'''South Kingstown''' is the largest town, 57.1 mi2 (147.9 km2), in the South County region of Rhode Island. It contains the villages of Kingston, West Kingston, Matunuck, Peacedale and Wakefield. Home to the historic villages of Wakefield and Kingston, South Kingstown showcases some of Rhode Island's oldest buildings. Throughout the school year, it remains active with college students attending the University of Rhode Island. And throughout the summertime, tourists come in to spend time relaxing on the many beaches located in or near South Kingstown.
=Get in=
Car
95 South. Take Exit 9 towards North Kingstown. For Kingston and West Kingston, take Exit 5B off Route 4 and a left at the light. For Wakefield, stay on Route 4 until it merges onto Route 1 S and stay on until you reach the Wakefield exit. For Matunuck, stay on Route 4 until it merges into Route 1 S. After roughly 13 miles, make a U-turn onto Route 1 N and take a right at Matunuck Beach Rd, and a left at Atlantic Ave.
95 North. Take Exit 3A towards Route 138 and URI's Kingston Campus. For Kingston and West Kingston, stay on Route 138 and you will be brought directly there. For Wakefield, stay on Route 138, after roughly six miles take a right at Route 108. After two miles, with the South Kingstown Public Library on your left, take a left on High Street.
Train/Plane
'''Amtrak''', 1 Railroad Av., West Kingston, ''+1'' 800-872-7245, [http://www.amtrak.com]. Although newly renovated, his historic train station has been there since 1875. It is one of Rhode Island's three stations. Van/car service is available to Newport. Call ''+1'' 401-295-1100 for information and (required) reservations.
T. F. Green Airport. 000 Post Road, Warwick. ake US 1 S... Exit 5B, left at light, will take you into Kingston area with the URI Kingston campus. If you want to go into Wakefield, US 1 S will take you right there.. Located 6 miles south of Providence.
=Get around=
RIPTA. ttp://www.ripta.com/. Bus System that travels through the state of Rhode Island. For schedules and prices visit the website at www.ripta.com.
Wakefield Cab Co Inc.. 3 Emmett Lane, Wakefield. 01-783-0007. Family-owned taxi business.
=See=
Courthouse Center for the Arts. 481 Kingstown Rd, West Kingston. n Route 138. 01-782-1018. ttp://www.courthousearts.org/. Previously the Old Washington Courthouse, this theatre and art gallery is now used for musical and performing arts in the community. Throughout the summer, there will be an Outdoor Concert Series and Shakespeare Company performing outside.
'''Entertainment Cinemas South County Commons''', 30 Village Square Drive, ''+1'' 401-792-8008. Located in the newly constructed South County Commons development, Entertainment Cinemas is South County's only multiplex-style cinema. First-run movies show seven days a week.
South County Art Association '''Helme House Gallery''', 2587 Kingstown Road, Kingston, Phone: ''+1'' 401-783-2195. W-Su 1PM-5PM. Founded in 1929, the Helme House exhibits local artists and students.
'''URI Theatre''', Upper College Road (Fine Arts Center), Kingston, ''+1'' 401-874-2627. Live theatre productions, Concert Choir and University Chorus performances, student recitals, the music department's semesterly Opera, and occasional non-URI performances.
Theatre by the Sea. 64 Cards Pond Rd, Matunuck. 01-782-TKTS. ttp://www.theatrebythesea.com/. This is an old and memorable theatre in Rhode Island; it was originally opened in 1933. After being closed down for four years, Bill Haney purchased and reopened it in 2007 and ever since has been showcasing musical and dramatic theatricals.
URI Botanical Gardens. RI Kingston Campus. Free of charge. Showing home gardens and landscapings.
=Do=
There is a variety of beaches within 20 minutes of anywhere in South Kingstown, however, here are some fun spots right here.
Year-Round
'''Bradford R. Boss Ice Arena''', URI Campus, ''+1'' 401-874-5480, [http://www.theryancenter.com/boss]. Open to the public from 10AM-1:50PM. Check out the calendar for other events which might be going on in the arena.
Old Mountain Bowling Lanes. 56 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. 01-783-5511. Friday/Saturday nights: Rock n' Bowl.
Sunday nights: $10 for bowling and hotdog/hamburger and fries.
</do>
East Matunuck State Beach. outh Kingstown. 01-789-8374. Smaller and less crowded beach. This is good if you want a beach with more room to spread out and relax.
Neighborhood Guild. 25 Columbia Street, Peacedale. 01-789-9301. Hosts concerts, activities, clubs and has a popular park out front. Over the summer, there are outdoor concerts on the park.
'''The Ryan Center''', One Lincoln Almond Plaza, ''+1'' 401-788-3200, [http://www.theryancenter.com]. Attend various events which ranges from men and women high school and collegiate games, concerts, Harlem Globetrotters boat show, circus and show for the kids and family. Check out the event calendar on the website for upcoming events.
South Kingstown Public Library. 057 Kingstown Rd, Peacedale. 01-789-1555. ttp://www.skpl.org/ski.html. ours vary. Wide selection of books, also has some movies and music.
