5 Best Nightlife in Block Island, Rhode Island

On its own private beach, Ballard's has oceanfront tiki bars, VIP cabana rentals, and a barnlike restaurant with a dance floor and live music. It tends to be livelier by day, although you can also arrange for a private beach bonfire at night.

This place sets itself apart from the others by hosting June's Block Island Music Festival, a free roundup of soon-to-be-discovered bands from around the country. It has live music inside and out, a dog-friendly area, frozen cocktails, and a suntanned crowd. Disco Monday has been an island tradition for more than two decades.

Club Soda is a lively hangout with a 12x8-foot outdoor TV. Shoot pool or tuck into some tasty pub grub. Live music, trivia, karaoke, musical Bingo, and outdoor movies keep the weeknight scene lively.

A tiny shack built over the water at Payne's Dock, Mahogany Shoals has a laid-back vibe and live music every night. The place has expanded, gracefully, with an outdoor bar and an upper-level deck. It remains the best spot on the island to enjoy a quiet drink, peer at beautiful yachts, and catch a breeze on even the hottest of nights.

Patrons here amuse themselves with darts, pinball, table tennis, and pool, to the sound of live bands or DJs on many summer nights. By day, order drinks and a big plate of nachos on Los Gatitos Deck overlooking the dunes at the southern end of Crescent Beach.