Portsmouth

At Flo’s Drive-in, a weathered clam shack on the bay, cars line up to try the famous chowder, clam cakes and fish sandwiches in the summer. Families bring their lunches to Teddy’s beach next door, watching waves gently lap at the shore. Island Park, a Portsmouth neighborhood made of approximately 600 homes, sits just off the Mount Hope Bridge at the northernmost part of Aquidneck Island. In the words of Wayne Leaver, a board member at the Barrington Farm School and a Portsmouth local, “The Mount Hope Bridge, constructed in 1929, is both a connection to Aquidneck Island and a split from the mainland.” Up until the late 1990s, cars were required to pay tolls to pass, but today, travel is free… Except for the traffic that clogs up the lanes come summer when beachgoers from Providence and beyond pack their coolers and head to Aquidneck. That being said, “Traffic quiets down vastly in the tourist off-season,” says AnnaLeigh Bowser, who works as a Team Leader with the Newport Preservation Society and regularly commutes over the bridge. Some businesses on the island limit their hours in the fall and winter, and Flo’s shuts down operations entirely until the vacationers return. Save for the sound of seagulls and car radios when the weather warms up enough to roll the windows down, life in Island Park is quiet. At the base of the Mount Hope Bridge, most homes date back to the 1940s and ‘50s. Prospective buyers will find shingled New England cottages, bungalows, Foursquares and ranch-styles. Prices for most single-family homes start in the high $300,000s and range up to $600,000 depending on square footage, condition and bedroom count. In “The Point” section of Portsmouth (the tip of Point Road), prices easily surpass $1 million and homes come with water views. Hanging plants and rocking chairs decorate front porches, and many properties are surrounded by hydrangea bushes that bloom blue in July. Most properties don’t come with attached garages, and residents park their pickup trucks and small motorboats in narrow driveways or front yard lots. Rads are weathered by New England winters, when plows dispense sand and salt to prevent wheels from slipping. When it comes to Island Park dining, Flo’s Drive-In is a must; be prepared for long lines. Or reserve a table at 15 Point Road Restaurant, which blends upscale dining with ocean views. Meet up with friends to try local beers and play board games at Ragged Island Brewing Company, a newer addition to the Portsmouth area. According to Leaver, Fieldstones on Route 138 is another local haunt. “Get there early as the bar and dining tables fill up quickly at lunchtime,” he says, adding, “I recommend the Bristol Ferry sandwich, which is grilled salmon, spinach, bacon, homemade sauce on a delicious soft roll.” In this part of Rhode Island, most restaurant menus include seafood. Check items off the grocery list at Clement’s Marketplace, where a model train runs over the heads of shoppers; there’s also a CVS and Walgreens nearby. “For all things yard-related,” Leaver recommends stopping by Mello’s Farm and Flower Center, and Cory Farms is a go-to for unique gifts and trinkets. There are always more options just across the Bridge in Downtown Bristol, and Fall River Massachusetts is 15 minutes away along Rhode Island Route 24. Located off Route 138, Newport Polo hosts teams from Thailand, Egypt, Italy and more. Leaver recommends packing a picnic lunch to enjoy while watching the match — tickets for lawn seating are $20 per adult, but some prefer renting out their own chalets for $125. Although dressing up isn’t required, some attendees wear sundresses and wide-brimmed hats straight out of 20th-century society pages. Or visit the Green Animals Topiary Gardens, where shrubbery is carved in the shape of zoo animals and tulips bloom brightly in early May. In the fall, families head to Escobar’s Farm for the pumpkin patch and corn maze, which is cut into a different shape every year. On July 4th, brave the Mount Hope Bridge traffic and drive to Downtown Bristol, which has hosted an Independence Day Parade since 1785 (the oldest celebration in the country). Pebbled beaches line Island Park’s southern border. There’s Island Park Beach and Teddy Beach on Park Avenue, which Leaver identifies as a local favorite. Farther down Route 138, kids looking to boogieboard larger waves prefer Second Beach. “People come here to enjoy the beaches, plus this area is close to Safe Harbor Marina and the Aquidneck Club, if you happen to be an avid golfer,” adds Alexandra Thursby, a listing agent with Lila Delman Compass and a Rhode Island native. There’s also Montaup Country Club, which is famous for its views of the Mount Hope Bridge. At the center of the neighborhood sits Island Park Playground and an outdoor basketball court. Licensed fishers will head to Gull Cove to cast their lines for saltwater anglers, and dog owners can drive to the Portsmouth Dog Park, which has agility courses and divided big and small dog areas. A common guest at many Rhode Island beaches and parks is the yellow and green Del’s truck; this regional chain has been serving up frozen lemonade in the summer since the 1940s. Island Park students can enroll in public schools like Hathaway Elementary, which received a B-plus from the educational review site, Niche. Portsmouth Middle and