We’re getting outside these days more than ever. Despite the changing seasons (and accompanying Pacific Northwest rain), outdoor adventures are good for our souls. Our exhausted, anxiety-ridden, eight-months-into-a-pandemic souls. With masks and hand sanitizer in tow, we’ve been heading out to lots of local parks and trails. I always consult the AllTrails App and the Washington Trails Association App for current trail conditions before departing. Here are my favorites in and around Bellingham:
This park features beautiful views of Samish Bay and the San Juan Islands and there’s just a short hike down to a pebble beach (a favorite picnic spot of ours). It is the perfect spot for exploring tide pools.
Camping is available. It’s a state park so you’ll need the Discover Pass or a one day pass (automated machines available in the parking lot).
This beach is technically a part of Larrabee, but you must access it via its own trail. There is a parking lot on Chuckanut Drive across from Fragrance Lake Road (and the sign for the trail is across the street from the parking lot). There is one steep rock scramble near the end of the trail as you get close to the beach; little ones will need a hand to hold! This is another great beach for exploring tide pools, and the hike down to the beach is an adventure of its own.
Bordering the San Juan Islands is Lummi Island, a small, bucolic island west of Bellingham. It’s a quiet paradise until we arrive with our kids – then it’s a louder paradise. Biking the island is a great adventure if you have a bike trailer or your kids are old enough to ride independently. A small, open-air car ferry will take you there, but we leave our car behind and just walk on with our bikes and kids in tow. You can do a lovely seven mile loop from the ferry dock, which is a quick and easy way to see the beauty of the island. There are lots of animals to stop and see, there is a public beach accessible behind the Congregational Church (as well as at the ferry dock), and during the summer and early fall nearly the entire island is covered in wild blackberries.
The ferry leaves via Gooseberry Point on the Lummi Indian Reservation, only takes about six minutes, and is fun for the kids (especially if you’re used to traveling on the massive Washington State Ferries).
There is a paved walking path (stroller friendly) with beautiful views on each side (0.8 miles one way). We usually just let the kids play at the beach during low tide. There are views of Mount Baker and the Twin Sisters, there are several picnic tables, and you’re guaranteed to see lots of birds, especially during the winter.
350 acres of paradise for children: farm animals, a playground, river access, and there’s even a Children’s Story Garden. The kids love the Tennant Lake Marsh Boardwalk (1.4 mile loop)- just make sure to hold the hands of wiley toddlers.
Located along Bellingham Bay in Fairhaven, this is a wonderful park for kids. Picnic tables, a playground, and a rocky beach perfect for little kids. Woods Coffee is located within the park and they have a to-go window near the playground. The park connects to Taylor Dock, an elevated boardwalk over the bay that connects the park to downtown Fairhaven.
Some of my favorite hikes with kids are located in this park:
Chanterelle Trail– It’s only 4.8 miles but is basically straight up hill… so it’s a great workout, especially if you hike up the Wickersham Truck Road instead, which we’ve been doing recently to avoid the possibility of any crowds. The view at the top is worth it.
Hertz Trail– This trail is flat and has so much to see that your toddler will forget that she’s hungry, tired, and forgot all her dollhouse toys at home, etc. You’ll pass by streams, a waterfall, and a few pieces of beach that are swimmable during the warmer months! The trail is wide and stroller friendly, and it’s perfect for social distancing. (6 miles out and back).
This park is a bit of a trek from Bellingham, but it’s worth the drive. There is much to love about this park: 35 miles of hiking trails, the Puget Sound shoreline, access to three lakes, and the views of the San Juan Islands. There are options for boating, camping, fishing, and swimming, and there are many good spots for whale and seal watching.
The park is located on two islands– Fidalgo to the north and Whidbey to the south. Discover Pass required, or there are automated pay stations in the parking lots.
Taking a toddler to a desert is a great exercise in teaching her how to follow directions: “Don’t touch the cactus! Hold still while I douse you in sunscreen! Look out for rattlesnakes!” The desert is deadly, folks, but it’s a *very* fun place to visit. Tucson is a family-friendly city and just a fun city in general (…just watch out for Gila monsters, rattlesnakes, scorpions, Africanized bees, coral snakes, tarantulas, brown recluse spiders, black widow spiders, blister beetles, desert toads, and all those prickly cacti…) Here are my favorite things to do with toddlers in the area (and at the end of this list I’ve included some activities that would be fun for older kids).
