My fiancée and I were spending the weekend in Mystic, CT and wanted to head to the beach for a few hours. We stumbled upon Misquamicut and it's really not that bad. One of the glaring problems is how much parking is for out of staters. $28 bucks is just a bit too much. The beach is very, very crowded, but people were nice, so it wasn't that big of a deal. The water was a bit cool, but that's to be expected around Labor Day. All in all, it's an okay beach, but still fun. One last thing, don't expect to find a lot of shells here, we only found one really tiny one! read more

its ok, i am sure some of you will consider it the bees knees, lots of cigarette butts and trash and the sand is pretty coarse but then again, the people are also a bit coarse too! Atlantic avenue is quite the fubar at the right time of day/week, so that scares me too. There are more beach type things going on, ice cream stands, the arcade, water slides batting cages, typical boardwalk stuff despite not being a boardwalk nor in new jersey. its not one of the private beaches in the area, so you do have to fight the crowds, with any luck you wont be fighting the crowds, actual fighting (see coarse people!) watch those rays. read more

One of the best beaches in New England due to the fact that it's clean the waves are awesome it really feels like you're a real beach compared to the ones in Connecticut or southern Cape Cod. And it's only $12 for out of state vehicles during the week. read more

Misquamicut Beach - Beaches Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

I'm bumping my review up a notch after visiting yesterday. The rocks we encountered 2 years ago were mostly gone so it must have been a storm thing? Anyhoo...the place was hopping as expected on a sunny summer weekend but we had no problems (trick is - get there around 9:20-9:30am or so, the lines have cleared out from the opening rush and the later rush isn't on yet). We had a great time! Low key (well...as low key as you're going to get on a crowded beach in the summer!) and fun. No bothers with anyone, fun waves, drinks and lunch at Paddy's and we left before the mass exodus. read more

Simply my favorite RI beach for a whole host of reasons not least of which, it is very close, easy to get to with minimal traffic and is a short 1hr. 45min car ride from the Greater Springfield MA area. I rent a beach house in Westerly every summer; it comes with several private beach passes obviating the necessity of using the public beach and the large crowds and issues that are prevalent at the height of the summer season. The beach is always clean, well maintained and parking in the assigned private lot is a hugh bonus when you have guests making it very very convenient. There are many good restaurants in the area and you are only a short ride to Watch Hill or Narragansett. In the off season on January 1st every year is the Penguin Plunge which I try not to miss as it is always fun to watch as a whole host of humanity take a quick dip in the ocean. There is a good reason Taylor Swift chose this area for her summer home and quite a home it is!!! read more

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This is the state beach area. It gets quiet busy here on a sunny summer day and it gets filled to capacity quickly. If you want a spot at the state beach you should definitely plan to get here early. Parking can be a bit pricey here. They have a playground & bathing facilities. The beach is Sandy and not rocky. It's a clean beach. There are plenty of amenities, other activities, and restaurants all within walking distance so it makes for a great home base for your beach day. If you get down to Misquamicut and find that the parking lot for the state beach is full there are lots of other lots where you can park and gain beach access. read more

I'm a big fan of this beach, with a short walking distance from parking lot which cost 20 for out of state vehicles, love the waves, clean smooth sand and there's food with in walking distance, but expensive. read more

Hmmm, let's see. You can't: Dig holes in the sand, play any kind of sport (or even toss a ball), fly a kite or any other beach activity that people would normally do while at a beach. If you have out of state plates, you will pay $28 to park, after waiting an hour in the 3 miles of traffic, only to find out that you are in Russia, at a Nazi Beach. read more

First thing you should know if you are from out of state is the parking fee is $28, $14 for the weekday. What do you get for that price? You get yelled at for running, digging a hole deeper than your ankle, throwing anything, no trash cans, and employees that cannot give you information about anything. With all the other beaches in the area that offer none of the hassle with better prices to park. I would avoid this place on the weekend. read more

This is one of the worst beaches I have ever been to. Every time that I have been, is it so crowded and everyone is on top of each other. Another negative side effect of the crowds is the high concentration of seagulls that lurk and come right onto your blanket. The sand is also pretty rough. The bathrooms at misquamicut are very disgusting. They are not kept clean at all and are basically a series of porter potties. The food that you can buy at the concession stand is overpriced and mediocre at best. I will never return to this beach. read more

