North Providence is a town in the Providence County area of Rhode Island. There are seven villages that make up the town of North Providence; Allendale, Centerdale, Fruit Hill, Greystone, Lymansville, Marieville, and Woodville/Geneva. North Providence is the second smallest town in the smallest state of the country. It has an area of nearly six square miles and has nine schools; six elementary, two middle schools, and one high school. North Providence was established in the late 1700s by farmers, who were originally from Providence, and wanted to form a separate town because government officials in Providence favored merchants over farmers. The town has everything you need in one place; markets, banks, gas stations, several gyms, convenience stores, and small shops. There are two main roads that run through the whole town; Mineral Spring Avenue and Smith St. North Providence is the eighth most populated community in Rhode Island with a population of approximately 33,000. The current mayor is Charles A. Lombardi.
Understand
Surrounding towns include Smithfield, Lincoln, Providence, and Pawtucket. The town itself has a unique blend of urban and suburban areas. Mineral Spring and Smith St. are very busy urban-like roads. There are also countless dozens of condo and apartment complexes scattered throughout the small town. Overall North Providence is a great town with a lot to offer, but most of the main attractions are in neighboring Providence.
Get in
See Providence for details on how to reach the city Providence.
North Providence is accessible by car from I-95. 295 (exit 7a) and 146 also take you there.
Get around
North Providence is a pretty small town, area-wise, but it's densely packed and populated. Some locals will walk to the market or to other errands, but a visitor's best bet would be to rent a car. Odds are you will travel to neighboring towns as well, so a car is best, but you could bike also.
The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) also runs several bus lines through the area. Buses 51, 52, 55, 58, and 73 all run through North Providence, but you'll have to check the website for details that pertain to your trip.
See
- 1 Peter Randall State Park. A great view of Providence and surrounding towns. Its a great spot for a picnic or a just a relaxing outing.
- 2 Governor Notte Park. A nice, local park featuring a beach and pond, baseball field, tennis courts, and more.
- 3 North Providence Town Hall, 2000 Smith St., ☏ 1 401 232-0900. The town hall (located in the Centredale district) is known for having great aesthetic appeal as well as exceptional landscape and architecture. Across from the town hall are other town buildings such as the Recycling and Refuse Department Office. The original town hall, which is located on Mineral Spring Avenue, contained what was once the North Providence Town Jail.
Do
Parks and Recreation There are a few parks scattered throughout North Providence. Stephen Olney Park is a good one. It features a skatepark, tennis courts, basketball court, and many baseball fields. Plenty of field space for all sports and activities.
Providence With North Providence being located only a few minutes away from the capital city of RI, there is a lot to do around North Providence.
- Capital Billiards, 2024 Smith St., ☏ 1 401-232-1330. Great place to grab a brew and play some pool. This is located on the west end of North Providence, in Centredale.
- North Providence Pool and Fitness Center, 1810 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401 353-7007. If you're looking for an indoor swimming area, then you should certainly consider the North Providence Pool located in the back of the North Providence Public Library. The pool is an has three or four swimming lanes available during non-reserved time slots, and the other half is open water space available for you to use at your leisure (when not reserved). Swim classes, water aerobics, etc. are offered. There is also a fitness center located on the second floor of the building. Call to inquire about hours and availability for both the pool and fitness center.
Buy
You can get everything from groceries, at Stop and Shop and Shaws, to a nice tailored suit, at Spardellos. We also have a nice jewelry place, Anthony's Jewelers. All of these businesses are located on Mineral Spring Avenue. If you can't find what you need here, like I said above, Providence is only minutes away and will have what your looking for.
- Michael's Florist Limited, 1171 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401 724-4800. Michael's is known for putting together many breathtaking floral arrangements. Whether you your looking to present someone with a nice gesture or looking to decorate for a special occasion, Michael's will be able to accommodate your needs. Their customer service goes above and beyond to ensure their customer's are satisfied and the quality of their creations are nothing less than amazing. There is no floral task too great for Michael's, and that's why they've become such a hit.
