3 Open Air Things In These Ocean State Towns That You'll Want To Do This Summah
Sure, farmers markets are back in full swing around here and that’s swell. If you’re thinking more along the lines of making a day of it and having that classic Rhode Island farmstand experience, along with some other marvelous open air activities, then pencil Tiverton and Little Compton onto your summer 2020 agenda. We zipped over to LC and the Tiverton Four Corners historic district over the holiday weekend and thought I’d share some of the highlights.
Photo Courtesy Of Me
Established in 1964 (this was eons before things like window box gardens and composting would go mainstream), Walker’s Roadside Stand continues to thrive and be a wildly popular destination to this day. The other day we were greeted by a boatload of grown on the premises tomatoes, not to mention boxes of strawberries, ripe peaches, baskets of watermelons, colorful peppers, cukes, and rows of basil plants.
Also, everyone was masked up and I was extremely happy to see how diligent everyone was about maintaining that all important distance right now. (For the record, I may not post photos here on the blog showing it, but please know that whenever I’m anywhere near other people not in my Covid crew, I do wear a mask or some kind of face covering.)
Photo Courtesy Of Me
And you simply cannot leave without picking up something from the micro bakery there — that is, if they haven’t already sold out of everything. Wilma’s at Walker’s has a selection of scrumptious cookies, muffins, pastries, quiches and pies. People rave about their pies (seriously, sooo many commented as much over on Instagram) and now I know why. We picked up a hot out-of-the-oven apple the other day and it certainly lived up to the hype.
Photo Courtesy Of Me
Next, it’s time for some backtracking…I say this because the famous Gray’s Ice Cream is over at the Four Corners intersection. Tbh, I have ramped down dairy in my everyday, but I do love to indulge in the occasional cup or cone of really good LOCAL ice cream during the summer months.
My test, in terms of whether I’ll go back again a 2nd or 3rd time, is how I feel after eating. If I don’t have any digestion issues (stomach ache or worse, will spare you the tmi), I bookmark it. If not, well…that’s gonna be a NO from me. The really great news is that Gray’s does in fact get my thumbs-up.
Finally, I’m one of those people who, even pre COVID, would rather go to the beach much later in the day. Extreme heat or sunlight to me feels so draining. I enjoy a breeze off the water, the peacefulness of fewer beach goers, and the sound of crashing waves. If you feel the same way, then you’ll want to motor over to South Shore — after 4 or 5pm.
We were there the other night and a few people had chairs set up in the parking lot overlooking the water. We felt like we could soak in the atmosphere and not stress too much about being too close to anyone else. It was low key and quite relaxing.
***Walker’s is at 261 West Main Road in Little Compton. Gray’s in Tiverton is located at 16 E Road.