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Narragansett Town Beach
Categories: Active Life Beaches Active Life Swimming Pools Beaches, Swimming Pools [Edit]
170 Clarke RdNarragansett, RI 02882
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
16 reviews for Narragansett Town Beach
16 reviews in English
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Review from David P.
Ansonia, CT
8/21/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I'm from CT, and this is a 2-hour ride for me, but I haven't been to a beach in the area that I'd rather go to.
Crowded? Sure. But I don't have a problem with it, and I hate crowds. It's usually pretty easy to find a somewhat open area where you're not right on top of your neighbor.
The waves are the main reason we go. They're generally very good, and make boogie-boarding a blast. When the waves are really good, I can stay in the water all day!
It's easy to get annoyed at the fees ($10 parking plus $6/person to get on the beach), but the main reason I go is for the boogie-boarding. To me, it's like going on your favorite ride over and over again, as many times as you want, without having to wait in line. That's well worth the price of admission!
The only thing that bothers me here are the slobs who can't throw their garbage away when they leave. It's generally the younger (21 and under) crowd, but I've seen it enough times to be pretty sickened. It probably says more about this generation of young adults than it does about the beach, but it's very annoying. You shouldn't be leaving behind anything but your footprints. No excuse. -
Review from Carly B.
8/7/2011
Beach reviewing is tough.
Is it fair to critique a beach based on what you encounter on the most populated 20 weekend days of the year, and on the flip, is it fair to discount how a beach (which will always be a peaceful -and cheap- place to be 9 months out of the year) measures up against the rest on those sultry summer Saturdays? I dunno.
The summer crowds and double-whammy parking/admission cost at Narragansett Town Beach are a major deterrent for me. But by 6:00 PM, or after Labor Day, this is an entirely different beach. I tend to prefer the beaches that feel a bit more wild, bordered by sea grasses and not cars, but looking out to ocean with the view of the Towers in the periphery, and the proximity to a great walk along the sea wall are very cool and unique to this place - so Narragansett... -
Review from Amanda C.
6/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Greetings Everyone --- Beach Season Kicked Off for me Today! I decided to go down to Narragansett Beach because you really cannot beat the atmosphere.
Just a reminder to everyone, it is not a state beach so the price is a little steep --- $15 dollars to park and then another $6 per person to get into the beach. There is street parking available, but it is only 2 hour parking. Not that great if you plan on spending all day at the beach.
However, I guess the admission into the beach does improve the quality. You will frequently see people picking up garbage, the bathrooms are nice and the sidewalks are well swept. The Pavillon has food too at decent prices and a Dels Lemonade.
The only reason why it got a three star rating is more or less because of the life guards. If I cannot throw a ball in the water with my friends with out getting the whistle, can you please extend the same whistle to the family who decided to CHANGE THEIR SEVEN YEAR OLD SON ON THE BEACH. Seriously, gross. I could understand if it was a baby, which, I did see them change frequently on the beach, but a seven year old....naked for about 10 minutes...come on! -
Review from Gail B.
6/29/2011 1 photo
Expensive but nice. Well- maintained and some quieter areas if you look.
Truthfully, I like coming here in the off-season (Free!), especially in the fall, when the water temp is still nice and warm.
Some cute shops to poke around in if you get tired of the sand and sea (some people seem to want to shop no matter what! LOL)
And yeah, we like to come down after a big storm and watch all the waves and surfers.Listed in: Swimmin' Spots in RI
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Review from Chris R.
Narragansett, RI
Updated - 1/10/2011 6 Check-ins Here
This is a curious listing.
RI State Beaches located in the Town of Narragansett are:
Salty Brine State Beach (formerly Galilee)
Scarborough State Beach
Roger Wheeler State Beach
There is no Narragansett State Beach.
There is however, a Narragansett Town Beach. Owned and operated by the Town of Narragansett.
Just a little FYI fellow Yelpers.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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9/1/2010
Rocking waves last weekend. Perhaps one of the BEST beach days EVER.
Thank you hurricane Danielle.
… Read more »
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Review from Caitlin C.
Boston, MA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
My bestie and I came here to learn how to surf with Peter Pan Surf Academy, and I was definitely impressed. Sure, it stinks that you can't park in their lot unless you have a pass, that you have to pay $6 to even go on the beach (beach passes are only available at the pavilions, FYI) and that their food is expensive, but for a clean beach with lifeguards who actually take their jobs seriously and a dedicated area just for surfing, i'll take it.
