Going Coastal Seaside Getaway Series Near New York City – Misquamicut Beach + Watch Hill, Rhode Island

Now is the time for a collective reset, to safely break from quarantine despite the new foosball table. Travel can happen if you are sensible and refrain from slipping into the comforts of the life that once was. Research hotel and rental options that abide by clean, Covid-19 safe standards by packing your own food, cleansers, linens and continue to wear masks and social distance no matter where you venture to. As summer begins to concede to autumn, we decided to explore coastal destinations that are less than three hours from Manhattan. The seaside has long been known to soothe and restore, thus we began the trip in Misquamicut Beach, Rhode Island.

The Watch Hill Lighthouse has a majestic feel and is ideal for Covid-19 travel, as it does not attract large crowds.

Less than 300 miles from Manhattan, the journey begins at the Blue Whale Inn. Owner Christine Hayes, a former nurse, understands the needs of today’s travelers by instilling an efficient contact-free check-in, access to outdoor showers made available before your room is ready and use of sanitized beach wagons, chairs and umbrellas so meticulously arranged, I wondered if she had a stint in the military.

After a short walk to the beach, we were pleased to discover that it was not overrun with tourists despite the cluster of seaside hotels. The public restroom is refreshingly clean, I even spotted a milk crate with cleaning products beneath the sink. On the walk home we ambled through a kitschy mix of shops selling resort wear, beach needs, painted hermit crabs, florescent sweatshirts and one surf shop with a colorful supply of Mexican blankets that had a faint scent of something stronger than sea water. I quickly shuttled my son to quench his hunger at Dusty’s ice cream. He ordered through a long speaker contraption that appeared to be out of a Dr. Seuss book. Further along we ordered pizza across from Purple Ape kayak rentals, which is hard to miss from the oversized Adirondack chair that’s great for social media pictures and amusing the kids.

Entry to public beach in Misqumicut.

We settled in the suite that has a cozy set up of two full beds and a twin in the back sliver of the front room. For the first time since the pandemic broke, I took a long shower and looked in the mirror for reasons other than getting the best view of my back molars.

Colorful suite at Blue Whale Inn.

We awoke early to give the beach a final send off and headed to nearby Watch Hill. Breakfast was at Sift Bake Shop, where Luc found his first challenge of the trip, trying to choose a croissant that has a varied selection more in line with an artisanal donut shop. He happily decided on the strawberry rhubarb with hot chocolate that wasn’t your Swiss Miss variety. I had a green tea and avocado toast that had a peppy bite, which I discovered was from its candied chilis.

Watch Hill is a classic seaside town but more quiet than its Nantucket or Newport counterparts. It has a secluded feel, which is ideal to soothe our Covid travel jitters. Perhaps because it is an intimate enclave nestled along the coast with impressive clapboard homes bookending it. Even the walk past a vintage merry-go-round to the lighthouse is all within close range, maximizing all the outposts of summer on one elegant strip. It’s a resort shopper’s delight with jewelry shops, Sea Bags, beautifully edited clothing stores and an antique store that has nautical fare like roped knot door stops. After a lunch of burgers and clam chowder soup at St. Clare’s Annex, for such a short trip we’ve sated our beach getaway fill.