This town and surrounding coastal region is a popular summer retreat for vacationers from throughout the Northeast. It's famed for its broad, sandy beaches along the Atlantic. Also worth visiting are the Kimball Wildlife Refuge, a great place for bird watching, and Ninigret Park, with 172 acres/69 hectares of land including nature trails, picnic areas and a swimming pond.
History buffs will enjoy the Royal Indian Burial Ground (a cemetery of the Narragansett), the 1859 Indian Church (one of only three Native American churches remaining in the state, open to visitors only on Sunday) and a restored one-room schoolhouse from the 1800s.
If you're in Charlestown in August, be sure to experience the Charlestown Chamber of Commerce Seafood Festival, a daylong seafood smorgasbord that is one of Rhode Island's premier annual events. The Rhythm and Roots Festival in Ninigret Park also attracts a crowd—it takes place each Labor Day weekend and features musical performances by well-known bluegrass, Cajun and zydeco artists. 35 mi/55 km southwest of Providence.
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