William C. O'Neill Bike Path. outh Kingstown. 01-789-4422. Goes for 5.6 miles starting the West Kingston train station and ending at Route 108. It goes through the Great Swamp, Peacedale and old Wakefield. Good spot for photography.
Seasonal
Balloon Festival. RI Kingston Campus, Route 138. Dates differ year to year, but is always held in August lasting from a Friday to Sunday. Hot air balloons from around the state are brought and take off in the late afternoon. There are small carnival rides, booths with jewelry, arts and small vender's products and performances throughout the day.
Kinney Azalea Gardens. 381 Kingstown Rd, Kingston. ttp://www.gdeb.com/organizations/EBAC/garden_club/kinney.htm. Open for anyone to walk around and explore the trails of colorful azaleas and rhododendrons. They typically blossom mid-May and stay open until the beginning of July.
=Buy=
With big shopping centers at Warwick and driving at a reasonably distance, historic places such as Wakefield or Kingston like to withhold a quaint image. Walk up and down old Wakefield and you'll find a variety of coffee and ice cream shops, gift stores and smaller businesses. Here's a few suggestions if you're looking for something specific.
Books
Myoptic Books. 43 Main Street, Wakefield. 01-284-4554. Used bookstore.
Waldonbooks. 60 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. ocated in the Wakefield Mall. 01-783-0554.
Music
FYE. 60 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. ocated in the Wakefield Mall. 01-783-5720. For Your Entertainment. FYE is a CD and DVD store; they also carry small equipment and electronic devices.
Looney Tunes II. 62 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. 01-782-9860. Sells CDs, posters, magazines and old records.
Wakefield Music. 8 Main Street, Wakefield. 01-783-5390. ttp://wakefieldmusic.com/index.htm. -F 10AM-5:30PM, Sat 9:30AM-5PM. A music store providing instruments, sheet music and lessons.
Gifts and Fashion
Most of the shops you'll find in South Kingstown are located in Wakefield on Main Street or in the Wakefield Mall. Here's a few suggestions of shops and boutiques Wakefield has to offer.
Basket Case. 12 Main Street, Wakefield. 01-284-1551. They specialize in gift baskets but also provide a wide range or gift ideas from jewelry and purses, to home decor and kitchen items.
Fashion Bug. 60 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. ocated in the Wakefield Mall. 01-792-3311. Fashion Bug carries womens, juniors and misses fashion and jewelry.
Jennifer's Chocolates. 60 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. ocated in the Wakefield Mall. 01-783-8423. Gourmet chocolate, candies and jelly beans.
The Purple Cow. 05 Main Street, Wakefield. 01-789-2389. ttp://www.thepurplecowco.net/. -W 9AM-6PM, Th-F 9AM-8PM, Sat 9AM-6PM, Sun 12PM-5PM. Gift shop offering jewelry, clothing, candles, lotions, soaps, cookbooks, home decor, burt's bees products, glasses and cards.
Spangles. 26 Main Street, Wakefield. 01-788-1032. Unique jewelry, handbags and purses, sunglasses, scarves and other accessories.
Sweenor's Chocolates. 1 Charles Street, Wakefield. 01-783-4433. ttp://www.sweenorschocolates.com/. Family-owned shop with a wide array of chocolates, sold individually or in gift boxes.
Tara Boutique. 39 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. 01-789-2300. Jewelry, candles, soap and clothing items.
Zero Wampum. 61 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. 01-789-7172. Jewelry and gift shop carrying names like Yankee Candle, Crabtree and Evelyn and Vera Bradley.
=Eat=
There are many places to grab a quick bite to eat, as well as a few nicer restaurants. Higher-end restaurants are found along the waterfront in neighboring towns such as Narragansett or Newport, but here are some places offering good food and services.
Budget
The Bluebird Cafe. 54 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. 01-792-8940. Serving breakfast and lunch opened until 2pm.
Friendly's Ice Cream Shop. 00 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. 01-783-0562. ttp://www.friendlys.com/. 7-10. Menu includes burgers, chicken fingers, wraps, sandwiches and other items.
'''Kingston Pizza''', 63 Briar Lane, Phone: ''+1'' 401-783-9130. Open 7 days a week from 10AM-2AM. Has a variety of items which includes custom made calzones and pizzas, salads and other items.
Panera Bread. 60 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. ocated in Wakefield Mall. 01-788-0102. Panera has a variety of breads, soups, pastries and paninis. WiFi is available.
'''Ram_fs Den''', 50 Lower College Road, Phone: ''+1'' 401-874-5830. Serves breakfast all day, with lunch available after 11am. $2-7.
'''Spike_fs Junkyard Dogs''', 120 Fortin Road THIS LOCATION CLOSED, Phone: ''+1'' 401-789-1700. www.spikesjunkyarddogs.com. Spike_fs hot dog are specially made, jumbo 100% all beef dogs. The hot dogs are available with a wide variety of the highest quality and freshest toppings in custom combinations to suit every taste.
Mid-Range
Camdens. 56 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. 01-782-2328. Homestyle food. Connected to the Old Mountain bowling alley.
