Misquamicut State Beach

Before the storms, this stretch was a thriving Victorian-era resort known as Pleasant View, lined with grand hotels, cottages, and beachfront amusements by the early 1900s. The community formally took the name Misquamicut in 1928. Then came September 21, 1938, when the Great New England Hurricane roared ashore without warning and drove a storm surge said to reach seventeen feet across the low-lying beach. Nearly the entire four-mile shoreline was swept clean of buildings. The next day the local paper's headline said it plainly: Misquamicut, wiped out.

It was not a single disaster but a pattern. Hurricanes battered this coast again in 1944 and once more with Hurricane Carol in 1954, each time tearing away homes, hotels, and whatever had been rebuilt in between. Along the shore you can still find quiet reminders of the vanished resort, like old concrete steps that now climb to nothing, remnants of cottages the sea carried off.

After decades of watching private buildings rise and then be destroyed, the state decided the shoreline should belong to everyone. Following the repeated devastation, the governor began condemnation proceedings to acquire the storm-battered land, and out of that effort Misquamicut State Beach was created in 1959.

It was a fitting outcome for such a hard-luck coast. Where hotels and cottages had been swept away time and again, the state built a durable public beach with parking, bathhouses, and lifeguarded swimming, land that could take a storm and simply be reopened rather than rebuilt from scratch. What the hurricanes destroyed for private owners, they ultimately preserved for the public.

Today the beach is pure, uncomplicated summer. The sand is soft and wide, the surf is warm and gentle by New England standards, and the half-mile of open shoreline gives families room to breathe even on a busy day. Lifeguards, restrooms, and showers make it an easy place to spend a full day with kids in tow.

Just behind the state beach, the Misquamicut strip keeps the old seaside-resort spirit alive with a vintage carousel that has turned since the early 1900s, along with mini-golf, water slides, and arcade games. When you want something quieter, the elegant village of Watch Hill and the wild sand spit of Napatree Point are a short drive west, so the area offers everything from carousel music to solitary dune walks within a few miles of the same parking lot.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Misquamicut State Beach, in Westerly, Rhode Island, is one of the largest and most popular beaches in the state, a broad and lively stretch of sandy Atlantic shore in the far southwestern corner of Rhode Island. This classic summer beach draws crowds for its wide sandy shore, ocean swimming, and vibrant seaside atmosphere, with the nearby beach town offering amusements, arcades, mini golf, and eateries that add to the fun. Its long sandy beach and festive summer scene make it a favorite family destination. A wonderful and lively ocean beach, it delights visitors. With its sand and seaside fun, Misquamicut offers a rewarding destination in Rhode Island.

You can swim in the ocean, sunbathe on the wide sandy shore, walk the long beach, and enjoy the nearby beach town's amusements, arcades, mini golf, and eateries that make it a lively family spot. The broad sandy beach, the ocean swimming, the festive seaside atmosphere, and the nearby amusements are the draws, making it a favorite for a fun-filled beach day. Its combination of beach and boardwalk-style fun suits families. With its sand and seaside fun, Misquamicut State Beach offers a rewarding experience in Westerly, Rhode Island.

Misquamicut is a popular ocean beach with lifeguards in season, but the Atlantic surf and currents mean swimming with care matters, so swimming near lifeguards, heeding their guidance and any flags or warnings, watching for rip currents, and supervising children closely are all important. Being realistic about swimming in the ocean waves is wise. Swimming near lifeguards and respecting ocean conditions ensure a safe, enjoyable day at Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island.

The warm months of summer are the prime beach season, when the water is warmest, lifeguards are on duty, the beach-town amusements are open, and the scene is at its liveliest, while late spring and early fall offer pleasant, quieter beach days. Because beach services and the nearby amusements are seasonal, checking current information and arriving early on busy summer days are wise. For the liveliest beach days, aim for summer, or enjoy quieter shoulder-season visits, at Misquamicut State Beach in Rhode Island.

Misquamicut State Beach is in Westerly, Rhode Island, in the far southwestern corner of the state, within reach of the Watch Hill area with its Flying Horse Carousel and Napatree Point, downtown Westerly, and the South County shore. That makes Misquamicut State Beach a rewarding stop to combine with Watch Hill and the other attractions of the Westerly area on a visit to Rhode Island.