Sights and Bites #4

Looking for a fun weekend away, maybe with your family, gal pals, or significant other?  The city of Providence, Rhode Island is a great place to explore for a few days. The city offers shopping, culture, sports, and history.

When I visit Providence, I really enjoy staying right off of I-95 near the state capitol building.  If I'm going budget friendly, I tend to choose the Courtyard Marriott, but for more of a splurge, I love the Biltmore.  This historical icon of Providence has been in business for almost 100 years and after an interior remodel in '06, it is ready to take on another 100 years of visitors.  The Biltmore name glowing on the Providence skyline is one of the first things that comes to mind for me (and many others) when thinking of this city.

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Once you have settled on a place to stay, go explore the unique and varied shops on Thayer Street. You'll find cafes, specialty gift shops, hipster clothing stores, and other spots that fill up the blocks of this college-y part of town (college-y is a word right?).

Next up is finding a solid lunch to energize you all afternoon long and I recommend Geoff's. This tiny, chaotic sandwich shop is down the hill from Brown University and R.I. School of Design, placing it away from the heavy traffic of Thayer Street, but certainly not keeping away its customers.  This busy, no-frills shop is lined with chalkboards that list all of their different sandwich creations from top to bottom.  Geoff's exudes a little bit of "what are you looking at " attitude yet still boasts nice customer service. 

There are probably 50 different types of sandwiches available and they all are named anything but your typical "Ham and Cheese" or "Reuben on Rye."  The employees seem to love shouting out the funky name of your sandwich upon it's completion, getting particular joy from naughty names like the "frigid bitch" or the "sloppy ho".

If you want something more substantial, check out the Federal Hill area.  Atwells Ave is lined with tons of different sit down restaurants and some neat architecture.  There are also a few good bakeries that always catch my eye as I walk down the street with their big window displays of cakes and pastries.  Parking here can be a bit hard to find, but most restaurants offer valet parking to lessen to hassle for you. 

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During the summer and early fall months, I highly recommend ending your day with something called Waterfire.  The river that winds through the downtown area is dotted with giant, cauldron-like firebowls.  These get filled with split logs of wood and are lit at sundown.  People line the sidewalks, bridges, and grassy areas to relax and take in the beauty of the fire that seemingly floats on the river, the smell of wood as it crackles and pops, and the sound of the music played in the background. 

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I love to bring a blanket, set it down on a grassy hill and get settled in for a relaxing evening.  To go with the blanket, I always pack some cheese, crackers, grapes, and wine to make the night a little more special.  High romance for for a zero dollar admission fee!

If Waterfire sounds a little too lovey-dovey for you, how about checking out the Paw Sox?  The Boston Red Sox's Minor League team plays in Pawtucket, RI, which is just a short drive away from Providence.  The tickets are reasonably priced and you can choose to sit either on the grass past the outfield or in the stadium seating.  Grab your baseball cap, some cracker jacks, and get ready for an American classic.

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If none of the above strikes your fancy, you can always just stick with good ol' shopping mall time.  The Providence Place Mall has great stores and restaurants, but beware, you do have to pay to park here in their garage.

There you have it - just of the few things that can keep you busy for a weekend away in Providence, Rhode Island.  Where do you love to go for a short getaway?

Until next time, travel on...
Maggie