Americaâs smallest state leaves plenty to be discovered on a camping trip, from colonial towns to state parks.
Rhode Island may be small, but its campsites are mighty. The state offers something for everyone, so check into an RV park near the Roger Williams National Memorial and wander the Blackstone River Valley National Historic Park. History buffs can enter the Gilded Age with a Newport getaway, while urban explorers can embrace all things culture from a Providence campsite. If youâd rather glimpse rural Rhode Island, pick a direction, as well as a park, forest, or beach. You really canât go wrong, whether you rent an RV site near the George Washington Memorial State Forest or stick close to the coast in Narragansett.
Put Rhode Islandâs first state park first on your list of attractions. Not far from Pawtucket, this all-encompassing park lets campers design their own vacation, never far from the viewsâand beachesâof Olney Pond. Trails abound throughout the park, though how to traverse them is a decision best left to you. Horseback, mountain bikes, and good olâ hiking boots all do the trick.
Before you reach the Atlantic, a series of bays bookend eastern Rhode Island. As New Englandâs largest estuary, Narragansett Bay offers campers access to beaches and trailheads galore. To camp all the closer to the water, take the ferry from Bristol to Prudence Island. Meanwhile, further north, campsites near Goddard Memorial State Park get campers up close and personal with Greenwich Bay.
No visit to a coastal town is complete with a stop on the coast. Camp along Rhode Islandâs southern end, where log cabins and RV campsites pepper the shoreline. Make sâmores around a fire pit at Fishermenâs Memorial State Park before biking to Point Judith Lighthouse. Or, head to Burlingame State Park, where campsites come with tree coverage and views of Watchaug Pond.
Summer is the bestâbut busiestâseason to experience the full range of Rhode Islandâs outdoor activities. Maximize your camping options by planning a warm-weather getaway, when temperatures in Rhode Island hover in the 80s. Come fall, the Atlantic Ocean quickly cools down, so look beyond coastal campsites in the shoulder seasons. Both fall and spring are best suited for hiking and exploring Rhode Islandâs close-knit towns, while winter camping is all about cozy A-frames and snow sports.