Rhode Island, September 28-October 3,
$799 per person

What's Included

  • Five nights lodging at beachside resorts and inns.
  • Five hearty breakfasts and four wonderful dinners.
  • Ferry and bicycle transport to Block Island & Newport.
  • Support van, luggage transport and ride leaders on route.
  • Ride packet with cue sheets, maps & items of interest.

Overview

Fall New England bicycle tour - quiet coastlines dotted with beaches, quaint villages and lovely countryside, Mystic Seaport, Block Island, and historic Newport!

Itinerary

Day One: Westerly

Our bicycle trip begins Sunday, at the accommodating Pleasant View Inn on the beautiful Misquamicut Beach in Westerly, RI. Starting at 2 p.m., cyclists will check into their motel rooms.

Suzie and Roger will be leading a 31 mile ride for those that arrive by 1 p.m. to visit the Rhode Island countryside, Watch Hill and some of the lovely beaches bordering the Block Island sound.

That evening we'll enjoy a gourmet Welcome Dinner and chat with our new cycling friends about the week's events.

 

Day Two: Mystic Seaport

Monday, after a full breakfast (45 miles or 60 miles), we dip south and follow the lovely beaches and waterfronts of the Block Island Sound into Connecticut. Following the coast, we'll bicycle through the Barn Island WMA and south into the charming fishing village of Stonington.

Tall ships at Mystic Seaport museum
Tall ships at Mystic Seaport museum.

After a visit to the town's Pearl street and beautiful harbor, we'll head west to famous Mystic Seaport.

Settled in the 1650's, Mystic is known today for its maritime heritage and cyclists can enjoy its living village, wonderful maritime museum where you can climb aboard tall ships, or just explore the historic downtown of sea captain's homes that look out on the river and grab a bite at legendary Mystic Pizza.

From Mystic, cyclists can opt to put in more miles and pedal west to discover quaint Noank and Groton - Long Point, then follow the Mystic River Road into the beautiful Connecticut countryside with a visit to Old Mystic and famous BF Clydes 1881 Cider Mill.

We end our Monday with another scrumptious dinner at the Pleasant View Inn.

 
Looking out over the bay
Looking out over the bay.

Day Three: Block Island

Tuesday, we enjoy breakfast and travel east (25 miles) to catch the morning ferry to Block Island.

With its 17 miles of beautiful beach and stunning vistas, the island is a tourist mecca in the summer. However, it will be ours to quietly enjoy in the mid-week.

Block Island offers miles and miles of trails and cycling roads to explore. It's a place that moves at its own pace and is known for a relaxed way of life, where "dressed up" means a pair of shorts.

We'll be the exclusive guests of the historic Water Street Inn, just steps from the ferry, and enjoy it as our day and night "anchor" while exploring the beauty and sights of this wonderful island.

Block Island has an abundance of great beaches and views
Block Island has an abundance of great beaches and views.
 

Day Four: To Newport(25 or 46 miles)

We enjoy a hearty breakfast overlooking the Block Island harbor and ferry back to Point Judith. Heading north following the Ocean Rd, we'll pass beautiful Narragansett, and thrill to a cross over the bridge for a visit to the tiny island of Jamestown.

Some cyclists will opt to follow our cycle route to some of the island's beautiful sights while others may want to head right to lunch at Jamestown's historic downtown. A short hop by bus over the Newport Bridge brings us harborside and to our beautiful lodging at the Americas Cup Inn.

 

Day Five: Day Off in Newport

We'll enjoy all of Thursday- whether on two wheels or two feet- to partake of Newport's renown beauty - tour along breathtaking Ocean Dr., walk along famous Cliff Walk, experience the fabulous beaches and harbor, and visit the many historical sights and great mansions built by 19th century industrialists.

Our group celebrates this evening with a farewell dinner!

 

Day Six: Back to Westerly (39 miles)

Friday morning, we'll enjoy a lovely breakfast at the Americas Cup and head back over the Newport bridge. Today's ride takes us through some rolling and wooded Rhode Island countryside back to Misquamicut Beach.

Trip Difficulty

The RI/Connecticut terrain is gently rolling with some short hills in the countryside and best suited for an athletic recreational rider who has been road training, and intermediate cyclists. Even though some days offer shorter options, we advise cyclists to be prepared for cycling 40 miles per day.

Getting There

Rhode Island is easily accessible by car. For those wishing to fly to the trip start, we offer an evening shuttle on September 27 and a morning shuttle on September 28 from Providence T.F. Green Airport. We also offer an early evening return shuttle on Friday, October 3.

Additional Information

Please visit the links on this page to learn more about the places we visit on this trip, our accommodations, etc. Also, please read our Trip Information page for more general tour information and our Reservations Page for registration information. Feel free to contact Suzie with any questions you have about the trip.

We send out a Welcome Letter when you register that includes lots of pre-trip details including how to fly with or ship your bike to the hotel, what to pack for you and your bike, arriving early, etc.

Take a peek at our cyclists from the Rhode Island trip!