My wife and I really dig this beach, it's the perfect spot for a 'beach day' when we want to go on an adventure and drive here (we live out of state). There is plenty of room to park and to find a spot in the sand. $30 is a little steep for parking but it's very well maintained there. The bathroom facilities and shower are solid and there is a decent snack bar. The water was super cold in July (definitely not the 72 degrees that was posted) but it was refreshing and the waves were great. There were jelly fish in August too, so watch out for those buggers. My only dig is that they are super strict on the rules - no balls, no drinking, no going out too far in the water, etc. I realize all these rules are the result of people being idiots though and getting hurt so it's probably for the best. read more

Misquamicut is a nice little beach - different from many of the other ones in Rhode Island. In November I helped with a beach cleanup after the "super storm" and it was great to see that the beach is open and flourishing this summer! There's a lot of parking, which is nice, and several access points from the parking lot to the beach. The waves are fairly relaxed here (unlike some of the Newport beaches, where swimming is like a combat sport) but the sand is a bit brutal - there are patches of soft sand but a lot of it is more rocky/sharp and when we went at high tide, the ocean floor was almost entirely pebbles from the surf to about 5 feet deep. It's not easy on the feet. You can tell that Misquamicut was badly hit by SuperStorm Sandy but all in all it's a great place for a beach visit! read more

Came here this past Saturday -- very short drive from Mystic, CT. It's a large, beautiful and clean beach. It was very, very crowded and it took us about 40 minutes just to get into the parking lot. This beach is very popular... too popular. If we're in the area again, we would definitely like to check out a smaller, more intimate beach. But this is definitely a nice place to spend a summer day. Just get there super early. read more

Misquamicut Beach - Beaches Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

This is the beach where it's cool to be seen at. This beach is about the beach experience - sun bathing, drinks at the bar, beach ware shops, etc. This also means that it is a very crowded beach. The nice thing is that even though the beach itself was crowded, the parking lot was not, so you don't have to worry about getting a parking spot. Though this also means that while I thought the beach was crowded the day I went, it can get even more crowded. Crazy. The beach itself was clean of garbage, but there were stretches that were filled with seaweed and stretches of rocks as well. The water was too cold for me to go swimming but there were people in the water. It looks like it's a good place for a a little boogie boarding, or skim boarding. What I really like about this beach is the fact that the bathrooms are environmentally friendly. I guess some could say they're just a step up from an outhouse, I found them clean. read more

This is a great beach with a lot to do! The sand is fine and soft, not rocky like in CT, and there are some nice waves! There's some restaurants and bars along the beach front as well as some touristy shops for shovels, buckets and toys for the kids. All of the local businesses sell parking in their lots which is usually much cheaper than at the official parking lot. Drive around the town a little and you can always find a decent spot! read more

A beach lover I am picky about my beaches. I love this beach. It is only $10.00 to park and they were moving the line along quickly. There is plenty of parking so no fighting for a space. The sand is clean. There's no trash laying around. The bathrooms are reasonably clean and stocked. Seems to be adequately staffed with plenty of life guards. They have a snack stand that has all the usual beach fare or you can skip down to paddys for a bigger meal and drinks. The crowd was not a bunch of little kids running around unsupervised. Nor loud blasting music. There were people playing football and using bogey boards which is awesome since some beaches don't allow them. I really enjoyed my day there and will go to this beach again for sure. read more

For being a New England beach it's nice. Although once you've experienced warm turquoise waters with white sandy beaches... no other beach ever stands up quite the same again. So this place is a state beach, so it has large facilities (regular bathrooms also has regular port-o-potties), snack bar, lifeguards, etc. They do have a carry in & carry out policy.. (everything [specifically garbage/recycling] you bring in...you need to bring out, no exceptions) as a result, place is fairly clean.. which makes this place stand out!!! You're not on any bay/cove etc... you're further out on the actual ocean, which allows the water to have REAL movement, resulting in clearer water than you'd see on a bay/cove etc. So this is another huge plus!!! The water was freezing when we went (earlyJuly). Again once you've experienced warm turquoise waters with white sandy beaches... it's hard to call anything else real beach... but in a pinch this place could do. Enjoy! read more

This is a nice little beach but the last two hurricane seasons have taken their toll. This year I noticed the sand was filled with rocks and gravel. It is still a crowded beach in the summer but that is in large part due to the fairly wide selection of businesses on the Boardwalk. There are lots of lifeguard towers which is important for anyone visiting with children. Parking rates are ridiculous here however. One lot tried to charge $30 because of the holiday. Well that's fine except that it was Victory Day, a holiday that is only celebrated in Rhode Island so someone coming from out of town would definitely get a bit of sticker shock. We were lucky to find a small $10 lot however. I plan to make this beach a regular part of our summer tradition. read more

