Overview
Coventry is the largest town in Kent County and the state of Rhode Island, with a population of approximately 34,660 as of 2007 and a total area of 62.3 sq mi. Coventry is bordered by Sterling, Connecticut to the west, West Warwick to the east, East and West Greenwich to the south, and Foster, Scituate and Cranston to the north. It was founded in 1741 after the population of settlers was significant enough to separate from Warwick and form a new town. Much of Coventry is of historical note as home to many villages and homesteads from the 1700s, including those of Nathaniel Greene and Thomas Paine. Some of the villages include Greene, Washington, Anthony, and Hopkins Hollow. There are two main commercial areas in Coventry. The first is Route 3, which is also known as Tiogue Avenue or Nooseneck Hill Road. Most of the stores and restaurants can be found on this main road. The second large commercial area is called the Centre of New England, which has many stores, restaurants, and hotels.
4 sights · 4 things to do · 9 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Coventry
Paine House
Paine house is a historic house museum that has been furnished to reflect the Colonial era. The Paine House was once a Colonial house and inn and has been restored by the Coventry Historical society in the period-style.
Nathanael Greene Homestead Museum
Known as Spell Hall, it was the home of Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene from 1770 to 1776. Tours run from April 1st - October 31st.
Read School House
Built in 1831 and used until 1951, Read School House is a one room school that is still furnished with desks and chairs. The Coventry Historical Society encourages groups to visit by appointment by calling the number abo…
The Greene Public Library
The Greene Public Library is a very small public library in Greene, Rhode Island. Greene is a smaller, very rural, section within the town of Coventry. The library also hosts many classes and events for local groups and …
Audubon George Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge
Part of the Rhode Island Audubon Society, this park offers free admission to 860 acres of hiking trails and nature scenery. The caretaker's house was built in the 1700s and is noted on the National Register of Historic P…
Herbert F. Paine Memorial Park
Lighted softball and baseball parks. Lighted basketball courts and four tennis courts. There is also a street hockey court and a playground. Seasonal concession stands run by the parents of the children registered in any…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Mar and Dec. (climate data from nearby Providence)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PVD Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport, Providence/Warwick — 9 mi away (major hub). Directions
- NPT Newport State Airport, Newport — 20 mi away. Directions
T.F. Green Airport is roughly a 20-minute drive to Coventry. Follow I-95 South and take exit 7.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Paine House, Read School House
- Lunch Depetrillos Pizza and Bakery
- Afternoon Audubon George Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge, Carbuncle Pond
- Dinner Michael's Gelina's Ice Cream
- Evening Del's Lemonade
Day 2
- Morning Nathanael Greene Homestead Museum, The Greene Public Library
- Lunch Newport Creamery
- Afternoon Herbert F. Paine Memorial Park, Coventry Greenway
- Dinner The Olde Theater Diner
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Chain restaurants are well represented including Applebee's, Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Denny's, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's and Subway.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By plane
T.F. Green Airport is roughly a 20-minute drive to Coventry. Follow I-95 South and take exit 7.
By bus
- RIPTA (Rhode Island Public Transit Authority). Bus transportation from anywhere in Rhode Island. Visit the RIPTA website to see rates and bus schedules.
By car
If you are traveling from the northern part of Rhode Island or from Boston, take I-95 South toward Providence and take Exit 6 to enter the Coventry/West Greenwich area (Route 3), exit 6a to enter onto Hopkins Hill Road in Coventry, and exit 7 to enter the Coventry/West Warwick area (New London Turnpike). If you are traveling from the south take I-95 North from any of these exits.
Get around
There are five major roads in Coventry: Route 3 (Nooseneck Hill Road), Route 102 (Victory Highway), Interstate 95, Route 116 (Knotty Oak Road), and Route 117 (Flat River Road). I-95 skirts the edge of downtown and has exits to most prominent areas in town. Route 3 runs through downtown Coventry and sees considerable traffic, but is still the easiest and quickest way through downtown. Route 102 runs through the Western end of town, from West Greenwich to Foster/Scituate, and intersects both I-95 and Route 3 near West Greenwich. Route 116 runs through the northern end of town, from Coventry to Cumberland. Route 117, one of the state of Rhode Island’s original highways, runs from Coventry to West Warwick, Warwick, and Cranston.
See
See Read School House
Built in 1831 and used until 1951, Read School House is a one room school that is still furnished with desks and chairs. The Coventry Historical Society encourages groups to visit by appointment by calling the number above.
Do
Do Audubon George Parker Woodland Wildlife Refuge
Part of the Rhode Island Audubon Society, this park offers free admission to 860 acres of hiking trails and nature scenery. The caretaker's house was built in the 1700s and is noted on the National Register of Historic Places. There is also a converted nature center. The trails are located at the western side of the town where restaurants and stores are quite sparse, so make sure to bring your own food and drinks. Cell phone service is also questionable depending on your service provider.
Do Herbert F. Paine Memorial Park
Lighted softball and baseball parks. Lighted basketball courts and four tennis courts. There is also a street hockey court and a playground. Seasonal concession stands run by the parents of the children registered in any of the leagues. Restrooms available. Plenty of parking all over the park.This park also incorporates a skatepark open to the public. The Skatepark boasts a halfpipe, two rails, and several other ramps. It is open from dawn to dusk, and rules and regulations can be found at the town of Coventry website. The park is accessible by the Coventry Greenway.
