When to Go to Rhode Island

The best time to visit Rhode Island is between April and October. Newport hosts high-profile music events each summer, including the Newport Jazz and Newport Folk festivals. Block Island and the beach towns of South County are in full swing (though not nearly as crowded as Newport) from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but you'll find these areas just as scenic and a bit more manageable and affordable during the pleasant months of April, May, September, and October.

Because of the fall foliage and the often gorgeous weather, October is a great time to come to explore the interior sections of the Ocean State. The Blackstone Valley's leaf-turning is bright and colorful, and during the fall months, students return to the several colleges of Providence, giving that city a youthful, dynamic vibrancy. The state's coastal areas quiet down in winter, but Newport still remains relatively lively even in the coldest months.