ANTHONY: IT IS THE LITTLE STATE WITH A LOT TO LIKE.
RHODE ISLAND.
ONE OF RHODE ISLAND’S LESSER KNOWN LOCATIONS IS WORTH A VISIT, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF YEAR WHERE THE SUN IS WARM AND WINDS ARE STEADY.
PROVIDENCE ATTRACTS FOODIES, NEWPORT, JETSETTERS, BUT HERE WE LOVE THE DOWNTOWN QUAINTNESS OF BRISTOL, RHODE ISLAND.
THE HARBORVIEW ALONE IS WORTH THE DRIVE.
FRIENDLY, WALKABLE, BRISTOL CHARMS, WHILE TOOLING AROUND ON A BIKE OR MEANDERING INTO ONE OF THE ANTIQUE STORES.
>> SOME OF THIS STUFF HAS BEEN HERE FOR 150, 200 YEARS.
PEOPLE DO NOT SEE IT UNTIL WE PULL IT OUT AND PUT IT IN THE SHOP.
IT IS QUITE THE EXPERIENCE.
ANTHONY: THE STUNNING MANSION IS A MUST STOP ON A VISIT TO BRISTOL.
THE 40-ROOM THE STATE HAS VAST GROUNDS FOR STROLLING COMPLETE WITH A MAGNIFICENT BACK LAWN WHICH GENTLY ROLLS DOWN TO THE SEA.
>> HE WAS A HORTICULTURIST.
WHEN HER HUSBAND BOUGHT THE PROPERTY SHE WANTED TO PLANT TREES AND PLANTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD.
NOW, WE ARE REALLY SEEING THE EVOLUTION OF THAT DESIGN.
ANTHONY: AGUSTIN SVEN WINKLE -- AUGUSTUS VAN WINKLE FIRST EYED THIS LAND.
HE KNEW RHODE ISLAND WELL FROM HIS COLLEGE DAYS AT BROWN.
>> HE SAILED BY AND HEARD THIS PROPERTY WAS AVAILABLE.
HE BOUGHT THE BOAT THAT DAY.
HE THEN WENT BACK TO PENNSYLVANIA AND TOLD HIS WIFE AND TWO WEEKS LATER THEY BOTH VISITED AND BOUGHT THE PROPERTY.
ANTHONY: FROM THE MAJESTIC LIVING ROOM TO THE REAL DINING ROOM, TO THE STATELY BILLIARD PARLOR, IT IS IMPRESSIVE, THOUGH INTENTIONALLY MODEST BY NEWPORT STANDARDS.
IT IS OPEN FROM APRIL THROUGH OCTOBER THAN BRIEFLY IN CHRISTMAS.
>> IS A GREAT TIME FOR PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE HOUSE DECORATED FOR CHRISTMAS AND THEN ENJOY TEA IN THE DINING ROOM.
THEN IN APRIL I THINK EVERYONE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR SPING TO COME, AND THEY CAN ENJOY DAFFODIL DAYS, WHICH IS A DISPLAY OF ABOUT 50,000 DAFFODILS.
AND WE OFFER TEA AT THAT TIME, TOO.
ANTHONY: WE HIT THE JACKPOT WHEN THE BRISTOL YACHT CLUB INVITED US FOR A SAIL ON THE TOP CAP.
THEY WANTED US TO EXPERIENCE THE SHEER BEAUTY OF BRISTOL FROM THE WATER.
AND BREATHTAKING IT IS IN SUMMER, AS YOU SAIL OUT INTO THE BAY.
>> BRISTOL HARBOR IS PHENOMENAL.
IS PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WAY NOW AS IT WAS CENTURIES AGO.
THERE WAS A LOT OF SAILING OUT OF HERE.
THIS HARBOR IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
IT IS A NATURAL HARBOR, IT IS PROTECTED, MOSTLY OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST.
YOU GET A NICE BREEZE ALL THE TIME.
ANTHONY: THE BRISTOL YACHT CLUB TRACES ITS ROOTS BACK TO 1877 WHEN A GROUP FIRST ORGANIZED HERE AROUND A LOVE OF SAILING.
TODAY, THEY TAKE PRIDE THAT THE CLUB IS SO A GALA DAIRY AND.
-- GALA TERRY AND -- SO E GALITARIAN.
>> YOU GET OUT THERE AND YOU’RE GOING HEAD-TO-HEAD WITH PEOPLE.
STATUS DOES NOT MATTER.
THERE ARE LARGE BOATS HERE, PEOPLE WITH A LOT OF MONEY.
THERE ARE SMALLER BOATS HERE, PEOPLE WITH NOT SO MUCH MONEY.
IT DOESN’T MATTER.
ANTHONY: RUSTH SAID SHE LEARNED --
WHETHER YOU ARE A 70-YEAR-OLD OR 10-YEAR-OLD, IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO EXPERIENCE RHODE ISLAND AS IT SHOULD BE.
>> YOU GET A KID WHO HAS NO CLUE WHAT TO DO ON A BOAT, YOU PUT THEM BEHIND THE HELM, YOU GIVE THEM CHARGE, THEN YOU SEE THIS TRANSFORMATION THAT COMES OVER THEIR FACE LIKE, WOW, I CAN
ACTUALLY DO THIS, THIS IS FABULOUS.
SAME THING HAPPENS WITH ADULTS, TOO.
SHAYNA: ANTHONY: -- ANTHONY: BRISTOL’S BIGGEST CLAIM TO FAME IS ITS JULY 4 BLOWOUT FEATURING A 2.5 MILE PARADE.
IT IS THE NATION’S OLDEST CONTINUOUS JULY 4 CELEBRATION, A TRADITION THAT BEGAN IN 1785.
AND THAT GORGEOUS TOP HAT, IT IS AVAILABLE.
NEXT, WE ARE ADDING UP THE POPULATION OF PUTNEY, VERMONT.
>> IT HAS ABOUT 2600 PEOPLE, PROBABLY M