What they lack in size and attractions, small towns make up for in character. Exeter, population 6,000, is a town as unique as it is small. The site of the state’s only ski area, it’s also home to two notable cemeteries, the windswept and gorgeous Rhode Island Veterans Memorial Cemetery, and the Chestnut Hill Baptist Church Cemetery - where lies the body of Mercy Brown, accused posthumously of being a vampire in the late 19th century. The town has many places to enjoy the great outdoors, including the state’s biggest recreational property, and there are a number of down-home dining options. Like to shop? Did we mention the alpaca farm?
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Exeter, R.I., appeals to skiers, lovers of the outdoors, and alpacas
A Tank Away: Exeter, R.I.
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Walts Dogs on Ten Rod Road (Route 102) is a bright blue hot dog shack. (PAUL E. KANDARIAN FOR THE…)
STAY
There’s no lodging in Exeter, but nearby is the Stagecoach House Inn (1136 Main St., Hopkinton, 401-539-9600, www.stagecoachhouse.com, rates from $100), a historic building on the Wood River that was originally a stopover for passing stagecoaches. The six-room inn has two fireplaces dating to the late 1700s, original beams and granite throughout, and a cozy lobby with shops and a massage facility. The Fezziwig B&B (15 Old Blitzkreig Trail, Hopkinton, 401-539-7994, www.fezziwigbedandbreakfast.com, rates from $80) named for a character in Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol,’’ one of innkeeper Linda Perra’s favorite reads, is right next to the Arcadia Wildlife Management Area in a rural setting ideal for winter star gazing. In good weather, visitors from New York will stay outside, often for hours, Perra said, transfixed by stars they cannot see back in their light-drenched city.
DINING
Eat where the locals do at the Middle of Nowhere Diner (222 Nooseneck Hill Road, 401-397-8855, www.themiddleofnowherediner.com, entrees from $6.45), a classic roadside restaurant serving comfort food such as a belly-busting omelet stuffed with breakfast meats, veggies, and cheeses for $8.75 and the Steak a la Nowhere, a 12-ounce rib eye pressed with garlic and smothered in sautéed mushrooms and onions for $14.25. Another local favorite is the Corner Tavern (20 South County Trail, North Kingstown, 401-294-9897, www.cornertavernri.com, entrees from $9.95), on the Exeter town line and a popular spot for seafood, steaks, burgers, and other classic American fare. The Celestial Cafe (567 South County Trail, 401-295-5559, www.celestialcaferi.com, entrees from $9) is where chef Branden Read creates monthly special dinners using all locally sourced food paired with wine from nearby vineyards. The kids will love Walt’s Dogs (900 Ten Rod Road), a bright blue hot dog stand that’s hard to miss. A popular spot for folks grabbing a quick bite on a bun, $5 gets you two dogs with the works, a cup of coffee, and free opinions from Walt or anyone else hanging around the tiny shack.
DURING THE DAY
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