- Foster Memorial Park, 1/4 mile north on Station Street from intersection of Main Street in Washington village. There are four baseball/softball fields, three soccer fields, a hiking trail, and a volleyball court. Seasonal food concession and restrooms available. It is also accessible through the Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School of Coventry.
- Rice Field, 7 Knotty Oak Road, (Rte. 116). Offers a lighted football field, baseball/softball field, tennis court and playground. Seasonal food concession and portable restrooms available. Proposed Restrooms, Pavilion, Basketball court and Gazebo.
- Briar Point Beach and Picnic Area, on Lake Tiogue, the end of Briar Point Avenue off Arnold Road. Offers swimming and picnic facilities with lifeguards on duty from June 19th thru Labor Day. Playground facility and seasonal portable restrooms.
Do Carbuncle Pond
A popular fishing spot located close to the Connecticut border, great for sport and stocked with several species of fish. Consult local guides and resources for guidelines. There are also small trails around the lake and shoreline for lounging.
- Johnson's Pond Flat River Road. Johnson's Pond is a great spot for fishing and watersports. Wakeboarding Magazine rated Johnson's Pond as the best spot for wakeboarding in Rhode Island.
Do Coventry Greenway
Coventry Greenway is a 5-mile trail that is generally flat. Only 3.5 miles of the path are paved, but the path can be used for either walking or biking. This path is under construction which will allow users to travel the full length on paved pathway. The Coventry Greenway allows easy accessibility to several places within Coventry. It provides access to Herbert F. Paine Memorial Park, the Coventry Library, Deciantis Ice Cream, and the Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School of Coventry.
See The Greene Public Library
The Greene Public Library is a very small public library in Greene, Rhode Island. Greene is a smaller, very rural, section within the town of Coventry. The library also hosts many classes and events for local groups and citizens. The Greene Public Library is open every day, except Sunday and Monday.
Buy
Eat
Chain restaurants are well represented including Applebee's, Burger King, Cracker Barrel, Denny's, Dunkin' Donuts, McDonald's and Subway.
Eat Depetrillos Pizza and Bakery
Casual, homey pizza joint which attracts customers from all over New England. Pizza comes as the cold white and red single pizza strips and in party trays (full, $14.99 or half, $8.50). They also sell hot pizza, calzone rolls, over ten kinds of small calzones, and even homemade biscuits and cookies.
Eat Michael's Gelina's Ice Cream
This is the best service and ice cream in the state. Soft serve or hard, slushies, sundaes, ice cream cookies, yogurt, cabinets and milk shakes in over 50 flavors. $3-5 for a cone of ice cream. Some outdoor seating, but they are on a main road. Plenty of parking.
Eat Newport Creamery
Stop in for some ice cream, or stay a while and have a fresh cooked meal in the family-friendly atmosphere.
Eat The Olde Theater Diner
Owned by the same owners as the Middle of Nowhere Diner in Exeter, The Olde Theater Diner offers great food and drinks at reasonable prices, with pool and arcade games. Thursday nights are open mic nights, where people can sign up to play music, recite poetry, or perform comedy. The diner was once an actual movie theater in Coventry. Inside, customers will be treated to a movie theater decor.
Eat Borelli’s Pastry Shop
Borelli’s is a local bakery which offers several items such as pizza, calzones, pastries, and breads.
Eat The Cozy Grill
The Cozy Grill is a clean restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Eat Silverlake Pizza
Pizza restaurant that is also the place to go in Coventry for N.Y. System style "hot weenies". Eat in or take out.
Eat The Gentleman Farmer
The Gentleman Farmer serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily. The waitstaff are extremely friendly. It is most known for its good breakfast items.
Drink
Drink Del's Lemonade
The local instance of the popular Rhode Island chain.
Sleep
Stay Camp Westwood
A rural campground and YMCA facility for family recreation; cabins and lodges can be rented and RVs are welcome. There is a playground, athletic fields and courts, hiking trails, and a lake for swimming, boating, and fishing. Recreation for all ages. The campground is open from late Spring to early Autumn.
Stay Water's Edge Campground
Located in Western Coventry on RI's largest pond; Johnson's Pond. This campground offers 69 campsites from May to September. Amenities include: boating, fishing, water skiing, swimming, rest rooms, hot showers, dumping station, electric hookups. Hiking trail and golfing nearby and pets are allowed.
Stay Hickory Ridge Family Campground
This rural, family-oriented campground offers 200 campsites, a pool and pond, running water, activities, and a playground.
Go next
- Providence, a half-hour away, is the regional transit hub for trips further away, such as Boston, Massachusetts. Boston is a drive away on I-95 North, or take the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) for $7.75 one way or Amtrak from the Providence Station, at 100 Gaspee Street, Providence..
Nearby
West Warwick
City / town · 24 listings · 4 mi away
West Greenwich
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Scituate
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East Greenwich
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Goddard Memorial State Park
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Exeter
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Cranston
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Warwick
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