Some of the country’s more artistic (Rhode Island School of Design) and intelligent (Brown) people call Providence home (no wonder it’s nicknamed the Creative Capital). You’ll fit right in. 

At 140 years old, The Old Court Bed & Breakfast proves new isn’t always better. Brimming with antique charm and a smiley staff, the Benefit Street post is within walking distance of the Museum of Art at RISD, the Athenaeum, and Geoff’s Superlative Sandwiches.

Think of Analog Underground Record Shop as a miniature Empire Records sans ornery employees and Rex Manning cameos. The Federal Hill music box skips decor in favor of selection, which includes an impressive array of affordable ’80s punk, heavy metal, and obscure blues.

For local flavor, hop to Frog and Toad. The husband-and-wife-run East Side outfit stocks odd treasures like $5 T-shirts and glass sea urchin figurines.

If your grandma’s attic and the Salvation Army had a love child, it’d look like Rocket to Mars Vintage Shop. You’re just as likely to find an Eames-inspired chair as decades-old test tubes. 

Start (or finish) the day at Pastiche Fine Desserts. Founded in ’83 by a couple of sugar fiends, the cafe continues to reign supreme over the slew of Italian joints sprinkled throughout Federal Hill. Get the cannoli.

With a reputation as one of the country’s best new restaurants, Cook & Brown Public House serves rustic yet refined New England cuisine with a side of humble pie.

Bank on the locally sourced, ever-rotating menu at old-school charmer The Dorrance, located in the Union Trust Building.

We can’t recommend enough the Japanese-style spicy tuna tostadas at reservoir restaurant Ebisu, but if your appetite’s right, Peruvian joint Los Andes is big on flavor and portion size.

Don’t let The Avery’s unassuming facade fool you. Inside lurks a deco-inspired, wood-drenched lounge serving redux cocktails with a twist (a mezcal old-fashioned). Chatty bartenders can assist with the extensive beer selection. 

Our favorite request at unmarked dive Thee Red Fez (49 Peck Street, 401-272-1212)? A six-pack of Schlitz ordered for the kitchen crew. A celebratory ruckus may ensue. 

Neither rain nor snow stops the Wintertime Farmers Market (November 5-May 16) in Pawtucket, a fifteen-minute drive to the north. Delight in bands, composting services, and knife-sharpening demonstrations.