Providence's sights are concentrated in two walkable areas: College Hill, with its historic architecture, universities, and the RISD Museum; and downtown, where the rivers and WaterFire bring people out on warm evenings.
Rhode Island State House
The 1904 State House dome is one of the largest self-supporting marble domes in the world — modeled on St. Peter's in Rome. It's open to the public on weekdays, and the view from the steps over downtown is worth the climb.
The Arcade Providence
Built in 1828, this is the oldest enclosed shopping arcade in the United States. The Greek Revival building on Westminster Street was converted in 2013 into micro-loft apartments on the upper floors, with small shops and eateries at street level. Worth a look even if you don't buy anything.
RISD Museum
The Rhode Island School of Design's museum on Benefit Street holds a collection that ranges from ancient Egyptian artifacts to contemporary art, with particular strength in American decorative arts, costume, and textiles. One of the best small art museums in New England, and often overlooked by visitors fixated on Boston.
Brown University Campus
The main green and surrounding College Hill streets make for a pleasant walk. Manning Chapel, University Hall (1770), and the John Hay Library are all worth seeing. The neighborhood around Thayer Street — cafes, bookshops, cheap eats — fills in around the campus.
WaterFire
On select evenings from May through November, nearly a hundred bonfires are lit on braziers floating on the Providence, Woonasquatucket, and Moshassuck rivers. The event combines fire, water, ambient music, and a strolling crowd into something that sounds gimmicky and is actually mesmerizing. Free to attend. Check waterfirearts.org for dates.