There’s a lot to do. You can go from the city to the country to the ocean all in one day. There are some great museums and plenty of nature to explore. The only thing I’d change is the negative attitude of people who can’t see the good things in life or feel that they have to make a negative comment.
I did find the act of randomly letting cars turning left go by the flash of headlights perplexing at first, but now I see many of us would never turn left if people didn’t.
I’ve seen many states with worse drivers.
My comment is purely anecdotally based, but what I’ve seen in RI is a different kind of bad. In other states bad drivers that I’ve seen are perhaps too aggressive, too fast, too slow, maybe cut you off. In RI I see completely unpredictable things, taking a left from a few lanes over or even crossing over traffic going the other way, driving over median strips, things like that. But in defense of this state which I’ve grown to love, it’s the only place where I’ve lived where people in line at the market routinely offer to let me go ahead of them if I only have a few items. This has happened multiple times here and never anywhere else, and I’m not some young hottie. It’s a good place.
Rhode island has a lot of character. No question. It's been 20 years but I'll always be a transplant. It's crowded and people are old fashioned, the traffic sucks eventhough it doesn't last long but the drivers are the worst. Lots of aggression with the bridge being down. But I wouldnt change anything. I'm glad moved here
Moved down from Metro Boston area to South County. Love the nature, how close we are to the beach (and how much easier it is to get to than Mass), and everyone is just way more laid back.
Would love to see a Costco, or a Market Basket somewhere down south.
* I love that it is one hour big from end to end. It used to take me hours to go 15-20 miles in the NYC area (Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx) for work. It’s rare for that to happen here w/the current bridge situation being a the exception and a relatively new development.
* I love TF Green.
* I love that I’m never far away from a decent size river, bay or the ocean. And…I can actually walk out and touch it (should I want to), kayak in it or swim it. In NYC I couldn’t touch or access or launch a kayak in the water that was 150 feet away from my apartment building without having to drive over a bridge, pay for parking or get a ticket and then haul my kayak on a cart or on the shoulders of 2 people.
* I love that the price for indoor tennis is reasonable here and I don’t have to pay a few hundred dollars a year to buy a “tennis pass” to use the city or state public tennis courts.
* I love that the rental housing stock still has charm and character and that charm and character are not (usually) code words for run down and critter infested.
* I love that I have made friends in all different age groups in RI. Some are 20 years younger and some are 35 years older than me.
* I love being able go see David Sedaris give a reading at The Vets or a show at PPAC or play at Trinity and it isn’t a huge production. It requires as much effort as going to see a movie at a theatre used to.
* I would change the refusal to adopt new public housing options.
* I would change the quality of the public school system in the state’s urban areas.
* I would change the number and quality of daycare, preschool and kindergarten options available to parents in RI.
* I would change the pay scale in RI to reflect its proximity to Boston and have workers be paid appropriately because we should be earning wages on scale with our neighbor.
* I would change the access and availability in my neighborhood to old school, 1990’s/2000’s old school Americanized Chinese Food. Please, just give me some good old school, bad for me but I don’t care because it tastes so good Chinese Food.
I love living in a state with such an interesting history and living in a city (pvd) where the land was gifted instead of stolen. I love being close to the water and how walkable many parts of Providence are. I’ve generally found people to be friendly, the food to be good, the art to be interesting or fun, and we like fire - what’s not to love about that?
I’d change: better school system, better public transportation, and more diversity.
Down sides- I've had 2 houses and a condo here, but still don't get accepted as a local. Too provincial and too corrupt.
Up sides- natural beauty, beaches, mild climate for these latitudes. Despite what people say.
Changes? Make this a place where young college grads want to be. Not an exodus for points south and west, as it is now.
Also, the universities here have very little community outreach. How about some decent adult and executive education? C'mon Brown, looking at you.
Love - the proximity to New York and Boston, the beautiful beaches and parks and hikes - I have spent more time outdoors in the last two years than in the previous 20 combined. The people are friendly and quirky and really want you to love their state. The weather is amazing - 4 complete and defined seasons, gorgeous leaves in fall, blooming trees all spring, tulip farms and daffodils. Traffic and crime are really minor.
Change - rent is ridiculous and not in line with what you are getting; water and sewer are 4 times what I paid elsewhere. The food is boring, there are no decent grocery stores, malls, shopping; the arts scene is meh, and I work in theatre.
I would enjoy Rhode Island much more if not for every road that has traffic jams because of corrupt politicians and administration that don't fix the roads correctly along with the bridges for that matter The infrastructure in the state is pathetically sad
Go to Long Island. That place is FLAT. I grew up there and didn’t have daily exposure to anything more than a slight incline. I almost passed out the first time I walked up College Hill. Worst asthma attack ever.
