Tours & Activities in Providence

Whether you’re a RI native, traveling with family, or visiting for work, our tours are designed to appeal to everyone. Join us in 2023 for our award-winning narrated tour as we celebrate our 32nd season along the shores of Providence! Together, we will explore the Providence River, Riverwalk, Waterplace Park, the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier and the Providence Industrial Harbor as our Captains highlight historical, nautical and architectural points of interest. Statewide Best Local Tour – Best of Rhode Island 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 Mary J. Brennan Tourism Award – RI Hospitality Assoc., 2022 Best City Tour – Yankee Magazine, 2017 Member of the Year – Providence/Warwick Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2016 Top-Rated/Certificates of Excellence – TripAdvisor, Yelp & Google, yearly Please note: We are a small, family-owned business with limited capacity on our boats. Because we are often sold-out and turn business away, ALL SALES ARE FINAL. Make sure you can attend prior to booking.

The story of Providence is told by its buildings. Our city's downtown blossomed during America's Gilded Age, and has well-preserved examples of Art-Deco, Beaux-Arts, Neoclassical, and many more architectural styles. But this tour goes beyond bricks and windows: peer into the past by learning some of the human stories behind the facades. This tour also explores the city's vibrant arts and cultural scene, a key ingredient of its dramatic turnaround from mid-century urban decay to regional arts center. Experience and learn the inspiration for Providence's most breathtaking murals: these massive works weave into the city’s visual landscape for a result unparalleled anywhere in the United States.

Rhode Island has always been a hotbed of dissent and conflict. But for this tour, we'll take a closer look at Rhode Island's internal conflicts, including how Rhode Island's tremendous profit on the international slave trade powered the Industrial Revolution, how the state disenfranchised tens of thousands of immigrant voters in the Progressive Era, all the way through how the state fought but failed to prevent the first Gay Pride parade from taking place in Providence. Providence has also been home to courageous and resilient people who were able to achieve incredible feats despite the deck being stacked against them in every way. Learn about Edward Bannister, a 19th-century Black barber who overcame prejudice to become a painter of national acclaim; Princess Red Wing, a passionate educator, storyteller, and Narragansett and Pokanoket activist; and the 1902 labor strike that stopped Rhode Island's urban core in its tracks.

Immerse yourself in the history and atmosphere of Rhode Island's underworld as you explore the captivating streets and hear the stories that have shaped the city's past. Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply curious about the hidden tales of the Mob, this walking tour offers a unique and unforgettable experience.

The success of our NEW walking tours speaks of the commitment of owners & Rhode Island natives, Kristin & Captain Tom McGinn, who want every visitor to love Providence as much as they do. The intention of every walking tour is to enable visitors to not only SEE Providence in all its grandness, but to feel its energy and to know its heart. Walk with us...and come to know the real Renaissance City! Whether it's a limited series tour with the Providence Preservation Society, the Rhode Island Audubon Society, or one of our own, every tour is led by a knowledgeable and experienced guide who is skilled at unraveling the many layers of Providence's art, culture, personality and history. No visit to Providence should be a blur on a bus, join us for a fun and casually-paced, fresh air walk through our capital city!

Join us for this elegant stroll through time! Allow our historically costumed, local guides to lead you down the most beautifully preserved street in all of Providence, RI- Benefit Street! Guests will learn the history of some of Providence's most prominent residents and families, including the Dorr family, Roger Williams, and the Hoppin family. See architectural icons including the John Brown House, the First Baptist Church, the Fleur de Lys Building, and the original State House. Learn about the events that shaped our state and nation, including the suffrage movements (yes, there were two!) and the Civil War. This tour will leave you feeling more connected to the city's past and with a greater appreciation for Providence. Benefit Street is a mostly flat street and is suitable for people of most levels of health and fitness.

Our company has been a member of the Providence community for nearly two decades. Our company is a walking, haunted history tour of Providence's College Hill neighborhood. Our guides lead guests by lantern light as we explore the history, mystery, legends, and lore of our city. Learn about different types of hauntings, our spirits' most current activities, and the dark tales that have been forgotten over time. Our tour is a wonderful blend of history and mystery, perfect for believers and skeptics alike! The tour includes a portion of College Hill. We have chosen the most walkable route, but it is indeed a hill and our streets are old. Please wear shoes that are comfortable and stable. It is also outdoors, so be sure to dress for the weather.

Come on our chilling ghost tour presented by US Ghost Adventures! Are you prepared to explore Providence's ghosts on a tour of the historic city of Rhode Island? Get ready to expose this abandoned colonial settlement's evil side. Discover the frightening explanations for why Revolutionary War troops, politicians, conspirators, and famous macabre authors still spook along the old streets of the capital of Rhode Island.

