Station/Boat Location~
ANT Bristol
Date there~
1998 - 2002
Weather~
You have all 4 seasons. Summer can be hot and muggy, but usually doesn't last long. A window A/C works very well. Fall begins in late September and the leaves begin to change soon after. All of New England is beautiful this time of year. Winter can be very cold, sometimes it can drop into single digits. The snow has been very mild. The snow/ice concerned me when we moved here, but you just drive slower. Spring usually starts around May.
Military facilities~
There is the Navy War College in Newport, RI. There is a Coast Guard unit there also. The base is 20 minutes away from Bristol. It has full service, such as a good commissary and an exchange. It does have a clothing store, but has a limited supply of CG items. They offer free hemming if your pants are new and have not yet been hemmed. I'm sure the base has a lot more to offer, but since I don't live there I really do not know.
Medical~
I think they have a clinic on base and utilize the Newport Community Hospital. I'm sorry to be vague, but I'm not really certain about Newport. There are numerous hospitals in RI and MA. If you work in the medical field, there are many hospitals to choose from.
Housing~
We live in Swansea, MA. We are 20 minutes from ANT Bristol. Providence, RI--10 minutes away. Boston, MA--1 hour. New London,CT is an hour away and the Coast Guard Academy is there. Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are all within reach.
Housing
I do believe there is housing available on base. They just did a lot of renovating and they look really nice. They look like duplexes with a carport attached. We wanted a place more centrally located so we chose to live on the economy. We loved the look of Bristol, but had a hard time finding a house to rent. We were extremely lucky and found a place in Swansea, MA. There are houses available to buy, you just have to shop around.
Shopping~
Shopping is wonderful here. There are malls in Swansea, Attleboro, and Taunton, MA. Clothing purchases under $250.00 are tax free in MA. Providence Place mall is brand new and has all specialty stores. The Christmas Tree shop in Attleboro is a must. You will find so many bargains there. There are Walmarts, KMarts, Targets and pet stores. There are outlets in Wrentham, MA and Kittery, ME. The Old Navy store in Kittery is not like the ones you usually go to. They have specials on jeans for men and children that you can't beat anywhere else. It's worth the trip to stock up. Boston's Back Bay is wonderful to visit and they even have FAO Swartz- the toy store. Antique stores are all over the place.
Fun Activities~
Spend time in Boston and view all the sights. You can take a train into the city and walk everywhere you want to. You just hop on another train to go somewhere else.
There is Plimoth Plantation-a recreation of the pilgrims and Plymouth Rock. Sturbridge Village is another and just as enjoyable. There are so many to mention-the best thing to do is ask the locals. Boston and Providence have the plays and concerts. The Providence Bruins are the local hockey team. There is Seekonk Raceway that has weekly car races with reasonable family admission. There are mixed feelings about hunting here, so we suggest you join a hunting club like Tiverton Rod and Gun Club. Don't forget skiing. There are places close by. Again ask the locals.
Bristol was the first town in the USA to celebrate July 4th. The parade is a must! You have to get to the station early in the morning because the road is closed by 8 am. The parade route is on the road to the station. The parade is a couple blocks away. Take you lawn chairs and have fun.
Child Care/Schools~
I don't know about RI schools, but the school in Swansea, MA seemed to be ok. School starts at the end of August and lets out in June. Kindergarten is only half a day and will be the first to be called for a snow day. I found day care to be very different than what I was used to. There aren't too many choices for older children. People usually rely on neighbors and family. Our neighbor has taken care of our two girls since we've been here. It somehow works out.
Adult Schools~
I'm not able to tell you what is all here. Rest assured if you are attending college , you will be able to finish here.
Additional Info~
This is a very nice place to visit. There is a lot here to offer, just wish we had did some more things while we were here. Bristol is a fabulous town.
Homeport RI
ANT Bristol
Date there~
1998 - 2002
Weather~
You have all 4 seasons. Summer can be hot and muggy, but usually doesn't last long. A window A/C works very well. Fall begins in late September and the leaves begin to change soon after. All of New England is beautiful this time of year. Winter can be very cold, sometimes it can drop into single digits. The snow has been very mild. The snow/ice concerned me when we moved here, but you just drive slower. Spring usually starts around May.
Military facilities~
There is the Navy War College in Newport, RI. There is a Coast Guard unit there also. The base is 20 minutes away from Bristol. It has full service, such as a good commissary and an exchange. It does have a clothing store, but has a limited supply of CG items. They offer free hemming if your pants are new and have not yet been hemmed. I'm sure the base has a lot more to offer, but since I don't live there I really do not know.
Medical~
I think they have a clinic on base and utilize the Newport Community Hospital. I'm sorry to be vague, but I'm not really certain about Newport. There are numerous hospitals in RI and MA. If you work in the medical field, there are many hospitals to choose from.
Housing~
We live in Swansea, MA. We are 20 minutes from ANT Bristol. Providence, RI--10 minutes away. Boston, MA--1 hour. New London,CT is an hour away and the Coast Guard Academy is there. Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine are all within reach.
Housing
I do believe there is housing available on base. They just did a lot of renovating and they look really nice. They look like duplexes with a carport attached. We wanted a place more centrally located so we chose to live on the economy. We loved the look of Bristol, but had a hard time finding a house to rent. We were extremely lucky and found a place in Swansea, MA. There are houses available to buy, you just have to shop around.
Shopping~
Shopping is wonderful here. There are malls in Swansea, Attleboro, and Taunton, MA. Clothing purchases under $250.00 are tax free in MA. Providence Place mall is brand new and has all specialty stores. The Christmas Tree shop in Attleboro is a must. You will find so many bargains there. There are Walmarts, KMarts, Targets and pet stores. There are outlets in Wrentham, MA and Kittery, ME. The Old Navy store in Kittery is not like the ones you usually go to. They have specials on jeans for men and children that you can't beat anywhere else. It's worth the trip to stock up. Boston's Back Bay is wonderful to visit and they even have FAO Swartz- the toy store. Antique stores are all over the place.
Fun Activities~
Spend time in Boston and view all the sights. You can take a train into the city and walk everywhere you want to. You just hop on another train to go somewhere else.
There is Plimoth Plantation-a recreation of the pilgrims and Plymouth Rock. Sturbridge Village is another and just as enjoyable. There are so many to mention-the best thing to do is ask the locals. Boston and Providence have the plays and concerts. The Providence Bruins are the local hockey team. There is Seekonk Raceway that has weekly car races with reasonable family admission. There are mixed feelings about hunting here, so we suggest you join a hunting club like Tiverton Rod and Gun Club. Don't forget skiing. There are places close by. Again ask the locals.
Bristol was the first town in the USA to celebrate July 4th. The parade is a must! You have to get to the station early in the morning because the road is closed by 8 am. The parade route is on the road to the station. The parade is a couple blocks away. Take you lawn chairs and have fun.
Child Care/Schools~
I don't know about RI schools, but the school in Swansea, MA seemed to be ok. School starts at the end of August and lets out in June. Kindergarten is only half a day and will be the first to be called for a snow day. I found day care to be very different than what I was used to. There aren't too many choices for older children. People usually rely on neighbors and family. Our neighbor has taken care of our two girls since we've been here. It somehow works out.
Adult Schools~
I'm not able to tell you what is all here. Rest assured if you are attending college , you will be able to finish here.
Additional Info~
This is a very nice place to visit. There is a lot here to offer, just wish we had did some more things while we were here. Bristol is a fabulous town.
Homeport RI
