My next stop on this US tour is Rhode Island, the smallest of the U.S states and at its heart the city of Providence, my home for the next few nights.

I fell in love with Providence the moment I stepped off the Northeast Regional Amtrak train, which connects Washington via New York to Boston. Providence has much to offer the first time visitor, steeped in history it was one of the first cities established in the United States.

Start with a stroll down Benefit Street with it mile of history.  Also on offer are rich cultural attractions, colonial houses, churches, and not forgetting the very opulent mansions of Newport.

Providence is also famed for its food, and if like me a coffee fan you’ll be right at home – it has the most coffee shops per capita compared to any other city in the US. The same goes for restaurants, Federal Hill, the areas very own Little Italy will give you plenty of pleasure as you stroll along deciding on where to eat (call me for suggestions).  A must for breakfast is a visit to Eddies and Son Diner this is real 50’s Americano Nostalgia at it best!  You’ll also find several Central American and Asian restaurants, vegetarians, and vegans are also well catered for in this city and along with a thriving arts culture the city truly deserves a visit.

Apart from the coffee and the food the other thing I love about Providence is the friendliness of the residence – it is amazing but true that when crossing the streets drivers on both sides of the road stopped their cars to let us cross imagine that!

Next, stop on this US tour – Newport, RI. Where money talks and a maritime legacy began. Newport offers a one of a kind authentic New England feel, this is where you will find the Summer Cottages of America’s Gilded Age dotted along Bellevue Avenue.  Newport also contains the highest number of surviving colonial building of any US city, its home to America’s Cup and known as the Sailing Capital of the World, its also home to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Some of the nation’s wealthiest families spent their summers in Newport, including the Vanderbilt’s, the Astros, and the Wideners. They built the largest houses which they called “cottages”, like The Marble House, Rosecliff where The Great Gatsby and High Society were filmed, Miramar, Rough Point where the owner kept camels in the grounds and the grandest of them all The Breakers – these mansions are a must for any visitor. You might be surprised to know that many of these houses are still privately owned today!

The oldest Catholic Church in Rhode Island, St Mary’s is also located in Newport and witnessed the marriage of John F Kennedy and Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953.