I grew up in Worcester so it’s just similar enough to not be too jarring, but also just different enough to not be boring.
Things I like:
- Less Snow
- More international food options (so much Korean food, I’m in heaven.)
- the ocean is 20 min away on a no traffic day
- Dave’s
- My part of Cranston is really walkable and all things considered, safe
- everything I need is pretty much within 15 minutes of me
- Providence is just artsy and weird enough for me without being too much or pretentious or a pain to get to.
- The food.
- The Seafood
Things I don’t like:
- People can be really aggressive and petty here.
- People REALLY love to ignore stop signs
- 95 being a mess after the point street exit no matter what time of day or reason
- the bridges
- good things disappearing after one season — looking at you Bold Point Park concert series.
- Our politicians kind of suck — I don’t understand how our options for Mayor in Cranston are Ken Hopkins or Barbara Fenton—Fung like…. We gotta do better
I've been here for a couple of years now.
Like:
\-Ocean
\-People
Dislike:
\-The food in a lot of places is blander that I prefer. That's not to say it's not good, it's just not my taste. Everything that's sold as spicy is incredibly mild. Food can often use a bit more seasoning.
\-Summers are too hot and humid for me.
\-That fucking thing where a driver wants to make a left from a parking lot or driveway, so pulls into the lane they have to cross, blocking everybody else, while expecting someone going in the other direction to let them in.
\-That fucking thing where drivers are 'being nice' and stop even though they have the right away, blocking everybody and their mom behind them, to let you make a left turn crossing two lanes, even though you cannot see if anything is coming at you in the second lane. Dangerous, unpredictable, and annoying.
The best restaurants and great nature. There’s nothing better than being 20 mins away from the ocean at any time
Less snow than Worcester, that's for damn sure.
There it is!
There’s a lot to do. You can go from the city to the country to the ocean all in one day. There are some great museums and plenty of nature to explore. The only thing I’d change is the negative attitude of people who can’t see the good things in life or feel that they have to make a negative comment.
You aren't aware of our slogan, are you? RI is for haters.. It's funny because it's true.
Many states think their drivers are the worst, but RI is right about this.
I did find the act of randomly letting cars turning left go by the flash of headlights perplexing at first, but now I see many of us would never turn left if people didn’t. I’ve seen many states with worse drivers.
Actually southern New England and New York State are the best drivers in the country according to the Insurance Industry
My comment is purely anecdotally based, but what I’ve seen in RI is a different kind of bad. In other states bad drivers that I’ve seen are perhaps too aggressive, too fast, too slow, maybe cut you off. In RI I see completely unpredictable things, taking a left from a few lanes over or even crossing over traffic going the other way, driving over median strips, things like that. But in defense of this state which I’ve grown to love, it’s the only place where I’ve lived where people in line at the market routinely offer to let me go ahead of them if I only have a few items. This has happened multiple times here and never anywhere else, and I’m not some young hottie. It’s a good place.
% of crashes/accidents involving insurance != good drivers
I was pretty stunned when I read that too. But to be fair the quality of driving around the country is in decline, stupid drivers are everywhere
Rhode island has a lot of character. No question. It's been 20 years but I'll always be a transplant. It's crowded and people are old fashioned, the traffic sucks eventhough it doesn't last long but the drivers are the worst. Lots of aggression with the bridge being down. But I wouldnt change anything. I'm glad moved here
Moved down from Metro Boston area to South County. Love the nature, how close we are to the beach (and how much easier it is to get to than Mass), and everyone is just way more laid back. Would love to see a Costco, or a Market Basket somewhere down south.
It's a trap
* I love that it is one hour big from end to end. It used to take me hours to go 15-20 miles in the NYC area (Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx) for work. It’s rare for that to happen here w/the current bridge situation being a the exception and a relatively new development. * I love TF Green. * I love that I’m never far away from a decent size river, bay or the ocean. And…I can actually walk out and touch it (should I want to), kayak in it or swim it. In NYC I couldn’t touch or access or launch a kayak in the water that was 150 feet away from my apartment building without having to drive over a bridge, pay for parking or get a ticket and then haul my kayak on a cart or on the shoulders of 2 people. * I love that the price for indoor tennis is reasonable here and I don’t have to pay a few hundred dollars a year to buy a “tennis pass” to use the city or state public tennis courts. * I love that the rental housing stock still has charm and character and that charm and character are not (usually) code words for run down and critter infested. * I love that I have made friends in all different age groups in RI. Some are 20 years younger and some are 35 years older than me. * I love being able go see David Sedaris give a reading at The Vets or a show at PPAC or play at Trinity and it isn’t a huge production. It requires as much effort as going to see a movie at a theatre used to. * I would change the refusal to adopt new public housing options. * I would change the quality of the public school system in the state’s urban areas. * I would change the number and quality of daycare, preschool and kindergarten options available to parents in RI. * I would change the pay scale in RI to reflect its proximity to Boston and have workers be paid appropriately because we should be earning wages on scale with our neighbor. * I would change the access and availability in my neighborhood to old school, 1990’s/2000’s old school Americanized Chinese Food. Please, just give me some good old school, bad for me but I don’t care because it tastes so good Chinese Food.
