Rhode Island has absolutely no business packing this much into such a small state.
It’s America’s smallest state, yet somehow it manages to squeeze in Atlantic beaches, Gilded Age mansions, colonial neighborhoods, lighthouses, islands, seafood shacks, historic mills, cliff walks, vineyards, art museums and enough coastal villages to keep a road trip going long after you’ve technically run out of Rhode Island.
That’s the beauty of exploring the Ocean State.
The distances are short.
The scenery changes quickly.
And getting slightly lost rarely results in catastrophe.
You’ll probably hit the ocean eventually.
The best day trips in Rhode Island range from famous Newport mansions and Providence restaurants to quiet wildlife refuges, hidden beaches and tiny waterfront villages.
Let’s explore America’s littlest road-trip state.
Jump to a Rhode Island Region
Providence
Food, art, architecture, WaterFire and historic neighborhoods.
Blackstone Valley
Industrial history, mill towns, bike trails and forests.
Warwick & West Bay
Coastal parks, historic villages and central Rhode Island.
Newport County
Mansions, Cliff Walk, Ocean Drive, Jamestown and coastal scenery.
South County
Narragansett, Watch Hill, beaches, wildlife refuges and seafood.
Block Island
Cliffs, beaches, lighthouses and island exploring.
Or jump directly to:
Beaches | **Small Towns | Lighthouses | Scenic Drives | Hidden Gems | Family Trips
Providence Day Trips
Providence gets overshadowed by Newport.
That’s a mistake.
Rhode Island’s capital combines food, architecture, art, history and neighborhoods in a city compact enough to explore without turning sightseeing into an endurance sport.
Downtown Providence
Location: Providence, Rhode Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Planning: GoProvidence
Walk the riverfront, explore downtown architecture and then wander toward College Hill or Federal Hill.
Providence works particularly well when you don’t over-plan it.
WaterFire
Location: Downtown Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: WaterFire Providence
On scheduled evenings, dozens of fires illuminate the rivers running through downtown Providence.
Music, performers and crowds transform the riverfront into one enormous public art installation.
Best for: Couples, photography and evening trips.
WaterFire is seasonal and event-based.
Check the current lighting schedule before planning your trip.
Otherwise you’ll arrive expecting 80 bonfires and discover…
a perfectly normal river.
RISD Museum
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: RISD Museum
The Rhode Island School of Design’s museum contains art ranging from ancient objects to contemporary works.
It’s one of Providence’s best rainy-day destinations.
College Hill
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic streets climb the hill around Brown University and RISD.
Benefit Street contains one of the city’s strongest concentrations of historic architecture.
Wear comfortable shoes.
Providence apparently decided hills make architecture more interesting.
Rhode Island State House
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
The enormous marble-domed State House overlooks downtown.
Check current public-tour information before visiting.
Federal Hill
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
Federal Hill is Providence’s famous Italian-American neighborhood.
Restaurants, bakeries, markets and cafés make this less of a sightseeing stop and more of an eating strategy.
City Unknown Tip: Don’t arrive after a huge breakfast.
That’s poor planning.
Roger Williams Park
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
Lakes, walking paths, gardens and historic buildings make this large city park an easy escape.
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
One of the country’s older zoos makes an easy family destination.
The Arcade Providence
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
This beautiful 19th-century Greek Revival building is often described as America’s oldest indoor shopping mall.
Even if you’re not shopping, walk through.
Neutaconkanut Hill
Location: Providence
Map: Open in Google Maps
Trails and elevated views provide an unexpectedly wild little escape within the city.
This is exactly the sort of Providence place most visitors miss.
Blackstone Valley Day Trips
Northern Rhode Island tells a very different story.
This is mill country.
Rivers powered factories that helped transform the United States into an industrial nation.
Today, old mill communities mix with forests, farms and recreation trails.
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
Location: Rhode Island and Massachusetts
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: National Park Service
The park preserves landscapes and communities associated with America’s Industrial Revolution.
Unlike a traditional national park, sites are spread throughout the Blackstone Valley.