Children’s Garden at Tohono Chul
Tohono Chul – Botanical gardens that have a children’s garden that is awesome! My daughters floated boats down a little stream and played in a sandbox while I got to relax and bask in the sun (for 30 seconds). There’s a bistro, too, if food is always a priority for you like it is for me.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum– This is usually at the top of any ‘Visit Tucson’ list and for good reason– it’s a zoo, aquarium, natural history museum, botanical garden, and art gallery. There are a ton of activities for kids and the new Packrat Playhouse is one of the coolest indoor play areas I’ve seen (and is a great respite from the sun).
Children’s Museum Tucson – I’ve become somewhat of a children’s museum connoisseur and this is a good one. Bring 20 gallons of hand sanitizer with you.
Honey Bee Canyon
Hike in Honey Bee Canyon Park in Oro Valley – The trails are a perfect length for little ones (~2 miles) and there’s not much elevation change (plus beautiful views of the Pusch Ridge!) There are two different trails; one leads to petroglyphs which might be interesting to you and a good snack spot for your kids.
Marana Pumpkin Patch and Farm Festival – Make this drive north of Tucson if you’re visiting in the fall or in the winter around the holiday season. This is where I first learned about “jumping pillows” and my two year old bounced happily for two hours.
Reid Park Zoo – We hear this is a good one, but we didn’t actually go because we’d just visited the San Diego Zoo. I had to include it on this list, though, because seeing animals is always a hit with little ones.
Our kids are young, but there are many more wonderful activities for families with kids who are a bit older: Old Tucson, Kartchner Cavern State Park, Sabino Canyon, Pima Air and Space Museum, Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium, Biosphere 2, and Saguaro National Park.
What are your favorite spots for kids around Tucson?
Did you know that you can rent baby/toddler gear while visiting Tucson? It’s affordable and extremely convenient!
“Wherever there is injustice, you will find us. Wherever there is suffering, we’ll be there. Wherever liberty is threatened, you will find… @kiddosandcarryons/ The Three Amigos [filmed partly in Tucson]”
If you like the Avett Brothers, Dave Matthews, fabulous restaurants, and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, I’ve got a place for you. Some place warm, where the beer flows like wine, where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I’m talking about a little place called… Charlottesville. (If you haven’t seen Dumb and Dumber, none of that will have made sense, just move on and then go watch that movie).
I was fortunate enough to grow up in a couple of the most beautiful cities in the country and Charlottesville, Virginia is one of them. It’s nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was the home of Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, and is the home of the University of Virginia. It is truly a beautiful city, incredibly family-friendly, and fall is the perfect time to visit when the temperatures start to cool and that southern humidity begins to fade. Here are my top recommendations for family-friendly spots in the area:
★Downtown Mall
C’Ville’s Downtown Mall
There’s a little bit for everyone on the brick-lined pedestrian mall that runs through the middle of downtown Charlottesville. But who cares about “everyone” when you’ve got kids… Your kids will love the many ice cream shops (Splendora’s Gelato and Chaps are my favorite), toy store, and the Freedom of Speech Wall (give them a piece of chalk and let them add a masterpiece). The BEST stop on the downtown mall is the Virginia Discovery Museum. I’ve been to a ton of kids’ museums and this one ranks highly in my book. There’s an antique carousel out front that’s fun, too. Across the street from the mall is the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library and it has a fabulous kids area (ahem, named after my father- you’ve got to check out the John Halliday Reading Room).
★Wineries
If you’re traveling with toddlers or babies, you’ll probably need some wine/cider/beer. The Monticello Wine Trail boasts over thirty wineries, all inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s winemaking at his plantation (Monticello). If you’re questioning why I’m putting wineries on my list of family-friendly destinations then clearly you are not a hot mess mother in need of wine or you simply prefer breweries (of which there are several, so you’re in luck. My favorite is Blue Mountain Brewery). In my dream world I would sip wine at an outdoor patio while my little ones played happily in the grass. In reality I usually end up guzzling down my drink while trying to run after my children. My baby ate a bumble bee the other day because I looked away for two seconds. Either way, it’s still a fun time. My favorite wineries are Veritas, Barboursville, and Pippin Hill. You probably can’t go wrong with any of the ones on this list. King Family holds Polo matches from Memorial Day Weekend until early October and all kids love horses, right??
