Here at Her Campus, we like to help our fellow classmates! This is our #Bryant2017 Series where we will be writing numerous articles that will help ease the transition from “senior fever” to the new kid on block here in Smithfield.
For this article, we want to fill you in on all there is to do off campus! Besides being known for its academic prestige, lively student body and beautiful campus, Bryant has a great location with so much to do in the surrounding area. You’re guaranteed to have an unforgettable experience here over the next four years!
Rhode Island
Off 295, exit 7B:
Mary Lou’s is famous for their delicious variety of flavored coffee, a must-try for all Bryant students in need of a little caffeine for their late-night study session! Some other restaurants off Putnam Pike are:
- Yamato Sushi
- Kiwi Burst Fro-yo
- Applebee’s
- Panera
- Uno’s
- Chili’s
- A & W
- Dave’s Marketplace (for pre-made meals to bring back to campus)
There are also many shops off of 7B, including a plaza known as the Apple Valley Mall. Here you’ll find stores such as:
- Gap
- Old Navy
- Dick’s Sporting Goods
- Kohl’s
- Pac Sun
- Target
- Barnes & Noble
- TJ Maxx
George Washington Highway:
J’s Deli, Pick Pockets and Café Such-a-Bagel are all popular places for Bryant students to eat off campus – and they are all located in the same building! J’s Deli best sandwich is probably The Blue Chip. It is home to Italian meats like salami and ham topped with provolone cheese and oil and vinegar. Such-a-Bagel has bagels that are sunflowered flavor…yes, it’s true!
Right down the George Washington Highway is the Lincoln Mall. The best part of the Lincoln Mall is you can find anything you are looking for – and it’s only about 10 minutes from campus. There is an array of stores including:
- Target
- 5 Below
- Marshalls
- Home Goods
- Fro-Yo World
- Kiwi Burst Fro-Yo
- Stop & Shop
- Lincoln Cinema World Movie Theater
- Asia Grille (Which has Karaoke on Thursday nights!)
- Five Guys
- Chili’s
- Trattoria Romana & Pizzeria Romana
Lincoln Woods State Park:
If you are looking for a more adventurous day, this is the place for you. Lincoln Woods is a huge, beautiful park where you can hike on paved trails, rent paddle boats, go fishing, biking, etc…did we mention it is only 17 minutes away?
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Providence:
Only a fifteen minute drive from campus, there’s no reason not to check out Rhode Island’s capital city! It is extremely easy to get into the heart of Providence even if you don’t have a car. The RIPTA (free) comes to campus throughout the day and stops in Kennedy Plaza. Also, there is an Amtrak station for getaways to Boston (for really cheap) and wherever else you’d like to travel. For all you shopaholics out there, the Providence Place Mall is the place for you. It has three levels of great shopping and an array of restaurants such as the Cheesecake Factory, Joe’s American Bar & Grill, Fire & Ice, and Dave & Busters.
Providence offers the Dunkin Donuts Center & Lupo’s both of which offer concerts throughout the year. The DD Center has hosted contests such as Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Green Day, Taylor Swift, and is home to the Providence Bruins hockey team.
If you are looking for a “parent-friendly” lunch, be sure to check out Federal Hill for remarkable Italian food, or Thayer Street, for a wide-variety of restaurants & shopping in the cozy “East Side” neighborhood.
Newport & Narragansett:
Two of our favorite places to visit on a Saturday or Sunday! It takes about 30 minutes to get to the Narragansett beaches and about 45 minutes to get into downtown Newport. Both locations are very easy to get to and are definitely worth the trip. When the weather gets nice, what other state to go to the beach than Rhode Island? Narragansett offers four beaches to choose from: Narragansett Town Beach, Salty Brine State Beach, Scarborough State Beach, and Roger Wheeler State Beach.
Newport has endless shopping and activities to do throughout your day trip. The Newport mansions are a must see for any visitor. There are multiple mansions that offer tours and the drive alone down Bellevue Avenue is a trip back in time. The Cliff Walk is a about a four mile pathway along the backside of some Newport mansions, as well as along the Atlantic Ocean. The views are incredible and the definitely worth every step! Downtown Newport, offers a plethora of restaurants and shops along Thames Street, Bowen’s Wharf and Bannister’s Wharf. If you want a great seafood dish or clam chowder, there is no better place to go than Newport right on the water!
For all of those who have never visited Newport, there is a $4 toll to get onto the island as well as getting off of it. This toll takes E-Z passes as well.
Warwick & Cranston:
Take advantage of tax-free shopping in the Ocean State and swing by the newly renovated Warwick Mall! It’s a great place to go for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and it’s only about 20 minutes away from Bryant! Plus, the Nordstrom Rack is there, and you can never say “no” to an awesome sale. Did you know that Warwick is located on the water? Make sure to check out Oakland Beach when the weather is nice, and grab lunch at the award-winning Iggy’s Doughboy and Chowder House while you’re there!
Garden City is located in Cranston and is known for as a shopping and eatery center. Some hotspots in this plaza are Cohoe’s, Anthropologie, Francesca’s Collections, and Pinkberry. Visitors like Garden City for its outdoor, compact layout – perfect on a nice sunny day. Aside from shopping, Cranston is the home for many different companies including Swarovski and Alex and Ani. Take this opportunity to apply for an internship while you’re living in the area!
Foxboro and Boston
We weren’t kidding when we said Bryant is in such a prime location. About a half hour North of campus is the home of the New England Patriots in Foxboro, MA—Gillette Stadium! So, why not get some tickets, gather all your tailgating necessities, and head to the stadium with your friends to watch Bryant’s favorite sport? Sundays don’t get much better than that.
Boston is also about 45 minutes away from Bryant, but if you don’t feel like having to park in the city, just hop on the train in Providence for only $10!
Do you have any questions about what else is around our campus? There is so much more but we of course couldn’t include it all! Comment below with your questions!