Block Island lies 13 miles off the Rhode Island coast — 40% of it is protected land, with dramatic clay bluffs, beaches and walking trails. Small coastal ships tender or dock at Old Harbor, right in town.
Small ships anchor off Old Harbor or Great Salt Pond and tender in, or dock at Old Harbor. You step straight into the Victorian village.
Shops, inns and bike rentals are right there.
The island is about 7 miles long.
Mohegan Bluffs and Southeast Light are about 2 miles south.
Small-ship port.
| Cruise line / ship | Typical berth / arrival | Dock or tender |
|---|---|---|
| Small coastal ships (e.g. American Cruise Lines) | Old Harbor or anchorage in Great Salt Pond | 📍 Docked or 🚤 tender |
Typical arrangements only — your ship's berth is confirmed in the daily planner.
These typical arrangements are retained from the supplied port guide and have not all been independently reverified. Map links are location searches, not live ship assignments. Confirm the berth, tender landing and boarding arrangements for your sailing. Read this port’s researched access notes →
Block Island is a small-ship port — our eight featured lines rarely or never call here. American Cruise Lines and other small coastal ships visit on New England island cruises.
Melody can help with river, Great Lakes and small-ship cruises too — just ask.
Compare access requirements for this port before booking an excursion →
The shore excursions most worth your time in Block Island.
Tours booked through Viator, Cruise Travellers' excursion partner. Check the operator’s written return-to-ship policy; a guarantee is not assumed.
These are sightseeing suggestions. Distances and walking difficulty labels do not establish a step-free route. Read the port-specific access notes before choosing a route.
Through the Victorian village and north to the beach.
Best time: June–September. Warm sea breezes, 70–77°F / 21–25°C.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 39°F / 4°C | 27°F / -3°C | 11 |
| Feb | 40°F / 4°C | 28°F / -2°C | 10 |
| Mar | 45°F / 7°C | 32°F / 0°C | 11 |
| Apr | 52°F / 11°C | 39°F / 4°C | 11 |
| May | 61°F / 16°C | 48°F / 9°C | 11 |
| Jun ⭐ | 70°F / 21°C | 57°F / 14°C | 9 |
| Jul ⭐ | 77°F / 25°C | 64°F / 18°C | 8 |
| Aug ⭐ | 77°F / 25°C | 64°F / 18°C | 8 |
| Sep ⭐ | 71°F / 22°C | 58°F / 14°C | 8 |
| Oct | 62°F / 17°C | 49°F / 9°C | 9 |
| Nov | 53°F / 12°C | 40°F / 4°C | 10 |
| Dec | 44°F / 7°C | 31°F / -1°C | 11 |
⭐ = best months to visit. Approximate long-term averages — check the forecast before you sail.
Old Harbor is compact.
Tours of the island are available.
Best way to explore.
Prices are typical ranges and change — confirm before you ride.
Other port guides close to Block Island.
Tours, prices, transport fares and pier assignments change. Always confirm with the operator, your cruise line and your ship's all-aboard time before relying on anything here.
A car-light island off Rhode Island — the Mohegan Bluffs, two lighthouses and Victorian Old Harbor.
Block Island's beach-chair provision, bathroom access and ferry accessibility are separate questions; local access information reports meaningful limitations at Town Beach.
Published sources reviewed October 17, 2026. This is desk research, not an on-site access audit. Access can change with the ship, berth, equipment and operating conditions.
Beach chair available; toilets flagged inaccessible
Access RI's surveyed directory lists an accessible concession and one manual beach wheelchair, free on a first-come basis, but flags the bathrooms as inaccessible. Confirm that assessment and current equipment directly; do not assume a beach wheelchair also solves toilet or transfer needs.
Vessel-specific lifts
The ferry operator documents wheelchair access from vehicle deck to main passenger cabin on the vessel Block Island using a lift. Its own vessel arrangements do not establish accessibility of your cruise ship's tender or every ferry in the fleet.
Planning suggestion: choose a supported Town Beach visit only after equipment and toilet alternatives are confirmed, or arrange a vehicle-based island circuit.
Detailed access-planning questions · Save these arrangements in your day plan
Discuss my access needsTurn the interests in this guide into a private shore-day brief. These are ideas to discuss with Melody, not confirmed bookable products.
Before booking, request the named operator, inclusions, vehicle specification, entry tickets, cancellation terms and a written return plan. Private access, special entry and availability must be confirmed.
Request a Curated Ashore proposal Book a consultationSave a personal checklist on this device, then print it or share your brief with Melody. Times are your inputs in ship time; this tool does not calculate travel times or guarantee return.
Plans stay in this browser when storage is available. Email opens your own mail app; nothing is submitted automatically.
Confirm piers, fares, transfers, admission, tour duration and assistance with your cruise line and the relevant operator. Weather tables are inherited indicative averages, not a forecast. Report a correction.
