Southern Rhode Island strings an inviting line of coastal towns where colonial streets meet salty air, and each community carries stories that span whaling days, Victorian summers, and boatyards still humming with life.
Our journey counts down eighteen historic spots, sharing what makes each place special and highlighting details often missed on a quick visit. Expect mentions of secret coves, centuries-old farmsteads, and even the country’s oldest carousel turning beside the surf.
While every town offers beaches and seafood, each one keeps a distinct personality shaped by geography, architecture, and local tradition. We aim to highlight those differences so travelers can match their interests with the right shoreline stop.
From busy harbor cities to pocket-sized villages where time slips by with the tide, these destinations reveal how rich Rhode Island’s southern coast truly is.
18. Newport
Our list opens with Newport, a bustling harbor city known worldwide for America’s Cup races and palatial Gilded Age “cottages” lining Bellevue Avenue. Visitors stroll the Cliff Walk, watching breakers crash below marble-fronted mansions like The Breakers and Marble House.
Downtown Thames Street mixes colonial storefronts with modern seafood bars, while the International Tennis Hall of Fame sits in a former 1880s casino. Less publicized is Battery Park, a quiet green tucked near Fort Adams that locals favor for sunset picnics over Narragansett Bay.
Art lovers duck into the small but respected Newport Art Museum in an 1864 Stick-Style building. Sailing lessons, mansion tours, and harbor cruises keep days full, and live jazz often drifts from waterside patios by night. In Newport, 3-4 bedroom homes range from $600,000 to $900,000, reflecting its prestigious coastal charm.
Where is Newport?
Newport occupies the southern end of Aquidneck Island, with the Atlantic on one side and Narragansett Bay on the other. The Claiborne Pell Bridge on Route 138 connects it to the mainland, and Providence lies roughly thirty miles north.
Frequent seasonal ferries also link Newport to Providence and Block Island, bringing travelers directly into the downtown harbor. Its island position grants sweeping water views in almost every direction, a geography that explains its naval past and enduring nautical present.
17. Narragansett
Narragansett blends sandy beaches with a relaxed village core anchored by the stone Narragansett Towers, the last remnant of an 1886 casino that once drew Victorian holidaymakers.
Surfers favor the consistent break at Narragansett Town Beach, while families scatter along calm Scarborough and Roger W. Wheeler State Beaches. The Fishermen’s Memorial State Park hosts summer farmers markets amid former military barracks overlooking Point Judith Pond.
Culinary rewards include lobster rolls from Monahan’s and creamy “stuffies” (baked stuffed quahogs) at Aunt Carrie’s, a 1920s seafood shack still run by the founding family. History buffs visit the South County Museum on Canonchet Farm to see blacksmith demos and vintage fishing gear.
Evening strolls along Ocean Road reveal weathered shingle cottages that have faced the Atlantic for over a century. Narragansett offers 3-4 bedroom houses priced between $450,000 and $750,000, perfect for those seeking seaside living.
Where is Narragansett?
The town sits on Rhode Island’s south-central coast, wrapping around the mouth of Narragansett Bay and extending to Point Judith. Route 1A hugs the shoreline, while U.S. Route 1 provides the faster inland bypass from Providence, forty minutes away.
Ferries to Block Island depart from Point Judith, emphasizing Narragansett’s role as a regional transport hub. Its mix of broad oceanfront and protected salt ponds shapes both recreation and the long-standing fishing industry.
16. Westerly
Westerly balances a lively historic downtown of granite buildings with miles of shoreline that first drew wealthy Victorians fleeing city heat. Wilcox Park, landscaped by Frederick Law Olmsted’s firm, remains a shady retreat framed by Westerly-quarried stone walls.
Theatre buffs catch summer Shakespeare beside the park, while music fans head to The Knickerbocker, a 1930s dance hall still pulsing with blues and swing: Weekapaug and Watch Hill beaches along the coast share vast sands backed by dunes and classic shingle houses.
