38 RI Gifts & Experiences for Everyone on Your Shopping List 2019

November 22, 2019

The holidays are hands down the busiest time of year. There are always cookies to bake, kids to chauffeur, family to see, and gifts to buy. To make your holidays a little easier, we compiled our favorite gifts and experiences for last-minute shoppers. Making this list extra special is that everything can be purchased in Rhode Island (or online) for easy and quick shopping. And of course, you can always purchase Rhode Island Red Food Tours gift certificates online. Gift certificates can be personalized and sent straight to the recipient’s e-mail inbox. Your friends and family will never know how simple it was to get them such a thoughtful gift.

Shop Local – Artisan Made, Unique Gifts

Craftland, 212 Westminster Street in Providence

Craftland is one of our go-to’s for gift giving. Much of their inventory was handmade in Rhode Island by independent makers, making for truly unique gifts. We’d recommend the lobster tea towel for something simple and sweet, the Rhode Island screen-printed tees for the hardcore Rhody, and the Berkley Illustration portraits for the animal lover (they have the cutest breed-specific portraits!)

Frog and Toad, 795 Hope Street and 713 Westminster Street in Providence

Creative and quirky gifts abound at Frog and Toad. Now in two locations, Frog and Toad is known for stocking “amusing and culturally relevant merchandise.” Although small, you have to really take your time perusing their Hope Street location. It’s stocked full of Lil Rhody swag like tea towels, mugs, and greeting cards. We love their kitchen kitschy items, especially the Tulip Tea Infuser and Subversive Sponges. Frog and Toad has the best aprons, featuring lines like “Just a Girl Staring at Dinner” and all sorts of fun prints like cats and butter. They also have plenty of fun gifts for the non-Rhody in your life. Their celebrity-themed (think Tom Brady, Oprah, and Prince) prayer candles are the perfect example of culturally relevant merchandise. Read more about their unique designs here.

Grasmere, 6 Franklin Street in Bristol

We always look forward to shopping at Grasmere. The shop is stunning year-round, but especially during Christmas. Grasmere focuses on handmade and eclectic designs. We especially love their preserved floral arrangements and natural Christmas wreaths. A gift from Grasmere is sure to bring new life and light to the home or office.

InkFish Books, 488 Main Street in Warren

Skip Amazon and support your local bookstore. InkFish Books carries so many of the bestsellers, but also stocks books by local authors and has a great indie book list. Whether you’re shopping for the season’s bestseller or looking for something more niche, Inkfish has it all. In particular, we recommend Quesadilla and Other Adventures: Food Poems. It’s the perfect book for the foodie in your life. Plus all of the poems were contributed by local writers affiliated with Brown University, including our super talented food tour guide, Jenny Currier!

Kreatelier, 804 Hope Street in Providence

Kreatelier is fabric-focused, selling simple gifts and unique upholstered pieces. We are always impressed with their creativity and selection. We are big fans of their eco-friendly kids’ lunch boxes, perfect for a niece or nephew. Going with the lunch theme, they have fantastic reusable sandwich bags and linen lunch bags, an eco-friendly and fashionable way to pack your lunch for work.

Made in Warren, 476 Main Street in Warren

As a local artists cooperative, Made in Warren showcases Rhode Island’s artists, like Megan Douglas who makes beautiful, functional pottery. We love shopping at Made in Warren for pottery, checkout their #bowlswithholes from Mudstone Studios, stained glass, and jewelry. Christopher Foster and Diana Cole make sculptural and traditional stained glass pieces. There are many jewelry designers, but perhaps the most interesting is Sarah A. Hess, who makes paper jewelry. Pre-plan your shopping and check out all of the artists at Made in Warren here.

Newport Mansions Store & NewportStyle.net, 424 Bellevue Avenue in Newport

If you haven’t already, we highly recommend visiting the Newport Mansions during Christmas. The experience is simply magical. After your tour, stop by the Newport Mansions Store to shop their curated selection of gifts. If you can’t make it in person, their website, NewportStyle, has a great selection. Narrow your search by collection. They have curated collections with themes like “Wine & Foods”, “Rhode Island Favorites” and “Women’s History.”

