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Providence, RI: Travel Guide for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

Providence is what every American college town wishes it could be. It’s the home of Brown University and RISD, and every corner boasts cute coffeeshops and well-preserved architecture and historic homes-turned-dorms.

Providence was the rare stop on our Northeast road trip that felt lively, safe, and welcoming. Most of the other small towns we visited were in a state of decay in some way: crime, homelessness, or disrepair made it uncomfortable to spend time walking around.

However, Providence was a joy to experience, and people seemed generally happier here. Let’s get into my recommendations for you:

Where to Stay in Providence, RI for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

We stayed at one of my favorite Airbnbs on the road trip so far! It was located in the heart of the town in a converted brownstone that has Airbnb units on each level. We stayed in the Machiya Suite, which was so dreamy and sun-drenched. The bathroom had heated floors (!!!) and the place was decorated impeccably.

Our host Waleed was a great guy and answered all of our questions and gave us recs for what to do in the city. Go here to view where we stayed as well as the other Airbnbs in the building.

What to Do in Providence, RI for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

There isn’t a ton to do in Providence, but here are three activities that I think are worth a look:

• Check out the observatory. They only do events when it’s clear out, and its open to the public once per week between 7pm-9pm. They have an Eventbrite event you can check out if you’re interested in visiting.

• Providence Haunted History Walking Tour.* This was one of many ghost-themed walking tours we did on our northeast road trip, and it was pretty fun and a neat way to see the different parts of Providence.

• RISD Museum. I’ll be honest, I didn’t love this museum, but it was a nice way to spend an afternoon.

What to Eat in Providence, RI for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers

I was surprised by some standout food places in Providence. Here are my favorites:

• For Croissants: Brown Bee. Get a croissant and hang out in this beautifully decorated coffeeshop.

• For Breakfast: Amy’s Place. Get the Sunday Morning Sandwich — the Bola bread is outstanding. One of my favorite breakfast sandwiches I’ve had in months!

• For Dinner: Pizza Marvin. The burrata pizza is everything you want from pizza, and one pie is enough for two people.

• For a Fancy Dinner: Al Forno. A great date spot. Requires a reservation, but if you show up when they open you can grab a spot at the bar.

• For Dessert: Tizzy K’s Ice Cream. This woman named Tizzy opened an ice cream shop built completely around cereal. She’s quite a ball of energy in the best way. Grab a scoop and walk along the water for a nice evening stroll!

Day Trip to Salem

On our way from Portland, Maine to Providence, RI we stopped at Salem for a day trip. This was such an enjoyable day, and I highly recommend it (especially around October!) but just be warned the spooky season crowds are no joke.

You could easily drive up from Providence to Salem for a day or a weekend. Here are all my recommendations for Salem:

• To Do: We took this amazing tour* that covered both the sad history of Salem as well as some of the ghostly legends of the town. Tip: park at Salem High School the city has a free bus and shuttle for their vistors which helps you avoid the $40/day parking lots in town during spooky season!

• To Stay: Here is a beautiful place to stay if you wanted to stay* for a weekend in Salem.

• To Explore: Check out the little towns around Salem like Ipswich, Gloucester, and Marblehead. It’s great to explore Salem but the area around it is so fun. We had a great afternoon walking around Crane Beach.

• For Pizza: Monte’s Restaurant. This low-key neighborhood pizza joint has cheap and insanely flavorful pizza. The crispy thin crust won my heart, and it’s a great stop on your way back to Providence.

My Overall Thoughts on Providence, RI

Coming back to the U.S. after nearly 9 months abroad was quite a culture shock, to say the least. While I had a great time on this road trip, I have to say that Portland and Providence were my favorite stops — but mostly, I missed being in Europe. I just love hyper-walkable cities that have green spaces and vibrant urban centers. In the U.S., you can only really find that in SF and NYC, which is a bit of a bummer.

But if you’re looking to spend some time in a picturesque college town, Providence would be a good stop for you!

My Ratings of Providence, RI as a Digital Nomad

Affordability: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. It will be a bit more expensive to stay here because it’s more of a college town with limited Airbnbs, but there are still some great places to see.

Food Quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. There were some great standouts here, but nothing spectacular.

Vegetarian Options: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. There were lots of vegetarian options here.

Adventures/Day Trips: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Salem is a great nearby day trip, but otherwise there isn’t a ton to do.

Cafes/Co-Working Space Availability: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. This felt much more like a college town, with lots of spacious coffeeshops that were also laptop-friendly. There still could have bene more coffeeshops with better seating, but overall not bad for an American small town.

Digital Nomad-Friendly City: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Providence felt very youthful and fun, but I wouldn’t say it’s a digital nomad hotspot.

Value of Accommodations for Remote Workers: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. There are some good places for long-term stays, but because accommodations are in high demand from the student population, it gets a bit pricier as this is a smaller town.

General Weather: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Providence was a bit cold and rainy in October but still had some nice sunny days.

Air Quality: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. The air quality is typical for a U.S. city. Meaning? Pretty bad for your health.

Water Quality: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. People say the tap water safe, but we tested the tap it and it was hard water. Better to go bottled.

Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Providence is one of my favorite destinations on our road trip, but after a few days it’s easy to go stir-crazy and want to leave for a bigger city. A great place to visit — but maybe not a place to set up shop for a longer period of time.

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