Led by Reverend Peter J. Gower, Saint Mary of the Bay Parish has more than 2,000 Parishioners. A Catholic church, it is affiliated with St. Jean Baptiste Mission Church, located down the road. The Parish performs baptism, communion and confirmation ceremonies. It offers religious education programs for children and the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. Daily masses at Saint Mary of the Bay are held on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7:15am.
Although its actual beachfront is small, Salty Brine State Beach boasts the newest facilities of Narragansett, after a small pavilion was finished in May 2010. A wind turbine is on the site, and the pavilion features a number of energy-reducing green innovations.
The beach was renamed in 1980 from Galilee State Beach to its current name after Walter "Salty" Brine Jr., a beloved Rhode Island broadcaster that passed away in 2004. He hosted a children's show on WPRI television in the 1950s and 1960s, and a morning radio show on WPRO from 1942 to 1993. Brine was also famous for his snow day cancellations, especially "No school Foster-Glocester!"
A small clam and food shack, Salty's Landing, is also at the pavilion. George's of Galilee, a popular seafood restaurant, borders the beach and provides private access for its customers. There is also an overlook area popular for waving to the Block Island Ferry and other boats. Parking is available in a small lot at the beach, and at additional paid lots and limited free spaces near the beach.
The Camp Cronin Fishing Area is west of the Point Judith Lighthouse. There is a long rocky shoreline fronting the Atlantic Ocean and this site also provides access to the east arm of the Harbor of Refuge breakwater, a popular fishing area.
The site is also made up of a freshwater marsh and lots of brush and is known to birdwatchers as the perfect spot to see vireos, warblers and sparrows during migration. Birders find the best season to visit is between August and late October.
There are plenty of hiking areas to take in along the rocky shoreline, where breathtaking views of Block Island Sound can be taken in on a crystal-clear day.
There is no camping allowed.
Chabad of West Bay is an organization for the Jewish community that provides an atmosphere for nuturing wisdom, understanding and knowledge. Services, study groups and special programs create a foundation through which Jews may seek education and experience their heritage.
According to St. Peter's records, the worshippers have been meeting since the summer of 1852, when Joseph H. Dulles fathered a group of various denominations for worship on Sunday afternoons at Indian Rock at the shore. The first church was built in July 1869 at a cost of $4,000, only for a "great northeast gale" to demolish the structure in September of the same year.
However, the very next day the church trustees met and resolved to build a new church. This same church, built in English Gothic style, stands today, with the same stained glass Tiffany windows. The church has been in the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.
A preschool is also run by the church on the property. A rector's house on the property was converted into the schoolhouse in the 1970s. An annex completed in the late 2000s connects the church with the schoolhouse, and also provides office space. Sermon podcasts are available on the church's website.
