In the final part of his profile on Rhode Island dining, David Latt investigates the surprisingly forward-thinking fine-dining scene in the state’s traditionally laid-back southern half.

Newport is probably Rhode Island’s best-known tourist destination.

Located on the southern tip of Aquidneck Island, Newport is home to Cliff Walk and the world-famous mansions built at the end of the 19th century with distinctive architecture and opulent details.

Providence has a dynamic food scene with fun neighborhood hangouts, but you don’t have to stay in the big city to enjoy great food.

Hop in your car and head south.

It’s only a short trip to East Greenwich, Wickford and Matunuck in South County or to Bristol and Newport on Aquidneck Island.

The holidays are long over and we’ve rounded the Valentine’s Day corner, but Mother Nature refuses to recognize that spring is near, March may seem like a dreary month.

But there are many unexpected ways to have fun this month, if you know where to look.

Check out some offbeat and special events that only take place in March and start celebrating.

College towns are hard to dislike. From the dreaming spires of Oxford, England, to the music clubs of Austin, Texas, to the coffee houses of Berkeley, California, each town seems to be infused with an energy and personality that explains why they are perennially popular with tourists as well as students.

The best college towns offer everything a large metropolis does—theater, dining, recreation, and culture—but on a more intimate scale.

New Haven, Connecticut, the home of Yale University, is no exception, particularly when it comes to dining.

In part one of Rhode Island Renaissance, David Latt explored the foods and snacks that are unique to the region.

In part two, he investigates the chefs who have made culinary waves in Providence’s food renaissance.

The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy food that’s grown locally–from local farmers’ markets, for example.

Once a resident of Providence, Rhode Island, David Latt returned decades later to discover a city that has been reborn, and a culinary scene that embraces its past while moving forward with modern cuisine.

If you lived in Providence when I did (in the mid-1970s), you would never go back.

In those days, the city was suffering the human equivalent of deep depression. Jobs were scarce. Downtown was dominated by the boarded-up Biltmore Hotel and a grimy Amtrak station.

Traveling with kids is a big enough challenge for most parents, but what if you’re planning a trip of a lifetime to faraway China?

Guest blogger Dana Rebmann of family travel site Ciao Bambino weighs in with her tips on how to prepare kids for long-distance travel.

My kids are travelers. I’m lucky and I appreciate it. But it didn’t just happen that way.

Spa cuisine has come a long way from the foods of yore.

It used to be going to a health spa meant eating nothing but carrot sticks and cottage cheese.

But these days, not only does spa cuisine taste much better, but you can learn to make it yourself.