Rhode Island Parks and Recreation Areas with Interpretive Programs

Touro Synagogue, dedicated in 1762, is the oldest synagogue in the United States and the only one that survives from the colonial era. The congregation was founded in 1658 by Sephardim, descendants of Marranos who fled the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal and who were themselves seeking a haven from religious persecution in the Caribbean. A trap door under the bimah is symbolic of their fear and apprehension.

Phone: 401-847-4794   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Newport   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Historic Site   Activities: Interpretive Programs   Details Provided By: Touro Synagogue National Historic Site

Roger Williams National Memorial commemorates the life of the founder of Rhode Island and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. Williams, banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs, founded Providence in 1636. This colony served as a refuge where all could come to worship as their conscience dictated without interference from the state. The Memorial is located on a common lot of the original settlement of Providence and includes 4.5 acres of landscaped park.

Phone: 401-521-7266   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: No
Nearest Popular City: Providence   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Monument   Activities: Interpretive Programs   Details Provided By: Roger Williams National Memorial

The Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor is a special type of national park. It is a region of nearly 400,000 acres located within Worcester County in central Massachusetts and Providence County in northern Rhode Island. The National Corridor was designated by an Act of Congress on November 10, 1986 to preserve and interpret for present and future generations the unique and significant value of the Blackstone Valley.

Phone: 4017620250   Price Range: N/A   Open Season: N/A   Camping: Yes
Nearest Popular City: Woonsocket   Nearest Lake or River: N/A   Park Type: National Park   Activities: Backpacking, Biking / Bicycling, Birding, Boating and Watercraft, Cross Country Skiing, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting and Shooting, Kayaking, Swimming, Wildlife Watching, Auto Touring, Nature Walks, Interpretive Programs, Snowshoeing, Star Gazing   Details Provided By: Blackstone River Valley