I’m a Floridian through and through, but something about Bristol, Rhode Island, feels like a second home to me. It’s probably the warm welcome from locals like Brian Travers, proprietor of the Bradford-Dimond-Norris House bed and breakfast, where we stay every time, or the quintessential New England Americana of the place—especially at the beginning of July. This charming coastal town is home to the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the country—and this year, Bristol is marking its 240th year doing it big on the Fourth of July. Known as the unofficial Fourth of July capital of the U.S., Bristol kicked off nearly a month of patriotic festivities on June 14 with a Flag Day ceremony. Over the following weeks, patriotic momentum builds with free outdoor concerts, orange crate derby races, pageants, fireworks, a black-tie ball, and various patriotic exercises, all culminating in a spectacular July 4 parade that draws hundreds of thousands of spectators from around the world.
Bradford-Dimond-Norris House, Seastreak Ferry, Mount Hope Farm, Linden Place, Blithewold, Sunset Cafe, Hope Diner, Beehive Cafe, Bristol Oyster Bar, and Quito's are mentioned in this article.
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