You’ll have some choices to make when booking a vacation rental in South County, Rhode Island, as there are dozens of towns, villages, and communities from which to choose.
You really can’t go wrong with any of them, but each will provide a different vacation experience. As a result, learning a bit about these locations is a good idea before you book anything.
Sea Lea Colony is a small neighborhood in Charlestown that provides a uniquely quiet escape from some of South County’s busier areas. Most of the region’s popular amenities are accessible from the community, though, so it provides the best of both worlds.
Here’s a look at what it’s like to spend your vacation in Sea Lea Colony, Rhode Island.
Where is It?
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Sea Lea Colony before, and that’s because it’s a tiny neighborhood that sits between Green Hill Pond and Ninigret Pond in the town of Charlestown. It’s almost entirely residential, except for a marina, and many homes in the community sit directly on the water.
Getting to Sea Lea Colony is simple via Charlestown Beach Road, which connects to Route 1 through Matunuck School House Road and Old Post Road.
The neighborhood is also only minutes from Charlestown Town Beach, one of South County’s most popular oceanfront locations.
Charlestown Town Beach
One of the great things about booking a vacation rental in Sea Lea Colony is that you can walk to the beach.
Charlestown Town Beach is about a five-minute walk from most homes in the neighborhood, so you won’t have to worry about finding and paying for a parking spot on a busy summer’s day.
Once you reach Charlestown Town Beach, you’ll see a large sandy area with plenty of space to spread out. There are lifeguards on duty in the summer, as well, helping keep your family safe.
If you’re planning to spend some time at the beach during your Rhode Island vacation, staying in Sea Lea Colony provides easy access to one of the area’s most scenic.
Ninigret Pond
Ninigret Pond is a large coastal lagoon formed when glaciers receded from the area about 12,000 years ago. The pond has a surface area of nearly 1,600 acres and is a popular recreation area in the summer.
You’re only minutes from Ninigret Pond when staying in Sea Lea Colony, as you can access the water through a boat launch beside the Charlestown Town Beach parking lot or head further west on Charlestown Beach Road to the Charlestown Breachway.
If you didn’t bring a boat with you, it’s possible to rent a kayak or standup paddleboard at the Kayak Center, which has a location at the Shelter Cove Marina in Sea Lea Colony.
Once you have a boat in the water, you can explore Ninigret Pond, head north into Tautog Cove, or go under the bridge into Green Hill Pond.
There’s no better way to explore this area than on the water, and the marina in Sea Lea Colony makes it incredibly easy to do so.
Places to Eat
Sea Lea Colony is pretty much entirely residential, so there aren’t any restaurants in the neighborhood. That might not be a problem, though, because your vacation rental will come with a full kitchen.
There are restaurants within walking distance, too, as the Breachway Grill and The Bakery are about 20 minutes away on foot.
Other dining options in the surrounding area include The Cove and Kingston Pizza. Both of these spots will take about half an hour to reach if you’re walking but are only about a five-minute drive from Sea Lea Colony’s vacation rentals.
Accessing the Rest of South County
Just because you’re spending your vacation in Sea Lea Colony doesn’t mean you’re stuck in the community the entire time. The rest of South County is easily accessible from this community because it’s only minutes from Route 1.
Once you reach Route 1, you can head east toward South Kingstown, Wakefield-Peacedale, Matunuck, and Narragansett or go west to Quonnie, Weekapaug, Misquamicut, Watch Hill, and Westerly, depending on where you wish to visit.
Each community offers something different, so you can spend every day experiencing new things from your starting point in Sea Lea Colony.
South County is full of wonderful activities to keep you busy on your vacation. Sea Lea Colony is worth considering when booking your rental because it makes all of them accessible.