Roger Williams Park is located in the southern part of the city . The park is named after the founder of the city of Providence and one of the founders of the state of Rhode Island in 1636- Roger Williams. Roger Williams began the colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which provided a refuge for religious minorities.
The land for the park was a gift to the people of Providence in 1871, in accordance with the will of Betsey Williams, the great-great-great-granddaughter, and last surviving descendant of the founder to own the land. It had been the family farm and represented the last of the original land grant to Roger Williams in 1638 from Canonicus, chief of the Narragansett tribe.
The parks is an elaborately landscaped 427-acre city park that contains seven lakes which comprise approximately 98 acres. Roger Williams Park is a National Historic District.The park was designed by Horace Cleveland in 1878, and was constructed in the 1880s. Many of the roads, bridges and sidewalks were built by the Works Progress Administration from 1935 to 1940.
To get to the park:
From I-95 South: Take exit 17, Elmwood Avenue, Left at light
Park entrance is 1/2 block on left. From I-95 North: Take exit 16, Elmwood Avenue, Bear right, Left at light, Park entrance is 1/2 block on right. From I-195 West: Merge onto I-95 South, Take exit 17, Elmwood Avenue, Left at light, Park entrance is 1/2 block on left. R.I.P.T.A – (401-781-9400), Bus 20 (Elmwood Ave) – The cost for riding the bus is $2.00 unless you have a bus pass. Bus 20 passes right by the park approximately every 25mins with other stops along Elmwood Ave.
Museum of Natural History & Planetarium: ☎+1 401-785-9457. The Museum houses collections containing fossils, mollusks, minerals, rocks, mounted flora and fauna. The cultural collection contains over 25,000 archaeological and ethnographic specimens primarily of African, Native American and Pacific origin. They offer exciting exhibitions, workshops and presentations that provide ways for children and families to learn about our world and its people. The Museum is open every day from 10:00am until 5:00pm. Admission is $2 and $1 for children under 2-7 years old.
The Planetarium – Consists of different shows that explore the full range of space collisions, from the past, present, and future. Shows are only on Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00pm. General admission is $3, children 4-7 are $2. Children under age 4 are not permitted into the Planetarium.
Roger Williams Botanical Center: ☎ +1 401-785-9450. The Botanical Center is the largest public indoor display gardens in New England encompassing approximately 12,000 square feet of indoor gardens. There is a great diversity of unique and exotic flowers and plants. Nice place to be surrounded by color and nature. The Botanical Center is open Tuesday – Sunday from 11AM - 4 PM. Admission for adults are $3, children 6-12: $1, and children under 6 – Free.</font>
Roger Williams Carousel Village- The carousel is a popular attraction at the park for children. It’s a Victorian carousel that consists of all different animals like camels, lions, rabbits and other magical creatures. The cost for riding the carousel is $1. There are also arcade games available as well for the children’s entertainment. Operating hours are�:
Hasbro Play ground - A 20,000-square-foot playground that is accessible to children of all levels and abilities. Great place for parents to relax and let their children have fun. Has swings , slides and games for children of all ages , from babies to teens.
Boat Rides – Right next to the zoo, one can find paddle boats available. They only hold two people, but its lots of fun and a great way to see all the beautiful nature surrounding you. There are restrictions on how far you can go and life jackets are provided. There Open April through October on weekends and seven days a week in the summer. The cost is $5 per person.
Personal Tour Boat Rides - ☎+1 401-421-8877. Located at Queen Anne-style Dalrymple Boathouse. Thirty minute historical boat tours of the Park's unique waterways, statues and landmarks are available on an electric boat. One boat holds 6 people and the cost is $5 per person.
Temple of Music
Temple of Music– Throughout the summer and fall, typically in the month of August, there are multiple music concerts and festivals that take part at the temple of music.One popular event that takes place every second Sunday of the month of August is the Dominican festival. Hundreds of people gather together to listen to Dominican artists and watch performances.
Horse Riding - During the spring and summer time, there is a small course where children under 70lbs can ride a pony around. This is located at the entrance of the carousel; the pricing is reasonable, $5 per ride. The ride is approximately 5mins long.
