how does ogunquit compare with narragansett, RI

I%26#39;m looking for anyone%26#39;s opinion on how ogunquit compares with narragansett, RI. We will be spending time at both, but I was trying to decide if I should devote more time to one over the other. Has anyone been to both? We%26#39;ll be traveling with 4 kids aged 17 to 5, but are mostly interested in just a nice beach experience instead of arcades, amusement parks, etc. Thanks a lot.

how does ogunquit compare with narragansett, RI

I%26#39;ve spent time in both areas and there are pros for each. Narragansett is great if you want some waves and to actually spend long periods of time in the water. Good stretch of beach and even some surfing. There isn%26#39;t much to do in town, though. Ogunquit is gorgeous. Beautiful beaches and nearby York Beach has both a small family beach, as well as a long stretch. Ogunquit has many cute shops, good restaurants (Perkins Cove is adorable). However, the water in Maine (I don%26#39;t care if it is Southern Maine) is VERY cold. I go every year and just love it, but if you want to spend a good deal of time actually submerged in the water, bring a wet suit!

how does ogunquit compare with narragansett, RI

Thanks, It sounds like we might like both of them. So I may plan to spend our time equally between the two. Can we do whale watching tours or deep sea fishing out of both of them?

I%26#39;ve been to both. Although the water may be warmer in Rhode Island, Ogunquit has it beat hands down for atmosphere, pretty scenery,and restaurants. The beach at Ogunquit is gorgeous. The great thing about Ogunquit is that you can walk practically everywhere; the beach, town, restaurants and Perkins cove. Your kids can either walk or take the Trolley, so especially the older ones, will have some amount of independence.

Thanks attnysteve %26amp; 2gnomes. I have decided on Ogunquit, but since we must head back home, (unfortunately), I wondered if there would be another beach town we might enjoy spending a few days in before the long drive back to Kansas! That was why I wondered about Narrangansett. What about Newport, RI? Or do you think Ogunquit is THE best, and we should spend an extra day there and just stop briefly and not spend an entire day in the others? Many thanks!

Good pros for both locations, as have been noted. Newport is available to you while in Narragansett. I would stay in Narragansett, but plan on spending a day in Newport. Fun pace to walk around. Plus you can walk along the water and view the mansions. Pretty impressive, but not worth spending more for lodging to be there.

I have friends who have a couple of vacation homes in Charlestown, RI, not far from Narragansett. There are a lot of beaches all along the coast, that would be worth exploring. That whole side of RI is much less crowded than the Newport side, or even Ogunquit. You will enjoy your time there.

One thing you might want to consider in your travels along the RI and MA coast is to see Cape Cod, Martha%26#39;s Vineyard, or Plimoth Plantation, roughly the site of the original Pilgrim settlement. It is a restored, historical village, very authentic, right on down to the characters who take on the names andpersonalities of the settlers and speak in the same old English. If you are into history, I would highly recommend the book Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. It is such an ooutstanding and readable work and will give you incredible insight and appreciation for the coastal communities of RI and MA, the people who originally lived there, and how they interacted with the Europeans who began arriving in the 1500s.

Cape Cod is very congested on weekends, and should be avoided at all costs. But during the week, you might want to venture over to Woods Hole or Falmouth for a day or even a couple of nights, if you have the time. It is quite lovely, beautiful beaches. A boat ride over to Martha%26#39;s Vineyard could be fun, but try and get away from the big towns where the boat arrives. They are too touristy. My wife and I brought ouor bicycles over for the day. There was an earlier forum discussion of vacation in Cape Cod vs Ogunwuit vs Bar Harbor, and Cape Cod got dissed, by me, too, in favor of the other two. But if you have the luxury of time to see more than just one, then the Cape will be worth your time.

One of the reasons I encourage these extra stops is that you are coming a long way, with 4 kids, and it sounds like you are planning on more than one week total. You might even want to consider a day or two in Boston. With 4 kids, they can get a real appreciation for not only the beauty of New England, but the historic significance of this part of the country. Have fun. You can;t do them all.

I appreciate the info, Nextstopls. We were planning on slowly driving down the coast, with little stop offs, and spending a day in Boston, going to the Freedom Trail. I hadn%26#39;t heard about the plymouth plantation, but that sounds like a good idea. I%26#39;ll check the library for the Mayflower book. We still have another 6 weeks of school. I do like for the kids to see historical sites. It%26#39;s much better than a textbook! So I guess the general agreement is Ogunquit over Newport and Narragansett for amt. of time spent, but still visit

Newport and Narragansett?

Ogunquit vs Newport and Narragensett? The choice is yours, depending on what you are hoping to find. You probably will not be uinhappy wherever you spend your time. Both areas offer so much, including impetus for relaxation.

I%26#39;ve never actually, or knowingly, walked the Freedom Trail, but I think it is well worthwhile. I think that you will see some of the highpoints, including Faneuil (I never know how to spell it) Hall. The New England Aquarium, right nearby and on the water, near the Marriott, is awesome. And in the Boston Common, there are the Swan Boats to ride on and the duckling statues from the book ';Make Way For Ducklings'; by Robert McCloskey. Have you read this book with your little kids? If not, read it before you go and during the tip. Your 5 year old will love it, and even the other may get a kick out of it. It was written in about 1941, I believe, and though the pictures are dated, the story never is. The duck pond with the swan boats, where Mr and Mrs Duck live bring their eight little ducklings to live - Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack O%26#39;ack, Pack, and Quack - is right there, including the bronze statues of Mother Duck and the eight little ones, well loved and sat upon for decades.

There is deep sea fishing and whale watching at both Narragansett and Ogunquit. Perkins Cove in Ogunquit has a variety of boats that do everything from fishing to sunset sails. I believe the port closest to Narragansett is Point Judith, where most tours/excursions take off from. From Narragansett, you may also want to consider a day trip to Block Island. You can rent bikes or even just walk around this small island. It is a nice ferry ride and is a lot more manageable as a day trip than Martha%26#39;s Vineyard (where you would also be dealing with the traffic on the Cape).

If you hit a rainy day in Ogunquit, Kittery is a couple towns south and has a ton of outlets and a fun L.L. Bean type store called the Kittery Trading Post.

I%26#39;ve never been to Narragansett - but I do spend a lot of summer time at Ogunquit - and based on your needs I think it is a perfect spot - depending on the month you go - the beach can be really crowded - especially when the tide is high - and the water is ALWAYS cold.....

Lots of shops for your 17year old - lots of sand and surf for the smaller children

Thanks everyone. 2gnomes mentioned Block Island. I had considered that. Is Narragansett the best, or maybe the only place, to get a ferry there? Do you have any idea how that might compare to Nantucket? We would probably like to do one of the islands, but would have only time for one. Also my older son and husband would like to deep sea fish, while the rest of us take a whale watching tour. Would any place be better for those trips? We are going as far North/East as Acadia. Thanks for the help.