Build a road trip rather than expecting one entrance gate.
Old Slater Mill
Location: Pawtucket
Map: Open in Google Maps
The mill became a landmark in America’s early textile industry.
But industrial history isn’t simply a story of machines and innovation.
It also includes difficult histories involving labor conditions, child labor, immigration and the economic systems supplying textile mills with cotton produced through enslaved labor in the South.
Those stories belong in the larger picture.
Pawtucket
Location: Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic mills, arts spaces and Blackstone River history make Pawtucket a natural starting point for exploring northern Rhode Island.
Lincoln Woods State Park
Location: Lincoln
Map: Open in Google Maps
Trails, picnic areas and Olney Pond make this one of Rhode Island’s easiest outdoor escapes.
Best for: Families, hiking, kayaking and picnics.
Blackstone River Bikeway
Location: Blackstone Valley
Map: Open in Google Maps
The bikeway follows portions of the Blackstone River corridor through former mill country.
It’s an excellent way to combine outdoor recreation with Rhode Island history.
Woonsocket
Location: Woonsocket, Rhode Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
The city’s industrial history was shaped heavily by French Canadian immigration.
Museum of Work & Culture
Location: Woonsocket
Map: Open in Google Maps
Exhibits explore the experiences of workers and immigrant families in Rhode Island’s mill communities.
Cumberland Monastery Trails
Location: Cumberland
Map: Open in Google Maps
Woodland trails surrounding the former Trappist monastery provide one of northern Rhode Island’s quieter walks.
Chepachet
Location: Glocester
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic buildings and country roads make this tiny village an easy addition to a northern Rhode Island backroad trip.
Warwick & West Bay Day Trips
Central Rhode Island is easy to overlook when everyone races between Providence and the beaches.
Don’t.
Historic villages, waterfront parks and Narragansett Bay scenery make the region worth exploring.
Warwick
Location: Warwick, Rhode Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Rhode Island’s central location makes Warwick an easy base for exploring much of the state.
Rocky Point State Park
Location: Warwick
Map: Open in Google Maps
This waterfront park occupies the former site of the beloved Rocky Point Amusement Park.
Trails and bay views remain.
If you enjoy abandoned-amusement-park history, there’s an entire rabbit hole waiting here.
Goddard Memorial State Park
Location: East Greenwich/Warwick area
Map: Open in Google Maps
Open lawns, shoreline and walking areas make this one of central Rhode Island’s best picnic destinations.
East Greenwich
Location: East Greenwich
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic Main Street, restaurants and waterfront scenery make East Greenwich a pleasant small-town stop.
Wickford Village
Location: North Kingstown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Colonial-era buildings line narrow streets around a picturesque harbor.
Walk.
Browse.
Get lunch.
Look at boats you have absolutely no intention of buying.
Perfect Rhode Island afternoon.
Smith’s Castle
Location: North Kingstown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Despite the name, this isn’t actually a castle.
It is a historic house connected with Rhode Island’s colonial past.
Which raises the obvious question:
Why call it a castle?
Welcome to New England.
Newport County Day Trips
Newport is Rhode Island turned up to eleven.
Ocean views.
Sailboats.
Cliffs.
Mansions.
Historic streets.
Fortifications.
And houses so enormous they make the word “summer cottage” feel personally insulting.
Newport
Location: Newport, Rhode Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Planning: Discover Newport
Newport can easily occupy an entire weekend.
For a day trip, pick a theme.
Mansions.
History.
Ocean scenery.
Sailing.
Trying to do everything produces a lot of rushing and very little Newport.
The Breakers
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
Official Site: Newport Mansions
The Vanderbilt family’s enormous Italian Renaissance-style summer residence is the most famous of Newport’s Gilded Age mansions.
Calling it a “summer cottage” remains one of history’s more aggressive uses of understatement.
Marble House
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
Another Vanderbilt mansion demonstrates exactly what happens when enormous wealth meets very few decorating limitations.
Cliff Walk
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
This famous coastal path combines Atlantic Ocean views with the backsides of Newport’s mansions.
