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Airports | Buses | Trains | Ferries | Traffic Reports
Preparations
Packing Right for the Road
These days it's difficult to find a porter, so use soft sided luggage with a strap of wheels attached to your bag to ease the way and enable you to be an independent traveler. You can also try a carrying cart that slips into your luggage. There are also carry on bags that you can wheel aboard an aircraft that fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment.
A lot of people, particularly those who travel infrequently, find packing a major ordeal, but it need not be if you follow this simple system.
Never pack valuables, financial, medical, jewelry, work documents, etc., in anything but your carry on bag.
List all items you need to take before your start packing. Then cut your list by at least one quarter. Include specialty items such as resort wear, formal wear, and foul weather gear. The basics include toiletries, hose and underwear, several outfits, a bathrobe, and slippers.
Pick a color theme and select clothing that can be layered.
Focus on clothes that can be hand washed and drip dried.
Lay out all clothes on your bed or table at least one day ahead of time, then pack about half of them back in the closet.
Pack bags with the heaviest items on the bottom and the lightest items on the top. Stuff underwear and socks in shoes. On a long trip, pack according to your itinerary, with clothing for the last place you will be visiting on the bottom of the pile.
Take the following with you: a plastic bag for dirty clothes, a small umbrella, a travel clock, and a foldable tot bag for purchases.
Include a copy of your travel documents and your name, address, and telephone number inside all of your luggage.
Write only your name and business address and telephone number on luggage tags. A home address alerts a potential thief of a possible empty home or apartment.
Trip information provided by AAA Southern New England 
Traveling with Kids
Common Sense Can Make Trips Fun for Kids and Parents Alike
Back before the days of child safety seats, many family car trips involved piling the kids into the way back of the station wage where they could ride unfettered.
Now, of course, parents are better educated on keeping kids safely buckled in the car, which provides little amusement for the little ones who are easily bored.
But that doesn't mean family road trips should be dreaded. Instead, by keeping youngsters involved, the trip will not only be fun, but could be an educational experience, as well.
Encouraging children to participate in trip planning and navigation helps them feel like part of the process instead of just extra baggage.
Kids love to be little helpers, no matter what their ages, so giving them tasks they can handle, no matter how small they seem, can make a big difference in their enthusiasm for a long car ride.
Seasoned parents know that food always paves the way for a much smoother trip. Before hitting the road, pack a cooler with healthy, not sugary, snacks.
Cut up fruit, cheese sticks, a selection of juice boxes, and small snacks which can help stave off inevitable hunger pangs between meals and will prevent the kids from raiding the vending machines and rest stops. Remember to pack baby wipes for quick clean ups.
These days it's far too easy to plug a portable TV/VCR into the cigarette lighter, pop in a tape, and let the youngsters vegetate. But there are other ways to keep them busy and keep their minds active at the same time.
Classic car games, from license plate alphabet, to "I Spy" have withstood the test of time for a reason, they're fun and they really do keep kids minds of the miles whizzing by.
You can also provide kids with miniature travel versions of their favorite board games, or even a simple deck of cards to while away the hours.
Trip information provided by AAA Southern New England
Traveling with Pets
Getting Set to Travel with Your Pet
Millions of families and individuals own pets but hesitate to roam too far from home due to concerns over the beloved family friend. In order to take a vacation, Fido or Fifi should be among the main considerations in the decision-making process. Although a number of pet-friendly lodgings do exist, the onus should be on the pet owner to research the availability of such facilities.
Before hitting the highway, the pros and cons of a journey with furry family members should be weighed. Most animals love being with their owners, but not every pet should take every trip. To make that determination, you should ask yourself the following questions:
Will it still seem like a vacation if your canine companion wants to get up at the usual time and you want to sleep in?
Will your pet be able to participate in your activities? Are you planning full days at a theme park or touring historic homes while your pet stays cooped up in unfamiliar surroundings?
Is your pet healthy and obedient? Old, infirm, and pregnant pets should be left at home. Likewise, any dog prone to biting, barking, or misbehaving will fare better on home turf.
If you decide not to take the whole family, the possibility of hiring a pet sitter or kennel to care for your animal should be considered.
When making reservations, inform the lodging you will be bringing your pet, and the pet's type and size. This conversation is imperative, because lodgings change policies and fees.
Cats and dogs will need up-to-date vaccinations, a good report from a veterinarian, a health certificate, and a supply of regularly taken prescription medications.
To acquaint your pet with automobile travel, take your canine for car rides to new neighborhoods and unfamiliar places. Depending how things go, consider a refresher obedience course.
Taking the necessary steps early in the planning process will ensure your trip goes smoothly.
Trip information provided by AAA Southern New England
Airports and Airlines
T.F. Green Airport
Rhode Island's major airport
New England Airlines
Scheduled flights from Westerly to Block Island. Charters available.
Cape Air
Offers connections from Providence and New Bedford to Cape Cod and the Islands.
Nantucket Airlines
Hourly flights from Hyannis to Nantucket.
Bradley
International Airport
New England's second largest airport, serving Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire
Buses
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA)
Provides state-wide bus service.
Peter Pan Bus Lines
Serving points across New England with connections to New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
Greyhound
Greyhound serves more than 2,300 destinations with 13,000 daily departures across North America.
Trains
Amtrak
Amtrak operates a nationwide rail network, serving more than 500 destinations in 46 states on 21,000 miles of routes.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA)
The "T" operates Boston's network of buses, subways and commuter rail. Trains run seven days a week from Providence to Boston's South Station.
Ferries
Vineyard Fast Ferry
Ferry service from Quonset Point, R.I. to Martha's Vineyard.
The Steamship Authority
Offers connections from Cape Cod to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
Seasonal water taxi service between Providence and Newport.
