help me find a beach for a kids first trip to the ocean

Don%26#39;t know where to start so I%26#39;m asking for help from my friends on TA. I need to plan a trip for 2 families to a beach in southern Mass or RI for the last week in July.

Our party includes 5 kids ages 1-7. Most are from the SW and will be the only time they ever see the ocean. I need to find an modestly priced location near a beach with waves, sand, shells and preferably tide pools. I%26#39;m thinking of eliminating much of Cape Cod due to the crowds in July. These folks are not really into activities and just want to see the beach and pop up to the NE aquarium for a day.

Any suggestions for RI or Mass? Westport? Little Compton? Narragansett? Wareham? Dartmouth? Buzzards Bay?

help me find a beach for a kids first trip to the ocean

You%26#39;re smart in sticking to those areas because the water is a lot warmer, than the Cape and Boston areas. Little Compton, Westport, Dartmouth, are very, very pretty rural ag areas with not that many beaches, often private. Horseneck Beach and Little Compton Town beach are the two main ones. Horseneck has the potential to be so rough that swimming is sometimes closed. Little Compton is very out of the way, but that could be a good thing, you%26#39;ll pay for the solitude though.

There are more beaches in RI to choose from, some are smaller and known for being more mellow, kids beaches, like Third Beach and Gooseberry on Aquidneck Island. Narragansett, Charlestown, Misquamicut, and the south coast of RI all have big, nice beaces with more going on the area.

help me find a beach for a kids first trip to the ocean

Narragansett would offer several beach options. Scarborough Beach can have more rolling surf, while Sand Hill Cove (AKA Roger Wheeler Beach) has gentle waves, a playground on the beach and they used to offer craft time for little kids ( don;t know if they still offer that now). Both are state beaches and have large parking lots ( you pay a daily per car parking fee) and both have bathhouses and concession stands.

You can find a house to rent for a week that will allow you to save some $$ on meals. Many rentals will have washer/dryers which will be a help with five kids! Many also have DVD players so you can rent a movie or two to entertain the kids!

For a prime week like end of July, you%26#39;re kind of late in reserving a house but there should be some left. Check cyberrentals.com (owners listings)OR for realtor listings try Durkin cottages.

There are also movie theatres and a bowling alley near by in case you have a rainy day.

I agree with the previous posters who both mention Narragansett as a good choice. I love their beaches and there%26#39;s plenty to do and see, yet without the massive crowds and the highter costs of Cape Cod. You may even want to consider visiting the Mystic Seaport and Aquarium instead of going all the way up to Boston. Mystic is a nice town to visit and the Aquarium is very good.

Before you write off Cape Cod, be advised most of the bay side beaches are unlike any other beaches around.....shallow and warm.

Everytime we visit one, we always think how perfect these beaches are for little ones because for most of the day, you can go out into the water for almost 1 mile!!!! and it gets no deeper than 3 or 4 feet.

It is sometimes 6-12 inches deep for the 1st hundred yards....with plenty of tidal pools. So, given the age group of your kids, it might be worth looking into.

Generally known as the Brewster flats, there are probably a dozen beaches in each direction and surprisingly uncrowded.

Holy cow! You guys have some great information! Thank you! be sure to write me if you%26#39;re ever headed to Finger Lakes Wine Country. Thanks so much!