Rhode Island Vacations: 8 Weekend Getaways Ideas

Once made prosperous by a nearby granite quarry, downtown Westerly is dense with shops and restaurants. Catch a visiting author at Savoy Bookshop and Cafe, or sample the raw bar at Bridge Restaurant while gazing over the Pawcatuck River.

Westerly also claims Watch Hill – a storybook village of beautiful houses, seaside shops, and the Flying Horse Carousel, where the horses are suspended by chains. If it’s any indication how blissful this peninsula is in the summertime, Taylor Swift has a mansion here.

During a typical summer, legions of sun-seekers flock to Narragansett Town Beach. Hemmed in by a stone wall, the beach is famous for its mile-long crescent of sand and bodacious surfing (in all seasons). The town’s pride is The Towers, a stone archway that rises over the main road like a medieval gatehouse and has inspired photographers and painters since 1876.

Just south of Narragansett’s hubbub is Point Judith, a stretch of coastline best known for its bountiful commercial fishing and the Point Judith Lighthouse. When you explore Point Judith and nearby Galilee by car, you’ll find docks, scenic coastline, and the freshest seafood in the state.

Newport is the diamond of southern New England, and whether you come here for the mansions or the sailing, the dining or the museums, this Gilded Age capital is a showstopper. You could spend a whole day roaming the boutiques and cafes of Thames Street and Bowen’s Wharf. Tour sprawling estates, take a scenic promenade along the Cliff Walk, catch a professional polo match, and scare yourself silly on an Olde Town ghost tour.

Many visitors make the mistake of driving over Jamestown on their way to Newport, but this island is more than a stepping stone. Jamestown has country roads, a plucky village center, and Beavertail Lighthouse – one of the most calendar-worthy lighthouses in New England.

The main drag is Narragansett Avenue, where you’ll find a range of dining options, specialty shops, and the Narragansett Cafe – a rollicking pub and concert hall. Savvy travelers stay in Jamestown, where accommodations are affordable and it’s easy to park, then take the ferry to Newport.

Little Compton is part of the locally famous “Farm Coast,” and you’ll see plenty of woods, fieldstone walls, and livestock grazing in pastures. Little Compton is also considered off the beaten track, where roadside shops, tranquil beaches, and Carolyn’s Sakonnet Vineyard reward the adventurous road-tripper.

For visitors, Providence is full of surprises. “Downcity” is easy to walk, full of stores and dining, and close to Brown University. Much of the capital’s civic life straddles the narrow Providence River: gondolas glide down the water, parks and stone walkways line its banks, and a massive new pedestrian bridge spans the river like a levitating plaza. In summer, you can participate in WaterFire, a blazing, contemplative art installation that draws thousands every weekend.

Block Island is the perfect escape: it has all the charm, beaches, and historic intrigue of Martha’s Vineyard, but it’s way less expensive and much easier to reach. The town of New Shoreham has a wide range of diversions – the edenic beaches of Mohegan Bluffs, the live music of Ballard’s Beach Resort, and bicycling from one novelty shop to the next. Plus, you can stuff yourself on lobster rolls and gelato.

If you’re visiting Rhode Island for its adorable New England villages, the East Bay will check a lot of boxes. Warren is an old factory town nestled against the water, with a marina, lots of eateries, and a startling number art venues. Down the road is Bristol, with its sailboat-studded harbor, the strollable Waterfront Park, and the oldest Fourth of July festival in the nation.

In the warmer months, the most enjoyable way to visit these towns is to pedal the East Bay Bike Path, a paved, 17-mile trail that hugs the photogenic riverbank.