The Babcock-Smith House Museum is a lesser-known gem, where granite tycoon Orlando Smith’s 1734 home preserves colonial furnishings and stone-cutting lore. Westerly features 3-4 bedroom homes in the $400,000 to $700,000 range, blending beach town appeal with historic character.
Where is Westerly?
Rhode Island’s westernmost town touches the Connecticut border, about sixty miles south of Providence via I-95. Its downtown lies along the Pawcatuck River, while the coastal village areas reach the Atlantic three miles south.
Amtrak’s Northeast Regional stops at Westerly Station, making it one of the few South County towns with rail service. Granite outcrops and river wetlands define the landscape, influencing everything from building materials to bird-watching routes.
15. Watch Hill
Technically a district of Westerly yet deserving of its spotlight, Watch Hill projects into the Atlantic on a narrow peninsula dotted with grand summer “cottages” and manicured hedges. The Flying Horse Carousel, operating since 1876, lets children ride suspended wooden horses that swing outward with centrifugal thrill.
Ocean House, a meticulously rebuilt 1868 hotel, offers afternoon tea and sweeping veranda views of three states’ shorelines. Napatree Point Conservation Area starts steps from Bay Street shops and stretches nearly two miles, ending at the ruins of Fort Mansfield, a Spanish-American War battery.
Locals know to seek early-morning pastries at Sift Bake Shop before beachgoers descend. Sunsets over Little Narragansett Bay often paint the lighthouse in soft pastel, a reward for lingering after day-trippers depart.
Watch Hill presents 3-4 bedroom houses typically costing between $500,000 and $800,000, ideal for a refined coastal retreat.
Where is Watch Hill?
The village sits at Rhode Island’s southwestern tip, surrounded by water on three sides and accessed by a single causeway off Route 1A. It lies roughly four miles from downtown Westerly and ninety minutes from Hartford or Providence by car.
Limited public parking preserves the quiet mood, so many visitors arrive via bicycle or small craft into Watch Hill Harbor. The narrow spit of land creates both ocean surf and sheltered bay waters within a short walk, shaping the village’s dual beach character.
14. Jamestown
Jamestown occupies Conanicut Island in the middle of Narragansett Bay, offering a peaceful counterbalance to busier Newport across the water. Beavertail Lighthouse Museum, standing since 1856, guides boats and draws painters who chase the dramatic light where bay meets ocean.
Downtown’s Narragansett Avenue hosts casual cafés and the small Jamestown Arts Center, which showcases island-made ceramics and contemporary exhibits. Fort Wetherill State Park hides graffiti-covered WWII bunkers amid towering cliffs perfect for advanced scuba dives that explore kelp-lined coves.
Visitors often picnic at Windmill Hill Preserve, where an 1787 smock windmill overlooks rolling farmland and distant water. Jamestown’s 3-4 bedroom homes fall between $450,000 and $750,000, offering a blend of charm and waterfront views.
Where is Jamestown?
The island sits between Newport and the mainland, linked by two bridges: the Jamestown Verrazzano Bridge to North Kingstown and the Claiborne Pell Bridge to Newport. Route 138 traverses the island, making Jamestown an easy fifteen-minute hop from either side.
Despite this access, surrounding waters and protected farmland keep development low-key. The central position in Narragansett Bay grants panoramic vistas and quick boating routes to multiple coastal towns.
13. Block Island
Ten miles offshore, Block Island feels worlds away with rolling green hills, stone walls, and over seventeen miles of public beaches encircling the landmass. The Mohegan Bluffs rise nearly 200 feet, accessed by a wooden stairway that rewards climbers with secluded sand at their base.
North Light and Southeast Light, built in 1867 and 1875, punctuate the island’s ends and anchor scenic cycling loops. New Shoreham’s Old Harbor clusters Victorian hotels, ice-cream parlors, and the quirky Glass Float Project, where local artist Eben Horton hides hundreds of hand-blown glass spheres for visitors to find.