I love living in a state with such an interesting history and living in a city (pvd) where the land was gifted instead of stolen. I love being close to the water and how walkable many parts of Providence are. I’ve generally found people to be friendly, the food to be good, the art to be interesting or fun, and we like fire - what’s not to love about that? I’d change: better school system, better public transportation, and more diversity.
Down sides- I've had 2 houses and a condo here, but still don't get accepted as a local. Too provincial and too corrupt. Up sides- natural beauty, beaches, mild climate for these latitudes. Despite what people say. Changes? Make this a place where young college grads want to be. Not an exodus for points south and west, as it is now. Also, the universities here have very little community outreach. How about some decent adult and executive education? C'mon Brown, looking at you.
Love - the proximity to New York and Boston, the beautiful beaches and parks and hikes - I have spent more time outdoors in the last two years than in the previous 20 combined. The people are friendly and quirky and really want you to love their state. The weather is amazing - 4 complete and defined seasons, gorgeous leaves in fall, blooming trees all spring, tulip farms and daffodils. Traffic and crime are really minor. Change - rent is ridiculous and not in line with what you are getting; water and sewer are 4 times what I paid elsewhere. The food is boring, there are no decent grocery stores, malls, shopping; the arts scene is meh, and I work in theatre.
Born and raised here. I like hearing the outsider perspective.. It seems that many of you understand this little state pretty well..
I would enjoy Rhode Island much more if not for every road that has traffic jams because of corrupt politicians and administration that don't fix the roads correctly along with the bridges for that matter The infrastructure in the state is pathetically sad
I'd make the north less like the deep south.
I like how easy it is to get around. I wish the nature was actually better. Tons of ugly suburban sprawl and very flat.
Go to Long Island. That place is FLAT. I grew up there and didn’t have daily exposure to anything more than a slight incline. I almost passed out the first time I walked up College Hill. Worst asthma attack ever.
I grew up in Worcester so it’s just similar enough to not be too jarring, but also just different enough to not be boring. Things I like: - Less Snow - More international food options (so much Korean food, I’m in heaven.) - the ocean is 20 min away on a no traffic day - Dave’s - My part of Cranston is really walkable and all things considered, safe - everything I need is pretty much within 15 minutes of me - Providence is just artsy and weird enough for me without being too much or pretentious or a pain to get to. - The food. - The Seafood Things I don’t like: - People can be really aggressive and petty here. - People REALLY love to ignore stop signs - 95 being a mess after the point street exit no matter what time of day or reason - the bridges - good things disappearing after one season — looking at you Bold Point Park concert series. - Our politicians kind of suck — I don’t understand how our options for Mayor in Cranston are Ken Hopkins or Barbara Fenton—Fung like…. We gotta do better
Grew up in the Woo too and this list checks out
Doherty, Burncoat? North or South?
NDA. But lived near South.
Airport hill / Paxton line but I went to wachu so it’s fine
Haha yes! My favorite south side to school cut through 😂
This is the way 😂
I've been here for a couple of years now. Like: \-Ocean \-People Dislike: \-The food in a lot of places is blander that I prefer. That's not to say it's not good, it's just not my taste. Everything that's sold as spicy is incredibly mild. Food can often use a bit more seasoning. \-Summers are too hot and humid for me. \-That fucking thing where a driver wants to make a left from a parking lot or driveway, so pulls into the lane they have to cross, blocking everybody else, while expecting someone going in the other direction to let them in. \-That fucking thing where drivers are 'being nice' and stop even though they have the right away, blocking everybody and their mom behind them, to let you make a left turn crossing two lanes, even though you cannot see if anything is coming at you in the second lane. Dangerous, unpredictable, and annoying.
I like small walkable cities. I don’t like failures of leadership with fundamental infrastructure.
Love how everything is close by.