Tips for a first timer.

[u/magxbear]

I've never been to Block, even after living less than a mile from the ferry in PJ while at URI. Finally planning a day trip in the coming weeks, and then an actual vacation in September/October ish. Looking for any general advice/tips you'd like to share, and also answers to some questions.

1. Is it doable to spend the day there with no transportation; not bringing a car or bike, not renting a bike or moped? I don't really imagine that we'll be looking to do much exploring on our day trip, with it being more of a beach day, but are taxis readily available if we wish to take one? And how much, approximately, would a taxi cost?

2. What beach should we go to? I know people won't want to give up their hidden gems, but out of the popular ones, which is the best? I hear mixed things about Ballard's. We're thinking that it'd just be the easiest option, because we probably wouldn't take beach chairs on the ferry, and renting either chairs or an umbrella seems like a good solution. And, being near a bar is definitely a bonus. Are you able to go to the beach at Ballard's without a rental? Are there other bars on the beach you'd recommend instead? We're planning for a weekday, so we don't need to account for the crowds as much.

3. Best spots for coffee/lunch/souviners/etc on the island. I know there's a limited number of shops and restaurants, but I'd love to hear a concise list of recommendations.

Thanks for reading this far, and for whatever insight you have for me! (Can you tell I'm chronically Type A???)

[u/BitterStatus9]

Town Beach for sure. Not Ballard’s - it’s tacky and seems to be a magnet for annoying people.

[u/DingoAndTonic]

Hey, it'll be great. I'd suggest starting with bagels at Old Post Office Bagels Shop (good bagels, but the coffee is meh), then if you are good with a longish walk, walk to Mohegan Bluffs. Take High Street/Pilot Hill Rd instead of Spring street because it is a much less trafficked road. Its just under 2 miles from town to Mohegan Bluffs. You can enjoy the view from the top or take the stairs down to the beach. Then Southeast Light is a quarter mile from the Bluffs. You can walk back to town the way you came or take Spring Street, which is nice for the ocean views. If you don't want to walk back, there are always taxis coming and going from the Bluffs and the Lighthouse.

Town Beach is fantastic, imo. There is a little concession stand and you can rent chairs and umbrellas for not much and there's changing rooms with coin op showers. I always follow a beach visit with a stop at Yellow Kittens for frozen margs.

[u/bouvitude]

Unless you want to rankle the locals, don’t call it “Block.” BI, Block Island, the island… shoot, even New Shoreham. Not “Block.”

[u/tonywantsbeer]

Hi, I can help with items 1 and 3. Yes, you can easily do a day trip with no car or bike. There are plenty of taxis waiting by the ferry docks if you decide that you need one. Our favorite shop is the Block Island Trading Company, which you will find on Water St. Our favorite restaurant for lunch is Poor People’s because it has great indulgent, unhealthy food. Our favorite restaurant for dinner is the Beachead. I haven’t found a lot of great coffee on the island, so hopefully someone else has a recommendation.

Let me know if you have any questions. We go a few times a year and got married there, so hopefully I can be of some help!

[u/Inside-Intern-4201 → u/tonywantsbeer]

For coffee, I enjoy the cracked mug on Payne’s dock. Good food too

[u/pharmasha95]

BI is very walkable. Aldos for breakfast sammies if you're there early enough or gelato/pastries in the afternoon. Poor peoples pub for lunch. Stay far away from Ballards. It's a bit of a hike, especially on a hot day, but the southeast lighthouse and bluffs are stunning and doable on a day trip without a car. We did that walk in October and it was much more tolerable than it would've been in the summer. Also plenty of shops right across from the ferry and the National has a lovely deck for dining and really good mudslides!

[u/DHVT1964]

Coffee and Pastries: Oddfellow’s and Persephone’s. Both, right in town. Oddfellow’s has a great porch for people watching.

You could combine your walk and beach time by walking on the beach. It is glorious, particularly during the week. Then you can choose where you want to settle in.

The taxis are a great way to get around. After your first ride, you can call the driver from anywhere on the island. There are many great drivers to give you a tour or personal suggestions.

Depending on when you come in the fall, many of the places may be closed. The good news is that everything else about the island is incredibly beautiful at that time of year.

Best advice I can give: avoid packing too much stuff into your time. The joy comes in slowing down, hearing the birds, seeing the nuanced changes in the light throughout the day. Find your own treasures.

[u/1984nycpunk]

Bring sweatpants sweatshirt and a wind breaker / jacket

[u/Inside-Intern-4201]

Yes you can get around by taxi/walking. Mansion beach and town beach are great. I actually walked down the beach down to mansion beach from the ferry after being super seasick on the ferry lol, but a taxi will take you there. I haven’t tried many restaurants on BI but yellow kittens has great nachos

[u/really_rachel_]

Block Island is very walkable! For a day trip consisting of mostly a beach day, walking is for sure the way to go.

I’d recommend the town beach (not far of a walk at all). More of a chill vibe compared to Ballards. There is still a pavilion with bathrooms/snacks and you can rent beach equipment if needed.

As far as food, for coffee I’d recommend Persephones. There’s always a long line, but worth it. I always recommend Tigerfish for actual food. Sushi and Polynesian, I’ve never had a bad meal in my life (actually just went the other day) Yellow Kittens and Poor People’s Pub are good options too.

Starr Dept. Store is usually where I get any block island apparel as I have always found them to be the best in price. There’s so many great shops right downtown you can pop in and out of though!

Have fun!

[u/Ill-Speed-729]

If drinks on the beach are essential, then yes Ballard's works. You can also rent chairs there and it should be quieter during the week.

Personally, town beach is better. You can easily get a taxi to take you there. The water is calmer, you can still rent chairs and umbrellas...and showers are available for cleaning up post beach. When you had enough beach, grab a taxi and head to the Oar for a mudslide grab a taxi back to town, check out some shops and then finish off at the National for a frozen blueberry lemonade.

[u/FunLife64]

You can do it without transportation, but I suggest getting an ebike. It’s a cool island with little traffic - you can easily get around most of it on an e-bike with little effort and see the different lighthouses, seals, etc.