Our very unique, immersive adventures are the only ones of their kind. We, unlike other companies, provide your very own remote, interactive, live host to assist and encourage you along through your phone. We are an Austin, TX-based global custom event design company offering scavenger hunts and other events in 300+ cities in North America and beyond. Our specially hand-crafted adventures are equal parts tour, creative challenge, detective hunt, and social experiment! Guests get to discover in an alternate reality our favorite hidden gems off the beaten trail and creatively interpret fun art, history, and culture clues - for points! They get to enjoy fame and glory while appearing on our website’s international leaderboard, no matter what their score. They get to essentially race other teams in other cities, even if they don’t have competitors who have signed up in their city that day. Get ready to discover unusual oddities, laugh out loud, and make the experience your own!

Hunt for the ghosts of famous writers, doomed artists, and a strange founder on this history-packed haunted tour by US Ghost Adventures.

Solve clues, tackle wacky tasks, and explore your city’s uncovered gems in a scavenger hunt and create a fun, unique experience for your team bonding event, or milestone celebration.

Holly Jolly Hunt is a scavenger hunt that is played using an app on your smartphone, that brings your entire family and friends together for holiday cheer. During the adventure you’ll be seeking out all the traditional, and even the non-traditional holiday items we all see this time of year around the city. You’ll get points for each item you find. The goal is to capture as many items as you can in order to score as many points as possible and get 1st place on the leaderboard. Along the way you’ll be asked to perform silly holiday themed tasks meant to bring laughter and smiles to everyone involved. Come play with us. Young or old, this is a scavenger hunt for everyone that enjoys this time of year. We promise you will create holiday memories that you will not forget! Holly Jolly Hunt can be played in any city!

Explore all of Providence from its beautiful architecture to its foodie havens on this self-guided driving audio tour.

Step into the shoes of a newly-minted detective, tasked by Commander Mahoney to solve a gripping case... murder on the streets of Providence. Throughout this crime-solving audio adventure, visit each of the 10 mapped locations, either in person or virtually via the Web Version (included). You'll have the option to explore the downtown area using the Walking Map or follow a Driving route on the city's outskirts. Once you choose, the exact starting point will be revealed. *See images for route Park or stop at each location, listen to the audio story, and put your detective skills to the test by gathering clues and piecing together the evidence. Finally, make your deductions and issue an arrest warrant. Your overall detective skills will be evaluated, culminating in a Case Performance Score to measure your sleuthing prowess. This game is suitable for solo detectives, dynamic duos, or groups of mystery enthusiasts, offering an immersive audio tale filled with intrigue.

Recommended: Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together! Explore all that Providence, RI has to offer, from beautiful architecture to foodie havens! With this self-guided driving audio tour, visit historic Federal Hill, Brown University's campus, and the vibrant downtown. Providence features beautiful architecture, like the State House, Barnaby Castle, and the Wedding Cake House. This tour allows you to explore Providence with maximum flexibility and value. After booking, you can check your email before downloading the Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. The preceding steps require good internet/wifi access. Simply follow the audio instructions and the route from there. This is not an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit. New, extra validity — now, it’s yours for an entire year! Use multiple times over multiple trips!

Discover Providence while playing a fun murder mystery game on your phone, or from the comfort of home!

Explore Providence's must-see sights on this self-driving audio tour. See sights such as the Welcome Gateway, Lippitt House, and Barnaby Castle.

Let’s Roam is the #1 app-led scavenger hunt company. Walk to all the best landmarks and hidden gems, answering trivia questions and solving challenges. Work with your team or compete against them, as you learn new facts and create memorable experiences. Let’s Roam Scavenger Hunts are great as an everyday activity, or for bachelorette parties, birthday parties, corporate team building events and more! Each player chooses an interactive role, with challenges varying by person.

The Providence scavenger hunt players will use an app to find objects around the city to collect points, and complete fun challenges for points. Players will be able to see their score live on the app rankings. All our Scavenger hunts have a live remote host to help along the way. Come and explore with us in Providence.

The Providence scavenger hunt players will use an app to find objects around the city to collect points, and complete fun challenges for points. Players will be able to see their score live on the app rankings. All our Scavenger hunts have a live remote host to help along the way. Come and explore with us in Providence.

Explore Providence with Operation City Quest! Our scavenger hunt takes you around the city to find items in any order you want and perform exciting tasks for points. The scavenger hunt is done using an app and you'll be able to check the rankings feature anytime to see how you rank. Our scavenger hunt has a remote guide that will help along the way via chat. Let's get exploring in Providence.