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Review from Leah W.
8/5/2011
I see no reason to pay $6 for a day pass so I can bob up and down in the surf with a trillion other people like our own Rhode Island trash reef. The sand is crammed on the hottest days of the year. If paying your way into a sardine can of a beach is your thing, by all means, have at it. You wont see me there!
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Review from Eric G.
Berkeley, CA
4/10/2007
First beach I ever went to.
Age 1 or so.
And many, many visits after that. Our family lived about an hour away, so following proper Rhode Island procedure, we packed up chairs, coolers, sandwiches, grapes, juice, water, lip balm, towels, sheets, umbrellas, sunscreen, baby oil, sunglasses, shovels, buckets, sand molds, rope, hats, potato chips, fins, floats, combs and brushes, sweatshirts, extra socks, underwear, Tonka trucks, bread, cookies, lemonade, Cheez-its, cameras, GI Joes, and every ingredient needed to make 3 kinds of sandwiches.
No, we didn't make the sandwiches at home. We brought ham, turkey, chicken salad, cheese, condiments, bread, lettuce, tomatoes, chips. and made the sandwiches FRESH-- right there on the beach.
Got to the beach by 11, stayed about 6 hours or until we were burnt to a crisp cuz they didn't have Bullfrog back then. Good times!! -
Review from Felecia W.
Newport, RI
1/3/2008
I kind of don't want to review this, cause I don't want it anymore crowded! Let me just say this, I DONT think ANYONE should have to pay to walk on sand! HOWEVER, if you do pay, go sit with the rest of the tourists near the main pavilion and leave us locals to our locals chair, which I wont mention cause its ours!!! :) I don't mean to be an ass, but go to scarborough! HAHAHHAA!
Im only giving 4 stars due to the head count and the whole paying to get on the beach thing. -
Review from Tu D.
Milpitas, CA
7/7/2006 1 photo
What a beautiful, clean beach!
As opposed to the water on the west coast, the water on the east coast is wonderfully warm. And this beach was wonderfully clean!
It's so refreshing to smell clean ocean air. I had a headache from the flight over, but the ocean air cured me!
There are no trash cans here. The rule is that you take your trash with you. So make sure you bring a plastic bag. If you don't they will provide you with one.
There are life gaurds and food stands so you can spend all day here. -
Review from Jimmy H.
Boston, MA
7/27/2009
Weeeeell.... I came here with much anticipation having seen how beautiful it was during off season.
And it wasn't full disappointment or satisfying. There are parts I liked as well as parts I hated.
1. Parking. They take quite a measure to keep out of towners out. Parking lots near the both north and south pavilions were for local residence only. So we had to go up & down Ocean st for half an hour to find a parking spot. I need more research on this.
2. Facilities. These are good amenities. Place where we can get changed as well as plenty of shower to rinse off the sand. I found that $5 is absolutely reasonable. Food stands are overpriced but it's nothing out of ordinary.
3. Beach. Fuckin' awesome. Having used to calm ocean of Nahant, MA, being splashed and smothered by rough waves was absolutely fun! FYI, southern side of the beach is absolutely clusterfuck. Many people pretty much lying next to each other even they are stranger to each other. Having used to open space in Massachusetts Beach, this almost gave me claustrophobic. So we walked further north to find open space.
I was leaning toward to give 3 stars but waves boosted the impression way up. I'd like to come back again.
Also! They have surfing lesson at the beach. I definitely want to try that next time!!!!
We don't get that around here in Massachusetts. Rhode Island rules!!! (in summer, at least)Listed in: Official List for Beach Rats
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Review from Amy C.
San Diego, CA
6/5/2008
I love how all the reviews of this beach are from people in California! I love this beach and am starting to get excited for my trip home this summer. i have gone to this beach as a small girl, a college student at URI and almost a good 5 years after that.
One of my favorite beaches of all time! -
Review from Sis Y.
Washington, RI
1/12/2011
I'm cheap. What do you want? With all the natural localities in Rhode Island and all the many beaches this is never the first choice of beach for me. I don't surf. I don't like wading for a long long time to get to the deep part of the beach water. And I definitely refuse to pay for the beach.
I come here in the Fall, Winter and Spring when I'm bored; after Labor Day and before Memorial Day. This beach is where many surfers go, it can get some good waves in a relatively secure area. Want better waves? You'll have to risk the PJ Lighthouse. Some people go over to Monahan's Dock. Be careful of the rocks!
