5 Best Things to Do in Portsmouth, Rhode Island

By VI Staff on July 22, 2020 - Updated

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Portsmouth is a historic coastal town in Newport County, Rhode Island. Portsmouth was settled in 1638 by a group of religious dissenters from Massachusetts Bay Colony. Portsmouth is has a number of historic sites, marinas, public golf courses, antique shops and restaurants. Portsmouth includes four islands: Prudence Island, Patience Island, Hope Island, and Hog Island. Some of the most interesting spots to visit are Green Animal Topiary Gardens and 1852 St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. Large Clement’s Marketplace provides fresh produce, prepared foods and much more. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

1.Green Animal Topiary Gardens

Green Animals is the oldest topiary garden in the United States. It is part of the small, seven-acre country estate in Portsmouth that was purchased in 1872 by Thomas E. Brayton from Fall River, Massachusetts. The estate has a white Victorian summer residence, several farm outbuildings, a pasture, a vegetable garden and a topiary garden created by the property gardener and superintendent Joseph Carreiro and his son-in-law. They created about 80 topiaries throughout the property gardens, mostly animals, birds and ornamental figures sculpted from yew, California privet and English boxwood. Brayton’s daughter Alice lived on the estate from 1939 until her death. She left the topiary garden to the Preservation Society of Newport.

380 Corys Ln, Portsmouth, RI 02871

2.St. Mary's Episcopal Church

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church was built on 88 acres of land in Portsmouth known as the potter Farm, donated to the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island by Miss Sarah Gibb of Portsmouth, through a deed of trust. Designed by a famous English architect Richard Upjohn, the church was completed and consecrated in 1852. The Rectory, designed in Rhode Island colonial style, was added in 1936, and in 1970 the Gibbs House was built in honor of Sarah Gibbs to serve as an administrative center. Beautiful, light New Parish House was completed in 2012 to house common meeting areas, classrooms, workshops, kitchen and administrative offices. The beautiful, multi-windowed Chapel looks out on the St. Mary's campus and is surrounded by the stained glass windows from the original St. George's Church.

324 E Main Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Phone: 401-846-9700

3.Escobar's Highland Farm

Located on Aquidneck Island, in Portsmouth, RI, close to Newport, Escobar’s Highland Farm is a working dairy farm where visitors are invited to see and experience farm life in a modern community. Like so many other farms, in order to survive, Escobar’s farm had to adapt and diversity. Besides selling milk to the local community, they now also offer tours of the farm and diverse family entertainment, sell Christmas trees and offer visitors to pick their own pumpkins at the Pumpkin Patch. But, the main attraction is their eight-acre Corn Maze, designed by Brett Herbst. This year’s theme is the wizarding world.

133 Middle Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Phone: 401-683-1444

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4.Cindy's Country Cafe

Cindy's Country Cafe is a small family-friendly café in Portsmouth where, since it opened its doors in 2003, locals go for a true country breakfast and lunch. Their extensive menu includes such treats as open-faced meatloaf sandwich, gingerbread pancakes smothered in homemade apple cobbler and the classic Newporter Breakfast. Everything is made fresh, from the best ingredients, hot for each customer. There is also a daily menu with special, and it is worth checking out what new delight the chef came up every morning. If you are a boater, you can count on Cindy’s Country Café to supply you with all necessary provisions.

1324 W Main Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Phone: 401-683-5134

5.Clement's Marketplace

Clements' Marketplace is a family-owned business established in 1980 under the name Portsmouth IGA. by Donald and Barbara Clements. The name was changed in 1990. Since its beginning, Clements' has become an important part of the Portsmouth community, supplying fresh and traditional foods. The market covers almost 11,000 square feet and, besides fresh produce and flowers, offers fish, meat, baked goods, pizza, dairy products, groceries, sliced deli products, natural products and prepared foods. To assist their customers, the Marketplace now offers services such as Shipping UPS and Federal Express, helium balloons, laminating, postage stamps and free knife sharpening.

2575 E Main Rd, Portsmouth, RI 02871, Phone: 401-683-0180