What to do in Providence, the Creative Capital of New England

I had the pleasure of attending the GoProvidence press launch event for the first time, hosted by CEO Kristen Adamo. As I learnt about what to see in Providence, I left with one certainty: Rhode Island’s capital is the perfect destination for travelers like us who love movies and authentic American vibes.

It’s no coincidence it’s called “The Creative Capital”, a title that fits a city blending the charm of New England towns with the energy of a major metropolis. Named by Vogue as the creative capital of the East Coast, Providence is also a living film set best explored on foot, so much so that it was named the second most walkable city in America by USA Today.

I was already familiar with the city, having visited it on the Lovecraft Walking Tour, but attending the presentation made me realize just how multifaceted this city is, it truly has something for everyone, and that it can serve as the perfect base for exploring all of Rhode Island or even a part of New England, since it’s just under an hour from both Boston and Mystic, in Connecticut (yes, right where the pizzeria that inspired the movie is located!)

What to do in Providence: Movies Filmed in the City

And speaking of movies, Rhode Island’s colonial streets and stately mansions have been attracting major Hollywood productions for decades.
Hocus Pocus 2 was filmed on the city’s streets – between Atwell Street and Benefit Avenue – taking advantage of the city’s gothic atmosphere, as were Ella McCay (here’s an itinerary dedicated to the film), 27 Dresses and Underdog.
Brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly, natives of this area, have paid homage to their homeland in numerous films: the cult classic Dumb & Dumber starring Jim Carrey opens with shots of Providence’s skyline and streets, and if you look closely, you might spot the Big Blue Bug, a massive blue termite over 17 meters tall that’s still visible today from I-95 and appears in the film. Also in Providence, the two directors set scenes from Me, Myself & Irene (where Jim Carrey plays a local highway patrol officer) and the irreverent There’s Something About Mary, whose atmosphere you can relive by ordering a drink at the Hot Club, where a famous scene was filmed (complete with a plaque marking the exact spot!). The most recent Hollywood film was shot in 2025, when Jake Gyllenhaal and M. Night Shyamalan chose Providence for the romantic thriller Remain.

Finally, venturing a bit further afield, do you remember Meet Joe Black? Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins filmed their scenes at the Aldrich Mansion in the town of Warwick, Providence’s “sister city” and Rhode Island’s second-largest city.

A tip for accommodation: If you want to feel like a star in town, check out The Beatrice, a luxurious boutique hotel that often hosts celebrities visiting the city.

What to See in Providence: Literature, Architecture, History and Revolution

As I’ve already discussed at length, Providence is inextricably linked to H.P. Lovecraft. The master of cosmic horror was born there, wrote his works there, and is buried at Swan Point Cemetery beneath the now-legendary epitaph “I am Providence”. However, College Hill has also been the setting for another great literary romance with gothic overtones: within the majestic halls of the Providence Athenaeum, Edgar Allan Poe courted the writer Sarah Helen Whitman, and, according to legend, the library is still haunted by his ghost.
For those who want to experience the thrill and Lovecraftian atmosphere to the fullest, mark your calendars: the next edition of NecronomiCon Providence, the major international themed festival that welcomes over 2,000 visitors from around the world each year, is scheduled for August 2028.

But Providence also has strong ties to Italy, so much so that Brown University’s Department of Italian Studies has created the Decameron Web, one of the world’s leading digital resources dedicated to Boccaccio. Conceived with the aim of combining technological innovation with the humanistic heritage, the project transforms this late-medieval masterpiece into a truly interactive “virtual bookshelf”. Boccaccio’s work thus becomes the center of a global, borderless community where students, scholars, and enthusiasts alike can navigate through the original text, the first 17th-century English translations, and a vast multimedia archive, demonstrating how a work created to ward off the plague continues to live on, engage with, and teach the art of storytelling to today’s readers.

Another reason to stroll along College Hill? The largest collection of original colonial houses still standing on their original sites. At the heart of this architectural beauty is Benefit Street, known as the “Mile of History”. Just a short walk away, you can admire the First Baptist Church in America, founded in 1775, and the Providence Arcade, which opened in 1828 and is considered the oldest mall in the United States. Finally, from here you can also see the State House, with its imposing dome, the fourth-largest structural stone dome in the world.

Speaking of history, anyone fascinated by the rebellious origins of the United States should know that in June 1772, off the coast of Warwick, a group of colonists boarded and set fire to the British ship Gaspee. It was one of the very first acts of armed resistance, occurring well before the famous Boston Tea Party. This spirit of independence led Rhode Island to become, on May 4, 1776, the very first colony to officially renounce its allegiance to Great Britain.

Federal Hill and the Flavors of New England

If Providence has been named by Food & Wine as one of America’s new great culinary capitals, much of the credit also goes to its Italian heritage. Tens of thousands of immigrants settled in the Federal Hill neighborhood, which today welcomes travelers on Atwells Avenue with the monumental gateway “La Pigna”. It was in the kitchens of these very families that Rhode Island’s official state appetizer was born: calamari with hot chili peppers.
The local culinary journey, however, offers truly unique dishes that have now become part of New England’s gastronomic tradition, such as traditional clam cakes and fresh seafood, perhaps enjoyed at Iggy’s in the Oakland Beach area of Warwick; the iconic hot wieners, which must be ordered “all the way” (i.e., with all the toppings) at the famous Olneyville New York System; and coffee milk, the coffee-flavored milk typical of the area. For beer lovers, a tasting at the Narragansett Brewery taproom, which produces one of the oldest beer brands in the United States, is a must.

The Magic of WaterFire

Every year, Providence hosts an event that alone is worth the trip: WaterFire. Considered the most romantic experience in America, it is a majestic outdoor art installation with free admission. Usually on select Saturdays from May through October (with special events extending into November and December), about a hundred floating bonfires are lit on the waters of the rivers that flow through the city. The magic of strolling along Waterplace Park, dining on the water, or taking a boat ride past the flames, all while immersed in the event’s musical atmosphere, is the most enchanting way to conclude (or begin!) your exploration of the city.