Wave Hello to State Beach Season
Published on Wednesday, May 21, 2025
PROVIDENCE, RI – Memorial Day weekend kicks off state beach season with all state beaches, with the exception of Roger Wheeler, open daily with lifeguards, beach staff, concessions, and restrooms starting Saturday, May 24 until Labor Day. Roger Wheeler will open Saturday, June 14 due to an upgrade project. To provide more options during the delayed opening, Scarborough South will open for Memorial Day Weekend – earlier than its usual Father’s Day opening. Amenities will be available, though concessions will be limited for the next several weeks. The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is encouraging beachgoers to buy their 2025 state beach season parking passes before heading to the beach.
“The First Lady and I love beach season, and Rhode Island has the best beaches anywhere,” said Governor Dan McKee. “We look forward to welcoming all Rhode Islanders and visitors to our beautiful beaches to have a fun, happy, and safe summer!”
“Memorial Day weekend is the on-switch for summer, and we invite beachgoers to get out and enjoy our spectacular state beaches,” said DEM Director Terry Gray. “There’s nothing like summer in the Ocean State and any day at the beach is a good day!”
Reduce wait times by purchasing your parking pass online. DEM’s parking vendor, LAZ Parking, uses license plate recognition (LPR) for fast entry so no physical pass is needed. Season pass holders can use express lanes for speedier access. Online season parking pass sales can take up to 24 hours to validate but returning online customers with unchanged registration and contact information can now bypass the verification process. In-person purchases of season passes are now available at a new LAZ office at Fishermen’s Memorial State Park & Campground (1011 Point Judith Rd, Narragansett). Office hours will be Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 4:30PM and Saturdays from 8:00AM to 4:00PM. The office is closed on Sundays and holidays. Passes allow parking at all eight state beaches but do not guarantee entry – parking is first-come, first-served.
State beaches can reach capacity during holiday weekends. Beachgoers can check the near real-time beach capacity status before heading to the beach. For the safety and enjoyment of beach patrons, staff may close parking lot entrances to prevent overcrowding on the beachfront, ensuring lifeguards and first responders have space to respond to water emergencies. Closed lots may reopen as space becomes available.
Lifeguards are on duty as staffing allows, seasonally from 9 AM to 6 PM. When lifeguards are not on duty, swimmers are responsible for their own safety. DEM highly recommends that people of all ages learn to swim, respect the water, and know their swimming limitations. Parental or adult supervision is critical. Labor Day is the last day of the season that state beaches will be staffed with lifeguards and rangers and after it, restrooms will be closed and winterized for the season. Public safety is DEM’s highest priority and staff monitor weather and ocean conditions daily. For more safety tips, please visit www.riparks.ri.gov/beachsafety.
For more information on DEM programs and initiatives, visit www.dem.ri.gov. Follow DEM on Facebook, Twitter/X (@RhodeIslandDEM), or Instagram (@rhodeisland.dem) for timely updates. Sign up here to receive the latest press releases, news, and events from DEM's Public Affairs Office to your inbox.