★Monticello
Speaking of Monticello, the actual house is worth a visit. I should know– I was dragged on the tour over a dozen times as a child. There are family-friendly tours, geared for kids between the ages of 5-11. You’ll spend at least of couple of hours doing the tour and walking around the grounds, and the Visitor’s Center and Cafe are also worth a visit.
The Saunders-Monticello Trailleads up to the Monticello Visitor’s Center and is a kid-friendly hike. The trail is stroller-friendly, very well-maintained, and is about 4 miles round-trip. I’ve walked up to the Visitor’s Center with a baby in the stroller, had a nice lunch at the cafe, and then walked back down. It’s a nice outing.
★Michie Tavern
On your way up to or back from Monticello, Michie Tavern is a fun stop for lunch (and for picking up souvenirs). Servers are dressed in period attire and the food on the buffet is based on 18th century recipes. Added bonus, kids under six eat free. Bonus bonus, there’s the opportunity to dress your little ones in period attire because nothing says “get a taste of the 18th century” like snapping cute photos on your iPhone.
★Visit an Orchard
Chile’s Peaches is our personal favorite. They host a pancake breakfast on weekends from April-December. They also host music on Friday evenings during the spring and summer. If you have little kids and are visiting mid-week, stop by their “Come Grow with Us” Sessions featuring crafts, a cooking project, snacks, and story time!
Carter Mountain Orchard is a favorite for apple picking and there are great views from the top. Through the summer and early fall they have a Thursday Sunset Series with dinner, live music, and hay rides.
★Hiking
There are lots of child-friendly trails in the area thanks to the proximity of the Shenandoah National Park, the Rivanna Trails and the Ivy Creek Natural Area. Use the AllTrails App to find one that suits your family’s difficulty level. The Saunders-Monticello Trail (noted above) is my favorite hike with babies in strollers.
★Outdoor Concerts
Castle Hill Cider
Through the spring, summer, and fall there are lots of free outdoor concerts around town, perfect for taking a picnic and letting your kids run and dance around. In the summer, Fridays After Fiveholds free concerts at the Sprint Pavilion (on the downtown mall) with food/beer trucks. Castle Hill Cider has a beautiful tasting room in Keswick and hosts live music alternating Thursdays and Fridays, May through August. Many of the wineries have live music during the warmer months.
Our toddler was just over a year old when we took her to Iceland. We went in mid-May, low season in Iceland, and it rained and was pretty cold many of the days we were there but it was still an ideal location for kids. The country is welcoming to kids and just think of all that open green space- a toddler’s dream! I never thought “lots of land for running around” would be a priority when choosing destinations but here we are. As long as you dress your kids like Randy from A Christmas Story you’ll be totally fine.
So much open space for RUNNING!!
While we’re usually pretty good about thoroughly researching our destinations, we didn’t do a lot of prep before buying some cheap flights we found to Reykjavik (from Boston on Wow Air which recently went out of business) and thought we’d made a really great financial decision only to realize once we’d started planning that hotels and food and basically everything in Iceland is very expensive. Plan to shell out a lot for accommodations and food, although you can make some budget choices like we did (see below) and definitely plan to book in advance since Iceland has become a popular destination. I’d recommend traveling in the low season if you’re up for braving some bad weather— prices are cheaper and there are fewer tourists.
Jet lag wasn’t terrible for us since we were traveling from Boston, only a five hour direct flight to Reykjavik. Our normal jet lag strategies worked well. Definitely consider throwing a few black garbage bags in your luggage in case you need makeshift black-out curtains in your room. When we were there it didn’t get dark until almost midnight.
These are some of our recs based on our experiences:
The Flight: We used our normal strategies to entertain our toddler on the flight. This is also the trip in which my husband pretended to be the robot Alexa to keep our toddler amused on the plane. Do whatever works, guys.
Pack appropriately! Plan to wear three layers because the weather in Iceland is always changing, even in the span of an hour. Wear a waterproof outer layer and sturdy rain shoes (we mostly wore hiking boots and put our toddler in duck boots). You definitely need a hood. Also plan to wear heavy socks and gloves and don’t forget a hat! We made great use out of our Ergo baby carrier. I wouldn’t recommend bringing a stroller as it’d be tricky to use on rough terrain.
