Summer In(PROVIDENCE)
It’s going to be my second summer in Providence, and I’m stoked.For those who have never been in Providence during the summer when it’s nice outside and not clouded in a blanket of gray, the city is actually vibrant with a creative streak and good eats all around. Three months is long enough to do some serious exploring without the nagging burden of academic responsibility.Need a roadmap? Each map is organized by the type of activity, so in theory, you could mix and match to plan the perfect day. Rhode Island may be small, but what it lacks in size is immediately compensated for by a great personality. Like most things.If you want to eat everything in sight:
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but you get a little taste of various cuisines. Get the teriyaki salmon Bento box at DenDen, try the ginger scone at Seven Stars, and tear into the M.O.A.B (mother of all burgers) at Harry’s. If you want to get your ~artsy~ side on:The RISD Museum has incredible collections year round and is currently showing a meticulously crafted and bejeweled apparel collection by Todd Oldham.His 1990’s creations will be paired with a dance party on June 17th with DJ Lady Bunny, a red carpet, and endless cocktails. Other public art outlets to look out for include The Avenue Concept, a platform for public artists to create and display their street art all over Providence, and AS220, a nonprofit organization that offers classes ranging from screen-printing to ballet. Providence and surrounding towns also host arts festivals and gallery tours every month, some notable ones being PVDFest, Bristol-Warren Art Night, Gallery Night Providence, and the Wickford Arts Festival.If you want to pretend like you have more in your bank account:
The Arcade, which is apparently the nation’s oldest indoor shopping mall, is a short walk away on Westminster Street. You can apparently rent a micro-loft on the top floors of the building, so I guess you could try that if you’re really trying to convince everyone you’re not a college student. The Providence Flea also happens every year in June right by the river, and by owning up to the fact that you are indeed a college student, you can snag some impressive bargains. I bought an antique gumball machine last year at the flea market that I intended to fill with chocolate to survive exam weeks … to this day it’s still empty. Whatever, that’s not the point.If you want to sit around wasting time:
Vegan donuts from Dave's Coffee are what got me through sophomore finals period. But don’t limit yourself to that … there is no shortage of coffee and tea shops in the area to loiter in, i.e. The Shop, New Harvest, Coffee Exchange, White Electric, Tea in Sahara, etc. For other quiet and spacious spaces to read other than the aforementioned spots, try the Providence Athenaeum, the RISD Fleet Library, Prospect Terrace Park, or India Point Park.Go to all of my suggestions, go to none of them, I don’t care. Just find your happy place this summer!And if you’d like a more legit guide to Rhode Island tourism, check out our critically acclaimed video.Images via the author and via.
