10 reasons to love South County, R.I.

“This is one thing I absolutely require,’’ said Jennifer Brown of Jacksonville, Fla., dining on chowder and clamcakes, another Champlin’s specialty. “I come to Rhode Island once a year and coming here is the one thing I must do.’’

Champlin’s started as a shack in 1932 and over the years grew to its current two-level building with knotty pine interior.

For a mere $3.79 you get a half pint of Rhode Island chowder, and $2.40 more gets you a trio of clamcakes. 256 Great Island Road, Point Judith, 401-783-3152, champlins.com.

The Towers Not far away are The Towers, which long ago used to be the place to cut a mean rug - and still is.

“Dance lessons are very popular here,’’ said Debbie Kelso, executive director of the Narragansett Chamber of Commerce, located in the base of the building on Narragansett Beach.

The Towers were part of the Narragansett Pier Casino that in the Gay Nineties was one of America’s hottest resorts and included a ballroom famous for hosting massive dances. Designed by McKim, Meade & White with landscape design by Frederick Law Olmsted, the casino was destroyed by fire in 1900, leaving only the towers. The casino was rebuilt but more fires and massive storms over the years left only the hardy granite towers, now town owned and home to lectures, music, poetry readings - and dancing. In July and August, the towers are open for anyone to walk up and take in the views. 35 Ocean Road, Narragansett, 401-782-2597, thetowersri.com.

Quonochontaug Fishing Area Down the coast a bit, in the Charlestown village of Quonochontaug, is this 49-acre parcel by a breachway connecting Quonochontaug Pond to the ocean and providing some of the most popular fishing in the state, said Mike Roy, harbormaster.

“Blues, stripers, flounder,’’ Roy said when asked what’s there to be caught, adding that the dirt road and unpaved parking area is “packed in summer, bumper to bumper.’’ Come early and stay late. The sunsets here are spectacular. West Beach Road, Charlestown, State Department of Environmental Management, 401-222-6800.

Misquamicut Beach And finally, take in this granddaddy of all beaches in the state, stretching some seven miles from Watch Hill to Weekapaug, most publicly encompassing the half-mile Misquamicut State Beach portion in the middle with a new pavilion complete with showers, a tower, concession stand, and composting toilets.

“It’s the first open beach after Long Island Sound,’’ said Caswell Cooke, executive director of the Misquamicut Business Association. “We get lots of people from Connecticut and Massachusetts who want the surf.’’

There are in excess of 5,000 parking spaces up and down the beach, he said, all full on hot weekends. “Between the town, the Chamber of Commerce, and the business association,’’ Cooke said, “there is something to do every night in July and August.’’ Misquamicut Beach, Atlantic Avenue, Westerly, state beach 401-596-9097, riparks.com/misquamicut.htm and misquamicut.org.

Paul E. Kandarian can be reached at kandarian@globe.com.