Parts of the walk are easy.
Other portions become rocky and uneven.
Check current conditions and closures before setting out.
Best for: Couples, photography and coastal walking.
Ocean Drive
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
The roughly 10-mile scenic drive passes dramatic shoreline, historic estates and waterfront parks.
Don’t just drive it.
Stop.
Brenton Point State Park
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
Ocean views and steady coastal winds make this one of Rhode Island’s great kite-flying locations.
Fort Adams State Park
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
The enormous coastal fortification overlooks Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay.
Tours reveal tunnels and military architecture hidden inside.
Bowen’s Wharf
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
Restaurants, shops and boats create classic Newport harbor atmosphere.
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Location: Newport
Map: Open in Google Maps
Tennis history fills the historic Newport Casino complex.
Jamestown
Location: Conanicut Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Cross the bridge from Newport and things immediately become quieter.
Jamestown provides rocky coastline, historic forts and some of Rhode Island’s best views.
Beavertail State Park
Location: Jamestown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Rocky cliffs and open Atlantic views make this one of Rhode Island’s most beautiful coastal parks.
Fort Wetherill State Park
Location: Jamestown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Old coastal-defense structures sit above dramatic cliffs.
Explore only areas legally open to visitors.
Abandoned-looking military structures do not automatically translate to “please climb inside.”
Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge
Location: Middletown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Easy trails follow rocky coastline and wildlife habitat.
Winter visitors may spot harlequin ducks offshore.
South County Day Trips
South County is where Rhode Island remembers that its nickname is the Ocean State.
Beaches stretch along the Atlantic while salt ponds, wildlife refuges and seafood towns create classic New England coastal scenery.
Narragansett
Location: Narragansett
Map: Open in Google Maps
Beaches, seafood and the iconic Towers make Narragansett one of Rhode Island’s classic summer destinations.
The Towers
Location: Narragansett
Map: Open in Google Maps
These stone towers are surviving remnants of the former Narragansett Pier Casino.
They’re now one of the town’s signature landmarks.
Point Judith
Location: Narragansett
Map: Open in Google Maps
Fishing boats, coastal views and access to the Block Island ferry make Point Judith a natural stop.
Point Judith Lighthouse
Location: Narragansett
Map: Open in Google Maps
The lighthouse remains an important navigational landmark along Rhode Island’s coast.
Respect access restrictions around the active facility.
Watch Hill
Location: Westerly
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic cottages, beaches and a walkable village center make Watch Hill one of Rhode Island’s most polished coastal escapes.
Flying Horse Carousel
Location: Watch Hill
Map: Open in Google Maps
This historic carousel has delighted generations of children.
Its horses are suspended from chains rather than mounted conventionally to a platform.
Napatree Point Conservation Area
Location: Watch Hill
Map: Open in Google Maps
A long sandy spit stretches west from Watch Hill.
It’s excellent for walking and birding.
Stay out of protected nesting areas.
Westerly
Location: Westerly
Map: Open in Google Maps
A lively downtown makes Westerly worth visiting even when beach weather doesn’t cooperate.
Charlestown
Location: Charlestown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Beaches, salt ponds and wildlife habitat make Charlestown considerably quieter than Newport.
Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge
Location: Charlestown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Trails pass through coastal habitat surrounding former military land.
Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge
Location: South Kingstown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Trails lead through coastal habitat toward Rhode Island’s only undeveloped coastal salt pond.
Best for: Birding, nature and quiet walks.
Block Island Day Trip
Block Island deserves its own section because getting there is half the adventure.
Ferries connect the island with the mainland, and once you arrive you can explore beaches, cliffs, lighthouses and quiet roads.
Leave the mainland mindset behind.
Island time starts now.
Old Harbor
Location: Block Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Ferries arrive near shops, restaurants and historic buildings.
This is the island’s busy center.
Mohegan Bluffs
Location: Block Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
Dramatic cliffs rise above the Atlantic.
A long staircase descends toward the beach.
The view is spectacular.
Remember:
Going down the stairs is the easy half.
