OT: Best Northeast Beaches

[8893]

For surf in the area, you want The Lighthouse at Point Judith near Narragansett. And Ruggles out in Newport. Lighthouse is a rocky point, and Ruggles is a rocky stretch as well, so you have to be pretty proficient. But the waves break best here of anywhere imo. Surfed for 20 years, so have some experience.

EDIT: Also, the best surf I've had in NE is out on Block Island during hurricane swells. South West Point. Black Rock too. All very rocky too of course.

Yeah, I know Green Hill Beach is not the prime surfing in the area; I just know that I see surfers there when there is decent surf, which is often. Some of them are pretty good, but most of them seem to be intermediate types. And it is a relatively small area.

Personally, I'm just all about the boogie boarding, so I don't need the waves to be that crazy. Just rideable and frequent enough.

And I'm not crazy about boogie boarding around too many surfers; they need a lot of space and I'm often in it.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

@Kitaman , I'm sorry that Blue Shutters didn't work out for you. It was such a perfect beach day late in a summer that has been short on them, and it was a Saturday, so I guess it shouldn't be a surprise. I know my wife tries to target getting there before 10:00 on the few occasions when she goes up there on a weekday with our daughters, so Saturdays must require going a bit earlier to be safe.

For future reference, if carrying a bike is an option for you, a very nice and well-kept secret is Green Hill Beach in South Kingstown, just on the other side of Charlestown from Blue Shutters. There are only about 8-10 public parking spaces there and they are usually filled very early (especially when it's a good surfing day), but less than a mile straight up Green Hill Beach Road there is Green Hill Park, a public town park that has a parking lot that no one uses. You can drop off Mrs. Kita and all your beach stuff right at the entrance to Green Hill Beach and then go park at Green Hill Park and roll on your bike back down to the beach. When it's time to go, you just ride back to the car and return with it to pick up Mrs. Kita and your stuff.

It's a great little low-key beach in a great little low-key beach neighborhood where we've rented a house for a week at least every other summer for the past ten years or so. The lack of public parking keeps the crowds down, and it only gets crazy crowded for around three hours on peak Saturday afternoons, so unless you're arriving then space on the beach should not be an issue. And you are rewarded by relative solitude once 4:00 rolls around, so if you want to stay through sunset you'll have it mostly to yourselves, except maybe some surfers if the surf is up.

This is an awesome, winning tip. I actually got a space when somebody left just after I'd decided to chance being 2 cars beyond the sign just to check it out. There were quite a few bikes, so it gave me ideas, and now I know where to park.

On short notice, yesterday became my first ever Rhode Island beach recon day, and with a txt sent by a friend to ex-brother-in-law and nephews, I got recommendation for Breachway, Green Hill, and Moonstone. I was already aiming at Charlestown. I liked them all, though Moonstone threatens a $50 ticket and/or tow for those without permit, unless after September 15th.

I also happily walked a decent stretch of packed sand at East Matunuck, and made a quick peek at South Kingston & Matunuck, the latter looking like it might be good for a bar fight later in the day.

Next trip, I'll go to Blue Shutters, Ninigret, and Naptree. I think these might be most what I'm looking for. Misquamicut I know from days way old. Weekapaug also. Off season, they are probably fine as well, and a bit closer.

As to food, Bakery was closed on Tuesday, Matunuck Oyster's valet parking wasn't the vibe I wanted, so I headed back hone, as planned all along. Problem was that Buffalina kept closed yesterday (which I learned when I called to make a reservation after I was on the road) so I ended up getting fried scallops at Johnny Ad's after they told me the whole belly clams were small. They were guite good.

I'd still like some clams this summer. Where best between New Haven & Westerly?

 

[8893]

I'd still like some clams this summer. Where best between New Haven & Westerly?

Clam Castle in Madison.

PS: They also have excellent clam chowder, both NE and RI style. The latter is my favorite, but both benefit from a very healthy amount of bacon. Their lobster bisque is also great.

PSS: In what appears to be a trend at many of the fried seafood places, they also now offer the option to have most of their seafood (except clams) prepared broiled or blackened, or even panko fried. I've had their cod prepared all ways and it has always been very good and fresh--and always pretty messy because the portion is so huge, especially the fish sandwich.