Ten things to do in Cranston

Shoppers, nature lovers, and foodies will all find that Cranston has something for them. Benny and I decided to explore Rhode Island’s second-biggest city and bring to you our top choices of things to do in Cranston, or, as everyone else but Cranstonians say, Crrrraaaannnnston.

Our suggestions are not in order of preference; rather, they’re mostly in the order we actually did them throughout the day. (We made a special trip back for #9.)

1. Eat a wiener at Olneyville

Every time I go to Cranston, I have to get a wiener. Purists may point out that the first Olneyville was in Providence, or perhaps that eating a wiener is more of a general Rhode Island thing to do, but to me, visiting Olneyville on Reservoir Ave. is one of the top things to do in Cranston.

Benny and I aren’t strangers to Coney Island sauce. Knowing full well that Benny didn’t understand how serious the term “wiener” is taken at this establishment, I let him order for us. He went up to the counter said, “I’ll have 4 hot dogs, please.”

Mistake. And I knew it was going to happen. “We don’t have hot dogs here!!! We have wieners!” the worker replied. Benny wasn’t sure how to respond; the poor thing was so confused. Thankfully, my wife speaks West Bay Rhode Islandese, and I’ve picked up a few words and phrases here and there. I stepped up and said, “Four wieners with sauce and mustard, please.” Comprehension! Problem solved.

We moved to the side to let the next person order. Imagine Benny’s confusion when he overheard the next customer order “two wieners all the way.” Us Southcoast Mass people would have just said, “with the works,” but hey, when in Cranston…

2. Shop at Garden City and Chapel View

Garden City and Chapel View are both outdoor shopping centers, and they’re right across the street from each other. Both sites have numerous options for the shoppers and foodies among you. Some of our favorite places in Garden City to eat include B. Good and Newport Creamery. For shopping, check out L.L. Bean and Barrington Books.

More shops and restaurants are across the street in Chapel View. Looking for a fancy night out? Head to Chapel Grille.

3. Brayton Park

Benny needed a break from the hustle and bustle of the shopping scene, and, honestly, I was getting a bit tired of people asking me why I was taking pictures of a bear. It’s a perfectly normal thing to do.

Anyway, if you need some outdoor time, you can head over to Brayton Park. A 1/3-mile paved path loops around the park, by the playground and baseball fields, and under tall oaks.

4. Meshanticut State Park

This is one of my favorite things to do in Cranston. Meshanticut State Park has a peaceful walking trail that loops around a small pond. Enjoying the serene surroundings, we forgot that we were in a city. At one point around the pond, you can stop to look into the water and see a school of fish.

Fans of the blog, are you having a bit of déjà-vu? You’re probably thinking that I wrote about this place already. You’re absolutely right. It was the topic of my very first blog post, ever. Oh, the memories…

5. Pay your respects to Buddy

Also known as the Prince of Providence, Vincent A. “Buddy” Cianci was the mayor of Providence for over 21 years. His legacy, drama, and controversy speaks for itself, so I’ll refrain from getting into it here. His final resting place is in St. Ann’s Cemetery and is relatively easy to find. The roads in this section of the cemetery are a bit narrow. For orientation purposes, the church in the background of the above picture is St. Mary’s.

6. Have a Del’s

If you’ve ever had a Del’s (and if you haven’t, Benny wants to have a chat with you…) then you may have seen a Cranston address on your yellow-and-green cup. Cranston is home to Del’s World Headquarters, so visiting here should be on the top of your “things to do in Cranston” list.

For those of you not familiar with Del’s (aka, the ones with whom Benny needs to have a talk), Del’s is known for its frozen lemonade drink. There are also other options; watermelon is my flavor of choice.

After visiting two parks and a cemetery on a summer’s day, a nice, refreshing Del’s hit the spot. Benny was so happy to have frozen lemonade that he stuck his face in my cup before his came out. Sigh.

7. Governor Sprague Mansion

Benny wouldn’t stop saying “‘ello, govenah!” as we walked by the mansion. I told him saying that didn’t make any sense; we weren’t in England. Did that stop him? Of course not.

The Governor Sprague Mansion, now home to the Cranston Historical Society, was once the home of the well-to-do Sprague family. Two members of the family became Rhode Island governors and senators. There are historical items in the home, reminiscent of the “Sprague Empire” days.

The mansion can be rented for private events, such as weddings.

Tours are on Thursdays between 1 – 4 pm. Unfortunately, we were in town on a Saturday, so we’ll have to go back another time to bring you photos and more info of the inside.

For more information, check out the Cranston Historical Society’s website.

8. Take a bike on the Washington Secondary Bike Trail

The Washington Secondary bike path begins in Cranston and ends in Coventry. At 19 miles long, it is Rhode Island’s longest path, and expansion plans are in the works. It follows the old train bed of the Providence, Hartford & Fishkill line.

For full disclosure, we didn’t go biking on our adventure day. But when I lived in Rhode Island, I did have a few opportunities to bike up and down the path. It’s worth the ride. For more info, check out the state’s site on the Washington Secondary Bike Path. Also, here’s the map.

9. Celebrate Italian Heritage

Knightsville, a section of Cranston, is known for celebrating and being proud of its Italian roots. Along with Italian restaurants and bakeries, you can have fun at the St. Mary’s Feast, which takes place annually during the 3rd week of July.

• 

• 

Of course, if you have a sweet tooth like me and Benny, you’ll want to check out one of the Italian bakeries. No trip to Cranston is complete without a trip to Solitro’s Bakery, which has been in the city for over 65 years.

Deciding what to order is always a challenge. Benny got a cupcake, but I was debating between their Rhode Island-style pizza and a spinach pie. The spinach pie won out. We took some more goodies with us before leaving; I warily trusted Benny with holding the box of pastries in the car. Thankfully, he knew better than to eat any right away.

10. Stroll through Pawtuxet Village

Pawtuxet Village is one of Cranston’s best kept secrets. Half in Cranston and half in neighboring Warwick, you can enjoy an Italian meal at Basta Italian, a pizza at Felini’s Pizzeria, ice cream at Dear Hearts, and tea at Schasteâ.

We stood on the bridge crossing the Pawtuxet River for a while. It’s where I took the above photo. This area feels like a piece of forgotten New England. Pawtuxet Village is worthy of a post all on its own, so we’ll be planning to come back to this special area.

---

This is by no means an all-inclusive list. Is there something we missed? What should we visit on our next trip to Cranston?

Subscribe and never miss a New England adventure!

First name Email Address

Leave this field empty if you’re human:

Check out our map of places we’ve been in New England!

---

Know someone who would like reading this? Please share!

Check out our map of places we’ve been in New England!