Welcome to Narragansett Town Beach, a seemingly small and quiet beach in the fall, winter, and spring. This beach has been around for about a century. There are many historical buildings here such as "The Towers," which was once a casino before most of it burned down in the early 1900s. The Coast Guard House restaurant is right next door. Do not underestimate this beach in the summer. Starting on Memorial Day, this beach becomes a tourist haven. Are you trying to park here between the hours of 11 am until 3 pm? Don't even think about it. Getting dropped off by a friend or an Uber may be your best option since there is little to no parking available anywhere within a half-mile of the beach. Once you finally get on the beach after paying, you will find some decent waves if the conditions are just right. The waves here tend to "close out," or break all at once instead of to the right or the left. This makes the breaks at this spot very similar. This beach tends to favor wind blowing from the Northwest due to the spot facing southeast. Wind coming directly from offshore favors the "cleanest" surf. Crosswind or onshore wind makes Narragansett choppy and inconsistent, just like most beaches with adverse wind. On a clean day with 4-6 foot waves and a swell period of at least 10 seconds (average 10 seconds between waves), this beach would be a perfect surfing destination, but the next day could be completely un-surfable. Make sure to take advantage of any ideal conditions at Narragansett. In the fall and winter storm months, the surf here is usually decent, especially when hurricanes and winter storms are meandering around the North Atlantic. This is a great place to learn due to the many surf camps and lessons at this beach, along with docile average conditions. There are two pavilions at this beach with concessions and restrooms during the summer. The "South" Pavilion is painted white and is located near lifeguard chair 2 or 3. Further down the beach, the smaller "North" Pavilion, with tan shingles, is near lifeguard chairs 5 and 6. Both Pavilions also have their own parking lots. During beach hours, surfing is only allowed to the right of lifeguard chair 1, and to the left of chair 6 on the other side of the beach.
From Memorial Day until Labor Day from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm, it is important to bring at least $30 in cash to pay for beach admission and parking. Outside of these time periods, parking and admission are free. This is a public beach, so there is plenty of space to keep your things on the beach, but make sure to keep your valuable items in a safe place. Surf boots are not necessary in the summer due to the lack of rocks in the area. In the winter, abide by all surf gear recommendations based on the water and air temperature. The best boards to use on this beach vary greatly, but anything between 5'6 and 7'0 will give you the best experience on a clean day with 3-5 foot waves or larger. If the conditions are choppy, a longer board such as an 8' may do the trick. DO NOT bring your dog or pet during the beach season; they do not let you bring them on the beach. Pets are allowed during the off season.
Located near the North Pavilion, there is a sunken barge and an old wooden pier under the water. During low tide, one can sometimes see the water foaming over these objects, which means that they are barely a couple feet under water. It is in the surfer's best interest to steer very clear of this area to prevent scraping on the unseen objects near the North Pavilion. These objects are certainly the two main hazards at this break, but only when the tide is low. Otherwise, Narragansett is a very safe place to go surfing.
Some fees to watch out for are the $15 parking fee and $12 to get on the beach itself. It is also important to note that all parking at the beach is restricted to residents of Narragansett, RI. Narragansett Town Beach has two parking lots. One near the South Pavilion, one near the North Pavilion. Both are fairly large and can accommodate many cars, but both are usually filled during hours in the summer. The crowds are fewer during the off season or after hours. There are portable restroom facilities on-site, usually near the North Pavilion during the off season. After hours in the summer, the North lot is your best bet if you want to find consistent available parking. At the South Lot in the summer, there is a fence separating the parking lot and the beach, but once the beach stops charging for the season, they take the fence down. This is ideal in the fall and winter because surfers do not have to walk all the way around the fence to the waves. Also, there are rinsing stations at both pavilions for rinsing beach equipment or sandy feet and shoes. This is convenient, but these are usually closed after hours and during the off season.