List of Rhode Island state parks facts for kids

Rhode Island is a small state, but it has lots of amazing places to explore! The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management looks after 22 main parks and beaches. These include 8 saltwater beaches, 5 calm water beaches, and many other fun public areas. They are all part of the Rhode Island State Park system, offering cool spots for outdoor adventures.

Awesome State Parks to Visit

These parks are perfect for hiking, exploring, and having fun outdoors.

Name	Town	County	Area	Opened	Image	What's Cool About It
Beavertail State Park	Jamestown	Newport	153 acres	62 ha	1980	The lighthouse at Beavertail State Park.	See an active lighthouse and enjoy amazing ocean views.
Blackstone River Bikeway State Park	Cumberland, Lincoln, Woonsocket	Providence	11.5 mi	18.5 km	1998	A scenic view along the Blackstone River Bikeway.	A great path for biking, part of the East Coast Greenway.
Brenton Point State Park	Newport	Newport	88.9 acres	36.0 ha	1974	The beautiful coastline at Brenton Point.	Home to the exciting Newport Kite Festival!
Burlingame State Park	Charlestown	Washington	3,100 acres	1,300 ha	1930	Watchaug Pond, a popular spot in Burlingame State Park.	Go camping and enjoy activities around Watchaug Pond.
Colt State Park	Bristol	Bristol	464 acres	188 ha	1965	A view of the water from Colt State Park.	Known as the "Jewel" of the state park system.
Fishermen's Memorial State Park	Narragansett	Washington	91 acres	37 ha	1970	The Fishermen's Memorial monument.	A perfect spot for camping right by the ocean.
Fort Adams State Park	Newport	Newport	100 acres	40 ha	1965	Fort Adams, a historic fort in the park.	Hosts the famous Newport Jazz Festival and other events.
Fort Wetherill State Park	Jamestown	Newport	61.5 acres	24.9 ha	1972	Exploring the old fort at Fort Wetherill State Park.	Great for sightseeing and even scuba diving!
Goddard Memorial State Park	Warwick	Kent	490 acres	200 ha	1927	A beautiful tree-lined path in Goddard Memorial State Park.	Enjoy a golf course, horse trails, swimming, and shows.
Haines Memorial State Park	Barrington	Bristol	102 acres	41 ha	1911	Boats docked at Haines Memorial State Park.	You can launch your boat here to explore Narragansett Bay.
Lincoln Woods State Park	Lincoln	Providence	627 acres	254 ha	1908	A peaceful scene at Lincoln Woods State Park.	Features freshwater beaches on Olney Pond.
Pulaski State Park	Glocester	Providence	100 acres	40 ha	1939	The entrance to Pulaski State Park.	A day-use park within the George Washington Management Area.
Rocky Point State Park	Warwick	Kent	120 acres	49 ha	2014	A view of the bay from Rocky Point State Park.	A coastal park on the site of an old amusement park.
Snake Den State Park	Johnston	Providence	1,000 acres	400 ha	1969	Dame Farm, part of Snake Den State Park.	An undeveloped historic farm property to explore.
World War II Memorial State Park	Woonsocket	Providence	14 acres	5.7 ha	1977	The memorial at World War II Veterans Memorial State Park.	A city-managed park that hosts an annual fall festival.

Fun State Beaches

Rhode Island has amazing beaches for swimming, sunbathing, and playing in the sand!

Name	Town	County	Area	Opened	Image	What's Cool About It
Charlestown Breachway State Beach	Charlestown	Washington	79 acres	32 ha	1952	Boats at Charlestown Breachway State Beach.	Great for camping and all sorts of beach activities.
East Beach State Beach	Charlestown	Washington	400 acres	160 ha	1967		This beach has a small campground that's open seasonally.
East Matunuck State Beach	South Kingstown	Washington	144 acres	58 ha	1956	The sandy shores of East Matunuck Beach.	Features a modern beach building that opened in 2012.
Misquamicut State Beach	Westerly	Washington	51 acres	21 ha	1959	A busy day at Misquamicut State Beach.	A beach building opened in 1999; hosts music festivals.
Roger Wheeler State Beach	Narragansett	Washington	27 acres	11 ha	1929		Its facilities were updated and improved in 1997.
Salty Brine State Beach	Narragansett	Washington	1.3 acres	0.53 ha	1954		A new beach building and boardwalk were added in 2010.
Scarborough State Beaches	Narragansett	Washington	30 acres	12 ha	1937	People enjoying Scarborough State Beach.	Made up of two sections, great for swimming, with an observation tower.

Other Cool Places to Explore

The Rhode Island Division of Parks and Recreation also manages other state lands that are not called state parks or state beaches.

Name	County	Town	Area	Opened	Image	What's Cool About It
Arcadia Management Area	Kent, Washington	Exeter, Hopkinton, Richmond, West Greenwich	14,000 acres (5,700 ha)			This is the state's largest area for outdoor fun!
Beach Pond	Washington	Exeter				This pond is also managed by the Division of Forest Environment.
East Bay Bike Path State Park	Bristol, Providence	Barrington, East Providence, Warren	14.5 miles (23.3 km)	1987	A view of the East Bay Bike Path.	Another great path for biking, also part of the East Coast Greenway.
George Washington State Campground	Providence	Glocester	100 acres (40 ha)			A place for overnight camping in Chepachet.
John H. Chafee Nature Preserve	Washington	North Kingstown