Block Island sits 13 miles off the Rhode Island coast, reachable only by boat or small plane — no bridges, no tunnels. That isolation hasn't hurt it. The island draws up to 20,000 visitors a day in season, all coming for 17 miles of shoreline, cliff-backed beaches and a surprisingly rich stash of history.
The headline attraction is Mohegan Bluffs, where clay cliffs drop to sand below, while Crescent Beach offers the calm, shallow water swimmers and snorkelers want. Away from the coast there are historic hotels like the 1661 Resort, galleries showing New England artists such as the Jessie Edwards Studio, and plenty of sailing on the surrounding water. The island's guest list over the years has included a Kennedy wedding and an Amelia Earhart diving expedition.
Getting there is the part that needs planning. The workhorse is the Block Island Ferry from Point Judith, running year-round with multiple daily sailings. The standard crossing takes about 55 minutes and is the only service that carries cars; a seasonal high-speed ferry runs May to October and cuts the trip to roughly 30 minutes, passengers only. Providence is about 45 minutes' drive from the port.
In summer the options multiply. July and August bring a passenger-only high-speed ferry from Newport (about an hour). From May to September, the Block Island Express runs from New London, Connecticut and Orient Point, New York in roughly an hour to 90 minutes, while the Viking Fleet sails from Montauk, New York in about 75 minutes. All have indoor and outdoor seating and restrooms; some have snack stands.
Most visitors leave their cars behind anyway — the island is compact, and bikes, e-bikes, mopeds, taxis and resort shuttles cover it easily.
The smart move is to treat the ferry port as part of the holiday. Newport stacks Gilded Age mansions, beaches and a big annual jazz festival into an easy pre- or post-island stop. Montauk, just east of the Hamptons, delivers surf, seafood, the Montauk Point Lighthouse museum and stays ranging from Hotel Corduroy to the historic Montauk Manor.
For flyers, Rhode Island's T.F. Green International Airport (PVD) puts you under an hour from both Point Judith and Newport. If you're heading via Long Island, MacArthur Airport (ISP) is 66 miles from Montauk, though many travellers route through JFK or LaGuardia and take the Long Island Railroad or drive the 110-odd miles.
Who's it for? Anyone who wants a New England beach break with a bit of ceremony to the arrival — and no traffic lights, chains or crowds of cars at the end of it. Book summer ferry crossings early, decide before you go whether you actually need a car (you probably don't), and build in a night on the mainland. The crossing is half the fun.
