Water Place Park
Water Place Park is an urban recreation site built in 1994 as a reminder of the Great Salt Cove, vast water that once resided in the center of Providence. Over time, the water drained and railroads and buildings have begun to be built instead, marking the birth of the modern downtown Providence. Nowadays, Water Place Park provides a 4-acre recreation environment with a picturesque riverwalk, restaurants, public art displays, WaterFire shows and boat trips.
What to see
While not boasting its own architecture and art wonders, Water Place offers amazing views of the developed architecture of downtown Providence. A stroll on the riverwalk will delight you with spectacular scenes of the river abounding with boats and its Venice-inspired bridges that are illuminated during the night. You can also take a leisurely boat ride to witness the whole beauty from a different angle, as well as take a closer look at the majestic bridges that are true architectural marvels. 
WaterFire
Once you pay Water Place landmark a visit, don’t hesitate to attend the WaterFire show. WaterFire is a signature public art event by Water Place Park that has the significance of bringing communities together and encouraging people to join their strengths for achieving communal good. The civic ritual happens in the evenings and features 86 braziers of fire that are launched along the Water Place Park basins.
Instead of going the quickest way and using gas to be ignited, the volunteers use pieces of wood that provide slower lightning, yet the scented smoke of wood eliminated during the burning process is worth every second of waiting. Once the braziers are launched on the river flow, the visitors walk on the riverside pathways, taking delight in the floating flickering lights while enjoying the aromatic smell of wood smoke that blankets the whole park and parts of downtown Providence during the ritual. The ceremony takes place typically twice a month from May to November.
What to do
A park is a nice place for engaging in relaxing journeys on either pathways or waterways. You can stroll the riverwalk, devouring the wondrous water landscapes combined with the Providence architecture. There are also many boat trip opportunities to explore the park and the city downtown. You can choose an individual boat trip with no personnel aboard, where you can admire the beautiful views together with your friend or loved one. At the same time, you get the chance to embark on a guided journey where a friendly narrator will tell you about the history of water place, the Great Salt Cove and other amazing facts you will be happy to learn.
You can also choose a shared ride on a large boat tasting sophisticated wines, scrumptious meals and listening to music. Another option is a twilight boat ride which makes up for a great romantic journey allowing for couples to enjoy the night sky and the scenic illumination of the Venice bridges, riverside as well as the lights of downtown Providence. Water place boasts some restaurants on its grounds where you can devour delicious meals of different cuisines around the world. If you are a tourist, there are a myriad of accommodation options nearby the park, as it’s nestled right in the heart of the city’s downtown. Aside from hotels, you get walking-distance access to shopping malls, eating points, coffee shops and other facilities.
Is it worth visiting?
Water Place Park is one of the most prominent landmarks in Providence you must visit as soon as you arrive in this city. It is a place where urban architecture and city hustle and bustle blend with serene nature, creating a wonderful refuge for everybody. The park offers many walking pathways that open up spectacular views at the water basins, Venice-styled bridges and the modern downtown architecture.
The park has a signature event, called WaterFire which is a civic ritual that comes to motivate people to work together to preserve communities. You will witness lots of burning braziers floating across the park’s rivers offering an amazing flickering show complemented by music and aromatic scents of wood that cover the park during the ceremony. Moreover, you have the chance to take guided and individual boat tours, learning about the site’s history.