Flying To Block Island and Six Things You Have To See After You Land

We fly to Block Island to assess its reputation as a laid-back vacation getaway for stressed-out city dwellers.

Jonathan Welsh

Friday, June 10, 2022 at 04:08 PM ET

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A look at the famous North Lighthouse in Block Island. [File photo: Adobe Stock]

Key Takeaways:

Block Island is highly recommended as an easily accessible and convenient vacation destination for small airplane pilots, offering a significantly faster alternative to ferry travel.
The island provides a relaxing "real island" feel, characterized by extensive nature preserves, picturesque landscapes, and a comfortable proximity to the mainland.
Visitors can explore a variety of attractions, including natural wonders like Mohegan Bluffs and numerous beaches, the prominent Block Island Wind Farm, historic lighthouses, and the shops and restaurants on Water Street.

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For many years, pilot friends have urged me to visit Block Island, a popular vacation spot just under 10 miles off the coast of Rhode Island and about 14 miles east of Montauk Point on New York’s Long Island. Each gave pretty much the same recommendation: This beautiful, fun, and relaxing place is remarkably easy to reach with a small airplane.

I cannot reasonably explain why it took me so long to act on their good advice, but I recently flew there in the Cessna 172P. The trip took about 90 minutes from my home airport in Sussex, New Jersey (KFWN). Instead of flying a straight line, which would have taken me to the edge of New York’s Class B airspace, I bent the course slightly toward Bridgeport, Connecticut, before turning to cross Long Island Sound on a direct course to Block Island.