Charlestown

We’ve compiled the best of the best in Charlestown - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

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  • 1. Frosty Drew Observatory and Science Center

    In Ninigret Park but independently operated by a nonprofit, the observatory offers the state's best views of the night sky. Frosty Drew opens every Friday around sunset for stargazing and stays open until 10 pm or later if the skies are clear and visitors keep coming. It's also open on nights when meteor showers and other astronomical events are forecast. On cloudy nights, astronomers give presentations and offer tours. The place isn't heated, so dress for the season.

    61 Park La., Charlestown, Rhode Island, 02813, USA
    401-859–1450

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
  • 2. Blue Shutters Town Beach

    With wonderful views of Block Island Sound, Blue Shutters is a popular escape for beachcombers and quietude seekers who don't mind paying a bit extra for soft sand, sea, and serenity. Beachgoers can see Block Island and Long Island from the shaded deck of the pavilion. Beach-accessible wheelchairs are available at no cost. Amenities: lifeguards; showers; toilets; parking (fee). Best for: walking; sunsets.

    469 East Beach Rd., Charlestown, Rhode Island, 02813, USA
    401-364–1222

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Nonresident parking $20 on weekdays, $40 on weekends
  • 3. Burlingame State Park & Campground

    This 3,100-acre state park attracts many campers to its 731 rustic campsites and shelters, nature trails, picnic and swimming areas, and boating and fishing opportunities on crystal clear Watchaug Pond.

    1 Burlingame State Park Rd., Charlestown, Rhode Island, 02813, USA
    401-322–8910
  • 4. East Beach

    Across the street from Blue Shutters Town Beach, this tranquil and unspoiled barrier beach spans 3 narrow miles of shoreline that separates Ninigret Pond from the ocean, dead-ending at the Charlestown Breachway. East Beach stands in stark contrast to Narragansett's bustling Scarborough Beach, and it's a rare East Coast beach that permits beach camping and four-wheel drive vehicles on the sand. Parking is limited, and the lot fills up quickly. Be careful when swimming: the ocean side is known for riptides. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: solitude; walking, camping.

    East Beach Rd., Charlestown, Rhode Island, 02813, USA
    401-667-6200

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: RI Resident parking $6; nonresident parking $12
  • 5. Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge

    Spring brings opportunities to view the male American woodcock's mating ritual at this 858-acre refuge, but bird-watchers flock here year-round to commune with nature among 4 miles of hiking trails and diverse upland and wetland habitats, including grasslands, shrublands, wooded swamps, and freshwater ponds. There's an abandoned naval air station on Ninigret Pond, the state's largest coastal salt pond, and a fine place to watch the sunset. Wear blaze orange while hiking between November and January, when permitted hunters are allowed to cull white-tailed deer. Explore an impressive collection of wildlife and natural history displays at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center on the southbound side of U.S. 1 at 50 Bend Road.

    Ninigret Entrance Rd., Charlestown, Rhode Island, 02813, USA
    401-364–9124

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free
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  • 6. Ninigret Park

    This 227-acre park off Old Post Road, formerly a World War II–era naval air training base, now features picnic grounds, ball fields, a playground, a bike path, tennis and basketball courts, a criterium bicycle course, nature trails, a disc-golf course, and a 3-acre spring-fed swimming pond (with lifeguards on duty in the summer). The Charlestown Seafood Festival is held here in August, and the excellent Rhythm & Roots concert festival rolls into the park every Labor Day weekend.

    5 Park La., Charlestown, Rhode Island, 02813, USA
    401-364–1222

    Sight Details

    Rate Includes: Free

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