We went here yesterday it wasn't very busy but from what I could tell this would be a great beach to spend the day at. There is ample paid parking, tons of things to do-go karts, mini golf, bumper boats, ice cream, beach side bars, it was very nice! We will definitely be back again read more

Misquamicut Beach - On the deck area beside concession stands/showers - Beaches Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

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This was my first time to this beach & I loved it! Clear water and beach, small fun waves and nice firm sand (great for walking or a jog!). There was no fee for entering the beach itself and 20 dollar parking, great deal. The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is that the bathrooms could use an major overhaul. I couldn't breath for the overwhelming smell of pee. Since the beach was so small people pretty much planted their stuff on top of us. Thankfully the water was so perfect we barely were at our blanket. I this beach is top notch for young families. The waves were perfect for young children or children timid of the ocean. A 100 ft from the beach and you are barely thigh high in water. I am 24yo and I spend 2 hours boogie boarding it was just that perfect! I already have plans to return this fall and next summer! If your kid Skim boards or loves boogie boarding bring them!! read more

Beautiful beach! Easy to park, lots of friendly people around, and they even had a Del's stand on the boardwalk. Highly recommend!

Very nice beach, small strip of shops and beach restaurants / shacks, I haven't been to a lot of beaches in RI, It's small and not to wide, but cool to relax or rent a bike. The block island sound delivers some delicious fresh fishes for the restaurants. The best part about this beach u feel like a local here, Atlantic Av is not like ur going to a secure commercial sand factory with this crazy parking laws etc. or crazy peddlers on drugs. read more

This beach has so much potential but is pricey for a community type of place not much to do but drink and go to the beach but what else could you ask for? read more

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Such a great little beach, loved driving through the beach town to get here. It does has a short shore line so it can be a bit crowded, but we had just the right about of space so no complaints here. Was here on a Saturday and I was expecting that there be a younger crowd here but it did seem a be more family oriented. The water was clear, and there where waves that weren't too strong perfect to swimming in. If you don't mind a bit of a crowd, I would def recommend checking out Misquamicut Beach. Just a side note for Beer Lovers, Grey Sail Brewery is about 15 minutes away and has weekend brew tours. read more

I've been to this beach a couple times since I was a kid. Great beach especially for people who are from CT and are looking for a nice beach out of state. I find beaches in RI are much nicer. Maybe we got there later in the day, but we only paid 14 dollars for admissions/parking. I know other people said they paid around 20. Couple of tips, they don't have a trash bin (which was a little strange so all the trash has to be brought out with you--they give you a plastic bag upon parking). They also close the shower/restroom/changing room at 6--but there's portapotties. I haven't been there in awhile, so I didn't remember how much admissions were. read more

I love this beach! The waves are amazing and even though it is usually crowded there is always a place you can sit and there are plenty of parking spaces! The parking is a bit expensive but not bad. You aren't allowed to play any games with a ball or anything which is aggravating. Overall this is a nice beach that my family likes to visit! read more

Misquamicut Beach - Beaches Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

This is definitely more of a beach for being social or for families. Filled with hotels, beach shops, restaurants, and the atlantic beach park for kids. Gets crowded. Seems to be a lot of parking in the area though. It has the long stretch of beach that I like but I tend to go to beaches that do not have the bells and whistles because I prefer more seclusion. I did not swim here so I can't comment on the water but just being in the area tells me it's not quite for me. If I had kids though this would definitely be the place to go. read more

CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELVES HUMANS... I come to this beach often, all year round, because it is beautiful, has ample parking, and it is quite large for a decent run or walk at the end of the day. What saddens me is the amount of trash I see at the end of a beautiful beach day left behind... Bring a trash bag and be responsible for your trash. There are bathrooms and they are beach bathrooms at that. There are restaurants and bars, but bringing your own food is a good idea.. just remember to take your trash with you when you leave. I can't say that enough, ugh. read more

I heard good things about this beach so I decided to try it out. Big mistake. There is nothing remarkable about this beach. My boyfriend and I were three, THREE minutes away from this beach and it took us OVER an HOUR to get in the parking lot. That. Is. Ridiculous. Don't even say 'wElL wat do U eXpeCT'. I've been to plenty of other state beaches before and it has NEVER taken that long to get in. Once we were in it was so packed that we barely had enough room to put up our dinky cabana. The teens in front of us were annoying as heck and were drinking alcohol. Oh yeah that reminds me-- you're not allowed to have fun on this beach. No digging holes, no playing with balls or frisbees, no flying kites, no goggles or snorkels, etc. Fun suckers. My boyfriend and I are currently trying to leave the parking lot right now and have been at a stop for over one hour already. I'm guessing it'll take another hour before we get to leave. It's only 3 PM. Don't come here unless you can pass the extremely unreasonable long waits by smoking or something. Update: it took us two hours to get out of the lot. Nice. read more

