Providence, Rhode Island. It really does have some serious mafia history. Every time this city comes up in conversation, I snap into character and recite this line in a gruff Boston accent. It’s like a tick that I have. 😅
Prior to this trip, I had been to Providence twice, both for swimming-related reasons. I was an NCAA D1 swimmer in college (and you’d better believe it’s still on my resume), so swimming-related excursions around New England were common. The first of these Rhode Island excursions was an open-water swim-for-charity event that took place off the coast of Rhode Island on a chilly October day (would NOT recommend), and the second was the final meet of my career, which I swam at Brown. I had passed through RI a couple of other times for travel meets… but prior to this trip, any actual knowledge of Providence or Rhode Island, as places, was purely incidental. Huge shout-out to Jason & Jimmy playing the role of hosts, tour guides, and all-around good people. ❤️
A 60-Second Introduction to Providence
Founded all the way back in 1636, Providence is one of the oldest cities in America. It was founded by puritan exiles from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, and would ultimately become one of America’s original 13 colonies. So, Providence is one of the O.G.s.
What is Providence like today? Well, it turns out that being the “most populous city” in the smallest state in the US doesn’t mean much in terms of population. Boston, which is less than 2 hours away, absolutely dwarfs Providence, whose population is even less than that of Worcester (“wus-tah”), MA. So, Providence is a relatively small place. However, it still manages to play an active role as a regional hub, boasting 8 major universities, including Brown, RISD, and Johnson & Wales University.
It really does feel quite similar to Boston, but as my hosts can attest to, it’s much more livable. During my visit, they had only recently relocated to Providence after years of living in Boston, and said it already feels more like home than Boston ever did. And—as somebody who spent a fair amount of time living in Boston myself—I totally get it. I love Boston, but it takes both effort and means to exist there. Many who call Providence home regard it as one of New England’s best-kept secrets and are in no hurry for Bostonians to catch on. Boston is still my first love, but I understand why one might opt to live here instead. Here’s Providence on the map for your zooming pleasure.
My visit to Providence came during the blustery first days of spring, 2023. I’d be lying if I told you that March is the ideal time to visit this city, much less any city in New England, but the cold, overcast weather is not without some charm. This sort of climate feels quintessential to the New England identity, and while there were some snowy/rainy days on this trip, there were also some clear ones! And on those clear days, we walked! Here are some of my favorite snaps from our wanderings around Providence, ordered by time of day so the evening shots are at the end of the gallery.
The bumper sticker pictured above that reads “I NEVER LEAVE RHODE ISLAND” is apparently quite emblematic of a certain sub-set of local attitudes. This might seem like a “townie” bumper sticker, but I actually found this to be quite endearing here. Rhode Island is a wholesome place.
Also, I feel the need to tell you that those sunset pictures are barely edited at all. The sky really was THAT colorful.
Providence Street Art—Mini-Sampler
You may have noticed that this blog has a lot of street art content. I love street art. I didn’t quite have the time to hunt down as many murals here as would have been needed to justify a stand-alone article on street art in Providence… but there was no shortage of material. I saw some AWESOME murals in Providence, which feels all the more significant given how little effort I put into finding them. Maybe in the future I’ll return to Providence for some real mural-hunting, but for now, this is all you get. 👇
As usual, I have done my best to track down the artists responsible for the murals above. Here’s who I got, but if I missed somebody please contact me to let me know so I can update this article to give the proper credit:
David Boyajian
Although my time in Providence was more focused on hanging out than it was on ~TrAv3L~ (which is a decision I fully stand behind), we did actually get out and about in the state of Rhode Island to see some cool stuff. Up next we’re going to take a Rhode trip (get it?) down to beautiful Newport, RI, and stop through a charming little New England town along the way. For now, I’ll leave you with some pictures that make me happy when I look at them and a song that I Shazam’d in a Providence thrift shop.