Accommodations: Hotels/AirBnBs were all great about providing a crib. Most even had toddler-sized sheets, blankets and pillows which are rarely provided in the U.S. (and rightly so due to risk of SIDS) but this was a nice touch and I always stole our daughter’s pillow because I like to have a lot of pillows. One hotel even provided us with a mini robe for baby which was such a nice touch and totally unnecessary because we hardly ever bathe her.
A note on co-sleeping: It would be tough to do in Iceland because most accommodations provide twin beds that are pushed together to form a double bed. This is a thing in Scandanavia! In my point of view it’s totally superior than our shared marriage beds (is that what you call them? Or is that term from like the 1800s?) because there are two sets of sheets, two comforters, etc. which means there’s no cover hogging. But it does mean there’s a crevice that could open between the beds and baby could slide into. Maybe this isn’t a legitimate fear and just my own paranoia, but… I wouldn’t put my baby there.
Eating lunch at the Icewear Outlet in Vik
Eating out: All the restaurants we visited had high chairs, and most were high quality (Tripp Trapp, Stokke, etc. The ikea chair is popular, too.) We brought our travel high chair and would recommend doing the same (we have this one but there are lots of good ones). A portable chair is handy for meals in your apartment/hotel room. We also traveled with these silicone placemats that make cleaning up a breeze and are easy to roll up and throw in your bag. It also protects your kid’s food from germs on the table.
When you’re so hungry that you have to steal your toddler’s food…
I’m embarrassed but not too embarrassed to admit that we ate a lot of pizza and a surprising amount of Quiznos subs because we weren’t willing to splurge on many nice dinners out with our toddler in tow (and we were on a budget). We did have a couple of wonderful meals- lamb, seafood stew, etc. We packed lots of snacks for ourselves and pouches for our toddler and did NOT regret it. This was the trip in which I made fun of my husband for eating our daughter’s pouches. Now this is commonplace because those things are damn delicious and healthier than most airport food. If you stay in an apartment or AirBnB you can also make use of the kitchen to cut down on the cost of eating out.
Transportation: Don’t skip renting a car! Activities are weather dependent and there were many times when we sought refuge in our car so the weather could blow over before we could explore more. Public transportation in Iceland is excellent (or so we hear) but the logistics of bus rides and a toddler’s routine just don’t mesh well. Also, lugging around the car seat from town to town would be miserable, and all buses require that you use them.
Car naps FTW
Rental Car/Carseat: Keep in mind that if you go with the most budget-friendly rental car (like us) you will probably get a tiny European car, which is great as long as you don’t have much luggage (and I’d advise packing light anyway). We rented a car seat from the rental company and it worked out fine. Europe has different car seat laws than the U.S. and doesn’t require (or allow) the chest clip on car seats like the U.S. does. It seems that Europeans view the clip as MORE dangerous than not having one since so many parents use it incorrectly. That being said, if we’d brought our American car seat with us (again, we chose not to) I’m certain we would have been able to use it in our rental car without a problem.
Itinerary:
When we’re with our kids, we tend to stay more constrained geographically. There’s so much to explore in Iceland that unless you have a ton of time and want to spend a lot of time driving, your best bet is to stay confined to a smaller area for more time outdoors and to have more time to rest – prime considerations with our kids.
We stayed mainly along the Golden Circle after spending our first day in Reykjavik. I think one full day in Reykjavik is sufficient with kids- you’re able to visit several museums and get a feel for the city. Our favorite museums in Reykjavik were the Culture House and the National Museum and both have kids’ areas set up with toys and books. We wanted more time for hiking/seeing the natural wonders outside the city so our time in Reykjavik was brief. If I were doing the trip again, I’d choose a “home base” somewhere along the Golden Circle and take day trips from there. We spent each night in a different location which meant we had to pack up our things each day and relied on car naps for our toddler.
Blue Lagoon. What could be more relaxing than a visit to one of the top wellness spas in the world… with a toddler? So you probably won’t be able to get a massage in, or take a luxurious shower… basically locker rooms with toddlers are chaos any way you cut it. But the Blue Lagoon was worth it and I’m so glad we took our daughter. (The Blue Lagoon now requires kids to be 2+ years old. Nobody checked the age of our child and we were determined to get her in. Shh, don’t tell.)
