101 Family Day Trips and Staycations Around Providence
**Follow each link to get details about your visit directly from your destination, since some places operate seasonally or by reservation, as well as to check each venue's COVID requirements (masks, limits, social distancing).
Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Providence. Kids Out And About has tons of ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun!
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Take A Deep Breath In the Garden
Lavender Waves Farm | |
Roger Williams Park Botanical Center | |
Blithwold Mansion Gardens | |
Green Animals Topiary Gardens | |
Wilcox Park | |
Kinney Azalea Garden | |
Wicked Tulips Flower Farm |
Get Wild on a Hike
Time Travel Today
Make Life a Beach
Get Active Outside
Lincoln Woods State Park | |
World War II State Park | |
Al Carrington Water Park – at Richardson Park | |
Warwick City Park / Buttonwoods Beach | |
Burlingame State Park and Campground |
Spend the Day at a Museum
Newport Art Museum | |
Providence Children's Museum | |
Tomaquag Museum | |
National Museum of Illustration | |
RISD Museum | |
Boston Children's Museum | |
Electromagnetic Pinball Museum |
Explore These Cities
Town of Barrington | |
Town of Scituate | |
Town of North Kingstown | |
Middletown, RI | |
Town of Lincoln, RI | |
Town of Smithfield, RI | |
Jamestown, RI | |
Block Island, RI |
All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)
The Herreshoff Marine Museum / America's Cup Hall of Fame | |
Beavertail Lighthouse Museum | |
Audrain Auto Museum |
Grow Some Fun at the Farm
Historic Metcalf-Franklin Farm | |
Barden Family Orchard | |
Clark Farms | |
Cucumber Hill Farm | |
Frerichs Farm |
Spectator Fun!
Providence Bruins | |
Providence Rugby | |
Boston Red Sox | |
Boston Bruins | |
Boston Celtics |
Treat Yo' Self
Connect with Nature
Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks and Water Parks
Yawgoo Valley Ski Area and Water Park | |
CoCo Key Boston Water Park | |
Salem Willows | |
Six Flags New England | |
Canobie Lake Park | |
Water Country |
Talk to the Animals
Roger Williams Park Zoo | |
Norman Bird Sanctuary | |
OAK KNOLL WILDLIFE SANCTUARY | |
New England Aquarium |
Explore the Globe Close to Home
Museum of Newport Irish History Interpretive Center | |
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum | |
Paul Revere House | |
Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology |
Let's Go Chasing Waterfalls
Fisherville Brook Wildlife Refuge | |
Hunts Mills | |
Stepstone Falls | |
Albion Falls | |
Shannock Falls |
Get Active Indoors
Kidz Wurld | |
Kingston Bowl | |
Sky Zone Trampoline Park- Providence | |
R1 Indoor Karting | |
United Skates of America, Rumford, RI | |
Kidz Kastle- Rhode Island | |
Fantasyland LLC | |
Breaktime Bowl & Bar |
Challenge Yourself
Escape Rhode Island | |
Adventureland Family Fun Park | |
The Great Escape Room- Providence | |
Rock Spot Climbing | |
Legoland Discovery Center- Boston |
Shop Your Heart Out
Long Wharf Mall | |
Brick Market Place | |
Premium Outlets - Wrentham Village | |
Bowen's Wharf | |
Arcade Providence |
Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!
Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown Providence. For those that are a bit farther away:
= Less than 1 hour away
= 1 to 2 hours away
= 2 to 3 hours away
= Just over 3 hours away