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Family Travel Guide
Westerly & Watch Hill
RI · Rhode Island South County
A 150-year-old carousel, a long sandy beach and a shady downtown park
SummerFallAges 2–14105 min drive
🚗 About 1.75 hrs from Stamford · about 1 hr from New Haven (estimates, confirm with your map app)
Watch Hill is the old summer-resort end of Westerly, with a small village, a classic carousel and a long list of beach options. Misquamicut State Beach is the big public beach nearby, and Wilcox Park gives you a calm downtown stop. This is a beach-and-carousel trip, best in summer.
✓ The carousel is a short stop that grandchildren of almost any age enjoy and grandparents remember fondly
✓ Misquamicut has a playground and pavilions on site, so the beach day has built-in options for little ones
✓ Wilcox Park offers a quieter, shaded alternative when the beach gets too much
→The Flying Horse Carousel (1876) is the oldest operating carousel in the US where the horses hang from chains
→Misquamicut State Beach has two miles of sand, a playground, picnic tables, pavilions and bathhouses
→Wilcox Park is a 14-acre Victorian park in downtown Westerly
→Napatree Point Conservation Area is a sandy peninsula with views of Block Island
🌟 Start Here
Wilcox Park, Westerly
A 14-acre Victorian park in the middle of downtown Westerly, with bronze monuments and a large fountain. A calm place to sit and let the grandchildren run.
Check the park website·All ages
Flying Horse Carousel (Watch Hill)
Built in 1876 and a National Historic Landmark, it is the oldest operating carousel in the US with horses suspended from chains. It stands at 151 Bay Street at the end of the village's main street.
Check the venue website for current admission⏱ 30 to 45 minutesAges 2 to 10
Grandparent note: Check for current operating details before you visit, since seasonal schedules vary.
Misquamicut State Beach
The largest public beach in Westerly, with two miles of sand and consistent waves. Facilities include a playground, picnic tables, pavilions, bathhouses, a gift shop and lifeguard towers.
Check the Rhode Island state beaches website⏱ Half dayAll ages
Grandparent note: The state beaches website covers seasons, lifeguard coverage and any fees. Check it before you pack the car.
Napatree Point Conservation Area
A sandy spit about a mile and a half long that extends west from Watch Hill. It separates calm harbor water from the ocean surf, with views of Block Island and the ruins of Fort Mansfield.
Check the conservancy website⏱ 1 to 2 hoursAges 5+
Grandparent note: The walk is fully exposed to sun and wind, so bring water and sun protection. Part of the area is protected bird-nesting habitat, so follow posted signs.
Wilcox Park
A Victorian park in the center of downtown Westerly, with walking paths, monuments and a large fountain.
Check the park website⏱ 30 to 60 minutesAll ages
Grandparent note: A good rest stop between the beach and a meal downtown.
Ocean House (Watch Hill)
Historic oceanfront hotel · Check the website for current rates
A rebuilt version of an 1868 grand hotel on 13 oceanfront acres, overlooking a private beach
Hotel Watch Hill
All-suite hotel · Check the website for current rates
Suites with kitchens, a sister property to Ocean House, useful if you want room for the whole family
Olympia Tea Room (Watch Hill)
Classic restaurant · Check the restaurant website for the current menu
Dates to 1916, with antique mahogany booths. It does not take reservations, so expect a wait at busy times
St. Clair Annex (Watch Hill)
Ice cream and sandwiches · Check the restaurant website for the current menu
A family-run ice cream and sandwich shop with a long local history, an easy stop after the carousel
1
Do the carousel early in the visit while the youngest are fresh
2
Look up Misquamicut's state beach details on the official site first, rather than relying on this guide
3
Napatree is a real walk with no shade, so treat it as optional for little legs and slow walkers
4
Olympia Tea Room takes no reservations, so go with a flexible schedule
•Morning: Flying Horse Carousel in Watch Hill, then an ice cream stop
•Midday: Misquamicut State Beach
•Afternoon: Wilcox Park in downtown Westerly, then dinner
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