By: Arianna Cecchini

With the cold New England weather subsiding and the warm weather approaching, a great place for college students to go right here in CT is Block Island. To get to Block Island one can take a ferry from New London, CT which is about an hour to an hour and a half away.

Now, there are two different ferry boats across the water to the island, one that is about an hour ride and the other being about 25 minutes. It costs around $22-35 a person round-trip, depending on the speed of the boat. Once you get to the island, it is just a gorgeous site. You pull up to a beach front with shops, hotels and restaurants, all of which are quaint and very beautifully New England themed.

The front strip offers souvenir shops, two hotels, seafood restaurants, bike rental shops and ice cream parlors. It is a great way to spend a spring or summer day – and inexpensively. One doesn’t even need to spend money on the island besides for the ferry. One can go to the multiple beach locations that are offered throughout the island, and bring their own lunch too.

It is a great way to spend a warm sunny day with some friends. Now if money is not an issue, the restaurants are really great to dine at. The food is fresh and inexpensive and sitting outside looking at the ocean is always breathtaking. It is a great time, and can account for great memories. Nowadays, Block Island also regularly offers scooter rentals which can be a fun way to spend a day on the island.

Block Island also offers a beautiful lighthouse at the top of the island, which can give a view of the whole island and is absolutely a must see. If a group of friends are all willing to go, renting a house on the island is inexpensive and is a great mini vacation away from home or school. It is a great beach vacation for some friends to attend and have a good time without having to drop a fortune in expenses.

The island also holds a Ben and Jerry’s ice cream parlor and a really cute candy store with amazing fudge: both of which are must-do’s on the island. They do offer a movie theater in case of a rainy day, so the whole day is not wasted.

It really is a great spot for a vacation with some friends. It has the ocean, great food and shopping for cheap prices, what more do you need? It’s even in our own state, it doesn’t get much more convenient. So, this summer, when you are thinking, “I need some time off” (because you worked your butt off to get good grades) head to Block Island for the day, or for a week. It’s a great place to go and you won’t need to spend everything you’ve saved in order to have a decent time.