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Outdoors in RI: Beat the Heat, Beach Pass Info, Roger Wheeler Boardwalk, Check Twice Save a Life
Beat the Heat this Fourth: Get Your Beach Parking Pass
East Matunuck State Beach, South Kingstown, RI
With the Fourth of July weekend here and extreme heat in the forecast, Rhode Island’s beautiful state beaches are ready for a wave of visitors. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) reminds beachgoers to buy their 2026 state beach season parking passes online at www.beachparkingri.com to start your holiday season right!
“This weekend will be BIG – we’re celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country and the temperatures are climbing! We’re excited to welcome everyone to Rhode Island’s beautiful state beaches this Fourth of July weekend, especially with the new improvements at Misquamicut and Roger Wheeler.” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “It’ll be a very busy weekend at all our facilities so please plan ahead. As you celebrate with family and friends, have fun, please be kind to our staff and fellow beachgoers, and help make it a safe and enjoyable holiday for all.”
Season passes offer a single, flat-rate parking pass that allows access to all eight state beaches. License plate recognition allows for fast entry, and pass holders can use express lanes at most state beaches. Season passes do not guarantee entry – parking is first-come, first-served. Beaches often fill up on holiday weekends, so check the online lot capacity tracker for near real-time parking availability before heading out. To keep beaches safe and prevent overcrowding, staff may temporarily close lots, reopening them as space becomes available.
Online season parking passes take up to 24 hours to validate but returning customers with unchanged registration and contact information can skip the verification process. In-person pass purchases are available at a new LAZ office at Fishermen’s Memorial State Park & Campground (1011 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett), open Monday through Friday 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Saturdays 8 AM to 4 PM (closed Sundays and holidays). No-cost disability beach parking passes are available; contact RI State Parks Headquarters at 401-667-6200 for more information. Seniors 65+ are eligible for discounted passes with a valid ID.
DEM encourages beachgoers to be aware of the extreme heat, water conditions, know your limits, follow safety announcements, and always supervise children near water. Although lifeguards are on duty as staffing allows from 9 AM to 6 PM and are an added layer of safety, individual responsibility is essential. More beach safety tips are available at www.riparks.ri.gov/beachsafety.
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Hurricane Awareness Week in RI
In all the “awareness” about the heat dangers, we completely overlooked that July 5th will begin Hurricane Awareness Week in Rhode Island. The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) is offering timely, science-backed guidance your audience can use now to better protect their homes.
Next week is also calling for a few days of rain. We’ll discuss this more next week! Until then, enjoy the 4th!
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New Roger Wheeler Boardwalk and Bulkhead
The new bulkhead and boardwalk at Roger Wheeler State Beach is now completed! The project includes an additional 1,200 feet of new boardwalk, along with guardrails, shade structures, sidewalks, foot-washing stations, concrete benches, and ADA-compliant access ramps. These improvements are supported by a new concrete retaining wall extending from both sides of the existing beach pavilion, strengthening the resilience of the beach facility’s infrastructure to the increasing impacts of climate change. The project also included relocating a section of the Town of Narragansett’s existing water main that crossed the site.
The over $11.1M project was primarily funded by $3.1M in federal funding through the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the RI voter-approved 2021 Beach, Clean Water, and Green Economy Bond.
“Many Rhode Islanders had their first swim in the ocean at Sand Hill Cove,” said Senator Jack Reed, a member of the Appropriations Committee. “It’s a special place. That is why I worked at the federal level to make federal funding available for these family-friendly upgrades and amenities so future generations can enjoy coming here, splashing around, playing in the sand and making memories together.”
“We are really excited about the new boardwalks at Roger Wheeler State Beach. Wheeler is one of Rhode Island’s most popular family beaches, offering safe swimming, educational opportunities, and a welcoming space for beachgoers,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “This project was supported in part by the 2021 Green Bond, highlighting how important these bond funds are for improving our amazing state parks and beaches. We are committed to modernizing our public facilities across Rhode Island and investments like this create a much more enjoyable day at the beach, strengthen Rhode Island’s resilience, and help keep treasured spaces safe and accessible for years to come.”
“The Town is excited about this robust investment into this beautiful family friendly beach, and we thank our State and Federal partners for their generous support of this project,” said Narragansett Town Manager James Tierney. “Additionally, we thank RI DEM for their continuing partnership as we work together to improve all public facilities and draw people from all over to enjoy Rhode Island’s and Narragansett’s beautiful coastline.”
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“Check Twice and Save a Life”
Rhode Island Police Chiefs Associations reminds Rhode Islanders about the danger of hot cars
This summer the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association will highlight the dangers of hot cars with its “Check Twice and Save a Life” campaign. The initiative will feature K-9s from around the state delivering their “Paws to Check” message and will include tips to help educate parents and guardians create the habit of checking the backseat before leaving a vehicle on a hot day.
“Our goal is to prevent even one hot car tragedy this summer by reminding everyone how quickly these incidents can happen,” said Colonel Michael Correia, President of the Rhode Island Police Chiefs Association and Chief of the Barrington Police Department. “Leaving a child or pet in a vehicle—even for a few minutes—can have devastating consequences. On a warm day, the temperature inside a vehicle can climb more than 20 degrees in just 10 minutes, turning an ordinary errand into a life-threatening situation. A few simple precautions can save a life.”
K-9 Millie from the Bristol Police Department is the lead dog in the social media campaign. At just 3 months old, she is the state’s newest comfort dog.
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What is Hyperthermia?
Hyperthermia is a medical condition that causes the core body temperature to rise dangerously above the normal body temperature ( 97 F to 99 F for adults, 95.9 F to 99.5 F. for children, and around 101.5 F for animals) as a result of the body absorbing or producing too much heat than it can release. Heatstroke is the most severe case of hyperthermia.
Background on Hyperthermia
- In the U.S. more than 1,000 children have died from heatstroke in the last 25 years. 31 children died of heatstroke in vehicles in 2025, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
- 1/4 of hot car deaths happen because a child was trapped in a car (NHTSA).
In Rhode Island, it is illegal to leave a child under the age of seven in a vehicle for an extended period of time, and it is also illegal to leave an animal in a car in extreme temperature conditions. Under the Good Samaritan law in Rhode Island, it can be considered legal to use reasonable force to get into a car to save a life
Penalties for leaving an animal in life-threatening conditions include:
- Up to a $1,000 fine
- Up to 1 year in prison
- Or Both
Information on Hyperthermia and prevention will be featured on the Association’s social media accounts throughout the summer and early Fall.
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