From family spots to the best waves, where to find fun in the sand and surf.

As one might expect in the Ocean State, there are many public beaches in Rhode Island. Narragansett Town Beach is a classic family beach with places to buy food and it's animated by the joyful sounds of children on hot summer days. Sachuest Beach (Second Beach) in Middletown is also beautiful but less crowded with limited facilities.

The beaches listed are open to the public; many have season passes and/or nominal parking and access fees.



Information about state beaches is at riparks.com. For municipal beaches, we've listed city and town telephone numbers in addition to websites.



To check for the closure of any beach due to water quality, go to health.ri.gov/beaches.



BLOCK ISLAND

(401) 466-3223; blockislandinfo.com

All beaches on Block Island are public and free. Here are some good swimming beaches.

Andy's Way Beach: Great beach for small children in the Great Salt Pond.

Ballard's Beach: This sandy beach adjacent to Ballard's Inn offers umbrella and chair rentals and seaside cocktail service.

Charlestown Beach: Limited swimming, but great fishing. One of the few spots in Rhode Island where you can see the sun set over the water.

Crescent Beach: The 3-mile stretch that runs from the Surf Hotel in the south to the Clayhead Bluffs in the north is called Crescent Beach, but sections within it have their own names: Surf, Baby, Fred Benson Town Beach, Scotch and Mansion beaches. The Fred Benson Town Beach (information at new-shoreham.com), which is close to the Old Harbor ferry dock, has parking, a pavilion and concessions, plus umbrella and chair rentals.



Mohegan Bluffs: Spectacular sandy beach set under cliffs on the south coast, accessed by a long wooden stairway. Easier access to the same beach — known as Vail Beach — is down Snake Hole Road by the Painted Rock, about half a mile beyond parking for the Bluffs. Limited parking, no facilities.

BRISTOL

(401) 253-1611, bristolri.us/facilities

Town Beach: Small, calm-water beach next to Colt State Park.

CHARLESTOWN

(401) 364-1222, charlestownri.org



Blue Shutters Town Beach: Good sand, surf and rustic pavilion. Popular with families.



Charlestown Breachway: State beach that borders Ninigret Pond.



Charlestown Town Beach: Next to Breachway, with fine sand and surf.



East State Beach: (Ninigret Conservation Area) Three-mile state barrier beach, natural and not crowded. Parking limited.

JAMESTOWN

(401) 423-7260, jamestownri.gov



Shores Beach: (Head's Beach) Small beach in Jamestown Shores, north of Jamestown Bridge, sunset views.



Mackerel Cove Town Beach: Gravelly sand, shallow with exposed sandbar at low tide, popular with young families.



Potter Cove Beach: Small, stony beach at base of Newport Bridge, popular for clamming and with boaters. Free parking on road.

LITTLE COMPTON

(401) 635-4400, little-compton.com



Goosewing Beach: Picturesque, studded with boulders, accessible from adjacent South Shore Beach.



South Shore Beach: (Little Compton Town Beach) Serene but stony, limited parking.

MIDDLETOWN

(401) 849-2822, middletownri.com



Sachuest Beach: (Second Beach) Fine white sand, surf and good views.



Third Beach: Popular with boaters, windsurfers and families.

NARRAGANSETT

(401) 782-0658, narragansettri.gov

Narragansett Town Beach: Often crowded, popular with surfers. Pavilion and concessions.



Roger W. Wheeler State Beach: (Sand Hill Cove) Shallow, calm beach with large pavilion and playground.



Salty Brine State Beach: Gentle surf, solar- and wind-powered pavilion opened in 2010. Offers views of passing fishing and pleasure boats and the ferries to Block Island.



Scarborough State Beaches: (North and South) Stone pavilion, fine sand and good surf.

NEWPORT

(401) 845-5810, cityofnewport.com



Easton's Beach: (First Beach) Broad, city-run beach next to Cliff Walk. Play area, carousel, occasional red tide (seaweed).



Fort Adams State Park Beach: Small, calm cove in state park. Popular with families.



Gooseberry Beach: Private beach club on Ocean Drive that is open to the public.



King Park Beach: Urban city-run park with playground overlooking Newport Harbor.

NORTH KINGSTOWN

(401) 294-3331, northkingstown.org

North Kingstown Town Beach: Calm beach popular with families.



Blue, Compass Rose, Calf Pasture Point and Spink's Neck beaches: Four calm, West Passage beaches on former Navy land at Quonset Point. The beaches are managed by the Quonset Development Corporation.



Rome Point: (within the John H. Chafee Nature Preserve) A mile walk from parking on Route 1A. Watch seals or gather sea glass. Find information at dem.ri.gov.

PORTSMOUTH

(401) 683-2101, portsmouthri.com/168/Beaches



Sandy Point Beach: Shallow water on Sakonnet River.



Teddy's Beach: Tiny, state-owned beach on Park Avenue in Island Park at Stone Bridge. No lifeguards or restroom facilities.

SOUTH KINGSTOWN

(401) 789-9301, southkingstownri.com/visitors



East Matunuck State Beach: Often crowded, beautiful state beach with strong surf, pavilion.



Town Beach at Matunuck: Boardwalk and playground.

TIVERTON

(401) 625-6710, www.tiverton.ri.gov/boards/recreation.php



Fogland Beach: Calm water, popular with windsurfers and families.

WARREN

(401) 603-4174, townofwarren-ri.gov/visitingwarren/thewaterfront.html



Warren Town Beach: Family-friendly beach on the Warren River.

WARWICK

(401) 738-2000, x6504; go to warwickri.gov, parks and recreation, then parks & playgrounds



City Park: (Buttonwoods Beach) Busy city park with play areas and dog park.



Conimicut Point Beach: Good for sunbathing and view of the Bay.

Goddard Memorial State Park: Beach located in one of Rhode Island's premier state parks.

Oakland Beach: Small suburban beach with restaurants nearby.



Sandy Point Beach: Lovely beach, limited parking.

WESTERLY

(401) 348-2715, westerlyrec.com



Misquamicut State Beach: Popular beach with good sand and steady surf, stylish pavilion, water park.

Napatree Point: Popular for nature walks and birding, no lifeguards.



Wuskenau Beach: Town-owned beach.

— pelswort@providencejournal.com



(401) 277-7403



On Twitter: @peterelsworth