Visiting a salty, laid-back island where you wear flip-flops, a swimsuit and denim cut-offs is my favorite place to be in the summertime. New England has some amazing summer islands — Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket and The Cape — but there's something about Block Island that has my heart these days.
We first visited Block Island right after we moved to Rhode Island. We have old friends who rent a house and other friends who summer out on the island, so we started to spend more time exploring the island. Block Island is 12 miles off the coast of Rhode Island and an easy ferry ride from the mainland. You can also visit by ferry from New London or Montauk.
It's one of those islands that feels a bit of a throwback, with its old charming inns and shops. Many people come to Block Island for a day trip, but I personally recommend staying a bit longer if you can. Or, take the early ferry and then head home on one of the last ones.
Here are some of my favorite things to do on Block Island:
SEE AND DO
Mohegan Bluffs is one of my favorite spots. Walk down the 141 steps to a scenic rocky beach with beautiful views. It's not the best for swimming , but it's a great place to go on a little adventure and enjoy the beach below. Paddle Board on one of the salt ponds that traverse throughout the island. Kayak and paddle board rentals are at multiple spots on the island and fairly reasonable. We spend a lot of time at the beach on Block Island. My favorites are Scotch and Crescent Beach, but Mansion is also pretty and scenic. Visit the North and South Lighthouses. Go clamming or just have a little beach day over at Andy's Way and take in the beauty of the protected salt marsh pond that leads into Great Salt Pond. It's a good spot to look for birds, crabs and fish, too. Renting a Bike is a great way to see the island in a limited amount of time, but be prepared for hilly roads outside of town and the main beach.
EAT
My favorite place to eat and by far one of the most popular restaurants on the island is The Oar, which overlooks Great Salt Pond and has beautiful sunset views overlooking the harbor. It's such a fun place to go with a group and kids. We love to grab a picnic table outside and dine on fried chicken and sushi. It's always a hit with the kiddos, too, as you can go crabbing right on the docks. I love to have a pre-dinner cocktail at The Spring House Hotel, which offers beautiful views of the ocean, and they have rows of Adirondack chairs to sit and enjoy the scenery. This summer, I also enjoyed having cocktails at The Barn, which has such a cozy vibe and everything on the menu is made on the wood-burning grill. The food smelled and looked delicious. We always hit Payne's Donuts for their freshly-made donuts when we want something quick and to stop by the bait shop, and we often stop at the Bagel Shop in town for breakfast sandwiches. If you have a car, don't miss Bethany's Airport Diner for a delicious breakfast overlooking the runway. In New Harbor, Dead Eye Dick's has a nice outside set-up with chairs and couches for a drink and apps overlooking Great Salt Pond. It's close to Payne's Marina, which we usually stop at after dinner to check out the boats. There's also a fun, lively bar to grab a drink over in the marina.
SHOP
Block Island has some cute shops on and off the main drag that are worth checking out. Two shops I always go to are Diamond Blue Surf Shop for cool sunglasses, beach cover ups, t-shirts, sweatshirts and beach/surf gear and The Glass Onion for pretty home accessories, stripe t-shirts and boho coverups. I also love the Farmer's Market, which happens every Saturday and Wednesday in the summertime. You can find pretty handmade jewelry, well-made cutting boards, pantry items and even fresh oysters and clams.
Have you been to Block Island and have any favorites? Would love to hear...
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