Perfect days — the kind of days where you can look back and say, “Absolutely nothing could have gone any better than it did,” — are hard to come by. And although they’re exceedingly difficult to come by in the context of full-time jobs, familial obligations and endless day-to day stressors, I can look back and definitively say that the vast majority of my most perfect days (and even entirely perfect weekends) have been during the summertime in Narragansett.
While by no means considered a “townie” by the unofficial standards of the term, I was able to fully immerse myself in this almost magical beachside culture for the course of seven summers, the first of which culminated in the marriage to my wife on Narragansett Beach and a reception at The Towers, which provided an incomparable view of both the Atlantic Ocean at sunset as well as the colorful local culture on the upper deck of the Coast Guard House.
Over the years that followed, my wife and I plus our furry practice children (two large Golden Retrievers) took Narragansett up on everything it had to offer. Summer parties at our house in the “North End” were always an adventure. From the bottom of our street, kayaks (owned by some and rented from one of the local shops by others) could be launched directly into Narrow River, followed by a short paddle down to the far end of Narragansett Beach, which beats sitting in traffic any day of the week. For the cookout portion of the evening, the hardest part was always figuring out what combination of amazing food we were going to grill up. Primary contributors to our feast usually involved some combination of produce from the Coastal Growers Market at Casey Farm and fish from one of the many markets featuring fresh, locally caught deliciousness. The end of the night, however, was far more certain. When your house is walking distance from Brickley’s Ice Cream, it’s a safe bet that the majority of your guests are going to end up there before the party is over.
On nights (or mornings) when we did not feel like staying at home to eat and drink, we were once again faced with the challenge of deciding between many equally great options. For “clamcakes and chowdah,” we had Monahan’s Clam Shack, George’s and Aunt Carrie’s. If we wanted to get a little bit fancy for dinner, we had Trio, Spain or Turtle Soup. If we wanted to stay in what we were wearing, Crazy Burger was always the default choice; no dress code, awesome food and BYOB? Sign us up! In fact, the only thing I liked better than dinner at Crazy Burger was breakfast at Crazy Burger. Did I mention Crazy Burger?
This account is by no means to suggest that summer in Narragansett is an endless cycle of food, drinks and lounging on the beach (not that there’s anything wrong with that). To the contrary, Narragansett has one of the most active summer fitness communities in Rhode Island. On any given day, rain or shine, you will see people skating/cycling on Ocean Road, surfing/bodyboarding at the beach or cruising on a kayak/SUP in one of the local waterways. Narragansett also has a very active community of runners, highlighted by the annual Blessing of the Fleet 10-Mile road-race presented by the Narragansett Lions Club. Every July, nearly 4,000 runners, walkers and wheelchair entrants participate in this event that takes participants through historic Narragansett and ends at The Towers for an epic, endorphin-fueled gathering of veterans and new runners alike.
As if the regular happenings were not enough to keep everyone happy and exhausted, the town also has a multitude of special events every summer. Some of the favorites include 4th of July fireworks, the RI Philharmonic performing on Narragansett Beach and (full circle back to eating) food trucks at the beach on select nights during the week.
While the growth of my family eventually exceeded the capacity of our raised ranch in Narragansett, prompting my wife and I to find a bigger place a town over, the charm of this perfect little town draws us back season after season. Our kids participate in the Summer Youth Track Series presented by the Narragansett Running Association every year. We make the trip down to Galilee several times per summer, sometimes to hit the fish markets, restaurants and beaches on that side, and sometimes to catch the ferry over to Block Island for our annual vacations. As time marches on and we actually gain some equity in the home we bought 5 years ago, my wife and I envision our family moving back to Narragansett; if not for its amazing scenery and charm, then certainly for its excellent tax rate.
