Rhode Island Lighthouses:
Narragansett Bay Western Side
and South Coast
Narragansett, Westerly, North Kingston, Warwick, Wickford,
and Jamestown
Photo Gallery Rhode Is West Side Lights
Conanicut Island and Prudence Island, along with many smaller islands divided Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay into two channels, the East Passage and the West Passage. With so many dangerous ledges and islands along the Narragansett Bay area and with Rhode Island’s rocky coastline, lighthouses were built to guide mariners and shipping traffic from Newport up into Providence. There are currently 21 lighthouses in total within Rhode Island to view.
The areas surrounding Jamestown (and Newport on the eastern side) became places for the extremely rich who made their fortunes in the 19th century, many from the whaling industry, and many as part of the infamous Triangle Trade where African slaves were traded in the West Indies for sugar and molasses, which was used for rum in Newport.
Point Judith, in Narragansett, guided many mariners along one of the most foggiest and dangerous areas on the coast, known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic". Watch Hill Light, the second oldest lighthouse, located on the most western edge of Rhode Island, guided mariners away from Westerly's treacherous rocky shoreline in stormy weather. Both areas resulted in many shipwrecks and maritime disasters, claiming many lives from those dangerous rocks and ledges.
Note: For stories of famous lighthouse events and folklore, check out the Lighthouse Stories section of this website. There you'll also find info on my book “New England Lighthouses: Famous Shipwrecks, Rescues, and Other Tales” with over 40 detailed stories and 160 accompanying images. Produced by publisher Schiffer Books. In the book you'll find detailed accounts of rescues by Ida Lewis, Rhode Island's famous lighthouse heroine. You'll also find two different stories of two famous maritime disasters and rescues that occurred locally, the famous steamship Larchmont disaster, and the sinking of the Metis. Both events helped to spark travel safety precautions we use today. |
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Rhode Island Lighthouses in the West Side Region Visitors Can Drive Or Hike To
Note: The lighthouses mentioned below that you can drive to can also be viewed from various boat tours offered, see Boat Tours below. Rhode Island has a very diverse set of state parks and recreation for its many visitors and local communities to enjoy.
Click any lighthouse link below to find out information about each lighthouse including historic snapshots, directions, more photos, and links for places to visit.
Best Viewed by Boat:
Rhode Island Lighthouses in the Western Region
Click any lighthouse link below to find out information about each lighthouse including historic snapshots, directions, more photos, and links for places to visit.
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Places to Visit
Rhode Island's West Side (heading northeast)
Westerly is a quaint resort area with its beaches and golf courses. The outer grounds of historic Watch Hill lighthouse are open to the public.
Narragansett is known as having four of the best beaches in Rhode Island. You can also visit the grounds year round of Point Judith Lighthouse.
Jamestown is a quaint island community connected by bridges from the Newport area to Conanicut Island. The grounds of Beavertail lighthouse, located in Beavertail State Park for picnicking and hiking.
Nearby,Newport across the bridge from Jamestown, has plenty of attractions for tourists to visit and explore, like some of the famous elaborate mansions from America’s 19th and 20th centuries.
To learn about Rhode Island’s aviation heritage, visit the Quonset Air Museum in North Kingston.
Wickford is a small coastal village that provides picturesque waterfront streets. In Wickford, there are diverse museums nearby like Smith’s Castle, The Gilbert Stuart Museum, The Seebee Museum, and The Casey Farm.
Warwick, provides plenty of recreational activities in its parks to enjoy along its nearly 40 miles of coastline.
As part of Rhode Island's Greenways system of hiking and biking trails, the Coventry Greenway is a 5-mile unpaved hiking trail along a former railway line that extends from Warwick, to Coventry.
Goddard State Park in Warwick, is Rhode Island's most popular "metropolitan" park with trees from all over the world. The Warwick Heritage Trail system is where you'll find plenty of examples of Victorian Era architecture. As you head out towards Warwick Harbor lighthouse, you can also visit the Aldrich Mansion, a seventy room French chateau structure along the way.
For indoor family fun, check out the 18-hole indoor Monster Mini Golf with glow in the dark, monster-themed decor, in Warwick, RI. For more artistic tastes, the Complements Art Gallery is one of the largest art galleries in New England, or visit the Historical Warwick Museum of Art that provides entertainment in the arts.
Boat Tours: Rhode Island's West Side Region: Westerly, Narragansett, Jamestown to Warwick
Boat cruises mentioned below offer many types of cruises. While some may offer specific lighthouse cruises, some will pass by specific lighthouses as part of charters, narrated wildlife and historic tours, ferrying passengers, whale watching, fishing tours and other types of excursions. Contact info is provided to help you plan your special trips to New England’s shorelines. Enjoy!
Rhode Island Bay Cruises
Offers weekly lighthouse tours in season.Their narrated cruise covers 10 Rhode Island Lighthouses in Narragansett Bay along with a complete Newport Harbor Tour.
347 Roger Williams Way
North Kingstown, RI 02852
(401) 295-4040
info@rhodeislandbaycruises.com
Lighthouses: Beavertail Lighthouse, Poplar Point Light, Plum Beach Lighthouse, Conanicut Light, Dutch Island Lighthouse, Plum Beach Light, Newport Harbor, Ida Lewis Light, Rose Island Light, Prudence Island Light, and Castle Hill Light.
Snappa Charters
Offers specific lighthouse tours around Narragansett Bay and to Block Island in addition to other adventure tours.
(401) 782-4040
22 Colvintown Rd.
Coventry, RI 02816
Home (401) 821-7373
Boat/Cell (401) 487-9044
Email:snappacharters@cox.net
Lighthouses: Block Island Southeast, Block Island North, Watch Hill, and Point Judith, Beavertail, Castle Hill, Lime Rock (Ida Lewis) Light, Newport Harbor, Rose Island, Prudence Island, Hog Island, Bristol Ferry, Conanicut Point, Poplar Point, Plum Beach, and Dutch Island, Sakonnet, Nayatt Point, Pomham Rocks, Conimicut, and Warwick lighthouse.
Argia Mystic Cruises
Offers a special lighthouse 1/2 day cruise aboard an 81-foot sailing schooner.
Schooner Wharf
15 Holmes Street
Mystic, CT 06355
Phone: 860-536-0416
Fax: 860-536-0000
Lighthouses: Morgan Point, Mystic Seaport’s replica of Brant Point, North Dumpling (NY), Latimer Reef (NY), Race Rock (NY), New London Ledge, New London Harbor, Watch Hill (RI), and Avery Point
Air Services
Action Airlines, (800) 243-8623 |
New England Airlines |
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Shoreline Aviation, |
Additional Resources
For All You Rhode Island Visitors