Simple Pleasures, 6 Richmond Square in Providence

Simple Pleasures is a small shop that stocks thoughtful, alluring and unusual gifts. It is one of our go-to’s when gift shopping. It is also just really stinkin’ cute. Our sweet tooth got the best of us at Simple Pleasures and we had to pick up the sugar plums and some other sweets to stuff some stockings. A sweet treat is always just right for a host or hostess gift during the holidays.

Stock Culinary Goods, 756 Hope Street in Providence

Stock Culinary Good is one-stop shopping for the cooks in your life. They have a variety of local specialty foods, cookware, cookbooks, homewares, and everything in between. Get hands-on and curate a Rhode Island food and culinary gift basket. We’d recommend including some Anchor Toffee, a few bottles of Yacht Club Soda, a horseshoe crab bottle opener from Matt Hall, and a Coffee Milk candle from Aster Candles. No matter your choices, a specially curated culinary gift basket from Stock is sure to be enjoyed and appreciated.

Studio Hop, 810 Hope Street in Providence

Studio Hop is very carefully curated and showcases artists near and far. They have a fantastic collection of fine jewelry and art, handmade clothing and accessories, olive oil-based skincare, and more. We were especially fond of the bright stoneware made by Rhode Island ceramicist Eli Tegu. The bowls would make a great gift for someone who appreciates local art and fine, handmade goods.

The Cottage, 3847 Main Road in Tiverton

It doesn’t get much cuter than Tiverton Four Corners. The Cottage is one of our favorite shops in Tiverton Four Corners. Their tasteful collection covers furniture, bed and bath, garden and patio, entertaining, and home decor.

Whimsies, 4 Church Street in Warren

Whimsies in Warren is known for their funky furniture, home goods, and textiles. Everything in-stock is locally handmade. We’re big fans of their snarky dish towels!  Their dish towels can even be customized to incorporate a special saying or inside joke. Perfect for your sassy aunt or anyone with an appreciation for some attitude.

Woof! Woof! Pet Boutique & Biscuit Bar, 31 Bradford Street in Bristol

You can’t forget the furry friends in your life! Woof! Woof! has every type of tasty treat for dogs and cats. They also have a selection of pet-themed jewelry, housewares, and gifts for the animal-obsessed human in your life.

Follow Rhode Island Red Food Tours on social media to keep up with all of the fun happenings in Rhode Island this month (and every month!)

Shop Local – Food and Drink

Ellie’s Bakery, 225 Weybosset Street in Providence

Our Providence food tour partner, Ellie’s Bakery, is one of our holiday musts. This year, it was nearly impossible for us to pick just one item from their holiday menu. You can shop their holiday goodies here.  When you pick up your Spicy Ginger Cake or Holiday Macarons, pick up one of their Gingerbread Kits. Each kit comes with a freshly baked gingerbread cookie, a piping bag, icing, and six bags of decorative candies. The perfect holiday treat for the child in your life. Plus, all of the proceeds go toward helping families in the community who need a little extra support during the holidays. We love a gift that gives back!

Feast and Fettle Chef-Prepared Meals, 881 Waterman Avenue in East Providence

Know someone who could use a break from the kitchen? Feast and Fettle offers a gifting option for the chef-prepared meals. Simply choose the number of meals and people and their meals will be delivered straight to their front door. Their sample entrees include balsamic flank steak with roasted cherry tomatoes, sweet bbq tofu, and pistachio-crusted codfish. Yum!

Fully Rooted, delivery or pick-up

Juice cleanses are still all the rage. Fully Rooted has three juice cleanses – Cleanse & Restore 3-Day, Deep Detox 3-Day, and a 1-Day Deep Detox. Perfect for detoxing after eating all of those holiday sweets. Their juice cleanses can be picked up at one of their many locations or delivered straight to the recipient’s front door.

