Dates visited: 7/11/2022 & 8/23/2024

This is the very busy area encountered as you disembark the Block Island Ferry. It is a bustling place filled with little inns, restaurants, and shops. Since we didn't bring the car, and can't rent bikes or mopeds with the dogs, this was the only area we were able to explore. We actually followed a self-guided Walking Tour that was pretty good. We visited various places along the tour, but these pictures below are from the Welcome Center and some of the streets around town.

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This was our second trip to Block Island. We didn't take as many pictures around the ferry landing this time. The purpose of this trip was to visit the beaches. Surf Beach was the first stop on the visit, and very close to the ferries. High tide must have been just before our arrival, as we couldn't pass through the whole beach. We had to take a detour on Dodge Street and Corn Neck Road, and some of the pictures below are from those streets. Also included here are photos from the ferry while we were waiting to disembark on arrival, and depart on our departure.

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Date visited: 7/11/2022

This a short trail up to a pavilion that provides a nice view of the ocean (hence the name). There is also a sandy trail that goes down a steep hill to a beach. This beach is just south of Ballard's Beach Resort and I believe is on Block Island Land Trust land, and not related to the resort. There is a flimsy plastic looking fence seperating the two areas.

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Date visited: 7/11/2022

This is a farm and garden which was a stop on our self guided Walking Tour. The farm features an impressive display of animals including goats, camels, and even kangaroos amongst many more. There is also a garden area here as well.

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Date visited: 7/11/2022

The is a small preserve with no trails, maintained by Block Island Land Conservancy. We used it as a resting spot, taking a break by sitting at the picnic tables. There is a scenic salt pond, that was impossible to get a picture of it with the dogs in it. There is also nice views of Surf Beach across the street.

Dates visited: 7/11/2022 & 8/23/2024

Sometimes it's hard to figure out the names of beaches, as multiple beaches seem to run into each other. According to my All-Trails map, this area is called Surf Beach. The beach was a bit mucky in places, and not as nice as the beach behind Ocean View Pavilion, but this one is much easier to access as you don't have to climb down a steep, sandy trail. Instead, there are stair cases that lead down to this area from the street. It also connects to the Ferry landing spot and the area around the visitor center. It was a great spot for the dogs to cool off. Also, that's a seal popping his head out of the water on the left side of the first picture!

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This trip to Block Island was all about the beaches. We walked three miles of beach and back, from the main part of town near the ferry port, up the eastern shore of the island. This was the first beach on the route, and also one we visited on on our previous trip to Block Island. The rest of the walk included Fred Benson Town Beach, Scotch Beach, and Mansion Beach.

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Dates visited: 8/23/2024

This was the second of four beaches on our Block Island beach adventure. This is probably the most popular beach on the island. It's a 20 minute walk from the ferries, has crystal clear water, and mild waves that are great for families. It goes without saying that leashed dogs are allowed here too, like most (if not all) of the Block Island beaches. We connected from Surf Beach on our way here, so we did not check out the amenities. I've read there is a beach house with bathrooms and showers (I believe there is a charge for the showers). There is also a food stand as well. This was the busiest stretch of beach on our walk. While it's hard to know exactly where one beach begins and the next one ends, we headed to Scotch Beach next, and then Mansion Beach.

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Dates visited: 8/23/2024

This is the section of beach between Fred Benson Town Beach and Mansion Beach. The waves are bit bigger here than the Town Beach. It is also not as busy.

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Dates visited: 8/23/2024

This was the fourth beach on our Block Island adventure, and my favorite of the day. There used to be a mansion on the property, but it burned down in the 1960's and wasn't re-built - hence the name. This is a moderately busy beach. We didn't check out the amenities, but it is said to have actual rest rooms, but no food concessions. When you walk three miles of beach, it's hard to know where one beach ends and the next one starts. We actually walked a bit past what's marked as the north end of this beach on Google Maps. There is a rocky area here, that is a beautiful spot for photos. We took a few moments to just sit back and relax here, as this was our turn around point for our three mile walk back. The entire three mile stretch (including Surf Beach, Fred Benson Town Beach and Scotch Beach) includes some of the most beautiful beaches we've visited. It's also wonderful that dogs are allowed year round. It's just too bad it takes a boat ride to get here!

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