Nature enthusiasts wander Clay Head Preserve, spotting monarch butterflies in late summer among native shrubs. After dark, minimal light pollution turns the sky into a bright ribbon of stars, ideal for stargazing from Mansion Beach.
Block Island welcomes buyers with 3-4 bedroom residences priced from $500,000 to $800,000, perfect for island living.
Where is Block Island?
The island sits in the Atlantic roughly halfway between Montauk, New York, and Point Judith, Rhode Island. Year-round ferries run from Point Judith, with seasonal high-speed boats leaving Newport and New London.
A small airport handles private planes and limited scheduled flights from Westerly, shrinking travel time to twelve minutes. Its offshore location shapes a microclimate that stays cooler in summer and milder in winter than the mainland.
12. Little Compton
Little Compton preserves a pastoral coastal setting where centuries-old farms meet quiet coves and the Atlantic horizon. The village green at Commons Square is framed by 17th-century houses and the stone-walled Friends Meeting House, still hosting Quaker gatherings.
Goosewing Beach, managed by The Nature Conservancy, shelters piping plovers and offers a wide stretch of soft sand free of commercial clutter. Tourists sip wine at Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyard, one of America’s earliest coastal wineries, then browse unique gray-shingled shops selling local sea glass jewelry.
Wilbor House Museum shares eight buildings dating back to 1690, telling stories of whaling captains and dairy farmers. Evenings often end with a crimson sunset viewed from the Sakonnet Point breakwater as fishing skiffs head home.
Little Compton’s 3-4 bedroom homes range from $550,000 to $850,000, combining rural charm with coastal beauty.
Where is Little Compton?
Situated in Rhode Island’s southeastern corner, Little Compton borders Massachusetts on two sides and the Atlantic on the third. Routes 77 and 81 provide the only main road access, creating a naturally slow pace about forty minutes from Newport.
The landscape features glacial moraine ridges and salt-spray meadows, ideal for stone-wall-lined cycling routes. Limited public transport keeps visitor numbers manageable, reinforcing the town’s timeless atmosphere.
11. Tiverton
Tiverton shares a similar rural feel with its neighbor, Little Compton, yet adds a sheltered harbor where artist studios and seafood joints cluster. The former mill hamlet of Tiverton Four Corners mixes 18th-century buildings with modern pottery workshops.
Hikers enjoy Weetamoo Woods’ colonial cart paths shaded by towering oaks, while birders stake out the Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Refuge along the tidal Sakonnet River. Antique seekers comb New England’s first drive-in antiques show, held twice monthly at Tiverton Middle School, a local secret for vintage nautical charts.
Boaters tie up at the family-run marina to feast on fish tacos at The Red Dory overlooking the sunset. Each August, the town celebrates its Portuguese heritage with Holy Ghost feasts filled with sweet malassadas and marching bands.
Tiverton features 3-4 bedroom houses between $400,000 and $700,000, a tranquil choice near the ocean.
Where is Tiverton?
The town occupies the eastern shore of the Sakonnet River, opposite Aquidneck Island, with Route 24 providing a quick thirty-minute drive from Providence. Its coastline features protected coves rather than open ocean, making it ideal for kayaking and shellfishing.
Riders on the seasonal Providence–Newport ferry can disembark at Bristol and reach Tiverton via a scenic fifteen-mile drive along the Mount Hope Bridge. Rolling farmland meets tidal marshes, creating varied vistas that shift with every bend in the road.
10. Wickford Village
Wickford Village in North Kingstown boasts one of New England’s best collections of 18th-century wood-frame houses, many still serving as private homes along narrow lanes. Harbor docks brim with lobster boats and visiting sailboats, and the water’s edge hosts the annual Wickford Arts Festival each July.
Improbably, a small replica of Jamestown, Virginia’s 1607 church, hides behind St. Paul’s Episcopal, a nod to the rector’s colonial fascination. Shoppers browse indie bookstores and bead shops before savoring oyster happy hour at Tavern by the Sea in a restored 1811 house.
