$200 Travel Challenge: Budget Travel In Providence, Rhode Island.

Budget travel in Providence, Island? This is one city that frugal adventurers need to see! Here's how to save during your visit.

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Budget travel in Providence, Rhode Island looks like this. Our first stop was Rhode Island's gorgeous State House.

"Um...... Does that include lodgings?" Skepticism and doubt are the hallmark of any good $200 Travel Challenge and when we told people we were planning explore budget travel in Providence, Rhode Island, for two days and spend just $200, they were skeptical. VERY skeptical. 

And I was more than a little skeptical myself. This challenge was a last minute addition to a pre-existing trip. I had only a few days to plan, research, and build lists, a sharp contrast to my usual long planning marathons. And while Providence isn't an outrageously expensive city, I worried that true budget travel opportunities would be few and far between. I was sure the trip would be fun, but I didn't know if it would be easy.

So how did we do and, more importantly, did we stay on budget? Here's how our weekend went down.

(A word about pricing: Past $200 Challenges have been in Canadian funds. Given the fluctuation in currency rates, it seemed easiest to work with US funds for this particular challenge.)

Budget friendly accommodations in Providence

Not too bad for $65 a night!

The premise of a$200 Travel Challenge is simple. Can two people travel for two days and spend just $200? This figure excludes transportation to the destination but includes all other costs: meals, entertainment, souvenirs, and accommodations. And with all past challenges, accommodations proved once again to be our biggest hurdle. 

In order to find a hotel that fit within our budget, we had to look outside the city and towards the suburb of Warwick. Staying in Warwick turned out to be an excellent decision. Welcome to the nicest hotel we've ever had on a $200 Challenge!

Everything about the Extended Stay America went above and beyond our expectations and it was such a treat from our usual budget lodgings. We're no strangers to campgrounds and hostels and rather unremarkable 2 star hotels so this was definitely a step up. 

A comfy arm chair is a real hotel room bonus.

Our room included a spacious, modern bathroom, two desks, plenty of storage, and a comfy arm chair that Ryan took a liking to right away, as you can see above. And best of all - there was a kitchen! It was a real kitchen, with a full sized fridge and sink, a microwave, a two burner stove top, and free access to plenty of kitchen gear from the front desk. 

We had excellent intentions of making the most of our kitchen, from storing and reheating pizza (find out why that didn't work below) to preparing a full evening meal. But truth be told, we got lazy. Using the kitchen was a great idea in theory but it just didn't work out in practice for this particular trip.

Wish we used this more!

Darn you, bad toilet paper!

While we failed when it came to creating hotel dinners, we did much better with breakfast. The Extended Stay had a 'grab and go' breakfast station with instant oatmeal, granola bars, muffins, apples, coffee, and hot chocolate. Admittedly, it wasn't the most exciting breakfast - especially by day 2 - but we we've had far worse "free" meals and it was one less expense to worry about.

It was hard to find much fault with our room, especially considering the price point, but if I had to nitpick I would point out that the bed's quilt drove us to distraction. The slippery material (cue our hysterical late night jokes about "slip" covers) was likely designed to repel dirt but was in fact so slippery it didn't really stay in place once you were under the covers. It kinda.... slipped right off the bed. It was annoying and it made for a disjointed sleep on our first night. By the second night, we formulated a plan which involved sourcing extra blankets from housekeeping and we were much happier. 

A second annoyance was the toilet paper. I think this is officially the first time I've ever reported on toilet paper but it was just..... wait for it.... crappy. Pun intended! It was ultra thin and unpleasant and could very well be the worst toilet paper I've ever used. But for an inexpensive budget hotel, I consider myself lucky that these were my only two concerns.

See, it looks slippery, doesn't it?

We found the commute between Warwick and Providence easy enough but I did have one moment of wistfulness the day I made Ryan pull into a grocery store parking lot so I could nap in the car for 40 minutes. Hey, traveling wears a girl out! At that moment, I wished we were staying downtown. But for the price we paid, I was happy to accept a little bit of inconvenience. 

