Block Island
A tranquil island off the Rhode Island coast with nearly half its land protected — Mohegan Bluffs, two lighthouses and long beaches make it ideal for touring by bike.
Block Island lies about 20 km off the southern coast of Rhode Island, between Montauk Point on Long Island and the Rhode Island shore. Covering about 25 square km, the entire island makes up the town of New Shoreham, with only about 1,000 year-round residents, though summer visitors can number in the tens of thousands. About 40% of the island is protected, and The Nature Conservancy has named it one of the "Last Great Places in the Western Hemisphere"; it's known for its bluffs, lighthouses, stone walls across meadows and beaches. The island divides into three areas: on the east coast, the village of Old Harbor is the ferry landing and the hub for dining and lodging, with Crescent Beach, the Clay Head Trail and North Light at the northern tip to the north; at the southern end are Mohegan Bluffs and Southeast Lighthouse; in the middle, the Great Salt Pond is packed with yachts and is the place to watch the sunset. The loop around the island is about 25 km, and the classic way to see it is to rent a bike or e-bike and spend a day circling the island. The best time to visit is Jun–Sep, when ferries are frequent and the water is good for swimming; in July, August and on holidays, lodging is extremely expensive and must be booked months ahead; September brings fewer visitors and still-warm weather, making it the best-value time to go; in winter most shops and inns close. Getting there: take a ferry from Point Judith, Rhode Island (the traditional ferry takes about 55 minutes and carries cars; the high-speed ferry takes about 30 minutes); in summer there are also fast ferries from Newport, New London, Connecticut, and Montauk, New York. You can also take a small plane from Westerly, about 15 minutes. Bringing a car requires a reservation well in advance, so renting a bike to get around is recommended. A day trip is doable, but staying 1–2 nights is more relaxed.
Top sights
- Mohegan Bluffs – Clay bluffs about 45–60 m high at the island’s southern tip. A staircase of roughly 140 steps leads down to a rocky beach, and the cliffs a…
- Block Island Southeast Light – A Gothic Revival red-brick lighthouse completed in 1875. In 1993, because of cliff erosion, it was moved inland about 75 m as a whole, and…
- Crescent Beach – A crescent-shaped sandy beach about 4.8 km long on the island’s east coast. The southern section at Fred Benson Town Beach has full facilit…
- Block Island North Light & Sandy Point – A granite lighthouse dating from 1867 on the sand point at the island's northern tip, reached on foot along the beach; the surrounding wild…
- Old Harbor – The small town center where ferries dock, with Victorian-style wooden hotels lining Water Street and restaurants, ice cream shops and bike…
- Clay Head Nature Trail – A nature trail along the colorful clay cliffs in the northeast of the island, linking a network of woodland paths nicknamed 'the Maze,' wit…
- Great Salt Pond & New Harbor – A large sea lagoon in the center of the island, lined with yacht marinas, where you can paddleboard and kayak and watch the sunset from mar…
- Rodman's Hollow – A low valley carved by glacial meltwater, designated a nature preserve, with trails through shrubs and grassland leading to the south-shore…
- Abrams Animal Farm – A free small zoo beside the 1661 Inn, home to camels, kangaroos, alpacas, emus and other exotic animals, popular with families.
- Block Island Historical Society – A small museum in a 19th-century farmhouse near Old Harbor, showcasing the island's history, from its Manissean Native people and fishing t…
Where to eat
- Kimberly's – Block Island's top-rated dinner spot on Tripadvisor, blending Thai, Japanese and local seafood flavors, with its Thai c…
- The Oar – A longtime waterfront restaurant and bar on Great Salt Pond, with staff-signed oars covering the ceiling and its frozen…
Itineraries
- Connecticut and Rhode Island Coast Islands – From Yale, heading east along the coast through Mystic, Block Island and Newport to Providence.