Smith’s Castle, a fortified homestead dating to 1678, offers ghost tours highlighting its darker past tied to King Philip’s War. Quiet mornings reveal snowy egrets stalking tidal shallows beside the old wooden drawbridge.
Wickford Village offers 3-4 bedroom homes priced between $450,000 and $750,000, highlighting quaint coastal living.
Where is Wickford Village?
Located on Wickford Harbor off Narragansett Bay’s west side, the village sits fifteen miles south of Providence via Route 1. Amtrak’s Kingston Station lies ten minutes inland, with local buses connecting to the waterfront.
Wickford’s protected anchorage made it a colonial shipping hub, and those deep channels still welcome cruisers today. The surrounding bay islands and marshes lend a storybook quality to every sunrise paddle.
9. Saunderstown
Saunderstown may be small, yet it claims fame as the 1755 birthplace of portrait artist Gilbert Stuart, whose family homestead now displays working waterwheels and colonial herb gardens. The village edges Narrow River, where paddleboarders drift past osprey nests toward quiet tidal coves.
Casey Farm, an original 1750s plantation overlooking Narragansett Bay, hosts Saturday farmers’ markets under ancient sugar maples. Nearby, Rome Point’s coastal trail leads to a winter haul-out where harbor seals loll on rocks, delighting wildlife watchers.
Kids dig for tiny periwinkles along Hidden Cove Beach, often sharing the sand with only a few locals. Evenings might include chamber music at the small Jamestown Arts Center across the bridge, easily reached within minutes.
Saunderstown provides 3-4 bedroom houses in the $350,000 to $650,000 range, ideal for those wanting peaceful seaside surroundings.
Where is Saunderstown?
The hamlet straddles the North Kingstown–Narragansett town line, tucked beside Route 1A and directly across the bay from Jamestown. Providence lies about twenty-five miles north, reachable by car in half an hour.
Though close to major roads, Saunderstown feels secluded thanks to forested ridges shielding it from highway noise. Above the West Passage of Narragansett Bay, it’s perch guarantees broad water views and quick boat access to Dutch Island Lighthouse.
8. Charlestown
Charlestown offers windswept beaches, coastal ponds, and deep indigenous history linked to the Narragansett people. The Frosty Drew Observatory in Ninigret Park opens its telescopes to the public on clear Friday nights, combining stargazing with sea air drifting from nearby Barrier Beach.
Burlingame State Park supplies 3,100 acres of woodland trails and Watchaug Pond for canoeing beneath pine-lined shores dating back to glacial times. Charlestown Seafood Festival, each August, pairs lobster rolls with local bands and fireworks over salt marshes.
Paddlers exploring Ninigret Pond often spot diamondback terrapins basking on fallen logs, a rare sight this far north. Charlestown has 3-4 bedroom homes ranging from $300,000 to $600,000, offering affordable coastal charm.
Where is Charlestown?
The town lies midway between Westerly and Narragansett along U.S. Route 1, about forty miles south of Providence. Its geography features an open Atlantic frontage and several brackish lagoons separated by barrier spits.
The nearby Amtrak station in Kingston offers quick taxi rides, making car-free visits possible. Broad coastal plains and kettle ponds created by retreating glaciers lend Charlestown a distinctive environmental diversity.
7. Portsmouth
Portsmouth stretches across the northern half of Aquidneck Island, blending colonial farmsteads with sailing schools on breezy Narragansett Bay. The 1653 Green Animals Topiary Garden surprises newcomers with animal-shaped boxwoods and a waterfront Victorian house surrounded by rare heirloom flowers.
History enthusiasts explore Battle of Rhode Island sites at Butts Hill Fort, the largest extant Revolutionary War earthwork in New England. The Island Park neighborhood hides a vintage clam-cake stand where locals debate chowder recipes at weather-beaten picnic tables.
Golfers tee off at Montaup Country Club beside panoramic bay views, while cyclists tackle the Sakonnet Greenway Trail past stone walls and grazing sheep. Portsmouth’s 3-4 bedroom residences fall between $500,000 and $800,000, perfect for enjoying historic coastal culture.
