Taking Back South County

Sure, July and August are fantastic months in southern Rhode Island. The weather is gorgeous, the water is warm, the dark and stormys are flowing... but the lines are in full force at every restaurant, the beach traffic is backed all the way up Route 4, and if you’re actually planning on making your way to the shore to enjoy it, you’d better leave your house at 7am.

Don’t get me wrong – tourists are an invaluable part of our economy, and we’d be selfish to not want to share our embarrassment of coastal riches with them – but now that they’ve cleared out, it’s pretty nice to be able to enjoy the last of the warm weather without them. Here are 20 ways to get the most out of the rest of the summer.

1. Take a Helicopter Tour
If you’ve seen all of Rhode Island by land and boat, it’s time to take to the air. Bird’s Eye View Helicopters offers aerial tours of Aquidneck Island, the Newport Mansions, Narragansett Bay and all of the local lighthouses. Or, if just being carted around in a helicopter isn’t enough of an adventure for you, learn to fly one with an introductory lesson. 211 Airport Access Road, Middletown. 843-8687.

2. Visit an Island
Block Island isn’t just a summer playground – it’s gorgeous in the fall, too, and has the added bonus of being significantly less crowded. The Fast Ferry leaves from Point Judith daily through December, and has you on the island in 30 minutes. The Taste of Block Island is happening September 26-28. Besides discounts at island restaurants and wine and beer tastings, there is a whole weekend of fun happening, plus off-season rates at some hotels.

3. Drink at a Beach Bar
If you avoided the boozy Misquamicut Strip during the summer months, we really can’t blame you. But now, there’s nothing stopping you from wandering in off the beach, settling yourself in an Adirondack chair at The Andrea, and enjoying a rum punch or two. Paddy’s and The Windjammer are also open through September, but they’re weather dependent – basically, if it’s a nice day, you’re good to go – but it doesn’t hurt to call first. The Andrea: 89 Atlantic Avenue, Misquamicut. 348-8788
Paddy’s: 159 Atlantic Avenue, Misquamicut. 596-2610.
The Windjammer: 321 Atlantic Avenue, Misquamicut. 322-0504.

4. Ride a Bike
Maybe you’re not exactly the passionately athletic type. If you’re not signing up for
IronMan competitions just for the fun of it, you might enjoy a slightly easier form of exercise. Try electric biking. Pedego Electric Bikes in Wickford rents powered bicycles by the hour – you’re still pushing the pedals, but you’ve got a little boost behind you when you’re headed up a hill. It’s most of the workout with half of the work – but still enough to earn yourself an ice cream reward after- wards. 1 Brown Street, Wickford. 675-2000.

5. Head to the Valley
Yawgoo Valley (below) is a tourist destination in both summer and winter, but the fall is just for us. While the water park remains open until Labor Day, September boasts three fun events for locals: Dawgie Pawdle dog swim on the 6th, BoldrDash on the 13th and the Exeter Fall Festival on the 20th. 160 Yawgoo Valley Road, Exeter.



6. Find Your Om
While Natural Fitness's beach yoga winding down come Labor Day (run out and try it if you can), indoor classes can still be taken at the beachside studio. 76 Narragansett Avenue, Narragansett.

7. Take a Staycation
You probably couldn’t afford a stay at a five-star hotel in Newport in July, but all
that changes after Labor Day. The Chanler at Cliff Walk (which overlooks First Beach and is home to the impeccable Spiced Pear restaurant), The Inn at Castle Hill (with its rolling lawn perfect for seaside cocktails and its fine dining establishment inside) and Vanderbilt Grace (with a roof deck above - pictured below) and Muse by Jonathan Cartwright inside) all offer off-season deals and staycation packages. In Watch Hill, the Ocean House has put together a winemaker’s weekend where you can bottle your own blend at Jonathan Edwards Winery, then share (or not share) your creation afterwards.
The Chanler: 117 Memorial Boulevard, Newport. 847-1300.
Castle Hill: 590 Ocean Drive, Newport. 849-3800.
Vanderbilt Grace: 41 Mary Street, Newport. 846- 6200.
Ocean House: 1 Bluff Avenue, Westerly. 584-7000.