We took a red-eye from Boston, so we arrived in Iceland around 5am. We went immediately from the airport after arriving so we were the first ones there. Book tickets well in advance, and you’ll need to book a specific arrival time so make sure that you’ve planned your itinerary before booking. We planned it this way since we couldn’t check into our apartment until afternoon and had time to kill. It was a great way to experience the lagoon early in the morning without crowds. They have delicious skyr smoothies for breakfast at the cafe.
Some of our favorite sites around Iceland:
Hveragerði – cute town with an excellent restaurant called “Skyrgerðin Cafe and Bistro” (and we stayed at the Guesthouse which was great as well).
Seljalandsfoss
Waterfalls! (They’re everywhere) Our favorite was Seljalandsfoss because it had a ton of space for our kid to run around as well as restrooms and a snack bar. We also saw Skógafoss and Gullfoss.
Selljavallalaug Pool. Short hike to a hot spring pool built in the 1920s. It’s located off of Ring Road 1 on 242 (marked Raufarfuell) just after the Iceland Erupts Exhibition. You’ll see signs marked for Seljavellir and then you’ll drive straight along an unpaved road until you reach a parking lot next to a little shack (there’s nothing else around so you really can’t miss it). From there it is only a 15-20 min walk along the rocky mountain valley, complete with a river coming down off Eyjafjallajökull Glacier (you may have to jump over a little stream but it’s still safe for kids). The view is unbelievable.
Visit local pools wherever you go. For a small fee you can visit a warm water (geothermal) pool and it’s such a huge part of Icelandic culture that it’s a neat way to see part of the local life. This New York Times article gives a great overview of the importance of pools in Icelandic society.
Vík is a great stop if you need to refuel with gas, food, or warm weather clothing. It’s the southernmost village in Iceland and was our last stop before heading back towards the airport in Keflavik. The gigantic Icewear outlet has souvenirs and any clothing you might need, as well as a great cafeteria with delicious food. Game of Thrones fans will appreciate that Vík was the launching point for filming parts of Season 7.
Dyrhólaey is a peninsula close to Vik, has great views of the coast, and is supposed to be a great place to see puffins. We didn’t see any while we were there, though, because I think it was a little too early in the season.
This post highlights some other general tips we have for traveling with little ones. We hope you enjoy Iceland as much as we did!
We sing this song by Blossom Dearie to our toddler:
And you, you come from Rhode Island And little old Rhode Island Is famous for you
It’s a great song but truth is our toddler was born in Rhode Island and her first two years were spent in the state, but rather than being famous for our curly-haired ragamuffin child, Rhode Island is actually famous for some really strange things because it’s a weird place. Hot wieners lined up a sweaty cook’s arm served with chili, “bubblers” for water fountains, and the official state drink of coffee milk that my elementary school students would slurp up for breakfast like crack, to name a few. The thing about Rhode Island is that it IS a weird place but Rhode Islanders don’t flaunt it like say… Vermonters. Well, we moved to RI from VT and I gotta say, RI wins in the weird department.
But I’ve got all kinds of nostalgia right now as we pack up our house preparing to move across the country from Little Rhody. And… it really is worth a visit because it’s a beautiful state with a ton of character. If you’re traveling to Rhode Island, and Providence in particular, here are some of my recs for places to take your own little ragamuffin toddler, which is pretty much my domain right now:
She’s usually only half soaking wet after this
Providence Children’s Museum. This one’s well worth a visit and located right downtown with a parking lot, so you don’t have to schlep your kiddo around the streets of the city. In the warmer months there’s a play area outside, and all year round the two story building has a variety of stations toddlers will love. My own toddler loves the water play area the best, and I do too because it allows me to sit on a bench and relax while she splashes to her heart’s content. There’s also an area for infants-four year olds with a tree house, slide, and bear cave.
Play Date. To native Rhode Islanders, driving more than fifteen minutes constitutes a “long drive” but for the rest of us that’s normal and fine. So if you’re staying in Providence I think it’s worth driving across the state line to Seekonk, Massachusetts to visit this cute play place. The decor is #instaworthy, there’s a coffee bar for parents, and the toys are top notch and great for a wide range of ages- there’s even a baby area for non-walkers. Toys come and go to keep it exciting and the most recent installment is a wooden pirate ship… arrrrrrrre you kidding me?! So cool!
