Updated October 2026
Best Time to Visit Roger Williams National Memorial
National MemorialRhode Island
Best month to visit
May
69°F / 49°F avg high / low
Our recommendation
Visit Roger Williams in May
May offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). For comparison, July is the most crowded month (~1.8× the average month) and January is the quietest.
- Annual visits
- 39K
- 2025
- Busiest month
- Jul
- 1.8× avg
- Quietest month
- Jan
- 0.2× avg
- 10-yr trend
- falling
- -41.4%
How crowded is Roger Williams by month?
Relative crowd level by month (1.0 = the park's average month), from NPS visitation records 1979–2025.
Month-by-month crowd, weather & daylight
Roger Williams National Memorial weather by month →
| Month | Crowd level | Best-time score | Avg high / low | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Very quiet | 42 Poor | 38°F / 22°F | 9.3 h |
| February | Very quiet | 43 Poor | 41°F / 24°F | 10.4 h |
| March | Very quiet | 40 Poor | 48°F / 30°F | 11.7 h |
| April | Average | 52 Fair | 59°F / 40°F | 13.1 h |
| Mayour pick | Busy | 58 Fair | 69°F / 49°F | 14.4 h |
| June | Very busy | 57 Fair | 78°F / 59°F | 15.0 h |
| July | Very busy | 46 Fair | 84°F / 65°F | 14.8 h |
| August | Very busy | 50 Fair | 82°F / 64°F | 13.7 h |
| September | Busy | 55 Fair | 75°F / 57°F | 12.3 h |
| October | Busy | 42 Poor | 64°F / 45°F | 10.8 h |
| November | Quiet | 44 Poor | 53°F / 36°F | 9.6 h |
| December | Very quiet | 37 Poor | 43°F / 28°F | 9.0 h |
Climate normals (1991–2020) from the nearest NOAA station (USW00014765, ~7.5 mi away).
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About visiting Roger Williams
Roger Williams National Memorial is a National Memorial in RI and one of the system's hidden, low-traffic units, drawing about 39,000 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has eased over the past decade, down about 41.4%. Crowds concentrate sharply by season: July is the busiest month at about 1.8× the park's average month, while January is the calmest at roughly 0.2× — a 8-to-1 swing between high and low season. Roughly 42% of the year's visitors arrive in the three summer months of June, July and August alone, so timing a trip outside that window is the single biggest lever on how crowded the park feels. Weather swings from an average high-season warmth near 74°F in July down to about 30°F in January, with the wettest stretch in March and meaningful snowfall around February. About 6 months a year see comfortable average temperatures in the 50–80°F range, which is part of why crowd timing and weather timing don't always line up. The sweet spot is May: pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season). Visit then and you trade a little peak-season certainty for noticeably shorter lines and easier parking than the July rush. Daylight ranges from about 9.0 hours in midwinter to 15.0 hours near the summer solstice, which shapes how much ground you can cover in a day. These crowd figures are drawn from 1979–2025 of National Park Service visitor-use records, paired with 1991–2020 NOAA climate normals, and are updated as new monthly data is released.
Park overview
"I acknowledge that to molest any person, Jew or Gentile, for either professing doctrine, or practicing worship meerly religious or spiritual, is to persecute him, and such a person (whether his doctrine or practice be true or false) suffers persecution for conscience." -Roger Williams, 1644 Banished by the English and saved by the First Peoples, Roger Williams founded Providence here in 1636.
Weather & conditions
At Roger Williams National Memorial in Providence, the weather varies with the seasons. Spring and fall are mild, with temperatures in the 50s to 60s Fahrenheit and occasional rain. Summers are warm and humid, reaching the 70s to 80s, while winters are cold, often in the 30s and 40s, with chances of snow. Check the forecast before visiting and dress in layers for comfort.
Park overview text courtesy of the National Park Service — official park site.
Where to stay near Roger Williams
Hotels, cabins, lodges and vacation rentals near Roger Williams National Memorial — live availability and prices to plan your trip. May is our pick for the best balance of light crowds and good weather. Full lodging guide: when to book, gateway vs in-park, and the crowd calendar that drives room rates.
Top-rated places to stay near Roger Williams
Prices for Oct 30–Nov 1, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Getting to Roger Williams
The nearest airport is Theodore Francis Green Memorial State Airport (PVD), about 10 mi (18 min drive) away. Most visitors reach Roger Williams by car.
Frequently Asked Questions
May offers pleasant weather with noticeably thinner crowds (shoulder season) at Roger Williams National Memorial. The park is busiest in July (about 1.8× the average month) and quietest in January.
July is the busiest month at Roger Williams National Memorial, running roughly 1.8 times the park's average monthly visitation.
January is the quietest month at Roger Williams National Memorial, at about 0.2× the average month — a good choice if you want to avoid crowds.
Roger Williams National Memorial recorded about 38,959 recreation visits in 2025. Visitation has been falling over the past decade (-41.4%).
Based on 1991–2020 climate normals, the warmest month at Roger Williams National Memorial averages about 74°F (July). See the month-by-month table above for the full picture.
Theodore Francis Green Memorial State Airport (PVD) is the closest airport to Roger Williams National Memorial, about 10 mi (18 min drive) away.
Nearby parks to visit
Keep exploring
Water quality of lakes near Roger Williams
If you are planning to swim, paddle or fish on this trip, these graded lakes are within a 40-mile drive. Grades are A–F from EPA and state-agency sampling.
- Lake Pearl water qualityGrade A · 17 mi · MA
- Robbins Pond water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · MA
- Ponkapoag Pond water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · MA
- Sudbury Reservoir water qualityGrade A · 33 mi · MA
- Wankinco River Lake water qualityGrade A · 36 mi · MA
Beach water quality near Roger Williams
Beaches within a 40-mile drive, graded on multi-year bacteria sampling from EPA BEACON — worth checking before you plan a swim day.
- South Shore Beach water qualityGrade A · 27 mi · RI
- Baker's Beach water qualityGrade A · 28 mi · MA
- Briggs Beach water qualityGrade A · 28 mi · RI
- Apponagansett Town Beach water qualityGrade A · 29 mi · MA
- East Beach water qualityGrade A · 30 mi · MA
Sources: National Park Service Visitor Use Statistics (1979–2025), NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020. Crowd index = a month's visits ÷ the park's average month.