Aleppo Sweets, 107 Ives Street in Providence

The Aleppo Sweets craze has swept Rhode Island and rightfully so. Their baklava is incredible and so is the story of their founding. This holiday season, they’re offering Baklava Gift Boxes. Choose from a variety, vegan, chocolate, chopped walnuts and more. You honestly can’t go wrong with any of their flavors!

La Maison de COCO, online orders only

You may have heard of La Maison de COCO when they had a storefront in Newport. Now online-only, they are still making some of the best chocolate in town. Their chocolates are to die for and make for the perfect gift for the chocolate lover in your life.

Newport Vineyards, 909 East Main Road in Middletown

Who doesn’t love a little wine? Newport Vineyards has a fantastic selection of wine and related gifts. When in doubt, they have gift cards so your gift-ee can make their own selection or schedule a wine tasting.

Prica Farina, 2 Market Street in Warren

Pick up something for the foodies in your life at Prica Farina. Prica Farina is East Bay’s Handcrafted Fresh Pasta and Specialty Food Shop. We challenge you to go in without picking up some of their incredible, fresh pasta. They do have gift cards available, perfect for gifting your foodie friend the fresh pasta of their choosing. For small gifts or stocking stuffers, they have boxes of Panettone and specialty tins of gourmet fish paté imported from Portugal.

Rhodium – Rhode Island Spirits, 59 Blackstone Avenue in Pawtucket

Rhodium is a woman-owned business that makes vodka and gin using local flowers and herbs. Their new products include a yummy blueberry vodka flavored with local blueberries and a touch of cane sugar. Check out their full selection at their distillery and tasting room in Pawtucket. Purchase your gifts there or at your local liquor store. A bottle of vodka or gin from Rhodium would make a lovely, thoughtful gift for your co-workers or party hosts.

Warren Cider Works, 98 Child Street in Warren

Farmer-producer Spencer Morris quietly opened Warren Cider Works a few months ago. Their hard ciders are crafted in small batches from apples grown right in Warren. Visit the shop to taste a flight of their ciders and pick your favorite for something new and local to gift and share.

Yoleni’s, 292 Westminster Street in Providence

Last but certainly not least on our list is our Providence food tour partner, Yoleni’s. Their signature gift boxes are stuffed with the staples of Greece and are beautifully packaged, ready for gifting. If you prefer a more personal touch, you can create your own by browsing their market section.

Local RI Experiences

Rhode Island Red Food Tours, Newport and Providence

It’s THE gift of the season!! Food & Drink Experiences, everyone enjoys them!! The gift that not only satisfies the belly but will also teach you about some of the hidden history, landmarks and art of the city as you see and taste the local restaurants and eateries. Create memories with a shared, fun filled experience for anyone on your gift giving list, friends, families and co-workers there is something for everyone.

Gift certificates are available here and can be used for any of our food & drink tours in Newport or Providence.

Axe Bar, Lincoln

The holidays can be a stressful time. Relieve some of that stress at Axe Bar! Learn how to throw an axe, starting throwing at the target and even play some axe games. It’s a fun experience to share with friends or family. Book a time slot or buy gift cards.

12 Meter Charters, Newport

Experience Newport in an entirely new way. 12 Meter Charters has a variety of packages including Sip & Sail, Spa & Sail, Dine & Sail and more. Charters can be relaxed or adventurous, depending on the recipient’s sailing experience and personal preference.

AS220, Providence

AS220 offers a variety of creative workshops that will appeal to whoever is on your list. Their Monday night hip hop classes caught our eye, but they also have many other dance classes and workshops. Stand-out workshops include a 6 Dance Class Package, Introduction to Podcasting, Darkroom Photography, and more.

The Beauty Factory, In House Spa at The Peyton Co., Warren

Who doesn’t love a spa day? Even better, a clean-beauty spa day. The Peyton Co. is a natural body and beauty brand, using local, sustainable and organic ingredients. The Beauty Factory is their in-house spa, offering facials, waxing, nails, and bodywork. We were especially intrigued by the anti-inflammatory CBD facial and Java Junkie body remedy. Their spa treatments are available by appointment only, but gift cards are available for purchase.

