8 Ways to Celebrate Spring in Rhode Island

Monday, March 21, 2011

GoLocalProv Lifestyle Team

Bye-bye, winter. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

The short, cold days are waning, the warm, long days are waxing, and today it's official - the first day of spring. Get out there and celebrate, starting today. Here are 8 inspirations.

Start your garden engines

Get started with the planting plans. Is there any better spot in Rhode Island to provision than Schartner Farms? From seeds to seedlings, you'll find everything you need at the beautiful, 150-acre farm that's more than a century old, to plan your new plantings. And don't forget that there are some delicious pies on hand, every day of the week. Schartner Farms, One Arnold Place, Exeter, 294-2044.

Go out for ice cream

Some hearty souls eat it all year 'round, but once spring is here, it's really time. Don't miss Mad Ernie's, a great new

entry to the homemade ice cream scene, in Wayland Square on Providence's East Side. The coffee ice cream is going to give Grey's in Tiverton a run for its money. You read it here first. Mad Ernie's, 485 Angell St, Providence, 331-1031.

Go dancing

For the best spot to cut loose, get thee to Westerly to the Knickerboker Cafe. The dancehall is back, and the roster just gets better and better. This week on Friday, March 25, J.Geils pairs up with Jeff PItchell & Texas Flood for some boot-knocking soulful blues. That's a way to holler up springtime. Knickerbocker Cafe, 35 Railroad Ave, Westerly, 596-4225.

Hit the islands

Enough with staring at it from afar. Boat out from Tiverton to Prudence Island for a tour of its one-room schoolhouse and other landmarks, plus check out the Bay's seal community en route. Next boat goes out from the Bristol Ferry dock, Bristol Ferry Rod, Tiverton, March 30, then April 2&3. 9:45-4:30pm, Adults $20, children $10. Call 949-5454x3041 for more information/reservations.

Pretty up your toes

Now's the time for a pedicure to launch sandal season. Do it right at Stone House Spa in Little Compton with one of

two fantastic treatments. The first, SpaRitual Foot Restoration, goes from exfoliation and hydration to cuticle management and massage with organic creams, oils and sugar scrubs. On the other foot, the Osea Skin Soulful Foot Ritual with Pedicure includes a seaweed soak with pure essential oils, a rosemary marine foot scrub and a traditional pedi. Stone House, 122 Sakonnet Point Rd, Little Compton, 635-2222.

Roll out

If you're not a winter cyclist, now's the time to dust off the spokes and warm up on one of Rhode Island's newer bike paths, the Ten Mile River Greenway. It runs from Kimberly Ann Rock Athletic Fields in East Providence to Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket. Okay, it's only 2.5 miles, but as it's one of the only paths not on an old rail line, it's twisty and turny and lots of fun. Great for kids. For more information and a link to a trail map, go here.

Get your tourist on

Before the real ones come, take one of the state's excellent walking tours. Top of the list: a walking tour of historic Woonsocket. Don't miss a glimpse of this city that thrived with factories and Canadian culture. You can download the brochure for the tour at the National Park Web site, here.

Eat dinner outdoors

For the best food with the coziest heaters, there is no better spot than waterfront at Bristol's DeWolf Tavern. If you hurry, you can cash in on Newport Restaurant week specials from March 25-April 3... but any night is tremendous in the hands of chef Sai. And don't miss the Rum Raisin house cocktail, which is going to throw a little Caribbean into your spring. And a spring in your step. DeWolf Tavern Restaurant, 259 Thames Street, Bristol, 254-2005.

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