We just finished up 6 days there - with kids. Providence ended up being mostly a hub for us as there were other things nearby we wanted to do. Here's what we did -
- Whale watching in Cape Cod
- Craigville beach in Cape Cod, along with the requisite visit to Cooke's for clam chowder and Four Seas for homemade ice cream
- Newport RI (I lived there 20 years ago)
- Tiverton RI and Fogland beach
- In Providence - a daytime walk around the waterfront where the Waterfire festival is held, a visit to the mall (Dave&Busters, Movie Theater)
We stayed at the Marriott Downtown Providence. Of these, I'd recommend the Whale watching and the visit to Tiverton. Tiverton is very rural so you should visit only if you want to get away from the city.
RG