'''Casey's Bar and Grill''', 191 Old Tower Hill Road, Phone: ''+1'' 401-789-9714. 11:30AM-1AM. Home of URI sports. A Casual Sports bar that offers $2 Coors Light Bottles Tu-Sa. A great place to go to watch a game or just relax and have a beer. Known for it_fs famous 10-cent wing night on Tuesday night and Karaoke Sunday. The bar is also a popular place among college students.
'''Cucina Twist''', Rt. 108, [http://www.pinellimarrarestaurants.com/cucinatwist.htm]. A Casual Fine Dining Restaurant well known for their array of Martinis and Margaritas. Their Signature drinks are Pinelli_fs Lemonade, Pinelli_fs Passion, and Pinelli_fs Fruit Cocktail. Offers a diverse menu with upscale dishes in addition to a variety of sandwiches, burgers, pizza, etc. Best time to go is everday between 4PM-6PM for ? off appetizers. Tuesday deals: A bottle of wine at ? price with any entree. $12-20.
Estia Restaurant and Pizza. 8 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. 01-782-8800. Greek cuisine.
Italian Village. 95 Main Street, Wakefield. 01-783-3777. 12-20. Classic Italian style food.
Kabuki. 1 Old Tower Hill Rd, Wakefield. 01-788-0777. New restaurant located off of Kingstown Road with Japanese food.
Shogun Steak and Sushi House. 9 South County Commons Plaza, South Kingstown. 01-284-1311. ttp://www.shogunri.com/. 12-30. This popular Japanese cuisine restaurant offers a sushi bar, habachi and lounge with teppanyaki style cooking.
=Drink=
Bars and Pubs
Bobby G's. 58 Kingstown Rd, Wakefield. cross from Benny's. 01-789-1130. Karaoke on Wed, Fri and Sat nights.
'''Mew's Tavern''', 456 Main Street, Wakefield, Phone: 401-783-9870, [http://www.mewstavern.com/]. Mew's Tavern has a full menu and is opened for lunch and dinner, but is most well known for having 69 beers on tap. Big attraction among the college students.
Ocean Mist. 95A Matunuk Beach Road, Matunuck. 01-782-3740. ttp://www.oceanmist.net. This bar is located right on the water. During the summer, they have Reggae nights on Tuesdays and bands play occasionally on the weekends.
Coffee
Bagelz. 0 Perhsing Ave, Wakefield. 99 Fortin Rd, Kingston.. 01-783-9700 (Wakefield). 401-782-2295 (Kingston). pens at 6AM every morning. Two locations, one at the URI Kingston campus emporium and the other in Wakefield. They provide WiFi, couches, chairs and tables for studying college students or for social meetings over coffee.
Brewed Awakenings. 0 S Commons Way, South County. ocated in the South County Commons. 01-783-0496. Offering a large variety of coffee drinks, breakfast or lunch items and desserts, this coffee shop also provides WiFi with tables, couches and chairs available for studying or meetings. Nice atmosphere for spending time in with fireplaces and dim lighting.
Taylor's Landing Country Store. 362 Kingstown Rd, West Kingston. 01-284-0501. Coffee, drinks and sandwiches. They also occasionally have open mic with music, poetry and comedy on Friday nights.
=Sleep=
Hampton Inn. 0 Hotel Drive, South Kingstown. 01-788-3500. ttp://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml;jsessionid=BNUCH4Z11WBI2CSGBJC222Q?ctyhocn=NPTSKHX. Offers complementary breakfast, swimming facilities, free internet and fitness center.
Holiday Inn. 009 Tower Hill Road. 1 401 789-1051. ttp://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/hi/1/en/hd/sknri.
The King's Rose. 747 Mooresfield Rd, South Kingstown. 01-783-5222. ttp://www.virtualcities.com/ons/ri/s/ris8701.htm. Bed and Breakfast located right outside of URI's Kingston campus. The 75-year-old Colonial style home features antique rooms and two acres of gardens. It is exhibited as one of the National Register of Historic Places.
=Get out=
The historic town of Newport offers all sorts of places to see and things to do. Classy restaurants, shops and boutiques downtown, parks, and beaches are only naming a few. Be sure to take a tour of the Newport mansions or take a stroll along the Cliff Walk. Take Route 1 N and merge onto RI 138 E. Take RI 238 S and that will lead you into Newport.
The city of Providence is another place you may be interested in visiting. There are a number of restaurants along Federal Hill or Thayer's Street with a variety of menus and fancy dining. Bars and night clubs are popular and there are plenty to be found throughout the city. The Providence Place mall has a wide range of stores varying from designer to discount. Take Route 4 N onto 95 N you'll be lead into Providence.
If you're looking for a broader range of restaurants and bars, Narragansett is right next door. Looking for a nice restaurant? Check out Coast Guard House, Amalfi's, Arturo Joe's, Spain or Turtle Soup. Looking for a popular bar? Charlie O's, Coast Guard House, Bon Vue, Pelly's and Pancho O'Malley's are a few good spots to try.