about $13 (2022). Car rental options are available; Budget, Enterprise, Alamo, and the like. However, rentals here tend to be more expensive than at Boston Logan. You're adjacent to the I-95 corridor, where gas stations and other traveller necessities abound. (updated Oct 2022) Interstate 95 passes through Warwick. Interstate 295 also passes through Warwick, with exits at for getting to the malls and other popular centers. Or if you're looking for a more scenic view of the area, US Routes 1 and 2 follow the length of the coast just off the highways in communities just like Warwick. Routes 113 and 117 also pass through Warwick and are fairly heavily-traveled. Route 2 passes through Warwick and is known for its extensive shopping. Through the Warwick Intermodal Facility, the commuter rail service at T.F. Green Airport has access to the MBTA, which provides a one-stop ride to downtown Providence and Boston via the Providence/Stoughton Line.

RIPTA (The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority), ☏ +1 401 781-9400. Services across all of Rhode Island. The Main RIPTA bus station is at Kennedy Plaza in Providence. The bus travels through Warwick and the rest of Rhode Island. Bus stops are placed accordingly throughout the city. Rent a car: Budget Rental Cars, 2000 Post Road #27 Enterprise, 1101 Post Road Priceline, 1074 Post Road Dollar Rent A Car, 700 Jefferson Boulevard National Car Rental, 2053 Post Road Taxi cab: Apponaug Cab Inc., ☏ +1 401 737-6400 Airport Taxi, ☏ +1 401 737-2868 Bay Taxi, ☏ +1 401 461-0780 Best Taxi, ☏ +1 401 781-0706 Dave’s Taxi, ☏ +1 401 965-0070 Friendly Cab, ☏ +1 401 821-2500 A-1 Local Cab Company,☏ +1 401 821-3338

Warwick is a very safe community and little violence or crime is committed. Feeling safe in this city is something that you don’t have to worry about.