9 Most Hospitable Towns In Rhode Island

In Rhode Island's towns, guests will be welcomed into beautiful mansions, beaches, and quaint historic spaces. Communities like New Shoreham pride themselves on offering peaceful escapes from everyday life through astonishing views atop bluffs to trails winding around an island. Other Rhode Island settlements tap into older community practices, such as the town commons of Little Compton or old-timey general stores in Charlestown (C-Town for short). These are just a few of the experiences one can discover in the most hospitable Rhode Island towns.

New Shoreham

New Shoreham is a welcoming town and the primary community on Block Island, a 9.734 square mile island 9 miles south of Rhode Island. It is only accessible by ferry, but it is worth the trip just to see its pristine landmarks and friendly residents. One such landmark is the Mohegan Bluffs, which towers 200 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. Near the top of the bluffs stands the Southeast Lighthouse, a 52-foot brick-and-granite tower with seasonal public access, a museum/gift shop, and sweeping views of the bluffs and wind farm. At the northeastern part of Block Island, hikers can explore a maze of trails via the Clayhead Trail & The Maze, which goes along bluffs, beaches, and migratory bird paths. Visitors can interact with exotic emus, kangaroos, and a yak within the 1661 Inn Farm and Gardens, which is maintained by the Abrams Family.

Little Compton

Little Compton is a peaceful community, with the Atlantic Ocean to its south and the Sakonnet River to its west. The town is known for its quaint historic structures and its town common area, simply called The Commons. It features a historic cemetery at the Old Commons Burial Ground and old-timey Wilbur's General Store. The Little Compton Historical Society maintains several sites of importance in the town, of which the oldest is the 1692 Wilbor House. They also maintain the Friends Meeting House and Cemetery, which was used by a Quaker community. One of the quirkiest historic buildings in Little Compton is the Spite Tower, which stands just to the edge of a road next to a well. Some locals say the tower was built by Dr. John Hathaway to spite businessman Abraham Manchester over a dispute over business or love. Either way, the 1905 Spite Tower still stands as a town curiosity.

Narragansett

Narragansett is named after the Native American people who befriended Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island. Any visitors to Narrangansett will be immediately struck by The Towers that are visible from downtown or its beaches. These towers are all that remain of the Narragansett Pier Casino, which burnt down in 1900. Today, the towers serve as a landmark and event center and welcome visitors to the town's other attractions, such as the surfing and swimming Narragansett Town Beach and the Canonchet Farm nature preserve, which regularly hosts naturalist events to view its vernal pools and wildlife. Narragansett truly comes alive during its festivals, such as the Narragansett Art Festival, hosted by the Wakefield Rotary Club in June, and the Rhode Island Calamari Festival in September at Veterans Park, adjacent to The Towers.

East Greenwich

East Greenwich is named after the city of Greenwich, England, but it was actually one of the first towns to jump to the defense of the 13 colonies. After the Battles of Lexington and Concord began the American Revolutionary War in 1775, the town's Kentish Guard left to support militias in Massachusetts. The town is deeply proud of its military heritage, which is why it has the largest collection of Rhode Island military artifacts at the Varnum Memorial Armory, from the 17th century to the modern era. The museum gets its name from Revolutionary War General James Mitchell Varnum, who proposed the first Black Regiment for black and Indigenous people to serve in the American Revolution. The Varnum House Museum has extensive information on him and the many famous guests who stayed at his home. In addition to historic places, visitors can enjoy a gentle stroll through the Briggs Boesch Farm.

Newport

Newport is the most luxurious of these hospitable Rhode Island towns. Gilded Age businessmen vacationed here for its mild summer weather and built several summer residences, which are actually some of the fanciest mansions in America, such as The Breakers, an 1895 Neo Italianate Renaissance style home built by the Vanderbilts, or The Elms, built in 1901 in the Classical Revival style to resemble French chateaus. Many of these mansions are accessible from the 3.5-mile Cliff Walk, which hugs the shoreline of the Atlantic Ocean. Many of Newport's biggest festivals, like the Newport Jazz Festival, are held inside the Fort Adams State Park, a former military installation that was active from 1841 to the 1950s. Today, the fort is open for tours and is close to the beach.

Charlestown

Charlestown, also known as C-Town by residents, is a peaceful community that attracts many visitors during the summer months to enjoy Charlestown Beach for surfing, swimming, and picnicking. What makes this town stand out is its large number of wildlife and nature preserves. Visitors can see many types of ecosystems in these reserves, such as swamps and shrub lands at the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge or a small pond at the Kimball Wildlife Refuge within the larger Burlingame State Park. Guests to Charlestown can choose to come out at night for free stargazing at the Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center, which is open every Friday evening. One of the most charming and welcoming attractions in Charlestown is the Fantastic Umbrella Factory, which consists of a charming General Store, a Rustic Garden, and other shops in a historic farm.

North Kingstown

North Kingstown was the birthplace of one of America's most famous portraitists: Gilbert Stuart. Born in the 1750s, he went on to paint portraits of George Washington himself. His house, built in 1751, is preserved through the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum, which also includes an art gallery of some of his paintings along with works by his daughter Jane Stuart. This isn't the only hidden treasure in North Kingstown, as there is a troll hidden away in Ryan Park. This troll was made by Danish artist Thomas Dambo out of recycled materials and is a stop on Thomas Dambo's Troll Trail. Lastly, visitors can reach several town beaches in North Kingstown, such as Compass Rose Beach or Blue Beach, which faces the village of Wickford.

Westerly

Westerly sits on the border between Rhode Island and Connecticut, with its borders stretching down to the Atlantic coastline. The town's beautiful beaches and downtown area were so appealing that pop sensation Taylor Swift chose to move here. There is more than one beach in Westerly, including the Atlantic Beach Park, which first opened in 1921, featuring a sandy beach and Windjammer Surf Bar. Another is the Misquamicut State Beach, which opened in 1959 and is the most popular in Rhode Island for its half-mile of sandy shoreline of the Atlantic. Westerly has plenty of activities outside of the beach as well, like touring a 1734 Georgia mansion at the Babcock-Smith House Museum or enjoying a meadow stroll in the heart of downtown at Wilcox Park.

Wickford

Wickford sits on the western shores of Narragansett Bay and is only a 30-minute drive from Newport. The community has one of the largest collections of 18th-century architecture in the northeastern United States, including ones going back to the 1600s, such as the 1678 Smith's Castle. It gained that name due to the fortifications around it to protect it from Native American raids, and today it is a house museum with artifacts on early colonial and Native American life. Another historic site is the Old Narragansett Church, built in 1707 as one of the oldest Episcopal churches still standing in the region. Much of the town's commercial district revolves around the historic Wickford Village, with small locally owned gift shops like Serendipity and snacks at Sweet Marie's Tea Cottage. The village has a beautiful view of Wickford Cove and is close to the Mill Cove Bridge trail leading into North Kingstown.

These Towns Punch Above Their Weight

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the United States by far, as even some lakes are bigger than it. However, its communities punch above their weight when it comes to welcoming spaces, whether that be a secluded nature preserve, a towering Gilded Age mansion, or a town commons. Visitors will see a great deal of character in these communities, such as the preservation of a long military heritage in East Greenwich or the festivals at Fort Adams State Park. These towns are small in size, but big on hospitality.