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 New England
summer vacation ideas
Scenic
Block Island is for nature lovers only
Article and
photo by Eric H.
Warning: stay away
from Block Island, R.I., if you have an affinity for shopping
malls, automobiles, ATM machines, laptops and other conveniences.
If you are inclined to pristine ocean and beaches, rolling green
fields and pastoral farms, abundant plant and wildlife, and a
slower-paced lifestyle, then by all means plan a trip to what
the Nature Conservancy has designated as "one of the 12
last great places in the Western Hemisphere."
It's easy to see why.
With the exception of a small downtown, Block Island's 21 square
miles -12 miles south of Rhode Island's main land--provide a
treasure chest of unspoiled terrains -- the perfect place for
a New England summer
vacation. Most people walk, ride bikes or drive motor scooters
to trek around the island. What they will find is their own beach,
their own forest, their own special place, their own discovery.
Walking off the beaten path will surely lead you to nowhere.
And nowhere is a beautiful place.
The blatant "tourist
traps" aren't bad, either, like the Southeast Lighthouse,
which stands almost 200 feet above the sea, courtesy of some
dramatic clay cliffs. North Lighthouse leads to a wildlife sanctuary
and a seemingly endless beach, sometimes inhabited by no one.
By the way, while you might not see many people, you will most
likely meet up with 40 rare and endangered species of plants
and animals. Bird watchers,for example, will no doubt meet their
destiny, here.
If it's people you
seek Fred Benson Town Beach is a delightful place with warm ocean
water, well behaved families and plenty of area to find your
own spot. The sand is fairly soft and the sun seemingly brighter
than back home, whereever that may be. It's the perfect family
beach, the idealNew England summer vacation destination.
The downtown area offers
lodging, dining and shopping. It is all interchangeable, as nothing
really stands out. You won't go wrong with any Triple A approved
lodging. Many restaurants offer some great outdoor dining (location,
not food). But no place we've tried is solely worth the trip.
The real reason to visit Block Island is for the abundant nature.
With the exception of Maine's Acadia National Park and Vermont's
Green Mountains, no one specific New England area offers as many
uninhabited areas as Block Island.
Block
Island is accessible by ferry from Montauk, Long Island, N.Y.,
New London, Conn., Point Judith, Providence and Newport, R.I.
For more information on Block Island, contact the Block Island
Chamber of Commerce at 800/383-2474.
Submit your New England travel
story today!
More
information on Block Island: Block Island
Vacationing Vacationing here has become part of a family
tradition for many visitors who return year after year to take
in the sea and salt air, lounge on the beautiful beaches, nose
around in the quaint shops and dine on fresh seafood.
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