Lonely Planet social media manager, Rachel Lewis, recently traveled to Rhode Island for a cozy weekend break filled with festive walks, coffee shop hopping and yoga. Here, she shares some tips and insights for anyone planning a similar trip.
As a big-time holiday girlie, I’ve always had a big thing for festive cities: Asheville, North Carolina with the 19th-century Biltmore Estate all lit up; the massive Christmas markets in Washington, DC; a thick, creamy hot chocolate at Tatte as the snow falls in Boston, Massachusetts.
This December, I spent a wintry weekend in Providence, Rhode Island, the furthest north I’d been from my hometown in North Carolina in years. Back in college, I took the train north to Connecticut to visit a friend for the holidays. It felt right to be somewhere so cold during the winter and I still treasure those eight hours alone in the carriage, watching the trees shed their leaves.
This year, I wanted to see winter spread across the East Coast from the skies, so I hopped on a flight with a carry-on (and wife!) in tow and headed north to Providence.
Where did you stay? What was the vibe?
We stayed at The Beatrice, a luxury 4-star hotel located a block away from the Providence River. Fifteen minutes from the Rhode Island T.F. Green International Airport in an Uber (30 minutes with traffic), it’s the kind of place that’s perfect for a couple’s trip. It was made even more epic by the exclusive rooftop bar, the only one in Rhode Island. With tiny tables, close seating and low lighting, it was the ideal space to take in the views of downtown and sip cocktails. I had the adult oat milk hot chocolate, which was topped with whipped cream and spiked with tequila and coffee liqueur.
We had booked to stay in the stunning La Dolce Vita Suite, which had high ceilings, cozy bathrobes and a real Christmas tree tucked into the corner. A little menorah with a few dreidels decked out the television stand. The skylight was even rimmed with garland and the doorway from the living room to the bedroom had a little mistletoe hung above it.
We plotted our itinerary whilst we snacked on little treats like olives and fresh burrata and surveyed the champagne that we’d drink later that evening.
Best thing you ate?
While Providence is famous for clam cakes and lobster, the city offers a mix of everything, from downtown ramen joints to burger bars on College Hill.
Among my best bites were the egg-and-cheese breakfast croissant with home fries ($7) at NicoBella’s, a downtown restaurant with rainbow flags and inclusive decor. The home fries were a standout, with rosemary adding a surprising twist to a breakfast staple.
My best lunch was tofu japchae (Korean stir-fried glass noodles; $15) from Den Den Cafe Asiana, a delish Korean restaurant we stumbled upon after wandering the many hills of the College Hill neighborhood. It was a cool spot to refuel, and they had the kindest staff. My wife was a huge fan of the vegetable yakisoba (Japanese sweet-and-sour stir fry noodles; $15). We said that if we were local, we’d regularly lunch here.
One evening we put on real pants, grabbed some cash and made our way to what has to be the most beautiful restaurant in all of Providence: Bellini. Run by the fourth generation of Italy’s Cipriani family, the restaurant was stunning: gold accents; fresh pink blossoms bouquets; comfortable booth seating; and romantic lighting. And the food, my word. I had the spinach and ricotta tortellini with sage butter and parmesan ($27). I could have eaten a thousand of them. And then downed a gallon of the sage butter. Plus the red pepper flakes sprinkled on top? Life changing.
The best drink I had was a sesame-almond horchata ($6.50) at Little Sister, a Puerto Rican cafe in Blackstone, Providence. Service is on the slow side as it’s super popular. Reservations advised.
What was the most touristy thing you did?
There are many festive touristy activities in Providence to enjoy from ice-skating to the lighting of the Christmas tree but walking up to WaterFire, a free event at Waterplace Park where the wood piles that dot the river basin are set alight for the holidays, was a particular highlight. The fiery arts festival included a short performance of the Nutcracker in which the Mouse King sailed in on his boat, flaming torch in hand as music played. Santa followed later to much cheering.
What was the most under-the-radar activity you enjoyed?
A visit to AS220, a non-profit community arts organization that lets local creators exhibit original artwork for free. Open Thursday to Saturday, I was drawn to a collaboration with Haus of Glitter, a local dance, performance and justice group for a slow-flow yoga class ($5).
I booked about a week in advance and there were about 15 other students. The class was lovely and slow. Most of my time was spent meditating on the mat or in a comfy seat. It was one of those tiny transformative moments.
When you think of Rhode Island, you don’t picture a diverse group of people acknowledging their ancestors and the indigenous people who came before them. Maybe you will now. Classes take place on the first Saturday of each month at 8:30 am. Bring socks and a blanket to cushion your knees.
What was the handiest thing you packed?
Good sneakers and a hat. We did a ton of walking and Providence was more hilly than I expected. Our hats came in handy during a light rain shower on Friday night and again on Sunday as we did some coffee shop-hopping before we headed to the airport.
Tip you wish you'd received before you departed?
Matthew Garza of The Haus left me with this tip: “I would love to invite people to go visit the former home of Esek Hopkins, where our creative occupation and historic intervention took place, to learn about the history of slavery in the United States, to get involved in our project and sign our petition, and also to watch the project unfold. We’re working with the city to transform the site and rededicate it.”
While I wasn’t able to visit this time around, I’ll definitely be back for another winter in Providence — and I’ll certainly add this important spot to my list.
Rachel Lewis traveled to Providence on the invitation of The Rhode Island Tourism Council and The Beatrice. Lonely Planet does not accept freebies in exchange for positive coverage.