Great beach!! I'm not much of a "hang out and lay in the sun all day" when I go to beaches, I enjoy boogie boarding and playing in sand like a kid (no shame). On certain days the beach is super busy (mostly weekends) but even then the beach is always clean and lifeguards are posted throughout. Not many beaches have showers for you to rinse off the sand stuck all over you so this is a plus as well that they have them. read more

Misquamicut Beach - Beaches Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

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I remember coming down here as a kid, and I even took my older son, who is 16 now, back in the early 2000s, and had a good time. But I was not prepared for the incredible crowds we saw on a Monday! We arrived early and faced no traffic, and the beach was relative quiet at 9:45. By noon, though, it was quite busy and there were beach rules that played over a loudspeaker every hour or so: no throwing balls, no skim boards, no kite flying. These activities were monitored closely, yet the "no smoking" and "no alcohol" rules were not AT ALL. the shower facilities were like something out of a bad horror movie, and I will never go there again. (We went to East Beach on Sunday and it was lovely, so that is the place to go in the area!) I remember this beach being fun as a kid...too bad it's gone so downhill read more

Great beach! Great for family time. Can be really overcrowded parking there at peak times in the summer. Great at night to go and relax and watch the waves! read more

I have visited a lot of Rhode Island Beaches but this was my first time here. This place gets pretty crowded on a summer day with really one road in and although the public parking lot is large, the place gets packed and is very crowded. The good news is, it is a big beach with lots of space, no rocks, groomed sand and the water is refreshingly cold, not warm and not freezing and the waves are decent for body boarding. There are food trucks and a snack bar at near the parking lot and restaurants, arcade, water slide and small shops are close enough to walk to. What isn't great is the overly aggressive seagulls swarming down and stealing food from peoples hands and perching on the roofs of the main buildings and defecating all over the roofs. Pretty nasty stuff and it almost makes this beach not a great place to visit seeing you can't take food out and eat it openly. Still not a bad to visit and facilities are clean and parking is $14 so you cannot beat that. read more

Overcrowded, filthy, bizarre people walking around with barnacles on their feet and open sores... bleeding into the water! Beach goers were reprimanded for playing music that dared to compete with the thumping techno beat from a nearby restaurant... the dj played what sounded like the same song for about 3 hours or so. If you are into the jersey shore, but can't make it there, this is for you. I've also never seen so much seaweed in my life... so much that it makes getting into the ocean nearly impossible. No thanks! read more

They manage to take all the fun out of a day at the beach with overbearing rules. No ball playing of any kind (on the beach, in the water or in the parking lot) no frisbee playing, no kites, no digging holes & no skim or body boarding. No alcohol either, but this was the only rule the staff ignored. You get all is fun for a mere $28. Look elsewhere for summer fun. read more

Ocean with waves, not blocked by Long Island. Clean, magnificent. Worth the drive indeeed!!!!

Have you ever gone to the beach at 4 pm (when it's free?!) and stayed until 7:30?! It was amazing!!! It's way less people, it's clean and it's fun. DO IT. You won't regret it. Bring food and beer! read more

This beach was crowded. Filled with trashy people, smokers, and covered in Sand Flies. The waves were nice, but that's about it. As for the snack bar- they didn't have much. And the bathrooms are on septic or something and you could smell them all the way down the beach. I was nauseated on the beach from the sewers. So much for fresh salt air. Parking was outrageous too. I won't be back. read more

Pretty good beach experience. Got there right at 9:15 and a decent amount of cars were there already. But beach wasn't too crowded yet- so if you want a good/ particular spot and your pick of parking spaces, get there early. The facilities were great- you do have to pay 75cents for a hot shower inside but there is also an outdoor area to hose off too. The beach itself is pretty clean (nothing like Hampton, NH, where I'm always afraid of stepping on trash or worse). They have composting toilets, which is cool. However, every time I went to the restroom there was some squeemish teen complaining about it. So beware if you're not used to that type of thing. Sure, it's a little campy, but you're saving so much water! I digress. Over all really nice beach. Be prepared for people to set up their chairs on top of you (seriously what happened to personal space?) but we spent the whole day in the water/ walking around and there are definitely less crowded areas too. :). read more

Great beach! It was $12 for an out-of-state resident fee. They had a playground, a food hut and showers. They do charge for the showers .75 cents. This beach was a little cold, but nowhere near as cold as Maine's beaches. It was fun and a great beach! read more