When I say Charlestown (Rhode Island), the first place that might come to mind is the Fantastic Umbrella Factory.

Or Galapagos boutique, which ultimately gave rise to Dave’s Coffee. (The son of those founders — wife and husband team Sandra & David Lanning — and a partner has opened Little City Coffee & Kitchen in Downtown Providence now too by the way.)

Or maybe that favorite beach that for obvi reasons, you don’t want absolutely everyone finding out about, lest you won’t be able to secure a spot for your blanket and umbrella going forward.

Well, here are 5 more marvelous spots in the area that you’ll want to see for yourself this Spring & Summer.

Foodies, local history fans, and anyone who cherishes time in Southern RI (especially THIS TIME OF YEAR) will want to bookmark the recently revamped General Stanton Inn on Old Post Road.

Book a table at the Tavern for dinner or Sunday brunch. Word is everyone from Tallulah Bankhead and Al Capone to Teddy Roosevelt, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson all visited this Inn over the years (psssst, the original structure dates back to 1740).

And you can even book your wedding or special event there. They’re adding more to the property like a guest house.

Guests also receive a sea salt scrub handmade by the owners.

This colorful shop definitely caught my eye (and maybe yours too?) whilst driving by.

Mills Creek Market is an amazing stop either before or after the beach and has a marvelous selection of whimsical and uplifting gifts for your friends, family or yourself. To quote Sophie Kinsella, “when I shop, the world gets better…”

(S.K., in case you’re not familiar, wrote the best selling novels which were later turned into the 2009 movie Confessions Of A Shopaholic that starred Isla Fisher.)

Directly across the street from MCM (and technically situated on the grounds of the area Public Library) you’ll find the Charlestown Historical Society and an adjacent tiny white building that’s been painstakingly restored inside and out to its former glory as a 19th century schoolhouse.

Also, the in-season garden out front that the URI Master Gardeners Program has created is the maraschino cherry on top of the sundae.

If you’re interested in doing an actual tour, CHS is open to the public Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 12noon.

Go for the fresh produce and flowers, Juniper Hill Apothecary candles, Peter Pots POTTERY, and prepared foods; stay for the made-on-the-premises bread (everyone raves about it), pizza (ditto), sandwiches. Quonnie Farms, a farm-to-table market (the barn structure was built 2020-2021), is part scratch bakery, part grocery, and entirely rooted in local and sustainably produced.

Folks in the area absolutely ADORE it. (A friend of mine who has a summer house in the area first recommended it to me.)

Once you’ve shopped them, you’ll know why.

A while back a friend sent me a message about this So. County Trail eatery that describes their menu as “delicious food with a Native American fusion.”

The first time that the hubs and I stopped by the Sly Fox Den Too, our picks from their breakfast and lunch menus were quite good — he had their stuffed French toast and I had one of their Indian taco (the shell is actually fried) sans meat.

Flash forward to these days and chef Sherry Pocknett for is now a James Beard Award WINNER for BEST CHEF, yet another reason to G-O.

As always, if you visit any of these places after reading THIS, please do let them know you heard about them via Patty J and PattyJ.com.