You’ll probably hear locals referring to the bay and the eponymous town as ’Gansett.

Westerly, Narragansett, Jamestown, Bristol, Wickford, and New Shoreham are all cute towns worth a stop on your bay adventures.

Should you need, a ferry runs from Jamestown to/from Newport; the Block Island Ferry runs from Point Judith to/from New Shoreham.

For summer visitors, pack sunblock, good walking sandals, and a sunhat.