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Roger Williams Park

Outdoor Activities In Providence, RI

Despite being an urban capital city, Providence boasts an impressive array of green space and recreational opportunities.

Waterplace Park
Waterplace Park

Nationally recognized for its outstanding design, Waterplace Park is the focal point of Providence's revitalized downtown. This four-acre urban park surrounding a tidal basin features an amphitheater, landscaped terraces and boat landings. A series of Venetian bridges connect downtown Providence to the city's historic East Side. From here, you can board a riverboat or glide in a gondola down Providence's redesigned rivers. Waterplace Park is also the site of special events such as concerts and the acclaimed WaterFire.

If you don't want to explore the rivers in Providence by kayak, you can sit back and relax on an...

Roger Williams Park
Roger Williams Park

Cited by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of America's premier urban parks, Roger Williams Park was designed by Horace Cleveland, noted American landscape architect. With more than 430 acres, the park is comprised of waterways, walks, outdoor gardens, a Carousel Village, the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, the magnificent Temple to Music and Roger Williams Park Zoo.

The Carousel Village features a vintage carousel, pony rides, a themed miniature golf course and kiddie go-boats. The Tennis Center has Rhode Island's only clay courts available for public use. The Dalrymple Boathouse has paddle boats and mini-speed boats and the Botanical Center provides an enviable evergreen oasis.

East Side, Providence

Historic Providence

Providence's East Side neighborhood is steeped in history, from the sprawling Brown University campus to the Colonial-era homes along Benefit Street. Be sure to save some time for a visit to Prospect Terrace, a tiny jewel of a park featuring an iconic statute of Rhode Island founder Roger Williams overlooking the city.

Federal Hill, Providence

Patio seating surrounds the fountain at DePasquale Square in the Federal Hill neighborhood of Providence

Providence’s historic Federal Hill neighborhood spans iconic Atwells Avenue and the surrounding streets. Largely settled by Italian-American immigrants in the early 1900s, Federal Hill effuses a sense of warmth and community that embraces visitors and locals alike. While the neighborhood has evolved, the influence of the Italian people and culture is ever-present.