Photo by Coen van de Broek on Unsplash
In real estate, homes with appealing outdoor areas are increasingly desirable to today’s buyer, whether it’s a spacious backyard, a nearby park, or a walking trail. Green spaces with room for activity improve your well-being. Space in your house for yoga, workout equipment, or a private garden can support overall health, but with the pandemic, its isolation, and time spent inside still a fresh memory, homebuyers are more conscious of the mental and physical benefits of community recreation space.
Runners, bikers, walkers, hikers, swimmers… whatever way you get your heart rate going, Rhode Island offers wonderful options to exercise, bond with nature, and engage with neighbors. Our 60 miles of bike paths undoubtedly provide a boost to a property or neighborhood’s appeal for buyers.
Read on to learn about a few of our favorite running and recreation areas throughout Rhode Island.
Providence and Pawtucket
“Walk on left facing bicyclists.” The familiar sign is part of how our bike trails accommodate all kinds of traffic. Runners throughout Providence and Pawtucket can enjoy an excellent experience in concert with bikers along the Blackstone River Bikeway, the state's second-longest bike path at 18.2 miles, including 11.6 miles of path between Cumberland and Woonsocket and segments of on and off-road bikeway heading south to India Point Park in Providence and north to the Massachusetts border.
Ten Mile River Greenway connects a number of recreational spaces and athletic fields, including Slater Park, in the northeast corner of Pawtucket. It is one of the few bike paths in Rhode Island that was not built along a former rail corridor. This means the path follows the natural contour of the land and provides a very scenic ride along rolling terrain on the banks of the James Turner Reservoir.
Slater Memorial Park adds more space not only for running, softball, and soccer, but also ample area for families, pets, and children to meet and build community. Hiking, outdoor yoga, and tennis courts lend more ways to stay healthy and improve quality of life.
FEATURED LISTING
303 Laurel Avenue Providence, RI
6 Beds
3.2 Baths
6,067 Total Sq. Ft.
$3,750,000
The East Bay
The East Bay Bike Path picks things up in India Point Park where you can move south to Riverside, Barrington, and Warren, enjoying lovely coastal views before finishing in Bristol’s Independence Park on the bay. With lots of trees for shade and cool breezes, this stretch is a popular training spot of running enthusiasts. Bristol is home to Colt State Park as well, with its canoe and kayak launch, shoreline for paddle boarding, and fabulous trails to walk, cycle, and roller blade. This pet-friendly park is an excellent resource for keeping fit while enjoying time with family or friends.
FEATURED LISTINGS
18 Taddy Avenue, Warren, RI
3 Beds
2.1 Baths
3,792 Total Sq. Ft.
$795,000
North Kingstown and East Greenwich
A 10K road race is equivalent to 6.2 miles, making the Quonset Bike Path in North Kingstown more than ample room to train. The path extends 3.7 miles from Post Road (Route 1) to Pettee Ave. at the Mt. View neighborhood in North Kingstown, for a round trip totaling 7.4 miles.
For more recreation and fun, Goddard Memorial State Park in East Greenwich, much like Colt State Park, offers scenic green space and paths, but also has a nine-hole golf course, 18 miles of bridle trails for equestrians, and 11 game fields.
FEATURED LISTING
121 Joseph Court #3, North Kingstown, RI
2 Beds
2 Baths
2,068 Total Sq. Ft.
$829,900
Cranston and Coventry
For an ambitious run, the Washington Secondary Bike Path, the state's longest, runs 19 miles for an uninterrupted stretch that takes you from Cranston Street in Cranston to Log Bridge Road just past Route 102 in western Coventry.
If a more sedate ramble is to your taste, Coventry offers Waterman Pond and the George B. Parker Wildlife Refuge. Both offer not only a tranquil setting, but also streams and ponds for extra visual interest as you try to spot birds and other wildlife.
FEATURED LISTINGS
23 Haddon Hill Road Cranston, RI
3 Beds
2.1 Baths
1,862 Total Sq. Ft.
$419,000
2084 Plainfield Pike Coventry, RI
4 Beds
3.1 Baths
4,550 Total Sq. Ft.
$799,900
South County
Particularly with the onset of autumn, jogging the South County Bike Path, with its gorgeous expanse of wooded, leafy serenity, provides another way to get outside, burn calories, and enjoy the eye-catching foliage. The path extends 7.8 miles from Kingston Station in the village of West Kingston in South Kingstown to Mumford Road in Narragansett. Needless to say, South County’s wonderful beaches allow for all kinds of cross training to supplement your running routine, from surfing, kayaking, and paddleboarding to swimming and volleyball.
FEATURED LISTING
6 Hollywood Avenue, Narragansett, RI
4 Beds
2 Baths
$1,506 Total Sq. Ft.
$840,000
Self-care is gaining more and more awareness in daily life and for home buyers and is a definite factor in choosing where to live. Accessible recreation spaces and their opportunities for staying in shape and reducing stress will remain one of the few certainties in the often-surprising world of real estate.