Tennis Courts/Baseball Field - The park has 8 tennis courts and a huge baseball field open to the public except when baseball league games are being played. Great place for children to run around and have fun.
Roger Williams Park Zoo�: ☎+1 401-785-3510, . Roger Williams Zoo has a variety of different animals for one to enjoy. The pricing is reasonable: $12/adult, $6/child (ages 3 – 12, under 3 are free) and $8/senior (ages 62+). The zoo is open all year around from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. To show their appreciation, the first Saturday of each month, the zoo is free for Providence residents with some proof of residency.
~~ In October they have a special event the Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular. From Oct 7- Oct 31, the zoo is surrounded by on hundreds of artfully carved jack-o-lanterns depicting people, places and scenes from popular culture to old-time favorites and everything in between. Prices for admission are $12 / adults, $10 / seniors (62+), $9 / children ages 3 – 12 (under 3 are free). This event is open from 6pm-10pm.
The park is free of charge and open anytime of the day and every day of the week. It holds an old fashioned carousel with beautifully designed statues of various zoo animals to ride. It is $1 for children or adults to ride the carousel. Often in the park there is face painting available as well. Furthermore, there is a bright and clean playground that is suitable for all ages. There is a concession stand in the park and ample picnic tables to enjoy the hotdogs and pizza at. The zoo opens daily 9AM-5PM from mid April-mid October and 9AM-4PM from mid October-mid April. This is the third oldest zoo in the United States and blends history and culture with the animals each area houses. Roger Williams Zoo is under near constant renovation in order to give you and yours the best zoo experience possible. Make sure to view the Marco Polo exhibit which is included in the cost of your admission ticket. Follow the path of Marco Polo and watch a video of his exploration on a replica of his ship. End your Marco Polo journey with real live camels, further simulating his travel. The zoo also features a fun and exciting dinosaur exhibit. A separate admission of $4 per adult and $3 per child or senior is charged in addition to regular zoo admission. As in the past, proceeds will go towards future zoo improvements and new exhibit construction. The DINOSAURS trail opens a half-hour after zoo opening and last entry is a half-hour prior to zoo closing. Admission for the zoo is Adults $12, Seniors $8, Ages 3-12 $6. Family memberships can also be purchased at and should be considered for frequent visitors.
Special Events at the Roger Williams Park Zoo:
Thanksgiving for the Animals - Celebrate Thanksgiving in a wild way by helping to make enriching treats for zoo residents. From paper mache prey filled with edible treats to stimulating scents hidden in an exhibit area, enriching activities help the mentally and physically challenged our animals.
Jack-O-Latern Spectacular - Running through the month of October is the evening event of the Jack-O-Latern trail. Open 6-11pm this event showcases many talented pumpkin carver's creations. These carvings vary between traditional Jack-O-Latern faces to highly detailed carvings of historic figures, endangered species, celebrities and many more. While waiting in line there are costumed characters that stroll along, and quiet jazz to help set the relaxed, but entertaining atmosphere.
Spooky Zoo - for the last 2 weekends in October, the zoo is turned into "Spooky Zoo" which is full of activities for kids and families. Events include trick or treating, fairytale characters, Marco Polo maze, and much, much more. There are tons of games, prizes, treats, and even a costume contest! Admission is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children, and $4.95 for toddlers.
Waterplace Park and Riverwalk, Francis St. at Memorial Blvd. Finished in 1994, Waterplace Park is probably the most accepted recent addition to the city owing to its historic and unassuming look. Featuring cobblestone paths and unobtrusively shaped concrete form, the park follows Providence's downtown rivers quietly below the level of automobile traffic. You'll usually find a few people enjoying the park quietly. Come here during Waterfire (below under "do") to see the park at its best.
You might also check out Goddard Memorial State Park in Warwick, which contains a nine hole golf course, an equestrian show area, 18 miles of bridle trails, 355 picnic tables, 11 game fields, and a new performing arts center for special events.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Providence
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Providence - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Providence hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Providence Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
