Getting There

• If you plan on taking the kids to Block Island for an island adventure, you have several options for getting there. Block Island is accessible via private boat, plane or ferry. If you are taking your car to Block Island, then the Block Island Ferry is for you. The Block Island Ferry leaves from Point Judith, Rhode Island year-round and from Newport during the summer months. Reservations are required for all vehicles using the ferry. The ferry docks in Old Harbor in the center of town. It is a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland to Block Island.
  
  

Best Options

• The best option for Block Island fun is the beach. Its 17 miles of seashore is all within walking distance of the center of town and is open to the public. The Fred Benson Town Beach on Corn Neck Road is open weekends from Memorial Day to mid-June and then daily until Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Beach chairs, boogie boards and beach umbrellas are available for rent and the beach has public showers and restrooms. Let the kids frolic in the surf, snorkel or kayak while weary parents soak in the sun. Plenty of vendors allow families to rent bicycles or mopeds so they can tour the island.
  
  

Oh No, It's Raining

• Block Island may have miles of seashore and it also has a variety of fun indoor options. Browse the aisles at one of the island's many specialty shops such as Building Blocks toy store. Families with kids can always seek refuge from the inclement weather in the safety of the Empire Theater and relax by watching a movie. Peruse the stacks at the Block Island Free Library while the kids take part in one of the many programs created just for them, such as story time. Another option is the arcade at Champlin's Hotel, Marina and Resort on Great Salt Pond Road.
  
  

Eateries

• After the frolicking in the ocean surf, touring the island via a bike or any other fun island option, the kids are bound to get hungry. Don't fret. Block Island has a slew of casual, kid-friendly dining options. If you don't feel like leaving the beach, let the kids feast on snacks from the concession stand at the aforementioned Fred Benson Town Beach. You can always head inside to the Beachhead Restaurant on Beach Avenue. The Beachhead has kid-friendly fare, such as hamburgers, while the folks can chow down on fried clams or baked sea scallops. If the kids want to eat out on the beach, treat them to hamburgers and ice cream at Rebecca's on the Beach, a take-out stand on Corn Neck Road.
  
  

Accomodations

• Block Island may be small, but there is no shortage of accommodations. Choose from bed and breakfasts, hotels, inns or rental houses. Treat the kids to a stay at the aforementioned Champlin's Hotel, Marina and Resort on Great Salt Pond Road. In addition to rooms with ocean views, Champlin's has tons of options for keeping kids happy. There's the hotel's private beach, playground and outdoor pool. Families can rent bikes for a ride on a sunny day or run to the adjacent Ocean West Theater for a rainy day movie matinee.