South County offers lovely scenic drives especially along beaches and villages

Bring your car on the Block Island Traditional Ferry (reservations are required) out of Narragansett, RI [Point Judith] or rent one when you get off at Old Harbor – and then take your pick from several scenic drives on this picturesque island. You can drive around the island in its entirety in about an hour or drive out for the jaw-dropping views at the breathtaking cliffs of Mohegan Bluffs or out to one of the stunning beaches, great for a quick stroll or swim. If you’re leaving for Block Island from Point Judith, drive out to the lighthouse, then take Route 1A North to Narragansett Pier. If you’re leaving from Newport, RI you have to experience the 10-mile Ocean Drive, which takes you past fishing coves, parks, and beaches with views of those amazing mansions.

This inland, southbound route takes you very pretty interior towns of southern Rhode Island from I-95 in West Warwick and East Greenwich to Route 1 in Charlestown, mostly via Routes 2 and 112. Route 1 runs parallel to the shore of Long Island Sound and gives access to several beautiful beaches and a saltwater pond. You pass close to Kingston and University of Rhode Island on Route 138.
Nearby Points of Interest:
♦ Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge.
♦ Trustom Pond National Wildlife Refuge.

Route 1A is a delightful, scenic diversion from US Route 1. The road meanders along the coves and inlets, affording riders with views of water and the countryside. Accessible from Route 1 at several points in South County.

Shannock Road passes through the town of Charlestown and Shannock Village from Route 2 to Route 112. Along the way, there are beautiful views of homes, farms, and a 1850 textile mill village, a well-preserved example of these communities, including housing for mill workers. Shannock Village itself is on the National Register of Historic Places.