As the first colony to resist British rule, the small but mighty state of Rhode Island still knows how to pack a punch—and the capital city of Providence is the state's cultural hot spot. Thanks to Ivy League Brown University and the forward-thinking Rhode Island School of Design, the city has food, shopping, and art that rival its big-city neighbors. In fact, its close proximity to Boston (45 minutes) and New York City (three hours) makes Providence an ideal getaway for northeasterners seeking a rich weekend escape with a bit of everything—fresh pasta in Little Italy, strolls through neighborhoods of historic colonial and Georgian revival houses, and modern galleries filled with the works of the next big artists.
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