For taking a look at Block Island

The Nature Conservancy has called Block Island "one of the last great places in the Western Hemisphere." As we entered the harbor on the ferry from Point Judith, the view was of a Victorian seaside village: sprawling white clapboard hotels facing the sea, narrow streets fanning out from the docks, a smattering of shops and restaurants. The island is remarkably undeveloped; more than a third of it has been preserved as open space. Due in no small part to the difficulty of getting vehicle reservations on the ferry (reserving six months in advance is recommended), traffic is light. Since the island is only about 12 square miles, it's easy to get around on foot, by bicycle, or in a taxi.

The Adrianna, originally a sea captain's residence, was converted to an inn in the 1980s. It used to be called the "Adrian" after Adrian Block, the Dutch navigator and explorer who founded the island. Ann Law, owner of the better-known Blue Dory Inn downtown, bought the Adrian in the late 1990s and changed the name.

The inn has nine guest rooms with private baths. The Fleur de Lys Suite offers panoramic views from a private deck, a king bed, Jacuzzi tub, TV/VCR, microwave, and small refrigerator. The two-bedroom Beach Plum Cottage next door is ideal for a small family.

Our room, Lily of the Valley, was decorated in soft yellow and blue, with a comfortable queen-size canopy bed, an armoire, bureau, television set, nightstand, and rocking chair. With windows on three sides, the room was filled with light. The window air conditioner was more than sufficient to cool the 11-by-14-foot room; though it was missing a knob, someone had thoughtfully left a pair of pliers with which to regulate the fan speed.

A helpful guest services book also provides a history of Block Island. There's a refrigerator in the kitchen where guests can help themselves to ice and leave beverages to chill.

One of the nicest features of the Adrianna is the wraparound porch, with lush, colorful hanging plants. We spent a fair amount of time in the rockers just outside our door enjoying a view of town and the island's sandy eastern shore up to the clay cliffs at the northern tip.