This is my favorite place to wander. The food is fabulous at the Tavern By the Sea. Drop into Wilsons of Wickford. The service is just unsurpassed. It reminds me of Cheers where everyone knows your name. Wickford is just a nice, "feel good" place.
A walk through Wickford is a walk through time. There are homes built in the 1700's that are beautifully restored and maintained. There are small shops that cheerfully wrap your purchases. During the summer, there are free weekly concerts along the docks. During Christmas, the village is beautifully decorated. Although the village is small, it is worth a trip.
They invite 10,000 guests and PURPOSELY lock & gate off every public & business bathroom because they are septic. Took money for parking cars and many were dented due to too tightly spaced directed parking. Inhospitable and self serving event. Go at your own risk, because they really don't care other than what money you bring.
We frequently drive through on our way to/from Newport, Jamestown, and other south county towns. Its a pretty, little historic town you can walk through, with beautiful historic homes and buildings, the port, and a couple of churches. Its sad to see so many businesses out of business, especially in the summer months! A few stores are open and a couple of eateries that we didn't try. There's plenty of photo ops to be had!
I like the little shops that line the street but didn't feel like a lot of restaurants were open in the evening. It seems like a better breakfast or lunch area.
It's nice to be able to find villages like this still existing in more or less an original condition. With all the freeway malls, this is a pleasant way to shop and while away an afternoon or all day. Head down Main Street, admiring the beautiful homes and head for the harbour for another perspective.
The village is very pretty, with a lot of charm, but the shops and some of the staff therein have that nose up in the air vibe and the prices to go along with the pompousness of it all...the liqueur store has a limited selection and no lottery?..shocking!..how is a pedestrian like me supposed to afford the high priced crap if I can't win some $? BTW, there is a pizza joint that fills the air with some awesome garlic aroma, check that out....but, it's probably $5 a slice to stay in line with the rest of the village gougery.
History buffs love Wickford - so do shoppers looking for something unique. First, stop in a few of the small Brown Street shops - kitchen stores, bath shops, gift stores with locally made wares (Different Drummer, Blue Hydranga and Grateful Heart are my favorites). "Green Ink" is a woman's clothing store people travel miles to visit because of their selection of stylish, alternative clothes. If you have kids, don't miss the World Store - quality toys, bird houses and environmentally oriented gifts and Teddy Bear Skins - a wonderful resource for kids clothes and educational toys. The Book Garden on the corner offers a wonderful selection of used books and always interesting antiques. The shopkeepers are all kind and friendly.Then grab a simple lunch at Tavern by the Sea (inside or out) and walk down Main Street to the wharf to watch fishermen bring in their catch. On the weekends you can get clam cakes and chowder to go at Gardener's Seafood. Don't miss the homes just off Main Street or the historic Narragansett Church. It's a little detour off-the-beaten path that makes for a pleasant and peaceful day.
Cute shops along Main Street, historic homes, harbor,and various restaurants. Antiques and art shops.
We attended the art festival Wickford hosts every year. This year we did some shopping and were having a relaxing day. Soon we had to use a restroom. Not 1 shop, restaurant, or church would allow us to use a restroom (yes, even after spending money at their location). We were directed to the village center where there are public restrooms. Frustrated but understanding we headed to the village center. When we arrived to their public restrooms, they had locked the doors for the event. Instead of allowing their patrons to use their public restrooms, they gave us disgusting and unsanitary porta-potties. This is the hospitality we recieved after they invite us to spend our money in their town on local vendors. Our money is good enough for them but we obviously are not. Such a shame that this beautiful little village is run by money hungry, in-hospitable people. We will not be back. EVER.