Things to Do in Swansea

Incandescent fish, turtles, and dolphins illuminate the underwater-themed wonder worlds of Oceans 18’s glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course and two lanes of mini bowling that provide indoor fun year-round. Oceans 18 keeps links-lovers entertained with a full-size golf simulator while mini bowling promises all the fun of the alley without the hassle of wearing rental shoes or a bedazzled bowling glove. Patrons can also carry on their competitive spirit in Oceans 18’s extensive arcade.

Jeffrey Hall will never toss a wrapper out the car window again. That’s because he knows that every piece of trash strewing the highway’s meridian attracts mice. And mice attract hungry hawks, who can’t always dodge oncoming trucks. Not everyone is so aware of the potential far-reaching implications of a single fast-food wrapper, but the Audubon Society director learned such lessons long ago, seeing first-hand the victims of those circumstances in injured hawks and falcons on just such a rescue.

Now, Jeffrey hopes to spark a similar awareness in his fellow Rhode Islanders. “When people learn about plants and animals, they appreciate them. And once they appreciate them, they want to save them,” says Mr. Hall. As no one in Rhode Island lives more than 20 minutes from an Audubon Society wildlife refuge, he's certain they can find ample opportunities to do so. In addition to conserving land for hikes and staring contest with owls, the Society boasts an Environmental Education Center, which hosts events, programs, and interactive exhibits year-round. For the Audubon Society to thrive, Jeffrey knows the organization's programs must inspire young stewards. “They’ll grow up to be the voters who want to protect this land,” he says. That's why, among the many programs guests can partake in, the society's also offers a summer camp and kid-friendly classes.

The course at Touisset Country Club covers a verdant patch of repurposed farmland that still bears many of its original, naturally occurring hazards. In 1959, the then-amateur designers, Raymond Brigham and Richard Weller, built the course by hand. In doing so, they chose to leave the existing boulders in place rather than using them as paperweights for to-scale U.S. maps. And today, more than half a century later, the course balances such rugged features with well-maintained, penncross grass greens.

Course at a Glance:

• Nine-hole, par 35 course
• Total length of 3,024 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 69.1 from the back tees
• Course slope of 111 from the back tees
• Two sets of tees per hole

Horses trot merrily at Silverbrook Farm, towing carts and bushels of fresh, crisp vegetables behind them. Here, agriculturalists eschew tractors and machinery whenever possible, forcing the steeds to whinny their best impressions of diesel engines instead. While refraining from fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides on their crops, the farmers also use all-natural processes when tending to their livestock, resulting in a bounty of free-range eggs and beef from cows fed with grass rather than the typical Funyuns.

Along with fresh food, philanthropy also thrives at the farm. After baking up pillowy loaves onsite, The Pereira Bread Co. sets aside a portion of its proceeds to donate to Citizen Schools of Massachusetts, and Silverbrook hosts regular events such as the Great Pumpkin Festival in October, appearances from Santa in December, and family movie nights under the stars' outdated, black-and-white constellations.