This place attracts tons of tourists in the summer. Winter, Summer no matter what season, people walk/jog the Wall to Narragansett Beach. And when the hurricanes come or the Nor' Easter' blows you will find every rubbernecker that craves danger. It's almost understandable, the Wall (almost) provides a comforting barrier against the smashing waves that can spray up the gutters and soak your foolish self from the back. Here's a tip: don't leave your car even if you see the Channel 10 News Van parked in The Coast Guard House parking lot.
One of the reasons that this beach can make you pay to park AND to get on to the beach is because (Like Chris R. says,) it's a TOWN beach. The town of Narragansett owns and manages it, not DEM. DEM runs the state beaches which typically only charges for parking. Which is why I always walk to my favorite beach. And almost like Felecia W. I won't reveal my favorite beach just like I won't tell where my favorite blueberry picking spot is. I don't want them ruined by the burgeoning throngs.
This is the Ocean State. If you can't find a quiet nook at the water's edge you are making a point of not looking.
BUT if you like the herd of human flesh and the overwhelming smell of SPF 30, huge umbrellas and the heat coming down and rising this is an excellent place for you. It always amazes me when I forget it's summer and I drive by Pier Beach (which is what we used to call it,) and see the people packed together tight.
Some people like it that way. -
Review from Dawn A.
Seattle, WA
Oh, Narragansett Town Beach, how I love you. Sure, you're crowded with highschoolers searching to claim their territory by chair 2 or 3 but you're so much more than that when I take a walk further down to the less populated areas by the dunes. So many happy memories of RI beach days are here for me and I will continue to visit for years to come.
Listed in: Things that Make me Miss RI
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Review from Paul m.
Randolph, MA
8/4/2010
For New England this is about as good as it gets (remember it's all relative to where you have been out of state to compare this beach to). When I say that I mean you can't compare it to Huntington Beach or Newport Beach in Cali. You don't have a beautiful main street with a modern updated look with great cafes or bars and stores nor do you have a place for concerts literaly overlooking the beach that anybody can watch up and look at. Nor do you have tons of beach volleyball courts (very important) great waves or the strand the strip of pavement that cuts through the beach where everyone is rollerblading, running, walking or doing something fun. Oh that doesn't include the hot looking babes. So ok calm down now, what you get is a pretty beach with the "Towers" and the nice sailboats along the shoreline and sometimes good waves to body board and def not use a surfboard and nowhere in the summer can you do that on the east coast. No volleyball so thats def one star down for that and a decent tasting snack bar as in average but long waits. People are regular friendly crowd some high school kids mixed with families no women between 25 - 35 in fact I don't have a clue to what beach if any they go to. Parking is on the tougher side on weekends def don't get here after 10:30 or you risk the long travel for nada during the week unless it is 100 out don't worry about parking during the week. Oh last time it was $5 walk in beach fee which I can't stand it when palces do that on top of the 8 bucks I paid for the parking. I was told that in dead of winter this is the beach on the east coast you can yes actually surf real waves but thats according to a buddy that does surf competitions out in cali and went to the same beaches as me. FYI Misquamicut has some good waves but like with any beach check online if it is high tide you wont fine waves anywhere to be found. Snack bar the grilled chickend sandwiches were around $6.50 and were easily enough for two and trust me i have a monster appetite. There is a decent ice cream place for after the beach thats heading away from the post office direction going the other way I forget the name just yelp Narragansett and ice cream. So yes it is better then Nantasket, warmer waters to body board then Hampton Beach in NH but no honkey talk stuff or vball like there but I still give Narragansett higher grades, Second Beach day I went really great waves but $20 weekend parking and snobby people and all families and a few young couples def not for single young person crowd, Misquamicut great waves day I went hmmm i went for all but one hour but Paddy's is the social place there it's an outdoor bar it's by Mohegan and Foxwoods I mean within a half hour or so hmmm can't go on weekends unless according to locals you get there at 7:45am and from around boston that aint going to happen no way so yes on weekday no on weekends, singing beach north of boston one mile to beach and super pricey parking so no go and cold water, yah so that about does it Narragansett classy and not snoby and good waves and decent snack bar with decent parking just missing important volleyball and more of a social scene and more food options.
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Review from a v.
San Francisco, CA
4/2/2007
11 different countries and 24 different states, this is still one of my all-time favorite beaches. it was great growing up on it, except for the douche bags from all the high schools in the area. put some space between yourself and them and you've got yourself a great day.