Portsmouth High both received A-minus grades. Through the Early Enrollment Program (EEP), high schoolers can earn college credit in everything from Financial Algebra to Music Production and Engineering. At Portsmouth High, Career and Technical Education pathways include the Academy for Media Communication and Digital Video Production and the Academy of Education, Child Development and Human Services. Private school options in the area include Portsmouth Abbey, where classrooms overlook the bay and some students board on campus. Roger William’s University is just over the bridge in Bristol, and Island Park residents can attend student performances and athletic events. According to Leaver, two of Portsmouth’s main arteries are Route 138 and Route 114. “Look for little secluded spots where you can pull over and enjoy the view,” he says. Downtown Providence is just over 25 miles from Island Park, and Route 24 passes through Fall River on the way. Or pick up RIPTA bus 60, which stops along East Main Road and Byods Lane and passes over the Mount Hope through East Bay neighborhoods like Bristol, Warren and Barrington. Residents can fly out of T.F. Green Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport offers more nonstop options approximately 60 miles — or an hour, depending on traffic — away. Medical care is available at Lifespan Urgent Care in Middletown, and there’s also Newport Hospital to the south. Rhode Island Hospital in Providence is about 25 miles away.

Shaped like a seagull’s beak, Pocasset Heights occupies a distinct location on the northern part of Aquidneck Island. Placed between the suburbs of Bristol Ferry and Portsmouth Park, this neighborhood shares a lifestyle of relative quiet. But with the Fall River Expressway running along the east end, and Route 114 running along the west, Pocasset Heights identifies as a highly connected hub. “This is a very commutable location,” says Alexandra Thursby, a Rhode Island native and Realtor with Lila Delman Real Estate. “You can commute to Boston from here. Logan Airport’s about an hour away.” Spread among streets with nautical names like Anchor Drive and Schooner Drive, the housing stock is modest enough to appeal to a wide range of buyers. For example, a split-level home from the mid-1980s offers an open floor plan and vaulted ceilings, conveying a sense of spaciousness that can be tailored. And with half-acre lots, these homes also give room to customize outdoor spaces. The dominant style of Pocasset Heights is the colonial home, whether they’re quintessential versions with symmetrical facades or modern takes on the style, with gambrel roofs, pastel shutters and an attached garage. Typical prices range from $500,000 to the mid $700,000s, increasing as the homes become more contemporary and the lots expand beyond half an acre. Just beyond the neighborhood is Hathaway Elementary. The most likely education choice for young students attending the Portsmouth School Department, Hathaway Elementary earns a Niche grade of B-plus. This is a Feinstein Leadership School, which means it participates in community service campaigns throughout the year. Older students are likely to take classes at Portsmouth Middle School, graded an A, and Portsmouth High School, which gets an A-minus. Though it’s largely a residential neighborhood, there are still entertainment destinations close. Ragged Island Brewing Co. was founded in 2016, focusing on craft beers that celebrate outdoorsy culture. The taproom sits in a renovated 1890s farmhouse, connected to a greenhouse and a deck with views of the bay. For dining, residents can hop over to Portsmouth Park, where they’ll find a bustling sushi joint called Mindy’s and a popular Mexican spot called Salsa’s Burrito Grill. Along the commercial corridor of East Main Road in downtown Portsmouth, residents access locally owned grocery stores like Clement’s Marketplace and sleek breakfast spots like Foodworks. Situated as it is between two suburbs, Pocasset Heights isn’t a beach community or a neighborhood loaded with parks. But on the north end spans Bertha Russell Preserve, which features a half-mile trail weaving through tidal marshland. Birders and hikers will want to keep their eyes out for egrets hunting in the shallows, as well as nesting ospreys. This is also approximately where the Rhode Island colony was founded in 1638. When drivers cruise onto the nearby Mount Hope Bridge, they’re less than 5 miles from the town of Bristol. There lie attractions such as Blithewold, a 120-year-old bayside mansion transformed into a modern museum and arboretum. The estate serves as a holiday hotspot, with decorators styling the house and grounds with a different theme each season. There’s almost always an event happening at Blithewold in November and December, whether it’s a wine tasting or an ornament-crafting session. Besides Bristol, Pocasset Heights is near other destinations. The neighborhood is on the north end of Portsmouth, putting it closer to the highways needed to make the 28-mile drive to Providence or the 60-mile trip to Boston. Those who want to skip the sea of traffic en route to Boston can instead make the 35-mile trek to Warwick, where a train carries passengers to Boston and other parts of Massachusetts. Pocasset Heights makes it easy to take it slow while getting to fun destinations fast.

