Hello, we%26#39;ve been to Narragansett about 10 yrs ago and loved it. We liked the combination of beach relaxation with other ';things to do';. Now we%26#39;d like to come back to the area, but with kids, in late Aug. We%26#39;d like to rent a vacation home near the water/beach, but I%26#39;m confused about which beach(es) to be close to. There%26#39;s Narragansett beaches (Scarborough), but there are several parts to them (eastward, pier, etc), there are also lakes, rivers, ponds, there are houses on private beaches, etc, etc. What%26#39;s good to be near to with kids of various ages (6-12 yrs of age)? Also, at that time of the year, right before school stars, what other activities would you recommend to do with this-age kids?
Thank, any recommendation would be highly welcome.
Narragansett beaches
Narraganssett Town Beach is in the historic Pier area and is owned by the town. The beach is quite long and popular but well patroled and very clean. It has both parking and access fees, consessions, and showers. It is one of the premier surfing beaches in New England
Scarborough State Beach is closer to Point Judith Lighthouse. State owned it has parking fees, no access fees, consessions, and showers. Last year the State had a ';carry in carry out'; trash policy and there were complaints about stray trash. Hopefully the state will re-think that plan. Stay on the northern end of the beach if the wind is blowing from the south or you might get a wiff of the sewage treatment facility. Don%26#39;t worry, it is a very nice beach, decent waves, attracts a teen crowd.
Roger Wheeler State Beach is considered the kiddie beach as it has a wide flat bottom that isn%26#39;t too deep. Protected by the harbor jetty you never get much wave action. It has a playground and consessions, showers. parking fee and is said to be very nice although I%26#39;ve never been there myself.
Salty Brine State Beach is at the tip of Galilee in front of George%26#39;s Restaurant. It is free but parking can be a bear in the area. Small, no services (but close to the ferry and restaurants.)
Bonnet Shores Beach has a private beach club and little public access. If renting by a pond or river check to see if swimming etc. are allowed and pleasant (how deep, what%26#39;s on the bottom - mud weeds, sand, rocks.)
For a better list of the beaches and area activities see www.southcountyri.com
Narragansett beaches
For rental houses check Cyberrentals.com look under the Narragansett, Scarborough and Bonnet Shores pages for available homes. You can also check Durkin Cottages, they have a web site or just type vacation rentals and Rhode island into a search engine and you%26#39;ll find web sites.
If your kids like to skim board or body surf, Scarborough is a good choice. Adventure Land near the Stop and Shop in the Scarborough area has bumper boats, batting cages and a nice mini golf. You can also rent a movie from BlockBuster in the Stop and Shop plaza.
At the North end of Scarborough the kids can walk towards the cliff and visit the tidal pools and look for little sea creatures. Have them wear their shoes or flip flops.
If you get a couple rainy or cloudy days, you can visit the Mystic
(CT) Aquarium, about 40 minutes from the area or visit the Mystic Seaport or head into Newport (RI).
Maybe your kids would like a half day fishing trip on the Frances Fleet, they are located in Galilee near the Block Island Ferry or just take a ride on the Southland to tour the local waters.
The great thing about the Scarborough/Pt judith area is the beach is never that far away no matter where you stay.
Have fun!
Another option is Misquamicut Beach in Westerly, RI. It%26#39;s about 30 minutes south of Narragansett, and that much closer to NJ. There are plenty of houses in the immediate area to rent. Misquamicut is a state beach and very large. Along Atlantic Avenue, which parallels the beach, are restaurants, seafood shacks, and amusements (mini-golf, waterslides, carousel, arcades). The commercial stuff fades away when you%26#39;re on the beach, though. Westerly has a sweet downtown area, too. The beach area of Westerly is about 20 minutes north of Mystic, CT. For more information, see the Westerly/Pawcatuck Chamber of Commerce website, the Misquamicut Business Association website. On the MBA website are summer rental links.
We are originally from RI, and go back to rent a beach house every year. We love the Charlestown Beach -- Breachway. It is quiet, safe for kids to ride bikes around, and has lots of kayaking and hiking within walking distance of the beach -- and very close to bird sanctuaries, bike paths, state parks and much more quiet and less busy than Narragansett.
KP
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