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Beach Locations

Clear ocean waters, cool breezes and bright sunshine

When most people think about summer vacation, their thoughts turn to long stretches of sandy beaches, clear ocean waters, cool breezes and bright sunshine. No trip here is complete without taking time to enjoy our scenic, unspoiled beaches. No wonder, then, that hundreds of thousands of happy vacationers travel to Rhode Island each year to enjoy 400 miles of scenic coastline and more than 100 public and private beaches.

The more shielded beaches of Narragansett Bay feature 'breakwater' barrier protection and may be more suitable for novice swimmers, as well as featuring a more varied, fluctuating surf. Of course, the state has numerous ocean beaches with thundering surf and miles of stunning vistas. Doze off listening to the waves, take time to build an amazing sandcastle, stroll the sun-speckled sand beachcombing for shells, or cast a fishing rod into the open water. Welcome to Rhode Island - just another day at the beach.

And, because of the abundance of waterfront recreational areas, visitors can enjoy a variety of water activities including surfing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating and fishing.

Properties listed below are grouped by region, then alphabetical by property name. Clicking a property name will display additional information.

ICON KEY: Hold cursor over icon for description.

Blackstone Valley & Northern Rhode Island

Block Island

East Bay

Newport County

South County

Warwick & West Bay

Selected Highlights from the Shore

Crescent Beach - Block Island

Two-and-one-half miles of some of New England's finest beachfront can be found at Crescent Beach, on the Victorian-style resort island of Block Island. Crescent Beach stretches along the island's east coast from Old Harbor (where the ferries dock) to Clay Head, and connects with two other fine beaches, Scotch and Mansion beaches, to the north.

Block Island has been called the "Bermuda of the North," so it is only fitting that most visitors choose bicycles or mopeds as their primary form of island transportation. For this reason, Crescent Beach has dedicated parking are. There is, however, plenty of room to park one's bicycle. Many beach-goers find it easy to walk straight to the beach from the ferry landing, or rent a bike or moped to explore the beach further out.

Admission to Crescent Beach is free. There are no concession stands on the beach, but the abundance of restaurants and take-out stands in Old Harbor make it easy for beach-goers to find meals and refreshments nearby.

Easton's Beach (First Beach) - Newport

A lovely, crescent shaped Atlantic Ocean beach with golden sand and gentle blue surf, Easton's is the quintessential beach destination for families with children. Located on Memorial Drive just below the starting point of Newport's famous Cliff Walk, Easton's Beach is loaded with a variety of recreational attractions to please beach-goers of all ages.

When the summer season opens on Memorial Day Weekend, Easton's Beach patrons will discover a completely new boardwalk, carousel building, bath houses, showers, rest room facilities and concession stands. A new enclosed rotunda building accommodating up to 250 people affords panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean to the south and the salt ponds to the north, and can be rented for outings, receptions and weddings.

Truly a recreational beach, Easton's Beach allows patrons to use surfboards and windsurfers in restricted areas; boogie boards are allowed on all parts of the beach. For 75 cents a turn, children can ride the bumper boats or take a whirl on the carousel. Adjacent to the beach is the start of the Cliff Walk, a remarkable 3.5-mile walkway overlooking the Atlantic Ocean offering unsurpassed views of many Newport mansions and their great lawns. Cliff Walk was designated a National Recreation Trail in 1975.

In July and August, Easton's Beach hosts Family Night every Tuesday and Children's Night on Thursdays. Family Night features live band music from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.; Children's Night offers a rotating schedule of children's entertainment, such as puppet shows, storytelling, jugglers and magicians. The summer season for Easton's Beach runs Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend. The beach has been known to offer half-price "early bird" admission to cars arriving before 10:00 a.m. on weekends.

East Beach - Charlestown

Perhaps one of the best-kept secrets in Rhode Island is 3-mile-long East Beach, located on the state's south coast near Charlestown's Ninigret Conservation Area. This remote, unspoiled barrier beach has sugar-white sand, gentle surf and clear, turquoise waters -- reminiscent of the Caribbean, without palm trees.

East Beach, though owned and operated by the State of Rhode Island, is delightfully undeveloped and appeals to people who prefer a peaceful and uncrowded day at the shore. Like most other Rhode Island Beaches, East Beach is edged with grassy dunes and rambling beach roses, whose pink blossoms perfume the air with sweet fragrance throughout the summer season.

East Beach is adjacent to Ninigret Pond, a saltwater pond renowned as one of New England's best windsurfing areas. On any given day, when the ocean breeze is steady, the pond's resident birds and wildlife share the water with windsurfers and their bright-colored sailing gear.

East Beach is located off US Route 1 in Charlestown, Rhode Island. To get there, take the exit for East Beach Road and follow it to the end, then turn sharply to the left. A dirt road leads to East Beach. Parking and facilities are limited; there are no bath houses or concession stands on East Beach.

Sachuset Beach (Second Beach) - Middletown

Sachuset Beach in Middletown is fondly known by locals and visitors as Second Beach because of its position between First Beach (Easton's Beach) in Newport and Third Beach in Middletown.

Second Beach is a 1 1/2 mile sweep of wide, crescent-shaped sand affording excellent swimming conditions and majestic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Views of the ocean and nearby dunes of Third Beach are rivaled by the nearby Gothic belltower of St. George's Preparatory School and fascinating depths of Purgatory Chasm, a unique geological formation.

Beach combing, body surfing, volleyball and sandcastle building represent a handful of activities enjoyed by visitors to this popular Aquidneck Island beach. Located within walking distance of the beach is Norman Bird Sanctuary, a 450-acre refuge with seven miles of walking trails and wildlife habitats.

Second Beach has a modern bath house with rest rooms, showers and changing facilities, concession stands, picnic tables and lifeguards on duty during the summer season.