Nestled along the eastern shore of Narragansett Bay on Aquidneck Island, Portsmouth Park is a quintessential Rhode Island beach neighborhood. American flags hang outside shingle-façade dwellings lining the community’s rocky coastline, and green spaces commemorating the Revolutionary War abound. “One of the nicest things about this neighborhood is the location along the Fall River Expressway. You’re 15 minutes to Middletown and 20 minutes to Newport,” says Alexandra Thursby, a real estate agent with Lila Delman, who has sold several homes in the area. “It puts you in touch with great beaches, marinas and country clubs.” Portsmouth Park’s winding, paved roads closest to the ocean are lined with Colonial-inspired residences built throughout the midcentury. Three-bedroom saltbox-style homes sit behind the seawall. Cape Cod cottages on 5,000-square-foot lots have beachfront access. Gambrel farmhouses feature lawns dotted with hydrangeas tucked behind white picket fences. “Houses on the water won’t last more than a week,” says Thursby. “But everything else is still fast-selling. It’s rare for something to be on the market longer than a month.” Homebuyers will find modest ranch styles and split levels with one-two-car garages more inland. Purchasing a house in Portsmouth Park typically costs between $450,000 and $800,000, a range similar to a Newport County home’s average $700,000 selling price. Children in Portsmouth Park can attend Howard Hathaway Elementary, which has a B-plus grade from Niche. Next, they may go to A-minus-graded Portsmouth Middle. In 2021, the US Department of Education awarded the school a Green Ribbon for its cost-saving and sustainability practices. Lastly, students may attend Portsmouth High School. Lending to its A-minus grade, the school offers over 20 Advanced Placement classes, including music theory, environmental science and 3D art design. Once the site of an amusement park before it was destroyed by a hurricane in 1938, Island Park Beach is a less than 1-mile walk from Portsmouth Park via the sidewalk on East Main Road. Today, the pebbly shoreline is a popular spot for swimming, black sea bass fishing and picnicking, as local go-to Flo’s Clam Shack is across the street. Dedicated swimmers dive into the beach's cold water every December for the Polar Plunge. The recently renovated Island Park Playground is less than half a mile from the beach. Boat owners can store their yachts or sailboats less than 2 miles away at Safe Harbor Island Park Marina on Point Road. The neighborhood is also near several non-water recreational hubs. Starting at Butts Hill Fort off Sprague Street, the vast green space south of the area is dedicated to the Revolutionary War’s Battle of Rhode Island in 1778. History buffs and hikers will see earthworks, a granite memorial made for Rhode Island’s Black regiment and several historical markers depicting the conflict. The Aquidneck Club is 3-miles away on Corys Lane. With an 18-hole golf course, a 41-slip marina and tennis courts, the country club sits on 300 acres. Golfers can also join the Montaup Country Club 2 miles north to play on the 18-hole course overlooking Mount Hope Bay and Bridge. East Main Road spans Portsmouth Park’s core, providing the neighborhood with a few locally owned eateries. For instance, Mindy’s is an upscale spot serving an array of Asian fare, including pork belly buns to yellowtail sushi rolls. Another area go-to is Salsa’s, known for customized burritos, bowls, tacos and nachos. A 2-mile drive south on the thoroughfare leads to Portsmouth’s center, where residents will find an Ace Hardware, a Walgreens and Clements’ Marketplace, a locally owned grocery store. Big-box stores like Walmart Supercenter and TJ Maxx are 8 miles south in the RK Newport Towne Center. Residential streets in Portsmouth Park rarely have sidewalks, but the neighborhood is convenient for drivers and bus riders. Rhode Island Route 24, also known as Fall River Expressway, runs through the area’s core. An 11-mile drive south on the thoroughfare leads to Newport, and a 27-mile trip in the opposite direction ends in Providence. Numerous Rhode Island Public Transit Authority bus stops dot East Main Road.

