Watch Hill Luxury Travel Guide
Watch Hill, the most luxurious neighborhood of Westerly, RI, is the southwesternmost point of Rhode Island, making it perfect for beach days, enjoying the ocean views, and exploring the rest of the region. I hope my Watch Hill Luxury Travel Guide helps you plan the best visit to the area!
Best Time of Year to Visit Watch Hill
Watch Hill is beautiful all year long. Windswept icy beaches await winter visitors, while summer sees beautiful swimming conditions, brilliant sunsets, and lush New England gardens in full bloom. Spring is colorful as everything returns to life, whereas autumn crowns the trees in fiery reds, oranges, and gold. Like the rest of New England, there’s no bad time to visit. Consider the type of trip you’d like to have and plan accordingly.
How to Reach Watch Hill
Watch Hill is easy to reach via car or the nearby Westerly State Airport (WST). I would not recommend attempting to reach Watch Hill via public transportation. Sailing, of course, is always an option, too!
How to Get Around Watch Hill
Watch Hill is very walkable, bikeable, and drivable. Parking can be difficult to find in summer, but the good news about popular beach towns like Watch Hill is that people come and go, so something will open up!
Where to Stay in Watch Hill
My favorite place to stay in Westerly, and therefore Watch Hill, is Ocean House. This beautiful, yellow estate along the ocean is home to fantastic fine dining, plenty of wonderful resort activities, and gorgeous guest rooms.
Read my full review of our stay here.
Where to Eat in Watch Hill & Westerly
The Bistro
One of Ocean House’s most iconic restaurants. Read my full reviews here and here.
The Club Room
Available exclusively for those who book cottages or suites, this members-only restaurant within Ocean House is the most exclusive in the state.
The Cooked Goose
A local staple, you can’t visit Watch Hill without dining at The Cooked Goose.
Maria’s Seaside Café
This darling fine dining café is a great spot to enjoy a meal with loved ones.
OCEAN
Ocean House’s fine dining restaurant is debuting a new look soon. I hope to check it out soon!
Stick + Fin
Need coffee or a West Coast-style Açai bowl? Stick + Fin is the place to go for a taste of classic California Americana.
Surf Cantina
A laid-back Latin restaurant, Surf Cantina has fantastic tacos, burritos, and more. It’s a great place to grab supplies for a beach picnic, too!
What to Do In & Around Watch Hill
Beach Day
East Beach, Napatree Beach, and Watch Hill Beach are all gorgeous spots to enjoy a day of sun, sand, and surf.
Napatree Point Conservation Area
Perfect for nature lovers, there’s plenty to do here, from walking on the beach all the way to the end and back to swimming (there are no lifeguards on duty) and relaxing on the beach. It’s a beautiful spot.
Resort Activities
Staying at Ocean House? They have so much to do, from pilates, yoga, and swimming to movies, cooking classes, and an art gallery. There’s never a dull moment there!
Shelling
Check local postings to learn what’s okay to take and what isn’t. Some beaches impose shelling restrictions, so look out for signs.
Walk the Beach
Who needs therapy when a beach walk can fix just about anything? Okay, maybe don’t cancel your next appointment, but do definitely set aside time to unplug from the rest of the world and reconnect with nature along the shoreline.
Watch Hill Lighthouse
Watch Hill’s most gorgeous lighthouse, Watch Hill Lighthouse, is a beacon (pun intended) to visitors and locals alike.
Day Trips from Watch Hill
Cape Cod, Massachusetts
2h by Car
Cape Cod, specifically Hyannis, is only 2 hours from Watch Hill. You can definitely get a great feel for Cape Cod in a day, although I’d recommend visiting for another week or so to really take in the major destinations. Still, a drive through Cape Cod is a classic New England experience!
Martha’s Vineyard
3h by Car & Ferry
This one is a bit of a stretch, unless you sail straight there or wake up really early. Still, it’s possible if you’re adventurous & energetic! While one day certainly isn’t enough to see all of Martha’s Vineyard, it’s enough to see some of the highlights, like visiting the Gingerbread Cottages in Oak Bluffs, visiting Long Point Beach, or Aquinnah’s cliffs and lighthouse.
Mystic & Stonington, Connecticut
25m by Car
Mystic and nearby Stonington are two charming, classic New England coastal villages perfectly suited to a day trip (or half-day) from Mystic. The Shipwright’s Daughter in Mystic serves some of the best food I’ve ever had, pictured below!
Newport, Rhode Island
50m by Car
Newport is one of my favorite cities in New England. There’s so much to eat, see, and do that we keep coming back for more. I recommend visiting Easton Beach, touring a couple of mansions, and grabbing dinner at Aurelia at Castle Hill Inn.
Safety
Watch Hill is a very safe community. Keep an eye on your belongings, watch out for jellyfish in the water and on the beach, and you’ll have a splendid time. Rhode Island is a wonderful place to vacation!
Explore my adventures in Rhode Island and the United States.
