Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join

How Many Countries Have You Visited?

Track every country you've been to and earn passport stamps in the Atlas Obscura app.

Track your countries

How Many U.S. States Can You Check Off?

Mark each state you've visited to reveal your total.

Start Your Map!

It’s Spooky Season.

Explore strange places, curious stories, and eerie events around the world, online and in person.

Explore Spooky Season
All the United States Rhode Island Providence

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Providence

24 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Providence, Rhode Island

Updated July 29, 2026
Email
Attractions
Food & Drink
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Providence

The main reading room of the Athenaeum.

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence Athenaeum

A 19th century library favored by Edgar Allan Poe and H.P. Lovecraft, known by locals as "the Ath."
H.P. Lovecraft’s last residence

Providence, Rhode Island

H.P. Lovecraft House

Last residence of H.P. Lovecraft featured in his story "The Haunter of the Dark."
Grave marker of H.P. Lovecraft

Providence, Rhode Island

H.P. Lovecraft’s Grave

Final resting place of one of the classic authors of horror literature.
Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Providence, Rhode Island

John Hay Library

Books bound in human skin and H. P. Lovecraft's letters are among a few of the treasures this library has to offer.
Hiking trail in Neutaconkanut Hill Park

Providence, Rhode Island

Neutaconkanut Hill Park

A virtually untouched "home on the hill" for the flora and fauna of Rhode Island.

Providence, Rhode Island

Gun Totem

This 3,500 pound obelisk was constructed with more than 1,000 reclaimed guns.
The interior of the hotel.

Providence, Rhode Island

Providence Biltmore

Rumors of the occult haunt this upscale 1920s hotel.
See All 24 Things To Do in Providence

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in Providence

Providence, Rhode Island

Haven Brothers Diner

From horses to stainless-steel trucks, this iconic Providence burger wagon is one of the oldest mobile diners in the country.
In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Atlas Obscura Itineraries

A Haunted Road Trip Through New England

New England has a longer, denser record of documented supernatural lore than almost anywhere in America. This is partly a function of age—the region’s colonial settlements date to the 1620s, giving four centuries for tragedy, execution, epidemic, and obsession to accumulate—and partly a function of the Puritan worldview that shaped its earliest culture. This long-weekend itinerary spans eight spooky spots from Connecticut through Rhode Island into Massachusetts, including a duplex that spawned a horror film franchise and the only surviving structure from the Salem witch trials.

View Itinerary

Explore Providence, Rhode Island

H. P. Lovecraft 5
Architecture 5
Universities 3
Libraries 3
Architectural Oddities 3
Places To Stay 3
Animals 2
Rivers 2
Giant Animals 2
Plants 2
Statues 2
Sculptures 2
Repositories Of Knowledge 2
Hotels 1
Railroads 1
Roadside Attractions 1
Science 1
Islands 1
Edgar Allan Poe 1
Nature 1

Providence Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. Fred Cherrygarden profile photo
    Fred Cherrygarden
    5
  2. JWOcker profile photo
    JWOcker
    3
  3. debthomson profile photo
    debthomson
    1
  4. M mayormammoth profile photo
    mayormammoth
    1
  5. Ophelia Ravenia profile photo
    Ophelia Ravenia
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Providence.

Places Edited

  1. B blimpcaptain profile photo
    blimpcaptain
    14
  2. Fred Cherrygarden profile photo
    Fred Cherrygarden
    5
  3. ickaimp profile photo
    ickaimp
    4
  4. Ragnar of Ballard profile photo
    Ragnar of Ballard
    3
  5. notoriousFIG profile photo
    notoriousFIG
    3

Places Visited

  1. Queen of Adventure profile photo
    Queen of Adventure
    24
  2. jesshartleylowe profile photo
    jesshartleylowe
    24
  3. C Chandoso profile photo
    Chandoso
    23
  4. bernardkenr profile photo
    bernardkenr
    23
  5. K kt2 profile photo
    kt2
    21
Join the Ranks!
Visit a place in Providence.

Recent Providence Activity

  • M mwkjones profile photo

    mwkjones

    wants to go to ‘Time Wave’

  • M mwkjones profile photo

    mwkjones

    has been to Gingerbread and Pancake Islands

  • thebadseed61 profile photo

    thebadseed61

    has been to H.P. Lovecraft House

  • thebadseed61 profile photo

    thebadseed61

    has been to Gingerbread and Pancake Islands

  • thebadseed61 profile photo

    thebadseed61

    has been to Stephen Harris House

Stories About Providence

The Providence Athenæum

Inside The Library Where Edgar Allan Poe Got DUMPED
by Kerry Manuel, Community Contributor
July 29, 2026
The hedge on the SW side of the RI State Capitol

United States Capitols and their closest churches. Rhode Island State Capitol

Separation of church and state. The gap in the hedge
by Gary Flanagan, Community Contributor
June 22, 2026

United States Capitols and their closest churches. Rhode Island State Capitol

Separation of Church and State. The Gap in the Hedge
by Gary Flanagan, Community Contributor
June 18, 2026
The main reading room of the Athenaeum.

Obscura Day Summer 2025: Literary Landmarks Across Providence

Checking out the Athaeneum, the John Hay Library, and Weird Providence.
by Rebecca Cruz, Atlas Obscura
July 25, 2025
Poe’s house in Philadelphia, where he composed “The Tell-Tale Heart” and “The Gold Bug.”

10 Places That Rejected Poe in Life But Celebrate Him in Death

Edgar Allan Poe gets the recognition he deserves in the afterlife.
by Molly McBride Jacobson, Atlas Obscura
February 9, 2017
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2026 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.