A Day Trip to Block Island

Block Island is a popular getaway well known by New England natives.  The island is shaped like a pork chop and is 7 miles long and 3 miles wide.  Rhode Island claims the land that sits in Block Island Sound, nine miles off its coast in the Atlantic Ocean.  Like the Cape, the Hamptons, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket, Block was formed from glacial deposits as the glaciers receded during the last ice age.  

If you are looking to get away from home, if you are looking to feel far away without the hassle or a plane ride, Block Island is it.  A one hour jaunt on the high-speed ferries from several New England ports transports you to a charming Island that feels a lot like Bermuda.  

I've spent a week on the island, I've gone out for a weekend (here is a weekend guide), and I've gone over just for the day.  Today we are talking about the latter, Block Island in a Day - a guide to seeing the highlights with a round trip same day ferry ticket.  It is perfect for anyone short on time or someone who wants to see Block on a budget because lodging on the island can be pretty pricey.   

To make the most of the day, you need to take the first ferry out and plan to take one of the last ferries back.  We caught the 9am ferry out of Point Judith and we were on the island by 10am.  We decided on the 5pm ferry back, arriving in Point Judith by 6pm in time to wind down and make dinner before ending the day. 

Weekender's Guide to Block Island, Rhode Island

I am sad to say we are nearing the end of the Amanda in New England trip (#AmandaInNewEngland).  A lot of our trip was spent exploring some of the Northeast’s best cities, Boston and New York.  We also spend some time wandering around Connecticut, stopping at Avery Point, Fort Trumbull, Kayaking around Old Lyme, and even a day at the barn where Amanda rode Bradley.  While Amanda had surely gotten a taste of New England with historic Boston and beautiful Connecticut, I really wanted her to experience some of the best parts about New England, the parts that make me swoon- the coast, the charm, the character.  I wanted to do that without trekking all the way up to Acadia, Maine, or through the backwoods of Vermont/New Hampshire.  To show Amanda what I thought was some of the best of New England, I decided to take her to Block Island, Rhode Island and plan the perfect weekenders guide for a weekend of quintessential New England close enough to home.  

Ferry and Attractions on Block Island

Ferry

The most popular way of getting to the island is by Ferry.  Yes you can take a personal boat over (which I have a few times) but the ferry is the easiest way to get to the island. The ferry leaves from a few different places and has a few different rules and schedules.  See below!

Block Island Ferry 

• Ferry Point Judith RI High Speed (30 minutes)
• pets in the cabin in pet carrier only, on leash outside deck  
• Ferry Point Judith RI Traditional (1 hr 15 min minutes) 
• pets permitted (on leash or in carrier)
• Newport RI (60 minutes)
• pets in the cabin in pet carrier only, on leash on outside deck 
• Fall River MA (2 hr 15 min)
• pets in the cabin in pet carrier only, on leash on outside deck 

Block Island Express 

• New London (1 hour 15 minutes) pets in carriers only 

Rates depend on the weekday/weekend, round trip, same day, one way and season.  Check the website for rates and the schedule.  

You can also fly over from Westerly

Getting Around

The best and most popular way to get around the island is by bike or moped.  Although the roads are not particularly "bike friendly", bikes and mopeds dominate the road and take over.  A bike is a great way to see the island on your own time, stopping wherever you want, and enjoy the day.  Be warned, the island does a lot of rolling hills so you will be getting your workout in. 

 General Prices:

Bike rental rates start at $15 for 2 hours or $30 for the whole day. (Prices vary depending on the style of bike.)

If renting a moped is more your style, bring your driver's license. Rates range from $60 for 2 hours to $85 for 4 hours (longer rentals possible). 

There are a lot of rental places around the island, and many of them situated right at the ferry terminal. 

Island Bike and Moped, Aldo's Moped (bike, car, moped), Beach Rose Bicycles (bikes only), Block Island Bike and Car Rental, 

You can also rent a car, and take a taxi ride around the island. 

Once you figured out HOW you are getting to the island, HOW you are getting around the island, now you want to know what to do.  

Well, there are 17 miles of beaches on the island, but if you missed my post on Block Island Beaches, you can find it here. 

There are a lot of hiking and walking opportunities on the island. 

Hikes/Walks 

For such a small island, there are some great hikes and walks on the island.  We stopped for a nice walk around the Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve. Nice cleared trails wandering through a gorgeous field of flowers with views of the ocean. 

There are also some great walking trails at the north end of the island by North Light. 

Rodmans Hollow is another popular spot for hikers.  It is a 230-acre glacial outwash basin, located in the southwest part of the island with great hiking trails. 

You can find a list of more great hikes on this page. 

North Light

The lighthouses on the island are a main attraction.  There are two lighthouses on the island full of history. 

Block Island North Light (Lighthouse), built in 1867, is a historic lighthouse on Block Island, Rhode Island (New Shoreham). The light was deactivated in 1973 and United States Fish and Wildlife Service acquired the lighthouse. The lighthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.  After years of neglect, the lighthouse, along with two acres of land, was sold to New Shoreham in 1984 for 1USD. Following much renovation by the North Light Commission, it was relighted in 1989, and a museum opened on the first floor in 1993. Then, in 2008 the light underwent restoration at Georgetown Ironworks in Massachusetts and was returned in 2009. Finally, on 23 October 2010, a relighting ceremony took place.

Southeast Light 

Block Island Southeast Light is a lighthouse located on Mohegan Bluffs at the southeastern corner of Block Island, Rhode Island. It was designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 1997 as one of the most architecturally sophisticated lighthouses built in theUnited States in the 19th century. The light was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997.[4] The latter designation was made in recognition of the light's historic importance as an aid to navigation, and for its sophisticated architecture.

In 1990, the Coast Guard deactivated the light and replaced it with a nearby steel tower. Because of ongoing erosion of the bluffs, in 1993 the entire 2,000 ton structure was moved about 300 feet (91 m) back from the cliffs. 

Other Attractions

Of course, there are a ton of water related activities on Block Island.  Fishing, diving, banana boat rides, parasailing, surfing, you name it, Block has it.  There is also a zoo, North Light fibers, and various other attractions like visiting the Mohegan Bluffs.  If you are more into the social scene, there are a ton of popular restaurants and bars on the islands.  Mudslides at Champlins are always a favorite, or drinks at the Yellow Kitten or Mahogany Shore.  You can even stop at the Oar for a Lobster BLT.  

Block Island is surely a piece of paradise right off the coast of Rhode Island.