Explore Rhode Island's Breathtaking Coast On This Beach-Filled Road Trip

Rhode Island might be the smallest state in the U.S., but it has an outsized coastline covering 400 miles along glorious Narragansett Bay. To help you discover what the shoreline has to offer, Travel Awaits has planned a road trip that covers many of the highlights and allows visitors to get their fill of breathtaking beaches, Gilded Age mansions, and some of the country's best seafood. Load up on snacks; we're going on a trip.

Start your trip in Providence, Rhode Island's capital. Don't get on the road straight away, though! Pleasant Providence is an underrated northern U.S. city that's well worth your time. It's a delightfully walkable place bursting with arts and culture, fantastic restaurants, and atmospheric streets that hark back to the 18th century. Immerse yourself by visiting the innovative Rhode Island School of Design Museum (free on Sundays and Thursday evenings), then follow one of Go Providence's self-guided walking tours. If you time your visit right, you can spend the evening taking in one of the WaterFire installations that illuminate the city.

Less than 30 minutes from Providence, Bristol is a pretty sailing port with a long history. You can begin your journey through the Gilded Age by visiting the sprawling Blithewold Manor, a 45-room mansion with magnificent views over Narragansett Bay. Afterward, indulge in some local seafood at the famous Lobster Pot or the DeWolf Tavern, where you'll find New England cuisine with Indian flair. If you can't wait to hit the shore, Bristol's Town Beach is good for families and has lots of facilities. But it's expensive to park in summer, and the water quality may not be the best as the beach is on the bay.

For ocean beaches, we recommend waiting till you get to your next stop in Newport, just south of Bristol. Top of most visitors' to-do lists is the Cliff Walk, a trail combining ocean views and glimpses of Gilded Age mansions. You could easily spend a few days there, visiting opulent summer homes like The Breakers, enjoying the picturesque Ocean Drive, and hitting the beaches. Check out Easton's Beach at the beginning of the Cliff Walk or Gooseberry Beach, which you can access from Ocean Drive.

Jamestown is just across the bay; for views of the crashing ocean, head down to Beavertail State Park, where a lighthouse sits on the rocky shoreline. You'll find much livelier beaches a little way on in Narragansett, which is your next stop. Narragansett made it onto our list of underrated small towns in America worth visiting, and the beaches were a big reason why. Long, sandy Town Beach attracts thousands of visitors every day and offers a surfing area, food, and bathrooms. For a more tranquil experience, take the ferry to Block Island to relax on one of the many quiet beaches.

Back on the mainland, continue your road trip toward Charlestown. Well-marked paths loop through the forests and across farmland, and fantastic beaches offer both seclusion and family-friendly fun. Charlestown and Blue Shutters Town Beaches have facilities galore, including restrooms, lifeguards, and food stalls. East Beach is quieter and allows you to get away from the crowds.

Your final stop on your road trip through Rhode Island will be in Westerly and Watch Hill. Enjoy the urban scene in Westerly, where you'll find boutique clothing stores and excellent restaurants, while charming Watch Hill offers many beaches. Choose from the family-friendly Watch Hill Beach, home to the famous Flying Horse Carousel, or East Beach, a long stretch of sand that leads to the Watch Hill Lighthouse. The wildest beach of them all is at Napatree Point, a windswept 2-mile spit extending into the Atlantic.