Locally known as Sand Hill Cove, the Roger W Wheeler State Beach, just south of Galilee, is the best spot for families with small children. Not only does it have a playground and other facilities, it also has an extremely gradual drop-off and little surf because of protection afforded by the rocky arms of the Point Judith breakwater.
Roger W Wheeler State Beach
Rhode Island
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.26 MILES
More than a museum, Mystic Seaport is a re-creation of an entire New England whaling village spread over 17 acres of the former George Greenman & Co…
11.58 MILES
While the peerless position and splendor of the grounds alone are worth the price of admission, this faux-English manor house also contains heiress and…
12.43 MILES
A 70-room Italian Renaissance megapalace inspired by 16th-century Genoese palazzi, the Breakers is the most magnificent of Newport's grandiose mansions…
12.3 MILES
Designed by Horace Trumbauer in 1901, the Elms is a replica of Château d'Asnières, built near Paris in 1750. Here you can take a 'behind-the-scenes' tour…
10.75 MILES
Fort Adams is America's largest coastal fortification and the centerpiece of this gorgeous state park, which juts out into Narragansett Bay. It's the…
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18.72 MILES
A 5-mile drive southwest of Westerly town center, you'll come to the cloistered community known as Watch Hill, where New York's rich and/or famous have…
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National Museum of American Illustration
12.04 MILES
This acclaimed museum features an impressive collection of 'the most American of American Art' including Maxfield Parrish's impossibly luminous works in…
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17.7 MILES
Located in Portsmouth, 6 miles north of Newport, on the site of a former missile manufacturing plant, this fantastic, new-in-2017 museum showcases more…
Nearby Rhode Island attractions
1.84 MILES
Scarborough (sometimes written as 'Scarboro') is considered by many to be the best beach in the state. A massive, castle-like pavilion, extensively…
5.22 MILES
This mile-long stretch of beach tends to be crowded because it's an easy walk from Narragansett Pier. It's popular with surfers thanks to its soft curling…
3. Beavertail Lighthouse Museum
7.48 MILES
Located within Beavertail State Park and built in 1749, Jamestown's Beavertail Lighthouse is one of the oldest along the Atlantic coast, and still signals…
8.15 MILES
At the southernmost tip of the island you'll come to Beavertail State Park, where you can enjoy one of the best vistas – and sunsets – in the Ocean State…
9.38 MILES
On the southwestern tip of Aquidneck Island (now officially known as Rhode Island, although both names are used), this park is a prime place for exploring…
6. Ninigret State Conservation Area
9.84 MILES
One of Rhode Island's most delightful swimming holes can be found in this conservation area, which features a massive lagoon bounded by barrier beaches…
10.1 MILES
Situated upon granite cliffs, this compact state park, occupying the site of a former coastal artillery fort and barracks dating back to as early as 1798,…
10.31 MILES
A Charlestown-managed beach, this is a good choice for families. There are no amusements other than nature's own, but there are convenient facilities, a…