Our room cost about $65 a night - a significant portion of our budget but a price point that represented great value. It's worth noting that Extended Stay Hotels charge extra for daily housekeeping services, an option we declined. There's a good selection of similarly ranked and hotels around Warwick and it's reasonable to assume you could find accommodations in a similar price range. In fact, we could have saved an extra $12 a night by staying at a nearby Knight's Inn (which would undoubtedly have more basic rooms), so those on the tightest of budgets will have options.

Accommodation costs (total) $130.00 

BTW...... Want to know more about what we look for in our accommodations?Read on here!

Activities:
​Tour the Rhode Island State House.

Ready to go on tour!

Who doesn't love the chance to hang out with fine marble and 24 karat gold? Obviously this is how we usually roll when we travel, right? Happily, this kind of luxury doesn't come with a high price - or any price at all - in Rhode Island. The stately State House is open for tours and it's absolutely FREE!

The stately State House.

The best way to enjoy all this lush luxury is with a free guided tour (though a self-guided program is available as well, learn more here). Our guide did an excellent job of pointing out the building's many architectural highlights, explaining the state's legislative process, and recounting tales from  Rhode Island's long history. 

Did you know that the Rhode Island State House has fourth largest self supporting dome in the world? Or that if it were built today, it would cost more than billion dollars? That's not surprising, considering the gold you see here is 24 karat gold leaf and the white stone is beautiful Georgian marble. 

While I enjoyed soaking in the sumptuous surroundings, my favourite room was the slightly more humble library. With it's tiny, twisting corner staircases and multiple levels of antique books, it felt like something straight from a movie set (maybe Harry Potter?) but it's a real public space that anyone can use for research purposes. 

From the ground floor looking up at the dome and chandelier.

Our guided tour was the perfect way to start our trip. It perfectly set the stage for our first visit to Rhode Island and we learned so much to help us understand this unique region's history and culture. It really gave us a firm foundation for the rest of the weekend's activities. And the cost? FREE!

Visit the John Brown House Museum 

The John Brown House Museum is one of Providence's finest 18th century mansions and is a stunning example of luxurious art, decor, architecture, and design. This opulent home was a fitting residence for Brown, a local baron of industry, influential leader, and university founder and patron. And if it were nothing more than a fine historical home, that would be enough for me to heartily endorse a visit. But there is a much deeper story to absorb here. 

Brown owed much of his wealth to his involvement in the slave trade. He was an unapologetic supporter of slavery until the end of his life. He actively and vocally defended the slave trade and actually feuded in public through the newspapers with his brother Moses, a committed abolitionist.

The staff and volunteers at the Brown House tackle this issue head on. A portion of the house is dedicated to a special exhibit of the harrowing tale of a Brown brothers-owned slave trade vessel called the Sally and the staff are trying to determine if the team of servants who were once responsible for maintaining the property also included slave labor. The tour also begins with an in depth explanation of how Brown passionately committed himself to being a slave trader and also how Brown University and much of Providence benefited (and continue to benefit) from slavery through Brown's financial patronage. 

A visit to the John Brown House Museum is an emotional experience but well worth it to gain important insight into the foundations of Providence society and the lasting impact and injustice of slavery. Admission is $10 per person, and the price includes a complimentary self-guided audio tour or staff guided tour, which I highly recommend.

Cost: $20 (Parking is free on site.)

Tour the Providence Atheneaum 

Do you believe in love at first sight? Because here it is. One of the most gorgeous, homesy, heart soothing buildings I've ever seen. The Providence Athenaeum is one of a handful of private, member-directed libraries left in the United States and it has a long history, with roots reaching back to 1753.

First new travel tee in 20 years!

Beautiful handwritten card catalog.

H.P. Lovecraft was once the Athenaeum's neighbour, living just a block away, while poet Sarah Helen Whitman was a life long member and friend of the library. The Athenaeum would serve as the backdrop for her impassioned love affair for Edgar Allen Poe and an alcove among the library stacks was the scene for their heart wrenching final breakup. 

Despite this historical drama, the Athenaeum is an incredibly peaceful place to visit. There are many beautiful nooks and crannies to sit and read or write and their children's room is particularly delightful. Visitor are welcome at any time to partake in a self-directed tour or to join in a guided tour. Be sure to check their online calendar of events for free evening programs with a literary and historical focus - your own $200 Challenge could very well include some of these free events!
​
Cost: Free (But I also bought a $20 T-shirt!)

