Westerly: Beach, Nature and Culture

Atlantic sands, rare habitats, and museums reveal different sides of Westerly. Westerly Town Beach offers a sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean; parks and natural areas offer different attractions. If you’re planning a trip, you can first consider whether beaches, walks, or culture will shape your stay.

Beaches and Nature Trails

Westerly Town Beach provides access to a sandy beach on the Atlantic, ideal for relaxation. Wuskenau Beach is also known for its soft sand and good waves. Westerly therefore has more than one side to its beach scene. If you’d like to spend time by the water, you can keep these beach features in mind when choosing what to do.

Napatree Point Conservation Area covers 86 acres and is open to the public year-round. Among the area’s special features in Rhode Island are its rare habitats. Napatree Point in Westerly is also designated a “Globally Important Bird Area” and is home to federally and state-listed endangered species. Nature is the focus here—a different experience from the beach or local history.

For nature walks and environmental education, the Town Forest along the Pawcatuck River has approximately three miles of trails. Another trail option is the Westerly Town Forest Trail: this 2.8-mile loop is near Westerly and is used for hiking, walking, and trail running. These figures describe different trail options; the approximate length of the Town Forest trail network should not be confused with the length of this loop.

Wilcox Park offers its own focus on nature and green space. This historic arboretum is a Victorian park for strolling. Its 15 acres feature 159 tree species and 43 cultivars. The park has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2004. Its Victorian design and significance as an arboretum make it a different kind of nature experience from the riverside trails or the preserve at Napatree Point.

Discover Art and History

The Westerly Museum of American Impressionism exhibits works of American Impressionism dating from 1880 to 1920. The Babcock-Smith House offers another way to explore local history: it is an architectural and historical landmark dating back to the mid-18th century. The Babcock-Smith House Museum includes a Georgian mansion dating from 1734, granite exhibits, and exhibitions on Westerly’s local history.

The Westerly Armory serves as a museum and event venue and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its exhibits and artifacts explore the people and events that have shaped Westerly, Rhode Island, and the United States. Together with the Impressionism museum and the Babcock-Smith House, it offers a varied perspective on art, architecture, and history, with topics ranging from local history to developments across the United States.

Watch Hill is also among Westerly’s historic highlights and is described as a historic gem, with the Watch Hill Lighthouse as a landmark. Alongside museum visits, you can explore a place with a historic lighthouse and learn about Westerly’s history.

What experiences would you like to shape your stay?

When looking for a vacation rental, your preferred focus can be a practical guide: beaches, trails and nature, or art and local history. The different attractions offer a variety of ways to get to know Westerly, without requiring you to fit everything into a single day’s itinerary. If you’re traveling with children, you can take your family’s interests into account and weigh up time at the beach, walks, environmental education, and museum exhibits.

Other places at this level: Block Island, Point Judith, Bonnet Shores, South Kingstown, Narragansett, Charlestown, North Kingstown.

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