Southeast Lighthouse
Location: Block Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
The striking brick lighthouse stands near Mohegan Bluffs.
It was famously moved inland during the 1990s because coastal erosion threatened the structure.
North Lighthouse
Location: Block Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
The lighthouse stands near the island’s northern tip amid dunes and wildlife habitat.
Great Salt Pond
Location: Block Island
Map: Open in Google Maps
The sheltered harbor creates a completely different environment from the exposed Atlantic coast.
Block Island by Bike
Cycling is one of the classic ways to explore.
But here’s something glossy travel photos occasionally forget to mention:
Block Island has hills.
Actual hills.
Plan your route accordingly.
An e-bike can dramatically alter your opinion of island geography.
City Unknown Tip: Don’t plan the last ferry home like an optional suggestion. Know your departure time before wandering to the far side of the island.
East Bay Day Trips: Bristol, Warren & Little Compton
Rhode Island’s East Bay doesn’t fit neatly into the current statewide tourism-region labels, but it’s far too good to leave out.
Historic towns and rural coastline make this one of the best slow-travel areas in the state.
Bristol
Location: Bristol
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic homes, a waterfront downtown and one of America’s most famous Fourth of July traditions make Bristol a great walking town.
Colt State Park
Location: Bristol
Map: Open in Google Maps
Wide lawns meet Narragansett Bay at one of Rhode Island’s best picnic parks.
Bring bicycles.
Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum
Location: Bristol
Map: Open in Google Maps
A historic estate overlooking Narragansett Bay combines architecture with extensive gardens.
Warren
Location: Warren
Map: Open in Google Maps
Restaurants, galleries and a compact waterfront make Warren an excellent lunch stop while exploring the East Bay.
East Bay Bike Path
Location: Providence to Bristol corridor
Map: Open in Google Maps
This former railroad corridor provides one of Rhode Island’s classic cycling routes through waterfront communities.
Check current Rhode Island DOT trail information before riding the entire route, since bridge and construction projects can occasionally affect access.
Tiverton Four Corners
Location: Tiverton
Map: Open in Google Maps
Historic buildings, galleries and shops create a wonderfully quiet village stop.
Little Compton
Location: Little Compton
Map: Open in Google Maps
Farmland reaches toward the sea in one of Rhode Island’s most peaceful corners.
This is where you go when Newport has become a little too Newport.
Goosewing Beach Preserve
Location: Little Compton
Map: Open in Google Maps
Protected coastal habitat provides beach scenery and important nesting areas.
Respect seasonal wildlife closures.
Best Beach Day Trips in Rhode Island
For a state this small, Rhode Island has an impressive amount of coastline.
Start with:
Narragansett Town Beach
East Matunuck State Beach
Scarborough State Beaches
Roger Wheeler State Beach
Misquamicut State Beach
East Beach
Charlestown Breachway
Sachuest Beach
Goosewing Beach
Block Island beaches
Napatree Point
Parking fees, resident rules and seasonal access vary considerably.
Check current information before driving to the coast on a summer weekend.
Rhode Island Lighthouse Day Trips
Rhode Island and lighthouses go together rather naturally.
Look for:
Point Judith Lighthouse
Beavertail Lighthouse
Southeast Lighthouse
North Lighthouse
Castle Hill Lighthouse
Rose Island Lighthouse
Conimicut Lighthouse
Pomham Rocks Lighthouse
Watch Hill Lighthouse
Not every lighthouse offers public interior access.
Some are best viewed from parks, boats or designated viewpoints.
And yes.
Several have ghost stories.
We’ll get to those in another article.
Best Small-Town Day Trips in Rhode Island
Add these to the list:
Bristol
Wickford
Warren
Watch Hill
Little Compton
Tiverton Four Corners
Jamestown
East Greenwich
Chepachet
Westerly
Narragansett
Newport
Okay.
Calling Newport a “small town” may cause a few arguments.
We’ll survive.
Hidden Gems Worth the Rhode Island Detour
Neutaconkanut Hill
A surprisingly wild little hiking escape inside Providence.