Visit the RISD Museum 

TheRhode Island School of Design is one of the most respected art schools in the country and it comes as no surprise that their museum would be wonderful as well. But we had no idea just how amazing it would be - and we almost didn't go at all!

I knew the $12 regular admission fee would stretch our budget but I checked out their website all the same to confirm some information. I was in for a happy surprise! The museum is FREE every Sunday (and on the third Thursday evening of the month). Lesson learned: always, always, alwayscheck the website! And as an added bonus, they also listed discounted parking spots. This is visitor information done right. (PS: Military members and their families can visit for free at any time).

100% all ours. You can't put a price on this kind of travel experience.

Free museums and galleries always get me pretty jazzed up but we were in for the treat of a lifetime at the RISD Museum.  Our early Sunday morning visit meant the museum was virtually empty and we found ourselves completely alone in rooms filled with exquisite impressionist art, including many works by Monet, Degas, Manet, and Renoir. It's hard to put into words what a privilege it was to have quiet, uninterrupted time to just sit and contemplate the priceless, marvelous art.  Take THAT, frantically busy Parisian galleries!

But the best was yet to come.....

Ryan's favourite painting of all time, Monet's The Basin at Argenteuil, was among the paintings in the collection. We had no idea that it was here and always assumed it was somewhere in Europe. For Ryan, it was like having a private audience with the Mona Lisa. Look how happy he is!

Cost: Free (and priceless!)

Providence's Best (Worst?) Budget Meals

Dinner #1 - Disaster!

"If you haven't tried the Chicago style stuffed pizza at Sicilia's, you simply haven't lived in terms of pizza. Located in the heart of Federal Hill, the go-to place for Italian food, you'll find this gem of a pizzeria."

THIS was the review that convinced us to try Sicillia's. Boy, did we ever make a mistake!

Let me back up a bit. Based on all I've read, Providence has a great food scene and the Federal Hill neighbourhood sounded just like Ottawa's Preston Street - an authentic Little Italy with old fashioned classics done right. While there were several affordable restaurants to chose from, I knew a full Italian meal would still push our budget. But pizza? We could handle pizza.

We read tons of recommendations and we settled on Sicillia's once we read the review above. Things started out well. Our waitress was friendly and helpful and everything smelled delicious. But things quickly went downhill. It took nearly an hour for our deep dish pizza to arrive. When it did, the crust was rock hard - not merely thick and sturdy, rock hard. And curiously, the bottom crust was also soggy. In fact, everything seemed soggy. The mushrooms in the pizza were causing a huge watery mess. It just..... didn't taste good. And as many people have pointed out to us on social media, sauce-on-top is a dish deep pizza red flag! And our waitress? She was a ghost by this point. 

Our stomachs grumbling, having skipped lunch, we managed to choke down a few pieces but we left the rest behind. This is officially the only time we've left pizza behind, ever! Not only was our meal disappointing, leaving the leftovers meant no midnight snack for us (something we were counting on since we had an early dinner). So that meant an unexpected expenditure for late night second dinner (Though we give full credit to Fu Ming Chinese Restaurant take out for having extremely generous portions, with their plates-for-one easily being big enough to share, and for putting huge chunks of real chicken in their chicken fried rice).

SO! We definitely cannot recommend Sicillia's but we still feel confident that homemade pizza is a great choice for dinner in Providence. Some alternatives to try includeFigidini Wood Fire Eatery and Fellini Pizzeria, (Keep in mind that serving sizes in the US are BIG  - if you live elsewhere, order one size smaller than usual.)

Dinner cost: $25 (Plus another $20 for 'second dinner')

Lunch #1 - Bargain!

There are a lot of cool diners in Providence but one that really caught our eye was the Seaplane Diner. This small eatery is always packed, despite being just a touch outside the downtown core, and the brisk, friendly staff keep things moving. Ryan splurged on breakfast-for-lunch and had a corned beef hash platter (with "perfect" eggs that he couldn't get enough of). I had a classic club sandwich platter which featured generously thick slices of turkey.