Where is Portsmouth?
Portsmouth sits between Bristol to the west and Middletown to the south, connected by Route 24 and the Sakonnet River Bridge. Providence lies thirty-five minutes north, while Newport is a quick ten-minute drive down East Main Road.
Several marinas provide transient slips, and the Prudence Island ferry departs from nearby Bristol, visible across the water. The island’s upland farms slope gently to rocky shores, creating superb vantage points for sunrise over the Sakonnet.
6. Middletown
Middletown occupies the center of Aquidneck Island, bookended by sandy Sachuest (Second) and Surfers’ (Third) Beaches, each attracting different crowds. The Norman Bird Sanctuary covers three hundred acres of coastal scrub and forest, crowned by Hanging Rock Trail’s vista over Sachuest Bay and the Atlantic.
Boyd’s Windmill, built in 1810, still demonstrates grinding techniques during summer open houses amid preserved farmland. Local secret Purgatory Chasm exposes a dramatic cleft in the cliffs, perfect for storm-watching as waves smash below.
Newport Vineyards pours estate-grown wines accompanied by live acoustic sets in a former dairy barn. Foodies seek out Flo’s Clam Shack for fried belly clams enjoyed upstairs with open-air views over Easton’s Beach.
Middletown offers 3-4 bedroom homes priced from $450,000 to $750,000, balancing beach access with suburban ease.
Where is Middletown?
The town fills the space between Newport and Portsmouth, reachable via Routes 138A and 214. Its coastline faces Sachuest Bay and Rhode Island Sound, offering a mix of gentle and surf-friendly waters.
Newport State Airport on the Middletown line allows private flights, while RIPTA buses shuttle regularly across Aquidneck Island. Rolling drumlins and preserved pastures distinguish the landscape, giving this mid-island community a more rural flavor than neighboring Newport.
5. Point Judith
Point Judith caps Narragansett’s southern tip, renowned for its squat brown-banded lighthouse and thriving fishing fleet braving the namesake rip currents. Seafood shacks around Galilee harbor serve lobster straight off the boat, and fishermen unload scallops while gulls hover overhead.
Surf casters line the breakwater at dawn, angling for striped bass as fog lifts from Block Island Sound. Sand Hill Cove, locally dubbed “Salty Brine Beach,” offers gentler swells for families, whereas nearby Scarborough’s south end challenges surfers.
The U.S. Coast Guard station occasionally opens for tours, revealing century-old rescue equipment inside weathered boathouses. Point Judith features 3-4 bedroom houses ranging from $400,000 to $700,000, ideal for oceanfront lifestyles.
Where is Point Judith?
This headland lies within southern Narragansett, projecting into the Atlantic where Narragansett Bay meets Block Island Sound. Route 108 leads directly to the harbor, about forty minutes from Providence.
The Block Island ferry departs here year-round, adding constant maritime activity. Rocky edges, strong tides, and shifting sandbars give the point its navigational challenges and abundant marine life.
4. Misquamicut
Misquamicut embodies vintage shoreline fun with arcades, mini-golf, and a broad beach that once hosted grand hotels before the 1938 hurricane reshaped the coast. Today, beachgoers rent colorful umbrellas while kids clamber over the inflatable slide anchored offshore.
Weeknights bring drive-in movies on a giant inflatable screen facing the ocean, and music lovers gather for free Thursday concerts at the state-run beach pavilion. Paddy’s Beach Club spices up afternoons with summertime lobster-bake buffets and volleyball leagues in the sand.
Hidden behind dunes, the Andrea Seaside Lounge keeps a low-key fire-pit culture, perfect for watching meteor showers over the dark Atlantic. Early risers might spy sandpipers skittering along the tideline before the day’s bustle begins.
Misquamicut’s 3-4 bedroom homes range between $350,000 and $650,000, perfect for a vibrant beach community.
Where is Misquamicut?
The neighborhood spans a barrier beach between Weekapaug and Watch Hill, three miles south of downtown Westerly via Misquamicut Road. U.S. Route 1 provides the swift inland link to I-95 and points north.