Fort Wetherill
Military ruins and dramatic coastal scenery.
Rome Point
Location: North Kingstown
Map: Open in Google Maps
Woodland trails lead toward Narragansett Bay.
Seasonal seal sightings are possible offshore.
Pardon Gray Preserve
Location: Tiverton
Map: Open in Google Maps
Fields, stone walls and woodland trails create a quiet rural walk.
Seapowet Marsh
Location: Tiverton
Map: Open in Google Maps
Salt marsh and shoreline habitat make this a good birding stop.
Green Animals Topiary Garden
Location: Portsmouth
Map: Open in Google Maps
Shrubs trimmed into animals?
Absolutely.
This is City Unknown.
We have standards.
And apparently those standards include bushes shaped like giraffes.
Best Scenic Drives in Rhode Island
Ocean Drive
Newport’s classic coastal drive.
Route 1A
Follow sections of Rhode Island’s South County coastline.
Route 77
Explore Tiverton and Little Compton countryside.
Route 102
A quieter drive through western and northern Rhode Island.
Route 114
Connect East Bay communities including Bristol and Warren.
Block Island Backroads
Technically not a mainland scenic drive.
Still counts.
Rhode Island is small enough that we’re willing to negotiate.
Best Rhode Island Day Trips for Families
Try:
Roger Williams Park Zoo
Block Island
Newport
East Bay Bike Path
Lincoln Woods
Beaches
Fort Adams
Slater Mill
Flying Horse Carousel
Biomes Marine Biology Center
Audubon Nature Center and Aquarium
Providence Children’s Museum
Rhode Island works particularly well for families because driving times between attractions are relatively short.
Less time hearing:
“Are we there yet?”
Always a win.
Romantic Rhode Island Day Trips
For couples:
Newport
Block Island
Watch Hill
Bristol
Little Compton
Wickford
WaterFire
Ocean Drive
Beavertail
Federal Hill
East Greenwich
Narragansett sunset
Newport gets the obvious vote.
But Little Compton and Jamestown are better choices when you’d prefer romance without six tour buses parked beside you.
Budget-Friendly Rhode Island Day Trips
Some of the state’s best experiences involve walking, beaches, parks and historic neighborhoods.
Build affordable days around:
Providence architecture walks
College Hill
Federal Hill
State parks
Wildlife refuges
Wickford Village
Bristol
Jamestown
Scenic drives
Cliff Walk
Blackstone Valley
Public coastal viewpoints
Bike paths
Don’t hardcode old “free after 5 p.m.” or parking-price claims into your travel plans.
Beach and parking policies change.
Check the current municipality or state website.
Best Rhode Island Fall Day Trips
Rhode Island may be famous for summer, but fall is arguably better for road trips.
Try:
Blackstone Valley
Lincoln Woods
Scituate Reservoir area
Chepachet
Newport
Bristol
Little Compton
Wickford
Providence
Arcadia Management Area
You get foliage plus fewer beach crowds.
That’s a very good trade.
Best Rhode Island Spring Day Trips
Try:
Blithewold
Newport
Sachuest Point
Trustom Pond
Lincoln Woods
Block Island
Bristol
Norman Bird Sanctuary
South County wildlife refuges
Migratory birds make spring particularly good for wildlife trips.
Best Rhode Island Summer Day Trips
This is Rhode Island’s season.
Try:
Block Island
Narragansett
Newport
Watch Hill
Jamestown
Bristol
Little Compton
Misquamicut
Point Judith
Beavertail
But summer weekends also bring traffic and crowded beach parking.
Go early.
Very early.
“Let’s casually leave Providence at 11:30 on a sunny July Saturday” is how road-trip villains are created.
Best Rhode Island Winter Day Trips
Try:
Providence museums
Newport mansions
Federal Hill
Wickford
Bristol
Beavertail
Watch Hill
Block Island — when transportation and weather cooperate
Winter coastal storms can be spectacular.
Observe them from somewhere safe.
The Atlantic doesn’t need help making dramatic decisions.
