The watch hill lighthouse – The Adventures of Shadow and Wilma

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to the Village of Watch Hill in Rhode Island. We visited Watch Hill after journeying to The Watch Hill Lighthouse (see previous blog). Watch Hill is an affluent coastal village in the Town of Westerly. It is home of the famous Ocean House hotel, and one of Taylor Swift’s mansions. It is a popular area for beach-goers, and is plentiful of shops, and restaurants. It is also home to a well-known, and historic carousel.

We had a warm Adventure to Watch Hill after a lovely visit to The Watch Hill Lighthouse. We were fortunate to arrive early as after returning from the Lighthouse I quickly realized how crowded the Village becomes. We luckily did not need more then the two-hour allowed parking time as parking past this time limit was quite pricey. We began our stroll along the water’s edge, the beautiful blue ocean highlighted by many boats, included several that appeared wooden, and likely historic. We strolled along, enjoying the sites, beautiful flowers, and the vacation atmosphere. There were numerous people headed to the beach, I almost wondered how they would all fit as the shoreline appeared so minuscule.

Overall I did not find Watch Hill to be too dog friendly, as the beaches, and other coastal parks did not permit dogs. However we were quite pleased to find numerous dog bowls filled with water for some sipping. Both Shadow and Wilma were quite tired from the heat so they relaxed a bit in the shade, and enjoyed many visitors who stopped to greet them. We saw very few dogs, likely as most of the visitors were headed to the beach. I enjoyed peaking in the stores to see all the lovely items for sale. Many of the shops had colorful flowers displayed in window boxes, or surrounding locations. Watch Hill was definitely a lovely spot, and may just be the perfect location to return in the off-season when it is much cooler for a walk. So glad we could visit this adorable coastal village today (Rating: 4).

Today Shadow, Wilma, and I Adventured to The Watch Hill Lighthouse in Watch Hill, Rhode Island. The Watch Hill Lighthouse is located on a peninsula in Southern Rhode Island. It can be accessed by foot via a private road, while the museum is open during scheduled times. It is managed by the Watch Hill Lighthouse Keepers Association.

We had a scenic Adventure to The Watch Hill Lighthouse. I was glad to have done some research ahead of time as I may have never found this hidden gem without it. We parked in the town of Watch Hill, in one of the two-hour parking spots and then headed up the hill to the private road. My attention was drawn to a red sign on the street which appeared to be the private road to the Lighthouse (although not indicating that specifically). I was a bit humored by the sign stating “NO DOGS, unless leashed”, and of course relieved that they were permitted as expected. Maybe a savvy way to ensure visitors followed the rules, or maybe something only I would notice?? From this sign we began our journey down this affluent area, gorgeous mansions lining the street with elegant landscaping. The street was very small so we were careful to watch for cars. It was not far when we spotted the Lighthouse from afar. It was quite the scene with the Atlantic Ocean on both sides, flowers scattered throughout and a large lawn immediately before it. Just a lovely journey leading to the final destination.

We soon arrived at the official entrance. There were few visitors, and many of those whom we observed were fishing. We headed toward the Lighthouse but quickly made a detour over to the rocky shore. Shadow, as expected, was eager for a swim, so I figured we would head through the rocks to the waters edge. Probably not the wisest decision as the rocks were extra slippery. I myself fell, and both Shadow and Wilma were surprisingly challenged by this footing. However we managed to make it to the Ocean therefore making Shadow’s day. I sat for a minute while Shadow could enjoy his moment. He seemed pleased, even though he could not wade in due to the excessive rocks. We only stayed briefly before stumbling back through the rocks.

After returning to stable footing we slowly weaved our way to the Lighthouse. It was a warm morning so we took time to sit in the grass and drink some water. Once we arrived at the Lighthouse I were disappointed to see it was a private entrance but took several photos at the gate. We then checked out the fisherman quarters and headed back. Of course we took some more time relaxing in the grass, appreciating the atmosphere and treasuring the journey. Shadow and Wilma showed their cheer with continual rolls and were clearly quite satisfied with their coastal Adventure. Our Adventure to the Lighthouse came to an end when we spotted Taylor Swift’s lovely mansion, and then strolled back down the road of dreams. Definitely what the doctor ordered as our coastal Adventure to The Watch Hill Lighthouse was just right. I may just have to start working on my singing career (Rating: 4.5)