Children’s Library (Just Kidding)
The Providence Athenaeum. This is one of the oldest libraries in the country. But don’t quote me on that because I’m not a historian and frankly don’t know what I’m talking about. Architecturally it’s beautiful if you care about that sort of thing, which I do, but my toddler certainly doesn’t which is why it’s great that they have… Story Time! Tuesday and Thursday mornings in a cute children’s library complete with toys and stuffed animals. It’s located smack dab between RISD and Brown.
Biomes Marine Biology Center. One of my best friends is the Queen of Warwick, RI- born, raised and rules the land like Khaleesi herself but without the dragons- and she introduced me to this place (located in North Kingstown). It’s in a strip mall so you’d never guess it has actual marine life inside. They have fish, sharks, turtles, frogs, and feeding demonstrations (bring the Purell!), touch tanks, and a little play area with marine-themed toys for kids.
Blackstone Boulevard and Hope Street. A fun outing with my toddler is going to Blackstone Boulevard, a 1.6 mile tree-lined path on the East Side of Providence. Lippitt Memorial Park is right next to the path, so when my toddler tires of the path we just hop over and play at the playground. At the top of the path on Hope Street is Three Sisters which is a wonderful little cafe to cap off a hard “hike” with toddler, aka twenty minutes of playing with rocks and dandelions on the path while I try to coerce her into a stroller so I can get some exercise. But Three Sisters has homemade ice cream, and when ice cream is involved everyone’s happy.
RUN, don’t walk, to treat yo’ self to PVDonuts
India Point Park and Playground. Located on the East Side of Providence, very close to PVDonuts which is a must. So basically this rec is for PVDonuts. You will NEVER find better donuts and… don’t you also mainly feed your toddler donuts? No?
Impossible Dream Playground. Really awesome, huge playground in Warwick. This place has it all— swings, slides, trains, cars, miniature golf, picnic tables. It’s sort of hard to explain how expansive this place is. I’ve never been to the indoor play space in the winter, but there is one. Easily accessible off I-95.
Painting with water = relaxation time for mom
Roger Williams Park Zoo. If you, too, have a toddler then you’ve probably been to your fair share of zoos and this one’s a winner. Not for the animals mind you, those poor creatures are still in cages adjacent to one of the busiest highways in the country. But it has about 40 acres and over 100 species of animals so it’s a land of enchantment for the kids. Camel and train rides in the summer, a “contact yard” aka petting zoo with enough animals to bring a 20oz bottle of Purell. Hasbro’s Our Big Backyard has a treehouse, water play in the warmer months, musical instruments and more. My own toddler could, and has, spent hours painting with water on a blackboard easel while I basked in the warm weather. A+ outing.
Roger Williams Park. The park itself is huge with a big pond with swan boats and a “Carousel Village” complete with, you guessed it, a carousel. The Hasbro Boundless Playground is close to the carousel and is a good one. There’s a snack bar and Del’s Frozen Lemonade carts are usually around when the weather’s nice.
Toddler for scale.
Roger Williams Park Botanical Center. This place is fun for little ones to run around, especially to get some fresh air inside during the colder months. But don’t tell them I sent you because I’m sure they want to instill a sense of peace and tranquility. Fairy Days is a week-long event in April and while my toddler couldn’t care less about cute little fairy homes built into the gardens, she loved the books and chalk area set up as well as the food trucks (and Del’s Frozen Lemonade obviously, because Rhode Island).
Food Truck Friday is held at the park in late spring through the summer! You can eat and drink while your kids ride the carousel or the donkey/camel/pony/whatever animal they have that evening. I’m a sucker for any activity involving food, so I find this to be a good one.
Beaches. I’m gonna be honest- we’re not really beach people. We like going to the beach in the late afternoon for picnics, but we don’t like to spend hours sunbathing because we’re about as pasty you can get. And our children inherited our fair skin, so we tend to avoid beaches which is funny because “Ocean State.” But if you’re looking for some good beaches, there are a lot of them. Just pull up RI on Google Maps, close your eyes and point and you’ve probably landed on a good beach. We like Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly, but it’s a bit of a drive from Providence. Narragansett is also good and you can visit Crazy Burger Cafe for delicious burgers while you’re there. My friends like Easton’s Beach (aka First Beach) in Newport and there’s a playground and carousel there for little ones. I also did some research, i.e. I asked my friend the Queen, and she suggested Blue Beach in North Kingstown and Mackerel Cove in Jamestown. This is beginning to sound fun, maybe I should go to the beach more often.
