Misquamicut State Beach

Type: public state-managed ocean beach in the Misquamicut section of Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island. Established 1959 on land within the community formerly called Pleasant View (renamed Misquamicut in 1928). Managed by Rhode Island State Parks. Adjacent to the privately run Atlantic Beach Park amusement center. Misquamicut CDP 2020 population: 434.

Misquamicut State Beach is one of Rhode Island's principal ocean beaches, a broad stretch of Atlantic shoreline in the Misquamicut section of Westerly, at the state's southwestern coastal edge. The name Misquamicut comes from a Narragansett word meaning roughly "Red Fish Place" or "Salmon Place," reflecting the area's long Native American history; the land was purchased from the Montauk chief Sosoa in 1661. The modern beach community, known as Pleasant View until a 1928 renaming, was repeatedly battered by hurricanes in 1938, 1944 and 1954, which destroyed earlier generations of beach homes and hotels before the state beach was established on part of the oceanfront in 1959. Today the beach draws large weekend crowds for swimming and sunbathing, and sits beside the separately operated Atlantic Beach Park, a family amusement park with a historic carousel, rides, mini-golf and arcade games, giving the area a classic New England beach-town feel distinct from the quieter, upscale character of nearby Watch Hill.

Misquamicut State Beach is located in the Misquamicut section of the town of Westerly, Washington County, in far southwestern Rhode Island, fronting the Atlantic Ocean/Block Island Sound. It lies a few miles northeast of Watch Hill along the same coastline.

The beach has a coastal humid climate with warm, humid summers (the main swimming season) and cold winters; the area falls within the Atlantic hurricane season (June-November), and the community's history includes major storm damage from hurricanes in 1938, 1944 and 1954.

The beach's official in-season operation, with lifeguards and full facilities, runs through the summer months; sunny summer weekends are extremely popular, with the roughly 2,400-space parking lot regularly filling to capacity by 10:30 a.m. Weekdays or early mornings are the best way to avoid the biggest crowds.

The land was purchased from Montauk chief Sosoa in 1661, and the shorefront community was long known as Pleasant View before being renamed Misquamicut in 1928. A series of powerful hurricanes in 1938, 1944 and 1954 destroyed beach homes and hotels in the area, and in 1959 a portion of the oceanfront was set aside as Misquamicut State Beach under state park management.

Swimming and sunbathing on the main state beach, with lifeguards on duty in season; next door, the privately run Atlantic Beach Park offers a carousel with an antique band organ, midway-style rides, bumper cars, a game room, ice cream stand, miniature golf, go-karts, a batting cage and water slides across its 12 acres.

The state beach itself, with its long sandy shoreline, is the main draw. Atlantic Beach Park, immediately adjacent (between the state beach and Winnapaug Pond), is the area's other key attraction for families. Nearby Watch Hill, a few miles down the coast, adds a historic-village side trip.

Misquamicut is reached by car via Route 1A/local roads through Westerly; the nearest commercial airports are T.F. Green Airport in Warwick, Rhode Island, and Westerly State Airport for more limited service; exact drive distances from these airports were not confirmed in the sources consulted.

In-season hours are 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays, with gates closing at sunset, per Rhode Island State Parks information found via search (the operator's own page could not be directly fetched, returning a 403 error). Confirm current-season hours on riparks.ri.gov before visiting.

Daily parking fees (per search-sourced state park information) are $10 on weekdays and $15 on weekends/holidays for Rhode Island residents, and $20 on weekdays and $30 on weekends/holidays for non-residents; seniors 65+ receive a 50% discount. A season pass valid at all eight Rhode Island state beaches costs $30 for residents or $60 for non-residents. These figures should be reconfirmed on the official riparks.ri.gov site, which returned an access error on direct fetch.

A few hours for a swim and sunbathing session; a half to full day if combining the beach with Atlantic Beach Park's rides and attractions.

The Misquamicut/Westerly area has a range of beach-oriented motels, cottages and vacation rentals geared to summer visitors, concentrated along the shoreline roads near the beach. More extensive lodging options, including chain hotels, are available a short drive away in greater Westerly.

Casual, beach-town dining, including ice cream stands and seasonal seafood and snack-bar style eateries, clusters around the state beach and Atlantic Beach Park; a broader range of restaurants is available a short drive inland in Westerly.

Watch Hill's historic village and Flying Horse Carousel are a few miles down the coast. Winnapaug Pond sits just inland of Atlantic Beach Park. Downtown Westerly offers additional shopping and dining for visitors extending their trip.

T.F. Green Airport (Warwick, RI) is the main regional commercial airport; Westerly State Airport offers more limited service closer by. There is no direct rail service to Misquamicut itself; Amtrak serves Westerly's downtown station. A car is the practical way to reach and explore the area.

Swim only when and where lifeguards are on duty, and be aware of surf and rip current conditions, which can change quickly on this open Atlantic-facing shoreline. The parking lot fills early on sunny summer weekends, so plan for possible turnaways or long waits if arriving late morning. For any emergency, dial 911.

Sunscreen, a hat, beach towels, and cash or a card for parking and Atlantic Beach Park attractions are recommended. Water shoes can help on hot sand, and a cooler with water and snacks is useful since concessions add up over a full beach day.

Arrive early, ideally before mid-morning, on summer weekends to secure parking, since the roughly 2,400-space lot regularly fills by 10:30 a.m. Weekday visits are notably quieter. Pair a beach morning with an afternoon at neighboring Atlantic Beach Park, or extend the day with a stop in nearby Watch Hill.

Dial 911 for any emergency. Specific direct-line contact information for Misquamicut State Beach's park office was not confirmed in the sources consulted; check riparks.ri.gov for current contact details.

Rhode Island State Parks - Misquamicut State Beach - https://riparks.ri.gov/beaches/misquamicut-state-beach

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.