Providence Athenaeum on Benefit Street in Providence is one of America's oldest libraries (1753) and cultural centers, housed in a granite Greek Revival structure designed by William Strickland of Philadelphia. Stephen Hopkins, Moses Brown, and Silas Downer (who served as a librarian) were all active in the library in the 18th century. Legend has it that in the 19th century, Edgar Allan Poe and Sarah Whitman carried on their courtship in the stacks. Changing exhibitions of rare books and local artists’ works are on display in the Charles and Deborah Philbrick Rare Book Library. Cultural programmings, lectures, readings, theatrical presentations, musical performances and more. Phone: 401-421-6970

Beneficial to the Senses

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A walk along Benefit Street, carved high into a ridge along Providence’s East Side overlooking downtown, is a memorable walk among beautiful and immaculately preserved Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival, and Victorian-style houses. The Providence Preservation Society distributes maps with self-guided tours and the Rhode Island Historical Society conducts walks in the summer.

Breathtaking Art of Many Ages and Cultures

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To see a wide variety of spectacular artwork from many cultures and ages, visit the Rhode Island School of Design Museum on Benefit Street in Providence. The RISD Museum houses over 80,000 works of art, ranging from ancient Greek and Roman sculpture to French Impressionist paintings, from Chinese stone and terracotta sculpture to contemporary art in every medium, including textiles, ceramics, glass and furniture. It also serves the general public with a full schedule of special exhibitions, lectures, tours, concerts and other programs. Exhibits coming from late 2009 into 2010 include drawings and animations by Iranian artist Avish Khebrehzadeh, praised for its poetic sensibility and dreamy, timeless atmosphere; and Mountains and Rivers: Scenic Views of Japan. Phone: 401-454-6500. Website:

CDs to Belly-Dancing Costumes
Are All Part of the Fun at Spectrum

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Spectrum India Retail Store at 252 Thayer Street in Providence is a fun shopping excursion in the heart of the Brown University neighborhood, itself a stimulating scene for people-watching. Spectrum is a fun store where guests receive superb service as they shop for clothing, accessories, books, CDs, candles and gifts. Spectrum carries women's, unisex and ethnic-inspired children's clothing, and emphasizes natural fiber fabrics and eco-friendly brands. Items recently highlighted on its website include flowing Bohemian and tie-dyed skirts, Indian kurta tops, exotic wrap skirts, Brazilian-cut jeans, the Goddess dress and even belly-dancing outfits. The store has been in operation at this location for 38 years, so you know it is filling a shopping niche with style and staying power. Phone: 401-421-1010

Children's Garden Is a Delight
for the Small Fry

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It’s a delightful garden, and it is just for the kids. Surrounded by Rhode Island’s native trees, shrubs and flowers, kids and grownups who visit the Children’s Garden at the Providence Children’s Museum on South Street in Providence will discover how the delicate cinnamon fern got its name, smell fragrant blossoms, and dabble their fingers in the fieldstone fountain. The centerpiece of this urban oasis is a huge, colorful play-on map of Rhode Island that designates the environmental regions of the state, such as beach areas, wetlands and forests. Kids and grown-ups have active outdoor fun as they jam on the JunkMusic PlayStation, explore a cave and discover a host of colorful, hands-on toys, blow bubbles, fly kites, investigate slime and get acquainted with a different work vehicle every Wednesday in July and August. Phone: 401-273-5437.

Galloping Dinner

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A very cool and unusual experience for visitors to the capital city of Providence is a chauffeured tasting tour of a half-dozen Providence restaurants over the course of an evening. The Providence Chauffeured Dine Around is a service of All Occasion Transportation. You and your guests – family, friends, business associates -- may choose six restaurants from a list of more than 15 premier eateries and enjoy featured menu tastings all evening long. One friend took the plunge and reported “It was a great deal; the restaurants rocked; and we felt really special.” Phone: 401-312-0945 ext. 131.

Hockey, Country-Western, and Much More

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For indoor entertainment and high-energy sporting action during the cold months, keep an eye on the activities at the Dunkin' Donuts Center on LaSalle Square in the heart of downtown Providence. For sports fans, the center hosts continuous hockey action with the Providence Bruins throughout the winter. For others, the Dunk brings in a variety of entertainment, such as Shinedown, Jeff Dunham's Identity Crisis Tour, Monster Jam; Carrie Underwood, the Harlem Globetrotters, Smuckers Stars on Ice, and much more. Phone: 401-331-6700.

It's a Nice Place to be Alive, Too

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The paths and gardens of Swan Point Cemetery make for one of the most peaceful and interesting walks in all of Providence. Within the Cemetery’s gates lie 200 acres of pristinely manicured lawns that flank the Seekonk River, replete with laurel, rhododendrons, azaleas and other flowering shrubs. Aside from just being scenic, a walk through Swan Point is always educational; the grounds are home to an abundance of rare and beautiful trees with plaques for easy identification, and the gravestones are pieces of artwork in and of themselves. Here you’ll find the final resting places of everyone from Civil War officers and early state politicians, to the famous science-fiction pioneer H.P. Lovecraft.

Pass the Parmesan

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Bring your appetite to Rhode Island’s authentic Italian restaurants on Providence’s Federal Hill. There are more Italian restaurants on this mile-long stretch than in Manhattan’s Little Italy. When you are filled to the groaning point, stroll along the neighborhood’s sidewalks and mellow outdoor piazzas.

Talk to the Animals

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A trip to Providence must include a day at Roger Williams Park, a 430-acre Victorian-era park comprised of ponds, walks, gardens, greenhouses, paddle boats and bumper boats, playgrounds, pony rides, a Carousel Village, and the Museum of Natural History and Cormack Planetarium. The park's crown jewel, Roger Williams Park Zoo, is home to more than 1,500 animals of 150 species.

When is a Mall Not Like a Mall?

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The Providence Place Mall, smack in the heart of downtown, is a three-story, full-carpeted retail palace with wonderful views of the river and the city below. With 170 upscale stores, eight restaurants, video arcade, and IMAX theater, a visit to this mall is a great and lively indoor activity any time of the year.