Most of you know by now, but our family sails a lot together and we are always looking for a new place to explore. One of our new favorite places to go together has been Block Island in Rhode Island. Read on for or top, kid-friendly recommendations when traveling to this little island.
1. Renting bikes - Aldo’s (a name you will become all too familiar wit’s when traveling here as they own several businesses on island) is a great spot to rent. They have at least 2 locations - 1 by the ferry dock and one by The Oar Restaurant - which is directly next to the dinghy dock in New
2. Block Island Maritime Institute - be sure to check online for their hours as this is a stop for little ones you won’t want to miss! They have an amazing touch tank where divers were literally walking in with fresh finds from the inner harbor as we came in the front doors. They had several small dogfish sharks which were actually so adorable I wanted to bring them home with us! All the staff there was so knowledgeable and SO patient answering all of my - and my 3 year old’s questions. What we thought was going to be a quick stop in to visit turned into an almost hour of exploring a touch tank, asking questions, meeting baby sharks and more. One of the employees actually just published a book for kids and it was sold out - but available on Barnes and Noble. Congrats again to Jasmine on her book, “Friends with the Ocean.” It was wonderful to meet you and everyone on the team!
3. Aldo’s - downtown they have a perfect stop on a hot day for a baked good, cakes and sweet treats as well as an incredible selection of ice cream. It was so hot when we were walking around downtown so this was a welcome retreat from the sun. Don’t forget to bring your coins for the mini carousel for toddlers to enjoy while you cool down.
4. Block Island Exotic Farm and Gardens - “Don’t miss our Farm & Aviary, located across the street from The 1661 Inn. It is home to a menagerie of animals including camels, llamas, pygmy and fainting goats, black swans, a yak, a zebu, lemurs, red kangaroos and more. The farm is open year-round during day light hours for kids and kids at heart to enjoy.” This is always a MUST stop for us on every trip here. Be sure to snap a photo of your littles with the giant tortoise statue while sipping on a sweet lemonade and delicious bites from the food truck on site.
5. Spring House Hotel - This is the ideal end to a perfect day on the island - especially if you just finished visiting the animals at the Block Island Exotic Farm and Gardens right around the corner. The sprawling lawn is perfect for kids to run around and chase their energy away while you sit back in the beautiful Adirondack chairs and carefully select a cocktail to toast to another great day spent here. Some of the chairs even have a small flag for you to raise - like hoisting the sail on a sailboat - to notify the waitstaff you are ready to order. This iconic hotel was founded in 1852 and I encourage you to walk through the building and see the beautiful history for yourself.
6. Playground - there is a great playground, field and skate park right around the corner from Aldo’s. This is a perfect stop with bathrooms, picnic tables, shade and a parking lot. If you exit The Oar and take a right, it’s right after the flagpole on the right.
7. Go Clamming - you heard me right! This is absolutely one of my favorite days of the summer every year. We take the dinghy out to a beach near the channel but there are so many spots - ask the harbor master in their office next to The Oar Restaurant. Shout out to my friend, Meg, for teaching me about this awesome experience. A week clamming permit is only $25 and well worth it. We grab some linguine at the supply store next to The Oar and cook up an amazing dinner with the fresh clams - must be the correct size to keep! And they give you a sizer so you can be sure you are following the law. Our kids get such a kick out of seeing who can collect the most! Talk about earning your supper!
8. Restaurants - We love so many spots here but a few that we find to be super kid friendly are the following:
- Dead Eye Dick’s - perfect for kids and close to a beach to explore - we found a ton of sea glass here, also right next to the Maritime Institute so great to coordinate to do both
- The Oar - sushi and delicious bites for everyone - I recommend the southwestern burrito with mahi, tons of picnic tables and Adirondack chairs outside as well as a wrap around deck to watch all the boats come in, the kids love to play “I Spy” with all the oars decorating the entire restaurant hand-painted to tell a story from the many visitors that have come and gone here
- Block Island Beach House - this renovated hotel is a boutique-feel but not intimidating, their cafe is awesome for grabbing a chai latte on the way to the beach with a chocolate chip muffin for the littles, their shop has everything from beautiful hats to some cute kids toys and always the best swag - still kicking myself for not grabbing the seagull t-shirt from this season, restaurant is kid-friendly and order when you’re ready at the bar (just tell them your table number in the centerpiece) come for lunch and stay for the beach or read a book from their curated basket on the front porch
- Tiger Fish - great sushi, noodles, pork belly rice, wings, dumplings and cocktails. The owner happened to be working when we were there and she was so nice and managing an extremely busy day with ease. We will definitely be going back!
There is so much more to explore but we hope this helps you check a few items off your list!