This is where Rhode Island’s nickname, the Ocean State, really earns its keep. Clam shacks and chowder houses dot a 30-mile-long coastline, much of it covered with sandy barrier beaches. Even in summer, when Newport and Cape Cod are packed to the gills with tourists, much of South County retains a rural feel.

The quaint hamlet of Wickford could sit in the dictionary next to the entry for “small-town New England.” The appeal of backcountry Charlestown, meanwhile, is to nature-lovers, who thrill at its miles and miles of untrammeled costal nature preserves. Not all of the area is so quiet, of course. Several beachfront communities draw teenagers from Providence and college students from the nearby University of Rhode Island, who do their best to imitate spring break on summer weekends.

Other spots appeal to families, who stroll the resort areas of Watch Hill and Narragansett with kids and baby strollers in tow—or drop the kids off at the seemingly ubiquitous water parks and mini-golf courses, while they peruse upscale galleries dotted along the coast.

South County Villages

To an out-of-towner, it may seem like South County delights in confusing travelers, as each of the major towns is divided into several villages with obscure Native American names or maddeningly similar sobriquets.

As a quick guide, then: North Kingstown contains the villages of Quonset Point, Saunderstown, and Wickford; Narragansett includes Galilee and Point Judith; South Kingstown encompasses Jerusalem, Kenyon, Kingston, Matunuck, Peace Dale, Wakefield, and West Kingston; Charlestown includes Cross Mills and Quonochontaug; and Westerly contains Avondale, Misquamicut, Watch Hill, and Weekapaug.

All straight now?

Getting to South County

Amtrak (800/872-7245, www.amtrak.com) runs trains to stations located in Westerly (14 Railroad Ave.) and West Kingston (1 Railroad Ave.). Buses run by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA, 401/781-9400, www.ripta.com) stop in Narragansett, North and South Kingstown, and Westerly.