Rhode Island Food Day Trips
Rhode Island is small enough that you can build an entire road trip around eating.
This is important research.
Look for:
Stuffies
Clam cakes
Clear-broth Rhode Island clam chowder
Hot wieners
Coffee milk
Johnnycakes
Calamari
Fresh oysters
Lobster rolls
Bakery pizza strips
Italian food on Federal Hill
Seafood in South County
And if somebody offers you coffee milk?
Say yes.
You’re in Rhode Island.
Rhode Island Road-Trip Combinations
Because the state is compact, you can create some excellent combination trips.
Try:
Providence → Federal Hill → WaterFire
Providence → Pawtucket → Blackstone Valley
Providence → Bristol → Warren
Bristol → Tiverton → Little Compton
Newport → Ocean Drive → Fort Adams
Newport → Jamestown → Beavertail
Narragansett → Point Judith
Point Judith → Block Island
Westerly → Watch Hill → Napatree Point
Wickford → Rome Point → Narragansett
Could you drive across Rhode Island in an afternoon?
Absolutely.
Should you race across Rhode Island checking destinations off a list?
No.
Small state.
Slow down.
Rhode Island Road-Trip Planning
Rhode Island’s biggest travel challenges aren’t distance.
They’re timing.
Watch for:
Summer beach traffic
Limited beach parking
Ferry schedules
Seasonal attractions
Coastal storms
Hurricane and tropical-storm impacts
Bridge construction
Event traffic in Newport and Providence
Fog
Winter ice
Block Island especially requires planning around transportation.
Know which ferry you’re taking.
Know when you’re returning.
And leave enough time to reach the terminal.
Missing a ferry because you were eating clam cakes makes a good story.
It does not necessarily make a good travel strategy.
More Rhode Island Adventures from City Unknown
Continue exploring the Ocean State:
Rhode Island Hidden Gems — Discover secret beaches, quiet trails and unusual places.
Ultimate Rhode Island Lighthouse Road Trip — Follow historic beacons around Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic coast.
Rhode Island Small-Town Road Trip — Explore Bristol, Wickford, Warren, Watch Hill and Little Compton.
Ultimate Block Island Day Trip — Beaches, cliffs, lighthouses and island backroads.
Rhode Island Coastal Road Trip — Explore the Ocean State from Westerly to Newport.
Rhode Island Gilded Age Road Trip — Explore Newport mansions and historic estates.
Rhode Island Food Road Trip — Find clam cakes, stuffies, hot wieners and coffee milk.
Rhode Island Industrial History Road Trip — Follow the Blackstone River through America’s early mill country.
Rhode Island Weird & Unusual Places — Find odd museums, ruins and roadside curiosities.
Rhode Island Fall Road Trip — Explore foliage, villages and coastal scenery.
Best Day Trips from Providence
Best Day Trips from Newport
Find Your Next Rhode Island Adventure
See the Newport mansions.
Walk Cliff Walk.
Visit Providence.
Take the ferry to Block Island.
Those places belong on the list.
Then start wandering.
Find a tiny colonial village.
Follow an old mill river.
Eat clam cakes beside the water.
Watch seals from a wooded trail.
Stand beside an abandoned coastal fort.
Ride a bicycle toward Bristol.
Find a lighthouse.
Drive until the road reaches the Atlantic.
Then turn around and discover something you missed on the way there.
Rhode Island proves something we’ve learned repeatedly at City Unknown:
A great road trip doesn’t require a giant state.
Sometimes it just requires taking the slower road.
City Unknown Tip
Rhode Island is one of the few states where you should deliberately resist building your trip around mileage.
Nothing is very far away.
Instead, build each day around a mood.
Want history?
Explore Providence and Blackstone Valley.
Want ridiculous mansions?
Newport.
Want beaches?
South County.
Want quiet coastal scenery?
Jamestown and Little Compton.
Want to disappear for a day?
Take the ferry to Block Island.
Rhode Island may be tiny.
But once you start taking the backroads, it doesn’t feel tiny at all.