Middletown is a swimsuit community with a population of 17,334. With several beaches to call its own, it is centrally located between Narragansett Bay and the Sakonnet River in Rhode Island. One of the most popular attractions in Middletown is the Norman Bird Sanctuary with more than 350 acres of beachside trails. Biking is a great way to take to the trails, especially in the crisp autumn days. Bird watching at Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge is a popular pastime here, and catching the views of a radiant sunset on Third Beach is another.

Sprawled out around scenic Newport Bay, the city of Newport is all about the sea. The Bayfront, a street of quaint pubs, restaurants and shops backing Newport Bay, is a pleasant way to take in the sights and smells of the sea. Aquariums, surf shops, lighthouses, and great clamming spots can all be found here.

Unassuming Pawtucket is where Samuel Slater developed a cotton-manufacturing mill here which ran on water power and kick started the Industrial Revolution in the US. The Old Slater Mill is still in operation and is now a tourist draw to the area. Formal tours of the valley are available by boat and motor coach. Scenic auto routes also exist for viewing the radiant fall foliage. Cultural activities are plentiful. The Pawtucket Community Players and the Sandra-Feinstein-Gamm Theatre maintain a theatrical pulse in Pawtucket. The All Children's Theatre Ensemble is also fun to see.

A recent $3 billion renovation to the city of Providence converted a tired downtown into a sparkling new community. Today, it is one of the 10 best places to live in America. This city has many recreational resources. Biking trails follow the river route as paddleboats, canoes and kayaks drift downstream and pedestrians stroll along the waterway.

At the heart of Westerly, lies an 18-acre Victorian park with colorful gardens, an arboretum, and titillating statues. Home to many hours of summertime pleasures from lazy strolls to concerts, art shows and Shakespearean plays, Wilcox Park embodies all the characteristics that make this town great ? charm and dignity, beauty and entertainment. Soft ocean breezes and the tide rumbling to shore. Old New England homes, neat but weathered by the salt air, peering out over the restless sea. Lapping sounds of the water as it spanks little boats huddled in a marina. These, too, are scenes from the world of Westerly.

An influx French Canadians from Quebec, has madeWoonsocket an interesting town with a French-Canadian influence, most noticeable of which is a modified French language spoken among the residents. Woonsocket is crispy clean with a spirited lifestyle. Access to the river opens up a wide range of recreational opportunities. River fishing is a great pastime here for young and old alike. Walking, jogging and cycling along the river path provides a relaxing reprieve from the comings and goings of the town. Canoeing and kayaking is also quite popular.