Find great and fun things to do in Block Island

Take the kids to the Exotic Animal Farms & Gardens and petting zoo to experience an array of exotic animals up close. Watch them gaze in awe at camels, llamas, sheep, goats and emus. Even adults will see animals that they have never seen before. The farm, located in a meadow next to the 1661 Inn at 5 Spring Street in Block Island, hosts perennial favorites such as Nyla the camel and Mr. McDuff, the Scottish Highland steer. Come see the famous fainting goats and a zebu. Always open. 401-466-2421

From beginner level to experienced, you can find the perfect surf lesson for you at Diamond Blue Surf Shop at 442 Dodge Street in Block Island. You do not need to go all the way to Hawaii to learn how to ride the waves, the deep blue sea is ready to receive you in your own backyard. Experienced instructors give lessons in the basics and beyond, from technique to etiquette. Rentals are available too. May through October.

Block Island has 17 miles of pristine beaches, protected by lighthouses and spectacular bluffs, and surrounded by rolling roads and winding paths. Many of the beaches are isolated and nearly untouched, providing breathtaking views and utmost tranquility. Two-and-one-half miles of some of New England's finest beachfront can be found at Crescent Beach, which stretches along the island's east coast from Old Harbor, where the ferries dock, to Clay Head. Crescent connects with two other fine beaches, Scotch and Mansion beaches, to the north. Ferries to Block Island.

Block Island Ghost Tours are run by local people who cherish and want to describe the spooky history of this wind-swept island. Two tours are available: the Old Harbor Walking Tour touches on ghost ships, man hunts, Native American massacres, and dire The easy one-mile tour takes on hour. The Spirits with Spirits tour is a haunted pub crawl lightened with liquid libations. Includes the Harborside Inn and Club Soda, located in the basement of the the second oldest hotel on Block Island. Leave your car at home; you’ll get a complimentary taxi ride back home. Ferry information. Tours offered May through Halloween and by appointment in the off season.

Block Island is a beautiful and fairly undeveloped island retreat by ferr off the coast of southern Rhode Island. Its pleasures are many: lighthouses, beaches, shopping, walking in many nature preserves. Here’s something else: take yourself on an exploration of island galleries with this Art Trail Map . The map includes sites of farmers markets, so if you plan your adventure on market day, you can nibble your way from shore to shore. Ferries.

Like many other watery places in New England, Block Island, an easy ferry ride off the shore of Rhode Island, digs deep into people’s hearts. It is a unique place, mostly undeveloped, and blessed with a stairway down a glorious bluff and lighthouses and great places to drink and dine. Block Island Trading Company at 1 Water Street (where else?) offers a big array of fun Block Island-infused gifts to take back to your own home or to pass around to other like-minded friends. 401-859-1524. Photo by Jon MacKenzie with permission.

Block Island is all about restful pleasure and what is better for that than a stroll through one-of-a-kind art galleries? Among our favorites is Jessie Edwards Studio on Water Street, presenting contemporary American paintings, works on paper, wood turnings, and fine ceramics (open May through December, and always by appointment in the winter). Find a ferry to make the trip over. [Painting shown here is by Rhode Island artist Susan Klas Wright]

Maze and Clayhead Preserve off Corn Neck Road in Block Island is secluded spot to take in the peace and quiet of nature on the island. The preserve is 190 acres of walks and rambles where you can see some of the most spectacular scenery on the island. Within the preserve is a sandy beach that’s off the beaten path enough to be almost deserted. You can walk along picturesque bluffs or wander a series of interconnected, unmarked paths. During the fall, the maze is one of the best spots on the continent to see migratory songbirds. To reach the trail, look for a post marker on the right side of Corn Neck Road, about 3 miles from town and across from a big yellow farm house. Turn right down the dirt road and go straight for one-third of a mile until you reach a parking area.

Please don't miss this Block Island icon. That is, Southeast Lighthouse, perched atop the Mohegan Bluffs, which rise abruptly to a height of about 200 feet above the sea and stretch for nearly three miles along the southern shore. The lighthouse was moved from the edge of the bluffs in 1993 as natural forces eroded the bluffs closer to the structure. You can go into the lighthouse in July and August. A short distance west of the lighthouse along the Mohegan Trail is the top of a chain of stairs built into the side of the bluff, leading to the beach far below. If you are fit to climb lots of stairs and are looking for a fun thing to do outdoors, the hike to the beach is fantastic. Phone: 401-466-5009

Off Corn Neck Road on Block Island is a labyrinth of paths lined by stones, with a beautiful view of the North Light and Sachem Pond. The labyrinth, unlike a maze, is a single winding path that leads to the center point and back out. Walking the labyrinth is a universal ritual that has survived unchanged for thousands of years. People report that labyrinths can heal body and soul. It's on the west side of the road, just a little bit south of Sachem Pond. Look for wooden steps over the stone wall.