If you want to immerse yourself in history as well as nature, Rhode Island also has plenty of historical parks, with the state's first park, Roger Williams Park, opening almost 200 years ago. (Note: While Abbott Park in Downtown Providence was donated in 1746, it is a public square rather than a park.)

Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a doctor and assistant professor with a visa to work in Rhode Island, was deported to her native Lebanon over the weekend despite an ongoing dispute over her detention by federal agents and a court order intended to keep her in the United States.