Cool things to do in RI?

[Jen66]

My DH and I are taking a 4 day trip to Providence, RI without the kids. We have never been there before and would love suggestions on things to do, places to eat, etc. Has anyone done the ferry from Providence to Newport? Thanks!!

[McGeorge]

My fiance and I actually went to Providence with another couple last summer for a few days on a whim, and it turned out to be pretty fun. We did not take that ferry, but instead stayed in Providence the whole time. It's actually a pretty walkable town, so if it's nice, just walk around a bit to see what you find. We found lots of nice shops and old homes, just by walking. Check out the area around Brown University - you'll find some nice shops and bars to get lunch.

For dinner one night, if you like beer, try the Union Station Brewery - it's right in the heart of downtown and serves up great food and a great variety of beer. You can even get a sampler to try a little bit of all of them.

For shopping, check out the Providence Place Mall - fairly standard mall, but very large and very nice. Also, check out Federal Hill - it's the old Italian section of Providence and has many great restaurants. You may also want to visit the Providence Zoo - I've been to many zoos and I thought this one was right up there.

Finally, check out the city's website and see if their night time show, "Waterfire," is scheduled for the time you're going. I didn't see it the time we were there, but everyone talks about it and says its great. It's apparently a fire and lights show right on the water.

Hopefully that helps a bit. We literally decided to go the night before we left and did no research. So if you look into it a little more, I'm sure you'll find many more things than I've listed. Have fun!