- AJ's Quality Sports Cards, 1394 Douglas Ave., ☏ 1 401 354-4373. AJ's is for any sports fanatic trying to find any cards of their favorite players and teams, along with other select memorabilia. This shop has packs of collectible sports cards still intact from over 20 years ago up to the latest releases. There are also single cards of many prominent and famous sports figures for sale and most of the cards they sell are in mint condition.
- Ourplace Tuxedo, 2044 Smith Street., ☏ 1 401 231-2370. The less costly alternative to Spardello's for all your men's formal wear needs.
- Smoke Stack Cigar Shop, 2003 Smith Street., ☏ 1 401 349-0512.
- Wild Witches, 1965 Smith Street., ☏ 1 401 944-1230. A unique New Age store on Smith St.
Eat
There are many places to eat, with numerous fast food chains and take out places. All you have to do is stay on Mineral Spring Ave and you will not starve. If you're looking for even more good eats, just head over to Federal Hill in Providence, the infamous hub of RI's best restaurants.
- Twins Pizza, 1000 Mineral Spring Avenue.. 1 401-726-8978 or 1 401-726-0549. Enjoy great pizza and sandwiches at this fine establishment. They have been serving us for about 50 years now and are very established.
- Betty's A great place to enjoy breakfast at any time of the day. Great for the college student crowd after coming from a night of clubbing in Providence.
- Pauli Pentas, 1290 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401-722-3222. A great italian deli located about 100 yards from Oki's. Great italian "grindahs" (subs) and very fresh snail salad. All the food is fresh and the place is very clean. Customer service is great and you will leave satisfied no matter what you order.
- Riccotti's, 1360 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401-724-8859. This spot allows people to see north providence from the 70's. They have never renovated this sandwich shop since they opened it, it looks old but the food is fresh and delicious. What you need to order here is the steak and cheese sandwich with a coffee milk.
- Wildfire Brick Oven Pizza and Bar, 1874 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401 353-7110. Formerly Stuffies Bar and Grill, Wildfire has a great selection of personal specialty pizzas reasonably priced and loaded with flavor. Seafood and pasta dishes are also reasonably priced and serving sizes are more than enough to leave you stuffed. The establishment's structure allows for privacy and the atmosphere is very welcoming. Dishes range from flame-grilled rib eye to baked-stuffed shrimp, and the selection of cocktails and other alcohol beverages is one of the best in the area. Get in at a good time (usually between 5 and 6) and you'll have a satisfying dining experience. $14.99-$18.99.
- Avenue Grille, 2223 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401 232-7722. This is a great place to eat late at night. It's open 24 hours on the weekends. The staff is wonderful, the food is great (they serve breakfast all the time), and it's one of the few places open all night. It's got an old-fashioned diner decor.
- New Peking Restaurant, 1670 Mineral Spring Ave., ☏ 1 401 353-8666. Great Asian restaurant. Very clean and the staff are very friendly.
- The Wurst Kitchen, 960 Hope St, ☏ 1 401 421-4422. Small selection of German sausages that you can order from a street-side window in the summer. There is a sidewalk seating area where you can admire Lippett Memorial Park across the street. Each sausage (Bratwurst, Knackwurst, etc) comes with its own set of special toppings and there are also a few sandwich options and baked goods.
Drink
Where you can eat, you can drink. North Providence has a colorful array of bars and pubs, mostly on Mineral Spring Ave and Smith St.
- Ashes A cigar shop/bar, this is a great place to enjoy a classy upscale environment, and a chilled martini. This place is located next door to Spardello's.
- Mozzarellas More of a family restaurant but still has a great bar with plenty of different kinds of alcohol.
- WildFire What used to be Stuffies, Wildfire is a nice place to grab a drink and some appetizers
- Parker's Pub, 1838 Smith Street., ☏ 1 401 232-0111.
- Bailey's Pub, 1910 Smith Street., ☏ 1 401 353-7070.
- Zincone's Bar & Grill, 1759 Mineral Spring Avenue., ☏ 1 401 231-8333.
Go next
| Routes through North Providence |
| Worcester ← Lincoln ← | N  S | → Providence → Ends at  |
| Hartford ← Smithfield ← | W  E | → Providence → Plymouth |
| Burrillville ← Smithfield ← | N  S | → Providence → Ends at  |
| Woonsocket ← Smithfield ← | N  S | → END |