Hotel at a Glance: Tower House B&B

If you talk to someone who’s stayed at Tower House, the first thing they might mention is the french toast. The B&B has beautiful period-furnished rooms and the well-manicured gardens—but the french toast is really that good. The innkeepers, Mary Beth and Chris, use eggs from local farmers and bake the toast until the inn fills with its scent. The scrumptious breakfast is just one of the ways the 1885 inn makes you feel at home; Yankee Magazine spotlighted the property in a recent roundup of New England’s best vacation spots.

• Recent recognition: TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2014
• Home-cooked breakfast: Each morning, the innkeepers wake up bright and early whip up such scrumptious items as eggs benedict and baked french toast, all made with farm-to-table ingredients. The complimentary spread is served from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
• Antique furnishings trim the guest rooms, where guests can cozy up in loft-style sleeping spaces (in the Taylor room), or kick back in a whirlpoorl tub (in the Tower suite).
• Local artwork decorates the parlor, where a crackling fireplace adds to the relaxed ambiance.
• Afternoon refreshments: Complimentary drinks and light snacks served in the evening.

Narragansett, Rhode Island: Picturesque Beaches in 19th-Century Resort Town

Narragansett’s rock-strewn beaches along the Atlantic Ocean made it a popular resort town in the late 19th century, when affluent vacationers built Gothic and Victorian manors on the waterfront. The sea remains Narragansett’s main draw to this day, especially in summer. The town is home to some of the most sought-after coastline in the state, where you can sunbathe and hunt for seashells. For a more active pursuit, take the year-round ferry to Block Island to hike up seaside bluffs that are up to 250 feet high.

Fall and winter are the best times to visit Narragansett if you want to avoid crowds. Don’t let cooler temperatures keep you cooped up—there’s excellent bass fishing in Narragansett’s salt ponds in autumn and you can surf and stroll the main beach in the winter. Head to the Narragansett Pier Marketplace to browse local shops and cafés. From here you can walk to the waterfront and take a tour of the 19th-century Towers. The granite structure, which used to be attached to the town’s most illustrious resort and casino, survived a devastating fire in 1900.

No visit to Narragansett is complete without a stop at its seafood shacks and oyster houses. Chefs cook up everything from crab cakes and house-raised oysters to succulent shrimp stuffed with Ritz crackers, a local specialty. Some restaurants close during the off-season, so be sure to call ahead. 

Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.