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Rhode Island Top 5

Famous Mansions: It may be a slight cliché, but you simply can't gain a sense of Newport's Gilded Age mansion without taking a tour of the singularly immense and ornate Breakers mansion, built for Cornelius Vanderbilt and containing some 70 rooms.

Most Historic Street: On Providence's East Side, in the shadows of Brown University, ornate Colonial homes built by the leading merchants of the day line Benefit Street.

Communing with Nature: Block Island is one of the most tranquil, serene spots on the Eastern Seaboard, and you can truly unwind and enjoy the flora and fauna with a hike into Rodman's Hollow, a glacial outwash basin laced with winding paths that lead to the sea.

A Spectacular Stretch of Sand: South County is rife with sugary, white beaches, with Scarborough State Beach offering the best stretch to spread a blanket, soak up the rays, and admire the ocean.

Excellent Food Enclave: You could eat lunch and dinner at a different restaurant in the Little Italy area of Providence's Federal Hill neighborhood and never run out of memorable dining options—it's better than Boston's or New York City's.