The Perfect Itinerary for a Day in Rhode Island

As a University of Rhode Island alumni, I will say Rhode Island is one of my favorite places in the world. The smallest state with the most beautiful beaches, towns, and restaurants to explore.

After 4 amazing years living in Narragansett, my friends and I determined the best way to spend a full day to experience the best of all Rhode Island has to offer.

These are my suggestions for a perfect day.

Brunch at Ocean Mist

What’s a vacation without brunch. To start your day, you are going to make your way over to Matunuck, about a 15-minute drive from Narragansett, and enjoy a delicious brunch at Ocean Mist.

This restaurant/bar can be found tucked onto the beach with its wrap around patio perched up above the rolling waves that come in. I recommend getting here early or making reservations so you can get a seat on the patio and enjoy an absolutely stunning view of the ocean as it glistens in the morning light.

They have a great brunch menu with plenty of options to choose from – I usually gets the eggs benny with a side of home fries – really hard to go wrong here. But the food will always come second compared to the drinks.

When I come here, best believe I am always starting my day with a Coffee with Love. The drink is light on the coffee but very, VERY heavy on the love. They basically put in every kind of coffee liquor, baileys, and a splash of coffee but trust me, this drink is delicious.

Now that your stomach full and you’re sporting a light buzz, it’s time to move to our afternoon.

An Afternoon at Narragansett Beach

After your well-balanced breakfast, you are going to make your way over to Narragansett Beach. Rhode Island’s most famous beach, you have probably seen pictures of the famous towers, this beach is a must visit. Although it gets very packed and parking can be tough, it is worth experiencing it.

Soak up the sun, taking surfing lessons, bask in the sea and enjoy the New England weather from this scenic location.

If you start to get hungry, I recommend taking a short walk along the sea wall to Monahan’s Clam shack where you can get the best fish tacos and clams in Narragansett.

Getting Ready to Take on the Town

After a day of tanning, it’s time to head back to your Airbnb, house, or hotel and start the process of getting ready for dinner.

I think everyone can agree, nothing feels better than taking shower after a day at the beach. Rinsing off the salt realizing you might have gotten a little sunburnt as the water hits a spot and you realize it burns.

After your everything shower, take some time to lounge around in your towel and bask in your newfound sunburn (the girls who get it, get it). Hey, maybe even enjoy an ice cold Narragansett beer to cool you off.

After you are done getting ready, we are heading to Newport.

Dinner in Newport

Historic Newport – a definite must see if you are going to Rhode Island.

While the drive here is a bit on the longer side (about 30 minutes), it is totally worth it. There are tons of restaurants to choose from and 9/10 times, the place you choose won’t let you down.

I recommend trying one of the restaurants in Bowens Wharf which is right on the water and hidden off the main street. Our go to spot is Diego’s. This can be found at the wharf, and it has a great atmosphere with delicious Mexican food and drinks.

If you come here, you really can’t go wrong ordering one of their tacos – there are plenty of meat, fish, and vegan options to choose from. Not to mention, there extensive tequila list has something for everyone to try.

Sunset on Ocean Drive

After a full day, we’re going to end it with a cruise down iconic Ocean Drive.

This is the famous road that has all the old Newport Mansions and homes, and it is a beautiful drive along the water. You can start this drive over by The Breakers (the famous mansion) and then just follow the road along the water and take in the gorgeous old generational mansions. If those walls could talk.

If you time it right, you can make it to Brenton Point State Park, park your car and then get a full, unobstructed view as you watch the sun dip into the Atlantic as it sets for the day. Some people bring chairs and sit on the cliff and watch the sun go down, others sit in their car and enjoy the view from there. Either way, you really can’t go wrong.

Night Cap

After the sun sets on your perfect day, it is time to head back to Narragansett. If you’re not ready for your night to end, head over to Wakefield for a little night cap and pop into Mews Tavern to add a dollar bill to the wall or Whalers Brewing company for a game of pool and authentic Rhode Island brewed beer.

And that is your perfect Rhode Island day. This itinerary gives you a taste of some of the most famous and well-known spots in Rhode Island.

It might seem like a lot, but it is doable and worth it – trust me, this is my itinerary every time I go back to visit for a weekend.