Newport, Rhode Island (05/20/2011-05/21/2011)

I didn't really feel like going home one weekend in Boston, so I figured I would rent a car and check out some of what New England has to offer.  Following the advice of a random person I met, I drove to Rhode Island, specifically Newport.  What I didn't know about Newport was that it is famous for its naval academy as well as its mansions.  Depending on who you ask, their local clam chowder is also a famous item (New England's cream vs. Rhode Island's clear style).  Amazingly enough, during World War II, a significant fraction (perhaps 1/3rd) of the Americans' torpedoes were manufactured here, and unbeknownst to the town's population, there was an underground railroad transporting tremendously volatile explosives between one of the near islands to downtown Newport. for assembly.

Overall a lovely sleepy little city whose population is outnumbered by tourists more often than not.