No Splurging Required: A Thrifty Providence Itinerary

The Hampton Inn & Suites is the clear value standout. Complimentary hot breakfast is included, so you can fuel up for the day without spending a dime. For solid comfort at competitive rates, the Residence Inn Providence offers suite-style rooms with kitchenettes, a smart option for longer stays or anyone who wants to keep meal costs down. (Pro Tip: Head to Trader Joe's or venture outside the city to Dave's Fresh Marketplace for some fabulous pre-made meals.) And Hotel Providence is worth watching for off-peak deals. A beautifully restored historic property, it offers a discount package for New Englanders and often lowers rates for Sunday and mid-week stays, putting a boutique experience at a more reasonable price.

Providence's best experiences have a way of being remarkably affordable. WaterFire, the city's iconic fire-on-the-river event, is free to attend and unlike anything else in New England. Fire, live music, and visitors and locals alike gathered along the riverbanks on a warm evening.

The Roger Williams Park Botanical Center pairs beautifully with a day in the park. It's the largest glasshouse display garden in New England and admission is just $5. The nearby Museum of Natural History and Planetarium is equally budget-friendly and features five exhibit halls open daily and planetarium shows on weekends.

Start with the institution: Olneyville New York System has been serving hot wieners for well under $10 since 1946, and it remains one of the most purely local food experiences in the city. Wash it down with a coffee milk or a Del's Lemonade.

For something just as wallet-friendly, but a little more substantial, Geoff's Superlative Sandwiches on South Main St. has been stacking oversized, creative deli sandwiches for more than 40 years. It's the kind of lunch that keeps you going all afternoon.

For evenings, Blake's Tavern and Murphy's are local Irish pubs that consistently deliver good food, cold drinks and honest prices. They're the kind of places locals actually go.

One cover charge. Unlimited gameplay. Free Play Bar Arcade is one of those places that sounds too good to be true and then completely delivers. For a single-entry fee ($8 on weekdays and $12 on Friday & Saturday), you get access to more than 160 games from classic arcade games and pinball to skee ball, air hockey and more. No tokens, no per-game charges, and no watching your quarters disappear.

It's the right kind of place for everything from date nights to hanging with friends or even solo. Think Aladdin's Castle with pizza and beer. (If you need us, we'll be working on our high scores at the Ms. Pac-Man machine.)