One Perfect Day on Block Island

Block Island is located 13 miles from the mainland of Rhode Island. There are many things to do on Block Island including exploring beaches, cliffs, and lighthouses. New Shoreham has many shops and restaurants, but 40% of the island is set aside for nature conservation. Find out more about what to do with one day on Block Island. Our perfect day included biking, lobster rolls, lighthouses, and ice cream!

Getting to Block Island

Ferry 

The easiest and most popular way to travel to Block Island is by ferry. We took the ferry from Port Judith to Block Island and purchased same-day return tickets. The slow ferry takes about 55 minutes to reach the island and the fast ferry takes half the time. We chose the slow ferry to save money and really enjoyed the ride! The ferry gives you the option to bring your car or bike on board. For one day in Block Island there is no reason to bring you car, but we recommend bringing a bike or renting one on the island.

Plane

There is a small airport on Block Island and there are scheduled flights daily between Block Island and Westerly, RI. This 12 minute flight will set you back $99 for a round trip ticket.

Getting Around Block Island

Bicycles

We are always looking for ways to stay active while on vacation. Biking around Block Island was the perfect combination of exercise and being tourists. There are a few bike rental spots on the island and you should be able to negotiate your rental to about $20 per day.

Mopeds

An alternative and fun option to renting bikes is to rent mopeds. Since Block Islands is only 6 miles wide you will be able to see most of the island pretty quickly on mopeds. You may even be able to negotiate to rent a moped for an hour or two and then trade it in for a bike for the rest of the day. Though watch out for wobbly tourists driving a moped for the first time!

Things to Do on Block Island

There are a few main spots that you need to experience when you visit Block Island.

North Light

This lighthouse is located at the tip of the island. You will need to park your bike about a half mile away and walk along the beach to reach this lighthouse. There are so many seagulls near the north lighthouse. The lighthouse was closed during our visit, but there was a few memorials for 9/11 and for a plane that was lost flying to the island.

Southeast Light

Located on the other side of the island, this lighthouse is located just off the road. There are plenty of bike racks to park your bike. One of the good things about being on an island is that there are no bike locks, but you don’t need to worry about your bike not being there when you get back to it. Coming from a city, it felt strange to leave your bike unlocked, but we had no problems! The south lighthouse is located on a ridge and the ocean is far below.

Mohegan Cliffs

Right around the corner from the south lighthouse are the Mohegan Cliffs. These are the cliffs that can be seen from the south lighthouse grounds. You can walk down a steep wooden staircase to reach the rocky beach. This is a great place to explore the rocks and and relax and enjoy the views that Block Island is all about!

What to Eat and Drink on Block Island

Lobster Rolls

Fresh, warm, and buttery lobster rolls are delicious. There is nothing more rewarding for biking around Block Island than the perfect lobster roll lunch. This is a pricey lunch of course, but we do not regret it at all.

Mohegan Cafe & Brewery

There is only one brewery on Block Island, so of course we had to check it out! This brewery has a casual atmosphere and 2 or 3 of their own beers on draft. We only had drinks, but the food looked good too!

Ice Cream

There are a few competing ice cream shops on Block Island. The Ice Cream Place was our choice! Cookie dough ice cream smothered in peanut butter – yum! You can find the ice cream shops among the many quaint seaside stores in New Shoreham. We loved wandering in and out of the shops in search of the perfect magnet to add to our magnet collection.

Enjoy your time exploring Block Island! Check out another blog post itinerary for hiking Acadia National Park in one day. 

Pin me for later!!