There's so much to love about Block Island and it's the kind of place that deepens with time spent there. Here are some of my recommendations:

WHERE TO STAY:

The Sea Breeze Inn: Quietly considered one of the best Inns on the island, it is idyllically situated overlooking a wildflower meadow, perennial gardens and a swan pond. It is at the crest of Spring Street Hill with  great views of ocean and coastline and is a five-minute walk from the Old Harbor, the ferry, shops and restaurants.

My favorite room is #5, which is in a cute cottage with 5 rooms and two bathrooms (in other words you share the bathrooms with others) #5, a huge room with  ocean views, is great for a writer or anyone who wants to spend a lot of time in the room.

 Room #4, where I stayed this year is somewhat smaller but also very lovely. On the first floor there are three smaller room that are also quite nice.

The Sea Breeze also has quite a few large private rooms with  their own bathrooms.  #10 is the very deluxe cottage and it gets reserved months if not years in advance. Gaby, who runs the Inn for the owners, is absolutely a pro at what she does. Marlene, who is the housekeeper and breakfast maker, is a wonderful person, too. Mary Newhouse, who owns the Inn with her husband, is an abstract painter of some repute. Her paintings grace the walls of the Inn and add beautiful color and gesture to the rooms.

The Rose Farm Inn and The Atlantic Inn also come highly recommended. There are also B&Bs on High Street that people like. My mother once stayed at the Narragansett Inn at New Harbor. 

WHERE TO EAT

My favorite place to eat on this trip was a good old family seafood restaurant called Fin's. They serve fantastic steamers and a really good broiled fish sandwich that is very simple and to the point. They also have Blue Moon beer on tap and it comes with a slice of orange.

On this trip, I also fell in love with Ernie's Restaurant, a breakfast place that is only open from 6am until around 11. They make a great egg and cheese sandwich.

Rebecca's was Alice's favorite  place to get caesar salad, onion rings, fried fish sandwiches, wraps, burgers, french fries and milkshakes.

Eli's is a place for foodies who like a friendly, casual atmosphere with fresh and flavorful dishes. Their bread with garlic and sun-dried tomato spread is a great starter as are the Tuna Nachos, with sushi grade tuna,  creme fraiche, scallions and Asian chips.  The lobster and scallop lasagna, also a mixed metaphor, works big time. The service is great and prices are on par with everywhere else on the island, which is to say pricey but not insane. And you can just have the Arugula and Goat Cheese salad at the bar if you're not that hungry.

Harry's Cafe is also wonderful. They serve a wide selection of flavorful food including seafood dishes, sandwiches and Pad Thai, which seems to be their specialty. What's great is that you can sit outside and take in the harbour view.BYOB.

Three Sisters is the go-to sandwich place that is actually run by three sisters who work hard in their tiny kitchen making sandwiches and wraps with funny names like the Twisted Sister (a turkey sandwich with a bunch of other stuff) the Hippie Sister (a veggie wrap with hummus) and others. You can eat in their great yard with a hammock and picnic tables.

Froozie's is another good sandwich place with a tofu and portobello mushroom vibe. They also serve breakfast and it all tastes very fresh and homemade and is on the porch of the National Hotel.

Juice 'N Java is an Internet Cafe that also serves the best coffee in town. I spent a lot of time there on this trip and they play great music and are open from 6am until 6 p.m.

WHERE TO DRINK

On this trip I tried the Veranda Bar of The Spring House Hotel, the classic old hotel at the top of Spring Street Hill. I always avoided it like the plaque because it gets crowded and noisy on Thursday's, which is Martini Night complete with a live band and hundreds of people crammed onto the porch.   It rained on the one Thursday night I was there so Martini Night was a washout. That said, I did try the Espresso Martini that someone told me about and it's a crazy contradiction in terms but tasty like a White Russian on steroids. Most weeknights it's pretty quiet at the Veranda Bar and you can sit on the porch or on the lawn in a white Adirondack chair and admire the breathtaking view.

ENTERTAINMENT

Friday nights belong to Adrian Hibbs, who performs his original funk jazz at the bar inside The Spring House. His voice is a cross between Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway and he improvises blissfully on a jazzy Wurlitzer organ. Catch this guy before he becomes too famous. He lived in Brooklyn for years and played at the just closed Black Betty, but has since moved to New Orleans, where they really get what he's up to.

Nick's is the bar where everyone goes for two dollar Naragansett beers and to mix, mingle and dance. It's not really my cup of tea but a Rolling Stones cover band, The Blushing Brides, was pretty convincing, raucous and fun last Friday and Saturday nights. 

WHERE TO BUY

The Glass Onion on Water Street carries tasteful vintage meets India meets John Derian meets quasi-Victorian items, featuring interesting jewelry, bags, shoes, books, home items, clothing and more.

Lazy Fish is another fun place that has vintage and new items, books, jewelry, collectibles, lamps made out of kitchen strainers and toasters, antique postcards, small, beautiful beach paintings and Claireware, the wonderful pottery by one of Brooklyn's own.

Island Bound Bookstore: And yes, there is a good bookstore on Block Island. Between the Post Office and Harry’s Café, this full-service
bookstore offers lots of room to relax and browse. Island Bound stocks
the island's widest variety of fine literature for all ages. Readers
will find New York Times best sellers, current pulp and hard-bound
fiction and a generous offering of nonfiction, including titles on
Block Island, boating, cooking, gardening and more. An inviting
children's section offers fun activiites for rainy days. Special orders
welcome.

RENT A BIKE

You can rent a bike just about anywhere on Block Island but we liked the bikes from Rose Beach Bicycle at the Rose Farm Inn. 

POINTS OF INTEREST

The Mohegan Bluffs: Going down to the beach via extremely steep steps is fun; going up is great exercise. The view is energizing and breathtaking.

North Lighthouse: The bike ride to this lighthouse is one of the island's great rides.

Southeast Lighthouse: A really special place with a view.

Monument Beach: Great beach, great swimming

The Farmer's Market: On Saturday morning from 9 am until 11:30 there's local produce, gorgeous flower arrangements, hand- made items like sweaters and quilts, jewelry, abstract paintings and homemade goodies. All while bluegrass duo serenades the crowd.

The Block Island Free Library: Great for a rainy day and Internet access. 

The Zoo:  Near the Atlantic Inn; they've got a llama and a camel.

GETTING THERE

It's easy to get to Block Island from NYC. You just take the Amtrak train to New London, where you can get the ferry to the Island. The ferry dock is just across the tracks from the station. Voila: You don't need a car and can walk to the Sea Breeze and other B&Bs from the ferry on the Block Island side. 

There is almost constant ferry service to Block Island from Pt. Judith, Rhode Island.

You can also get a ferry in Montauk, Long Island but they run less frequently.

THE DOWNSIDE

The island is full of day and overnight tourists in the summer. People rent mopeds and and that can be annoying. That said, tourism is the lifeblood of the Island. For a quieter stay try September or the Spring, both said to be great times to visit and take in the natural beauty of the Island.