Newport Cooks,  Middletown

Newport Cooks has classes for adults and children, giving you even more gifting options. We know the Indian Curry Workshop definitely caught our attention (and made us a little hungry, if we’re telling the truth.) They also have regularly scheduled cooking classes and offer private cooking classes. If you can’t choose between classes, Newport Cooks even offers gift certificates so the recipient can choose which class works best for them.

Newport Art Museum, Newport

Newport Art Museum offers adult-only art classes for those who want to learn a new skill or revisit an old hobby. Stand-out classes include the Art of Food, clay studio, portrait Mondays and more.

Peter Pan Surfing – Narragansett

It may be chilly in Rhode Island, but Peter Pan Surfing & SUP Academy doesn’t let winter get in the way of their fun. Group lessons continue all winter long and will make the perfect gift for the adventurer on your list. If you think the cold would scare them off, you can always purchase a gift certificate to be used for a private lesson in the summer.

Professor Chef, North Providence

Professor Chef uses high-quality and locally sourced ingredients in all of their cooking classes. Often times, the ingredients come straight from their gardens. They offer group classes (capped at 6 participants) and private experiences if you’re looking to gift something extra special. We loved their Italian Vacation and Dinner in Paris classes. Many of their classes are region-specific, but there are also classes focused on making kitchen staples like pasta sauce and bread. If you’re not sure of your gift-ee’s schedule or taste, Professor Chef does offer gift cards.

Meraki Stitch Studio, Warren

Know someone who has already wanted to learn how to crochet, sew, or quilt? Meraki Stitch Studio offers classes covering the vast world of fibers. In particular, we were intrigued by their monthly Crochet Granny Squares class. Each month, participants learn how to crochet a different Granny Square pattern. Meraki also offers kids’ classes like creative sewing. Gift a studio membership or purchase a few classes for your gift-ee.

Rob Coyne School of Music Education, Warren

Rob Coyne School of Music Education offers classes for people of all ages and abilities. Gift an intro class or purchase a series of lessons for someone who’s always wanted to learn an instrument. Their lessons cover most instruments including drums, guitar, cello, trumpet, piano and more. They also offer voice lessons.

Taste Buds Kitchen, East Greenwich

Taste Buds Kitchen offers a variety of cooking and baking classes, but they offer many for children. Classes include Monster Cupcakes, Galaxy Donuts, and Snowman Cupcakes. Make something tasty and spend quality time with the kiddo in your life! If you’re not ready to commit to a time and class, they also offer gift cards. Let your child, sibling, niece, nephew or cousin choose the class for an extra special touch.

The Bench, Pawtucket

How cool would it be to make your own, custom wedding bands? The Bench offers a workshop to create custom silver or gold wedding bands over a 2-day private workshop. What a lovely bonding experience to get you ready for the big day! It’d also be a thoughtful gift for the engaged couple in your life. The Bench also offers personalized, private lessons if you or your gift-ee is interested in making different kinds of jewelry.

Jamestown Art Center, Jamestown

Learn how photography tips and tricks from Onne Van Der Wal, one of the most prolific and talented marine photographers in the world. This is the perfect class for someone who’s always wanted to up their photography game or learn how to use a DSLR camera. The Stone Carving Basics: Winter Workshops caught our eye as well. Learn how to carve limestone in their 12-hour introductory course. Jamestown Art Center offers a wide variety of classes and camps for people of all ages.

Local Theatre Subscriptions

Rhode Island has fantastic local theatres. Many of them offer memberships or subscriptions, ready for gifting. A fantastic, thoughtful gift for anyone who enjoys the theatre or who just wants to get out and about more often.

Contemporary Theater Company, Wakefield
Firehouse Theatre, Newport
Newport Playhouse, Newport
Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), Providence
The Gamm Theatre, Warwick
The Wilbury Theatre Group, Providence
Trinity Repertory, Providence