Ryan's breakfast potatoes were some of the best I've ever had - I wish I had asked for them with my club! Don't get me wrong, the Seaplane's fries were good but those were some MIGHTY fine breakfast potatoes. Honestly, just looking at the pictures now makes me crave them!

Our dishes were among the more expensive on the menu. There are a lot of breakfast and lunch options for $6 - and some for less than $5. If you're careful and on a strict budget, two people could have a meal here for $15 but $22 is more realistic. 

Lunch cost: $22

Dinner #2 - Cool deal.

A home made, made to order salted pretzel and a mild brown beer mustard for just $3.

Thanks to former bloggers, the Backpacking Brits, I learned all about the Malted Barley Pub. And they weren't wrong when they told me I'd love it! The pub specializes in craft beer and pretzels - that's it. You can get sandwiches on pretzel bread, salads with toasted pretzel croutons, and an assortment of flavored pretzels and dipping sauces. And, naturally, tons of beer!

Tiny samples, giant home made root beer float.

If you're on a budget and are looking for a light lunch or snack, plain salted pretzels (with a choice of dip) are just $3 and sample sizes of beer are $1.50 (we recommend you get four to enjoy a full tasting flight.) Two pretzels and four samples would cost just $12! (plus tax and tip of course). 

For a slightly more robust meal, you could split one of their hearty sandwiches (which come with a side of kettle chips) for about $8, share a flavored, stuffed pretzel, (Ryan loved Asiago and Parmesan for $4, while I had cheddar and jalapeno for $5), and maybe finish with a root beer float (featuring homemade local root beer!) for $5. And maybe have a few pints of the regular stuff too... The possibilities really are endless but for a realistic budget dinner, count on spending $25. If you easily fall into temptation, keep an eye on your wallet. You could easily spend much, much more here!

Dinner cost: $25

Lunch #2 - Out of town misadventure.

This cute little diner broke my heart by not being open.

Plan A was to visit another Providence diner for our final lunch - maybe the Elmwood or the Westside. But circumstances had us on the road a bit early, off to Portsmouth for a brewery tour (which never happened..... long story!)

Plan B was quickly hatched to stop halfway between Providence and Portsmouth in the small town of Peabody, Massachusetts to visit the place you see above, theLittle Depot Diner. HOW CUTE IS IT? Apparently it seats just 13 people!! 

​But it was closed. NOOOOOO! 

Time for Plan C! Just around the corner from the Little Depot was Mike and Lill's Black Sheep Pub (sadly now closed.) At this point we were so hungry we basically ordered the biggest things on the menu. So that meant more corned beef hash for Ryan and the Hungry Ram platter for me - which turned out to be TWO plates of food (the two photos below on the left). Yep, I ate it all. No shame.

For those who are less glutenous than Ryan and I, you could easily have a filling lunch here (or at any diner) for around $10 a person - or even a few dollars less.

Cost: $20

A Final Glimpse...

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If a neighbourhood can look amazing at the end of winter, when all the trees are bare and before the flowers have bloomed, it's a safe bet that neighbourhood will be beautiful all year around. The streets around Brown University are beautiful and it's well worth taking an hour or so to explore a little bit. Providence really is a lovely city and we were sad to say goodbye after two days of visiting.

So How Did We Do?

Oh boy, did we go over budget! $130 for accommodations, $93 for food, and $20 for attractions comes to $243. Yep, that's seriously over budget. And let's not forget the emergency Chinese food after the pizza fiasco and my T-shirt at the Athenaeum. We spent much closer to $300 than $200.

But alas! I don't consider this a complete disaster as we still had a very full, very value packed, very affordable weekend. And I truly believe that the $200 goal is attainable. With less expensive accommodation choices (likely possible) and less expensive menu options (totally possible), I think it's reasonable that the cost of $243 would be much closer to $200.

And as for the emergency late night Chinese food take out? Well, what can I say? Happens to the best of us!

Do you have any tips for saving money in expensive destinations?

If you enjoyed this article, check out our other $200 Challenges HERE.