Great Getaway: Rose Island Lighthouse

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Saturday, May 22, 2010

TRAVEL by Tracey Minkin, Features Editor

I've slept a lot of places in 20 years of travel writing, but one night stays with me more than most.

Tucked cozily under quilts blanketing my antique iron bed, collapsing into down pillows, I'd drifted off to sleep to the sounds of clanging bell buoys and distant ship horns... and awakened the next morning to the caw of seagulls and the tang of ocean infusing the breeze, watching it billow my bedroom's sheer curtains over my drowsing self like a spinnaker.

Alone, save for the lighthouse keeper watching over our little island, I'd slept a maritime sleep--as deep as the shipping lanes, as refreshing as a salt spray.

I remember feeling hundreds of miles away... perched on a Maine island, or on a distant peninsula in the Canadian Maritimes, but I was, in fact, a guest of Rose Island Lighthouse, moored happily in the arc of the Pell Bridge. I was a voyager in Narragansett Bay's West Passage, and now, years later, pass along to fellow adventurers (and lovers of historic sleepovers) this treasure of a Rhode Island getaway.

Spontaneous Day Trip: Anyone who's ventured over the bridge from Jamestown to Newport has skimmed right over Rose Island, but may have no idea that the historic site combines day-trip museum visits with overnight and week-long stays. You'll have to wait until July 1st to visit for the daytime tour, but it's worth waiting for: go to Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation's day visit page for all the details, including tour information, Jamestown-Newport ferry schedules, and dock access for boaters.

Unforgettable Overnight: If you're ready to bed down lighthouse style, hop online or call the Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation (847-4242 from 9am-1pm) to book a traditional B&B night in the historic downstairs quarters. A few caveats: if you're staying after July 1st, the downstairs is open to the public until 4pm and opens the next morning at 10am. You'll need to bring your own meal prep, but there's a fully furnished old-fashioned kitchen with all the pots, pans, dishes and utensils you'll need. You'll get clean linens for your bed upon arrival; just make up the bed by museum hours. It's quirky, but what comes with it - the thrill, as the last ferry departs and the evening sounds rise up from the water all around you, that sense of owning the island - is utterly worth it.

The Real Thing: Have you got what it takes? Limited, week-long stays that put you completely in charge of the property - yes, now you're the real lighthouse keeper - are available through the Foundation. Nearly every week of the summer books up by February, but it's worth checking in to see if anyone's cancelled. Check here and call the Foundation to inquire.

Overnight stays $165/weekdays, $175/weekends through June; $185/weekdays, $195/weekends through September; holiday weekends higher. Weekly keeper stays in the upstairs apartment $1,200-$2,300/week in high season. For a thorough description of weeklong keeper stays, check here. Rose Island Lighthouse Foundation, PO Box 1419, Newport, 847-4242, www.roseislandlighthouse.org

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