Take A Daycation: Three Terrific Destinations In Bristol

Looking for a summer daycation in RI, but not feeling especially beach-y? Hey, it happens, so don't feel badly, but do head over to three of our favorite spots in Bristol...

For starters, stop off at either Angelina's - which we would've had so many great photos of had we not gone on an Art Of DeCluttering/Mary Kondo purge of our phones a while back and deleted most of them by mistake - or The Beehive Cafe for coffee and a snack. Angelina's is bright, kitschy, and 21st century hep while The Hive is more low key grunchy granola meets college English professor, but we love 'em both. #hearts They have kick *ass coffee and more. 

Next stop? Blithewold Mansion & Gardens. We were there yesterday and couldn't have had a more perfect June day for exploring. After stopping at the cottage/gift shop where you buy tix (They're around $12 per person.), we made our way over to the 45 room manse. The exterior definitely reminded us of some of the older properties in Watch Hill. (Is there such a thing as a WH vibe? Yep.) As first time visitors, we were wow'ed by the artifacts, the history, and the absolute grandeur of it all. We ooh'ed and aah'ed our way thru the first two floors. (Pretty sure we saw a sign that said the third floor is viewable by appointment. Maybe next time.) It's a must see for any antique, design or history (Rhody and otherwise) buffs. And if you're a native RI'er and you've never been, add it to your agenda 'like' ASAP.

Then, it was on to the grounds. Can we just say stunning? We didn't walk the entire 33 acres, but we did venture over to the 'Summer Cottage' in the woods, a rustic one room with a fireplace that the original owners of the property built for their daughter's wedding. One look at the porch and rocking chairs and you will be trying to book a stay on Airbnb. That's not happening, however, on the actual stroll thru the woods, you'll see so many gorgeous flowers, plants and trees, some rare and not found anywhere else in Rhode Island in fact. Even if you're not an expert when it comes to horticulture and nature stuff, we guarantee you'll be able to appreciate the colors, sights, and sounds (of the birds and honeybees...Fairly certain there's a beekeeper and hives tucked away on all those acres, but don't quote us on it.).

We ended our afternoon with a walk down the gravel path (Two words - Wear flats!) to the water, aka, Narragansett Bay. (One of us was super busy creating 'stories' for Snapchat. Whatevs.) Not gonna lie - We were surprised to find it was mostly deserted, except for person. Now, can we talk about the views? It's literally like something out of a postcard or painting. There is a tiny beach area, pristine and rocky, but it's not really that accessible anyway. No matter - We recommend hanging out on the deck and taking a short video for FB or IG and/or just soaking up the Vitamin D. So, bring your sunnies and totally enjoy.

*Blithewold is not only a popular wedding venue (There were tents set up yesterday.), but they also host a number of other events including group tours, tea parties, and flower arranging classes (We've always seeing stuff about those from our friends over at Floral CoLab btw.).

Team Patty J

Photo Credits: Photos of The Beehive exterior and menu board/counter are courtesy of Ashley Farney. All other photos courtesy of PattyJ.com. For more awesome pics, click over to the PattyJDotCom Instagram.