A historic carousel, marked trails and a summer arts festival give a stay in East Providence several different highlights.

Cultural History in East Providence

The Crescent Park Carousel was built in 1895 by Charles I.D. Looff. Its distinctive features include 62 hand-carved figures and four ornate chariots. In 1987, the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior designated the carousel a National Historic Landmark. The year it was built and its later designation are two distinct historical points of reference.

The John Hunt House serves as a house museum and as an archive for important items from the city. It was probably built around 1750 for Lt. John Hunt, Jr. (1720–1806). Together, the carousel and the Hunt House offer two specific ways to explore the history of the area: the designated carousel and a house museum that also serves as an archive.

Pomham Rocks Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse dating from 1871 in Riverside, part of East Providence, Rhode Island. Visitors can see the lighthouse from the bike path south of Riverside Square. If you plan to take in this view, check trail access and visibility conditions in advance.

Trails, Parks and Views

Along the section of the East Bay Bike Path that runs through East Providence, the path crosses a causeway. The Providence River is on the right, and small coves are on the left. Riverside Square is the first stop on the East Bay Bike Path with water, food and restrooms. If you plan to take a break there, check in advance whether the amenities you need are available.

Hunt's Mill is a passive recreation area with a picnic area and views of a peaceful waterfall. Bullocks Cove Access Park offers views of the bay, as well as a pavilion and a rack for kayaks and canoes. The two locations have different focuses: picnicking and waterfall views at one, and views and facilities for paddle craft at the other.

The waterfront parks also differ in size and amenities. Sabin Point Park covers 4.0 acres, extends into Narragansett Bay and has a fishing pier and concrete walking paths. At 0.4 acres, John L. Lewis Waterfront Park is significantly smaller. It is on the Seekonk River and offers a view of Narragansett Bay. The size figures help with comparison; the specific park features range from a fishing pier and paths to a riverfront location and a view of the bay.

Boyden Heights is a property of the East Providence Conservation Commission, with views of a bay and the Providence River. The conservation area has a red-blazed loop trail, a blue-blazed lollipop-shaped loop trail and a spur leading to the bike path. Swans, ducks and other bird species, including orioles, goldfinches and woodpeckers, are often seen there. The birds add a nature-watching dimension to the trails.

A loop trail runs around the pond at Willett Avenue Pond. The trail routes therefore differ in specific ways: Boyden Heights has two color-marked loop trails and a spur to the bike path; at Willett Avenue Pond, the pond itself is the focal point of the loop trail.

Summer Events

The Looff is a summer arts festival on the East Providence waterfront, founded in 2015. The Summer Concert Series offers a different type of event: its venue is the music amphitheater at Crescent Park, and the series is part of the East Providence Recreation Department. If you are planning your trip around a particular festival or concert, check the relevant dates in advance.

You can make your selection based on the themes you want to shape your stay: history, marked trails and wildlife watching, waterfront parks or summer events. The individual places and events offer different ways to explore, without requiring you to focus your trip on just one theme.

Discover more destinations: Smithfield, Cranston, Woonsocket, Pawtucket, Scituate, Providence

Return to the main travel overview: Providence.