Bristol is a historic port city in eastern Rhode Island, located about fifteen miles south of Providence. Almost completely surrounded by water, Bristol’s maritime history is the strongest influence on its culture today, and boating and fishing continue to be popular pastimes as well as economic drivers. On the south side, the waterfront campus of Roger Williams University serves around 5,000 students and employs hundreds of locals as faculty and staff members.
Numerous vintage buildings have been lovingly preserved all around town, giving Bristol a timeless atmosphere. Bristol claims the oldest continuous 4th of July celebration in the United States, dating all the way back to the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 1777; today, the Bristol Independence Day celebration is one of the biggest in the region.
