Rhode Island Beaches

We like Scarborough Beach - wide beach, lots of parking, concessions available, changing rooms, rest rooms, hot showers available for 75 cents, pavilions with picnic tables. It's very clean - they give you a trash bag when you enter and you are expected to take your own garbage home. So no overflowing garbage cans with seagulls picking at them! You can check it out on line. It's a state park/beach. There are motels in the area but I don't know anything about them - I would check AAA for that. Have fun!

There's a nice beach in Point Judith. It's on Sand Hill Cove Road. It has a playground and the waves aren't very large, so it's good for your 2yo.

Try Roger Wheeler Beach. It used to be called Sand Hill Cove. The waves aren't too large, so it is good for little ones. The facilities are kept up nicely. There is also a play area for the kids - a little out of shape, but nice swings and a slide anyway. Aunt Carries - a nice little seafood joint is down the street and they have lots of kids choices (not all seafood) as well. Have fun!!

We just stayed at the Newport Beach Hotel and Suites which is just on the Newport/Middleton line. The hotel room was beautiful and was directly across the street from the beach. I have a 22 month old and each day we took the stoller over and right onto the beach. There is also a playground on the beach, carousel and snack bar. It was the best beach so far for his age because he could just walk in without worrying about big waves or drop offs so I spent the day chasing him in and out of the water with no worries.

Misquamicut (Spelling?)

http://www.riparks.com/wheeler.htm
This is great. Low tide - not too many waves. Very kid friendly.

We like Charlestown. We go to the town beach so the facilities and food are limited, but there is also the breechway that I think offers more. There is a great campground called Burlingame if you are into camping.
I also like the suggestions the other women have.