The town of Charlestown includes the villages of Shady Harbor, Quonochontaug, Charlestown Beach, Snug Harbor, Cross's Mills, and Columbia Heights.
Several State Parks and wildlife preserves take significant portions of the township. This includes the Ninigret Conservations area, the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge, the Burlingame Wildlife Management Area, the Kimball Wildlife Refuge, and the Burlingame State Park. The Narragansett Tribal Lands, including the Royal Indian Burial Ground are also located in this township.
Boating, hiking, fishing, and bird-watching are all popular in Charlestown. The North South Trail begins at the coastline and heads north, all the way across Rhode
Island.
Barrier beaches in 1973
(Photo from EPA Archives)
|
Resturants are few in the area and tend to be seasonal. There are several motels not affiliated with national chains and camping in the Ninigret Conservation Area and the Burlingame State Park.
Of special interest are the beaches: Quonochontaug Beach, Blue Shutters Town Beach, East Beach, and Charlestown Breachway State Beach. These beaches are quieter than most of the other state beaches and the surf can be a little rougher.
The most of Charlestown's 8000-person population lives along or just south of Route 1A, the original path of Post Road, which also hosts most of the businesses in the area. This spills over into North Kingstown a little, but most people think of the entire area as Charlestown.
To get to Charlestown from I-95, take Exit 93 in Connecticut and follow Route 216 south though several non-obvious turns, but through some nice rural countryside. Or, easier, catch Route 1 (Post Road) in Westerly and head east.
