Providence/College Hill

College Hill is a district in Providence, Rhode Island. It is approximately bounded by North Main Street to the west, Williams Street to the south, Governor Street and Arlington Avenue to the east, and Olney Street to the north.

Understand
The main center for shopping, food, and drink is, just off of the Brown campus.

The district gets its name from two college campuses found within its borders: Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. It is an eclectic district swarming with college students, hipsters and wanna-be breakout musicians, but is also filled with a plethora of unique things to do and see.

By bus
From Kennedy Plaza in Downcity Providence: Aside from providing in the entertainment in the form of people interaction, you can catch a multitude of buses from the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority’s (RIPTA) bus station, Kennedy Plaza. The 51, 52, 53, 54, 58, 72 and 99 lines will place you within walking distance of the district. The 35, 40, 42, 49, 78 and 92 will take you right to the heart and soul of College Hill, Thayer Street.

By train
The Amtrak Station in Providence is within walking distance of College Hill. Walk north on Gaspee Street until you reach Smith Street and take a left. Walk until you reach North Main Street, which is the western border of College Hill.

By car
From the south: take I-95 North toward Providence entering Rhode Island. Exit right onto I-195 E/US-6 E (signs for I-195/E Providence/US-6 E). Take exit 3 toward Gano St. Turn left at Wickenden St. Turn right at Hope St. and follow until you pass Power Street.

From the north: take I-95 South entering Rhode Island. Take exit 24 for Branch Ave. Turn left at Branch Ave. Turn right at N Main St/US-1 and continue to follow N Main St. Turn left at Olney St.

From the west: take US-6 East to downtown Providence. Exit onto Memorial Blvd. Turn left at Washington St. Continue onto Waterman Street.

From the east: Take I-195/US-6 west. Exit at Main Street. Right on Waterman Street.

The city of Providence and the surrounding roads are often under construction. Also, during the afternoon there can be a lot of traffic at the exit for I-195; if either of these things seem to be the case for you, consider taking exit 22A off of 95. Take a right at the light at the end of the exit ramp and follow the signs to College Hill.

Parking
There is parking at a reasonable rate at the, which is found right off of exit 22C off of 95. The mall is within easy walking distance of College Hill if you feel like leaving your car in a more secure location.

Other than that, there is plenty of on-street and on-location parking throughout the College Hill area. If you're coming in for an evening on the town, you might not be able to find parking directly on Thayer Street, but there are plenty of neighboring streets that should serve your purpose.

Do not try to park in the area during Brown's move-in or move-out weekend (these weekends change each year, but are in early September and late May). There will be nowhere for you to park, and if you do find a spot, your car could end up as a temporary loading bay for college knickknacks.

Do
There is something to be said for the simple act of cruising the sidewalks of Thayer street. There's always bound to be street musicians and vendors, as well as the broad variety of individuals ranging in population from artists to intellectuals; extreme to traditional, who make for some exciting people watching to say the least. Beyond that, there are a few theaters to check out, but mostly, the area is dedicated to eating, shopping, and going out for some drinks.

If you continue up Wickenden Street, where Hope Street is on your left, you will notice there are often many street vendors selling interesting and affordable art pieces and jewelry.



Thayer Street
Thayer Street is the place to go if looking for a pleasurable and eclectic shopping experience. It is good for those who enjoy walking outside from store to store. It is also a good place to buy gifts because many of the stores sell quirky trinkets. Located near two colleges, it attracts many young adults. It could be called an “artsy” street with stores that sell, imported clothing, handmade crafts, clothes, art, housewares, and books. It has changed dramatically as years have passed, it has become much more about the restaurants than the shops, but it is still great for both. It is filled with locals and visitors.



Eat
With the great diversity of college students roaming the area, College Hill is bound to be filled with some great restaurants, the best of which can be found on the infamous Thayer Street.



Sleep
While there are no major hotels to be found in College Hill, there are many places to sleep that are within easy walking or busing distance from the district.

Connect

 * Brown University Library - There are nine libraries spread throughout the Brown campus: for individual hours and locations call +1 401 863-BOOK. While the wireless internet is only free for Brown students, many of the libraries have computers hooked up to the internet that anyone can use.


 * Also, there is Starbucks, as mentioned above.