Rhode Trip to Rhode Island

In case anyone out there has wondered, like I did, the best city to visit around Halloween, I would like to offer up the suggestion of Providence, Rhode Island. With credit card points burning a hole in my pocket, and no solid plans for Halloween, I decided to do some investigating. After weeding out the hayrack rides and pumpkin patching, I stumbled upon Providence's annual Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. Each year, the Roger Williams Zoo decks out its paths with 5,000 intricately designed, magnificent jack-o-lanterns. This year's theme, "Jack-O-Lanterns from A-Z" was, as the name of the event implies, spectacular. Each letter was a different theme (C for Christmas, Q for Queen, etc...) and each theme had multiple pumpkins carved to fit. The music that played along the path changed with each theme, and that, along with the jaw-dropping designs, filled me with joy. I smiled the entire time I walked through, with the exception of the In Memorium section, which featured tributes to those lost this year (Robin Williams, Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou). It was beautifully done. And I am so thrilled I was able to go. Hopefully these pictures can do any semblance of justice to what I saw there. Remember: these are carved, not painted.

 

Christmas on Halloween??

Norman Rockwell: my favorite

For Napoleon Dynamite fans

No...this is my favorite

"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."

Robert Frost...no, this is my favorite.
Ugh, I give up!

All of those lights are little pumpkins

Tributes to Nelson Mandela and Maya Angelou

As is evident, it was impossible to say which carving moved me the most. It was absolutely breathtaking. If you ever find yourself in New England during the month of October (which you should do anyway), make your way over to the capital of our tiniest state. You will not be sorry you did.
*Side note: I went right when it opened at 6, so it was relatively uncrowded. The reviews I read beforehand warned of very deep crowds later in the night.

The rest of my trip to Rhode Island was quite enjoyable as well. I ate incredible food, went on yet ANOTHER haunted tour, and visited the exquisitely beautiful town of Newport just 40 minutes south of Providence. It rained the entire second day I was there, but with some warm coffee and a stop at a bookshop, my spirits could not be dampened (even if my shoes were).

The lobby of the gorgeous Biltmore Hotel

A haunted building on Brown's campus.
See any ghosts of Revolutionary War
soldiers? Apparently they make
an occasional appearance.

Brown during the day...far less creepy

When I told the bartender at AS220 that
it was my first time to Rhode Island, she
offered me this Narragansett on the house!

The bathroom at Julian's in the Federal
Hill district. The food was fantastic,
and the bathroom was the most
entertaining one I've ever seen.

Newport: Adorable, even in the rain

The famous Cliff Walk in Newport. I will
have to return when it's drier so I can actually
spent more time enjoying the view
instead of ducking for cover

One of many of Newport's mansions
along the coast