8. Be a Beach Bum
Earlier this year, we caused some waves (see what we did there?) when we published a story about South County’s secret beaches. While we’re sorry if we blew up your secret spot, the good news is that you don’t need it for the rest of the season. Venture back to Scarborough Beach to remind yourself how fun it is to splash in those waves, or hang with the surfers on Narragansett Town Beach, without having to park five miles away and hike in.

9. Hit the Water on a Kayak
If you prefer water sports to sittin on the beach, visit the Kayak Centre. This water sports outfitter in Wickford offers daily demos and several popular kayak instruction programs. Every weekend, the centre offers Oceanplay classes, which are daylong excursions that teach different kayak skills. There are six different workshops – all of which offer lunch – including one for kids only. 9 Phillips Street, Wickford. 295-4400.



10. Eat Local
The hottest table in South County on a summer day is Matunuck Oyster Bar. If you’ve ever tried to go on a Saturday afternoon, only to discover there was a two hour wait, you know that particular pain. Matunuck Oyster Bar serves delicious local seafood, with vegetables from the restaurant’s own farm. The oysters, straight from the restaurant’s oyster flats in Salt Pond, don’t get any fresher. Once the tourist crowd heads back to, well, wherever they came from, there’s a lot more room for us locals, both inside and out on the waterfront patio. 629 Succotash Road, South Kingstown. 783-4202.

11. Tour Narragansett Bay from the Water
Now through Columbus Day, Rhode Island Bay Cruises offers a Lighthouse Cruise and Newport Harbor Tour. The cruise showcases 10 iconic Rhode Island lighthouses and some of the state’s most beautiful properties, like Castle Hill and Hammersmith Farm in Newport, as well as up-close views of several of Narragansett Bay’s small islands like Rose, Goat and Prudence. 1347 Roger Williams Way, North Kingstown. 295-4040.

12. Go on an Adventure
While the weather is still warm, exhaust your inner thrill seeker by renting a jet ski or a scooter at Gansett Rides. What’s better than a jaunt down Ocean Road with the wind in your hair? Speeding unencumbered through the waves. Get it out of your system now before the winter sets in and your adventure-seeking gets you frostbite. 145 Boon Street #7, Narragansett. 363-9550.

13. Clam Up
You know what it’s like: you’ve spent a long day basking in the sun at the beach. You’ve
got salt on your skin and sand between your toes. The only thing in the world that you want is a basket of perfectly fried clams, with a side of clam cakes and chowder. Yeah, you and the 200 other people in front of you in line at that clam shack. What you might not realize is that most of the clam shacks in South County are open well into the fall, some year-round. Champlin’s in Galilee is one of the year-round places. Fish comes straight off the boat, into the fryer, to be enjoyed by you (even in the coldest temperatures) while you watch the Block Island Ferry set sail. The same at the other delicious Galilee mainstay, George’s of Galilee (calamari pictured above) which has a huge patio perfect for sipping a Dark and Stormy and watching the waves come in off Salty Brine Beach.
Champlin’s in Galilee: 256 Great Island Road, Narragansett. 783-3152.
George’s of Galilee: 250 Sand Hill Cove Road, Narragansett. 783-2306.

14. Treat Yo'Self
Yes sure, you can technically get ice cream at any time of the year, but nothing tastes better than a cone enjoyed in the sunshine. When it's made locally from farm fresh ingredients, even better. Brickley's (two locations in Narragansett and Wakefield) closes down for the season in October, so you’d better enjoy the seasonal flavors while they last. The same goes for St. Clair Annex (141 Bay Street, Watch Hill. 348-8407) and Aunt Carrie’s (1240 Ocean Road, Narragansett. 783-7930). Make sure you enjoy at least one more scoop while the weather holds out.

15. Join the Coast Guard
After a long, involuntary absence from the local dining scene (thanks, Hurricane Sandy) The Coast Guard House is finally, fully reopened. While the dining room is open year round – and after the storm renovations has a better ocean view than ever – the deck has the added benefit of Vitamin D while you sip your cocktail. Now that the crowds have dispersed, you have plenty of time to stay and enjoy a second one before heading downstairs to watch the sunset over dinner. 40 Ocean Road, Narragansett. 789-0700.