Smithfield, RI to Narragansett Pier, RI is 39.3 miles and takes about 53m via I 295 and RI 4, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Rhode Island, moving from the northern part of the state down towards the coast. It's a straightforward drive that's easy to complete in a single day, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a day trip to the shore. You'll encounter a mix of highway and surface roads, so expect a varied driving experience as you head south.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 295
10.8 mi
12m
RI 4
9.9 mi
12m
Boston Neck Road
4.1 mi
6m
Tower Hill Road
3.2 mi
4m
I 95
3 mi
4m
Pleasant View Avenue
1.8 mi
2m
Farnum Pike
1.4 mi
2m
Bridgetown Road
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 295
— 10.8 mi, about 12m
Traffic on I-95
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 60 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~6,209 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~276 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
22.5×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 44 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Smithfield, RI and Narragansett Pier, RI.
1
Start on Brayton Road
22 ft·3 sec·Brayton Road
2
Turn left onto RI 5; RI 104
1.4 mi·2 min·Farnum Pike
3
Turn right onto RI 5; RI 116
1.8 mi·2 min·Pleasant View Avenue
4
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 5
1.0 mi·1 min·Cedar Swamp Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on RI 5
0.6 mi·53 sec·Sanderson Road
6
Continue on RI 5
1.3 mi·2 min·Greenville Avenue
7
Take the ramp onto I 295
0.3 mi·38 sec·I 295
Toward I 295 South
8
Merge onto I 295
11 mi·11 min·I 295
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 95
3.0 mi·4 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 4
9.9 mi·12 min·RI 4
Exit 24BToward RI 4 South: North KingstownUse the slight left / straight lanes.
11
Continue on US 1
3.2 mi·4 min·Tower Hill Road
12
Turn left onto Bridgetown Road
1.4 mi·2 min·Bridgetown Road
Use the left lane.
13
Turn right onto RI 1A
4.1 mi·6 min·Boston Neck Road
14
Continue on RI 1A
0.7 mi·1 min·Beach Street
15
Turn left onto Exchange Street
416 ft·18 sec·Exchange Street
16
Turn left onto Ocean Road
466 ft·7 sec·Ocean Road
17
Arrive at destination
Ocean Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Smithfield, RI, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.2 and 33 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
3.2 mi into trip|~5m in|RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
6.4 mi into trip|~10m in|I 295
Merge onto I 295
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
16.9 mi into trip|~22m in|I 95
Merge onto I 95
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
19.9 mi into trip|~26m in|RI 4
Keep slight left at fork onto RI 4 toward RI 4 South: North Kingstown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 24B
Toward RI 4 South: North Kingstown
6
33 mi into trip|~43m in|Bridgetown Road
Turn left onto Bridgetown Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.17 one way
$12.33 round trip
$3.99/gal25.4 MPG avg14 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.48
$6.93
$13.85
premium
$4.81
$7.45
$14.89
diesel
$4.80
$7.42
$14.84
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
11.8
0
$4.13
$1.89
Efficient EV
9.8
0
$3.44
$1.57
EV Truck/SUV
15.7
0
$5.50
$2.52
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 14, 2026
Origin
Smithfield, RI
Night
in Smithfield on Saturday
Local time
9:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
76°F
Mostly Clear
W 8 to 12 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 2:35PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 13 at 11:47PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Destination
Narragansett Pier, RI
Night
in Narragansett Pier on Saturday
Local time
9:32 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Clear
SW 8 to 17 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 14 at 2:35PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 13 at 11:47PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Boston/Norton MA
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
2 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
53m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is about 60% highway, with your longest continuous stretch on I 295 covering 10.8 miles. You'll transition from the interstate to surface roads like RI 4 and then Boston Neck Road as you get closer to Narragansett Pier. Expect to encounter more traffic signals and intersections once you leave the main interstate. The shift from faster highway speeds to more controlled surface street driving is noticeable.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 10.8 mi on I 295.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.2 miles in near RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road.
Driving Effort8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 39.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 53m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles (RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Smithfield is a small town in Northern Rhode Island that was founded in the 1600s. The town still has the charm of an old farming village with orchards and farms scattered throughout, but it has been modernized to a mid-size suburban town. The town is a great place to visit especially in the autumn months for its farms and orchards (known for their apple orchards especially). It is also has many unique places and family-owned businesses that make visitors feel like they are home no matter how far they’ve traveled from.
Doable as a same-day drive at 53m. Total distance: 39.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
53m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 10.8 miles on I 295. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 2 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Narragansett Pier, RI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.2 miles (RI 5 / Cedar Swamp Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (I 295): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles (I 95): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Roger Williams National Memorial and Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Narragansett Pier, RI before heading back.