The South Portsmouth neighborhood offers the opportunity to live on island time. It’s located in the northern part of Aquidneck Island, often called the biggest island in the smallest state. As the name suggests, South Portsmouth is south of Portsmouth, Rhode Island, where locals enjoy a few beach access points, an equestrian community and plenty of open spaces. The most popular place to access the water is on the island's eastern side at Sandy Point Beach, on the banks of the Sakonnet River. Parking is available at the end of Sandy Point Avenue, and there is a fee for those not residents of the nearby Sandy Point subdivision. There are picnic tables, changing rooms and restroom facilities. McCorrie Point is a residents-only beach that allows you to drive as it’s more of a rocky shore, but it’s popular for swimming and fishing. Some parts of South Portsmouth have modest ranch-style and Craftsman homes built as far back as the 1950s. “You’re going to struggle to see anything listed under $400,000 in this area,” says Dave Travers, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty who grew up in Portsmouth. “There’s also new developments going up, and some of the homes closer to the water are up to $4 million.” While there are still open spaces in the area, new developments are also being built. “Not every bit of land is going to be developed. Aquidneck Land Trust is ensuring that the island’s natural character stays intact,” Travers says. “People tend to stay in this area unless they’re downgrading. There’s a lot to love.” For about 150 years, polo has been popular on Aquidneck, and from June through September, people have been coming to Newport Polo to witness Saturday matches. It also was established as the first polo club in the United States in 1876. The matches feature the local Newport team facing off against polo clubs nationwide. The surrounding Glen Farm Stables offers boarding services and horse-riding lessons. Periodic horse shows take place at Glen Park in the area, but it also has lots of green space and a baseball diamond. Close to the park is a picturesque 1920s French Chateau known as the Glen Manor House on the Sakonnet River, which is the site of weddings and various scenic photo shoots. The Green Valley Country Club is a semi-private club open to the public. Members enjoy all-you-can-play golf and discounts on golf carts. Two golf professionals are on-site to help with playing tips and lessons. The country club has hosted banquets, corporate functions and wedding receptions. Eighteen holes of sloping fairways, marshes and strategically placed bunkers await at Newport National Golf Club. The course was designed to be reminiscent of those in Ireland and Scotland. Fieldstones is in an old wooden building shaped like a barn. Inside, there are cozy booths surrounded by artifacts from yesteryear. The menu features comfort food like French onion soup, chicken alfredo and fish and chips. Rocco’s Little Italy is a fast-casual restaurant with pizza and wings for eat-in or carry-out. Many grocery stores are on the island for food at home, including Shaw’s, ALDI and BJ’s Wholesale Club. The Newport Car Museum is for the car enthusiast or even a casual automobile fan. It focuses on eight decades of automotive design and celebrates cars as a work of art, from Corvettes to muscle cars. Part of the A-minus Niche-rated Portsmouth School District, the Melville School, with prekindergarten through fourth graders, also gets an A-minus and has a 13-to-1 student-to-teacher ratio. Portsmouth Middle School begins with fifth grade and runs through eighth. Students can join organizations such as the robotics or the chess club. The school also receives an A-minus Niche grade. Portsmouth High School rounds out the straight A-minus grades. Rhode Island Public Transportation Authority, commonly known as RIPTA, has stops on Aquidneck Island serving Portsmouth, Middletown and Newport with service along Main Road. The closest major hospital is Newport Hospital, about 5-10 miles to the south.