BAECATION on BLOCK ISLAND in the Age of COVID
Travel, anyone?
We’re all hurting from not being able to travel in the way that we want because of the COVID. A simple walk to the grocery store has us putting on a hazmat suit, let alone going out of the state for a self-care trip, a family emergency or in this case, BAE. KAY. SHUN.
OK, So...
My babe and I ventured out of New York on a road trip to spend bae time in none other than – RHODE ISLAND.
You read that right – RHODE ISLAND. Since no planes or trains are an option, we jumped in my automobile and kept it “local.”
I don’t know about you, but Rhode Island has never been a destination that I’ve heard of. I just knew it was a state. Where people live. And that the city of Providence is/was a popular distro spot for cocaina. And home to several Mafia families.
But lo and behold! The state includes a remote little place called BLOCK ISLAND. The recco came from a girlfriend who had visited with her man. Considering her reccos are on point, we had to go! ...And she’s a Black woman...And I’m a Black woman, so, yea – I trusted her.
So, before you think about visiting BLOCK ISLAND for a baecation, here are some specific things you need to know:
1. BLOCK ISLAND is only accessible by water or air.
We took a ferry from Point Judith – and it was lovely. In this age of COVID, hardly anyone was on it. And those that were, adhered to the rules of wearing a mask and physical distancing. It was also on this ferry that my hair morphed from Sanaa Lathan’s press in The Best Man to ol’ girl’s wig in Tyler Perry’s A Fall From Grace. So, plan accordingly.
Note that you can also pay to have your car travel on the ferry as well. We weren’t able to because they were completely booked on the ferry returning to the mainland, so we biked it – more on that below.
After an hour of coasting on the Atlantic Ocean, we arrived!
2. Don’t Miss the Taxi Stand!
When you arrive, you might be looking for a taxi. So, do not miss the taxi stand! (As we did when we arrived at night). It is closer to the street as you walk off the ferry with white signs that say “Taxi” or something like that. If you still can’t find it, ask someone.
3. The White People Have No Filter...Which I Kinda Appreciated.
White Gay Male Innkeeper: "I have a Black son, and I am just so happy to see you both. I will tell him, 'See, Black people do stay at our inn.' ”
Us:
We stayed at The Old Town Inn, a really cute Bed & Breakfast, on Old Town Road.
But because of the too candid comment made by an innkeeper we knew for .25 seconds, we slept with one eye open the first night because...we Black...and we don't know what be poppin' off at night if ol' boy was that comfortable.
4. Bike, Bike, Bike
If you have the legs, travel by bike. The island is very hilly, but don’t be embarrassed if you find yourself walking the bike up the hills. It happened to me, Bae and many other folks we saw along the way.
We experienced lovely 70-something degree weather, so if the temp is warmer than that, it might be a bit more uncomfortable, but power through because those downhills...wheeeeeee!
5. Mohegan “Mother-effing” Bluffs
This 150 ft high large clay cliffs are the highlight of the island for me. Bae and I climbed down the steps to enjoy the intimate beach that awaited. Posted up among the rocks and hills gave us a Caribbean-inspired vibe right here in the U.S.! It was definitely one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been on.
There’s more to BLOCK ISLAND, but this is a good idea of what to expect. Oh! And yes, we did see Black people on the island. We saw most of them downtown on Saturday, and a few inland (where we stayed).
As the GREEN BOOK back in the day recommended safe places for our people to visit and stay, I recommend that you stay in Block Island for no more than a weekend – which is what we did. Even a day is good – just know exactly where you want to go. The time will fly!
Stay safe and still travel safely during COVID!