While we certainly want everyone to stay longer, sometimes there’s only a few hours to make a quick pit stop in The Creative Capital. For those on the go, here are 17 things you can do in Providence in one afternoon.

Lunchtime

1. Head up to Federal Hill for a leisurely lunch in one of the country’s top Little Italys.
2. Grab some provisions at Eastside Marketplace and take a stroll along Blackstone Boulevard.
3. Providence is the birthplace of the diner. Pay homage by chowing down at the West Side Diner.
4. Pick up a homemade hot dog or sausage at Chez Pascal’s “Wurst Window” and eat it in lovely Lippitt Park.

Midafternoon

5. Stroll the nation’s oldest indoor shopping center, the ornate and airy Arcade Providence.
6. Pay homage to Providence’s favorite writer and find H.P. Lovecraft’s grave in gorgeous Swan Point Cemetery.
7. Take a walking tour of one of Providence’s historic neighborhoods, using one of our guides.
8. Hit the water. Glide through the rivers of Providence in a gondola, learn a little something on the Providence River Boat, or burn off lunch with Providence Kayak Company. 
9. Bring the kids or be a kid at the Providence Children’s Museum.
10. Shop like a local in fashion-forward neighborhoods like Hope Street, Wayland Square and Westminster Street.
11. Feel the summer warmth any time of year at the Roger Williams Park Zoo's new Faces of the Rainforest exhibit.
12. Marvel at the exhaustive and expansive collection at the RISD Museum.

Late Afternoon

13. Grab a beer at local landmark The Hot Club, made famous in the movie “There’s Something About Mary.”
14. Pick up a pick-me-up with a sweet treat from the iconic Scialo Bros. Bakery.
15. Zip around town with any of the bikes available throughout the city.
16. Stand tall above the Providence skyline with a cocktail at the Rooftop at the Providence G.
17. Pick up a souvenir from your quick trip at the GoProvidence Visitor Center.