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All United States Rhode Island Providence

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Providence

21 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Providence, Rhode Island

Updated October 26, 2022

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Unusual Attractions in Providence

The main reading room of the Athenaeum.

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence Athenaeum

A 19th century library favored by Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, known by locals as "the Ath."
H.P. Lovecraft's last residence

Providence, Rhode Island

H.P. Lovecraft House

Last residence of H.P. Lovecraft featured in his story "The Haunter of the Dark."
Grave marker of H.P. Lovecraft

Providence, Rhode Island

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave

Final resting place of one of the classic authors of horror literature.

Providence, Rhode Island

John Hay Library

Books bound in human skin and H. P. Lovecraft's letters are among a few of the treasures this library has to offer.
Hiking trail in Neutaconkanut Hill Park

Providence, Rhode Island

Neutaconkanut Hill Park

A virtually untouched "home on the hill" for the flora and fauna of Rhode Island.

Providence, Rhode Island

Gun Totem

This 3,500 pound obelisk was constructed with more than 1,000 reclaimed guns.
The interior of the hotel.

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence Biltmore

Rumors of the occult haunt this upscale 1920s hotel.
The Edna Lawrence Nature Lab.

Providence, Rhode Island

Edna Lawrence Nature Lab

An unusual library of dead things at the Rhode Island School of Design.
See All 21 Things To Do in Providence

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Haven Brothers Diner

From horses to stainless-steel trucks, this iconic Providence burger wagon is one of the oldest mobile diners in the country.
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

6 Huge Things in Tiny Rhode Island

The smallest state in America is often the butt of jokes. Rhode Island is neither a road nor an island, and it was once famously parodied in the now-defunct website “How Many Rhode Islands”—a simple tool that allowed you to see just how many Rhode Islands could squeeze inside a given country. The United States could contain 3,066 Rhode Islands, and Russia could hold 5,445. But the tiny state has a rather grand history. Rhode Island was founded on the principle of religious freedom, was the first of the Thirteen Colonies to renounce its allegiance to the British Crown, and was one of only two states not to ratify the 18th Amendment, which prohibited the manufacture and sale of alcohol. Many of the state’s attractions still loom large, including a 58-foot-long blue fiberglass termite and an improbably large blue bear slumped under a lampshade.

View Itinerary
Honestly, the tallest building in the state is still a little dinky, compared to skyscrapers elsewhere.

Explore Providence, Rhode Island

H. P. Lovecraft 4
Libraries 3
Architectural Oddities 3
Places To Stay 3

Providence Leaderboard

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    Molly McBride Jacobson
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Places Edited

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Recent Providence Activity

  • K

    kfs386

    wants to go to Gun Totem

  • K

    kfs386

    wants to go to Nori the Dragon

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    laholstein67

    wants to go to Haven Brothers Diner

  • F

    free2om

    has been to Big Blue Bug

  • Avatar image for morrighan

    morrighan

    wants to go to Neutaconkanut Hill Park

Stories About Providence

Poe's house in Philadelphia, where he composed "The Tell-Tale Heart" and "The Gold Bug."

10 Places That Rejected Poe in Life But Celebrate Him in Death

Edgar Allan Poe gets the recognition he deserves in the afterlife.
by Molly McBride Jacobson
February 9, 2017

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