Providence Car Hire

Located in the small state of Rhode Island in the northwest corner of the USA, Providence is a charming city, one of the oldest in the country, and filled with history and culture. Settled in the 1630s, Providence was founded at the top of Narragansett Bay, and built around the mouth of the Providence River.

Nicknamed “the Renaissance City”, Providence has undergone a great transformation since the 1970s, with shift towards the arts & the development of lush outdoor spaces, making it a popular destination for travellers, and a perfect base for exploring.

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Travelling in Providence with a Rental Car

Once you have arrived in Providence, a great way to become familiar with the city is by heading down to one of the great open spaces by the water’s edge. Waterplace Park is one of the main areas set aside for recreation, and a perfect place to begin touring. Located along the riverfront just to the east of downtown, the park offers great views of the city, and is great both day and night with the famous Waterfire sculptures set alight each evening. Featuring 100 bonfires held just above the water level, the display brings the river to life and is definitely a must for any visitor.

Drive your rental car a short distance across the river, where you can visit one of the main art collections in the area, at the Rhode Island School of Design. The art museum which is part of the school houses over 80,000 works of art, a grand collection indeed.

Although featuring lots of great architecture and art based attractions, Providence is by no means a city suited only to adult visitors, and families travelling with children have a number of excellent options to choose from. Just south of downtown you can visit the Providence Children’s Museum, which features hands on displays on history, nature and science, and drive your hire car a short distance further south, where you will find Roger Williams Park Zoo. An excellent range of enclosures featuring animals from Africa, North and South America as well as Australasia, this is also the 3rd oldest zoo in the US, and highly popular.

For a truly scenic day trip, jump in your rental car and head south of the providence towards the city of Newport, which is located on Aquidneck Island, less than an hour from downtown. Along the southern edge of Newport is the famous Cliff Walk, a 5.5km path which winds along the coast. With historic mansions on one side, and grand cliffs towering up to 30 metres above the water on the other, the walk is a very scenic and pleasant one indeed.