Seasonal RIPTA buses connect Providence directly to the beachfront, easing parking demand on busy weekends. The barrier spit shelters Winnapaug Pond on its inland side, creating calm waters for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
3. East Greenwich
East Greenwich lines Greenwich Bay with a lively Main Street boasting Federal-style facades now occupied by chef-driven bistros and maritime-themed boutiques. The Varnum Armory Museum stores one of the region’s largest collections of colonial and Civil War weaponry, curated by a local militia founded in 1774.
Boaters dock at the municipal marina to sample littlenecks on the half shell at Blu on the Water while live acoustic tunes drift across the slips. Academy Field hosts “Movies in the Park” on summer Thursdays, and the monthly East Greenwich Art Walk invites studios to spill onto sidewalks after dusk.
Tucked behind Town Hall, Scalloptown Park repurposes a former shellfishing shantytown into a salt-marsh boardwalk where egrets hunt silently. East Greenwich provides 3-4 bedroom houses priced between $500,000 and $800,000, reflecting upscale coastal living.
Where is East Greenwich?
The town occupies the west shore of Greenwich Bay, fifteen miles south of Providence along Route 4. Warwick’s T. F. Green International Airport is a ten-minute drive away, aiding weekend escapes.
East Greenwich’s position on a deep, protected bay nurtured shipbuilding in the 1700s, traces of which remain in shoreline pilings visible at low tide. Gently rising hills inland offer glimpses of sail masts from nearly every downtown intersection.
2. Kingston Village
Kingston Village, part of South Kingstown, centers on a National Historic Landmark District anchored by the 1792 University of Rhode Island main quad. White-clapboard buildings house cafés serving locally roasted coffee to students and visiting historians alike.
The South County History Center occupies the old Washington County Jail, weaving tales of colonial rebels and temperance agitators among iron-barred cells. Nearby, the Kingston Railroad Station, a restored 1875 depot, remains an active Amtrak stop where train buffs admire Italianate brackets and slate roofs.
Morning walkers circle Kingston Hill Cemetery, where weathered stones display shell motifs unique to early Narragansett gravestone carvers. Kingston Village offers 3-4 bedroom homes in the $350,000 to $650,000 range, mixing historic charm with modern comforts.
Where is Kingston Village?
The village lies five miles inland from Narragansett Bay, just west of U.S. Route 1 and reached easily by Route 138. Its rail station offers direct connections to Providence, Boston, and New York, making Kingston surprisingly accessible without a car.
Surrounding fields and woodlots buffer it from coastal storms yet keep beaches within a fifteen-minute drive. The juxtaposition of academic energy and rural landscape sets Kingston apart from purely resort-oriented neighbors.
1. Matunuck
Matunuck concludes our countdown with an intimate beachfront hamlet best known for the historic Theatre by the Sea, a converted 1930s barn where Broadway-caliber shows play all summer. The shoreline varies from lively South Kingstown Town Beach to quiet Deep Hole, prized by windsurfers harnessing steady southwest breezes.
Adjacent East Matunuck State Beach houses the Snug Harbor fishing fleet, where lobster boats unload beside the dockside Matunuck Oyster Bar, serving bivalves harvested from its pond.
Morning yoga classes meet on Moonstone Beach, famous for the rounded stones that inspired its name and for occasional seals resting on offshore rocks. Matunuck features 3-4 bedroom houses typically costing between $350,000 and $650,000, a serene seaside option for buyers.
Where is Matunuck?
The hamlet sits in South Kingstown between Point Judith and Charlestown, accessible via Succotash Road off U.S. Route 1. Providence lies forty-five minutes north, while Kingston’s Amtrak station is fifteen minutes inland.
A narrow barrier beach protects Potter Pond, where oyster cages line the calm water, underscoring Matunuck’s aquaculture roots. Low dunes and salt marshes frame the village, offering storm protection and an ever-changing wildlife spectacle.
