Fall into Providence

We moved to Providence in the late summer and we were immediately in love – we were minutes from the beach, we were riding our bikes and kayaking along the water every weekend, not to mention the seafood. Then came fall. That’s when we lost our hearts completely.  Its breathtaking! And there is just TONS to do!

Here are our favorite activities in Fall:

This past Sunday, we went to one of our favorite Providence spots, the Roger Williams Park Zoo, for the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular!

One of the first things everyone asked us when we moved here last fall was “Have you seen the pumpkins?” We had no idea what they were talking about! Pumpkins? Does the zoo have a few Halloween decorations?  No. Its much, much more than that:

But once you’ve been in Providence for a bit, you realize that this is one of the city’s most famous and beloved Fall traditions! The Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular presented by Citizens Bank has nightly shows running from October 2nd through November 2nd. The amazing artists and craftsmen of Passion for Pumpkins have created a breathtaking display of 5,000 illuminated jack-o-lanterns, with over 125 of them artistically carved and displayed in scenes to play out the annual theme. This year’s theme “Jack-O-Lanterns from A to Z” will delight all ages. Scenes filled with intricate pumpkin art will be arrayed in alphabetical order, with highlights from history and popular culture (D is for dinosaur, F is for fantasy, J is for jungle, O is for owls, T is for famous thinkers). Its like nothing you’ve ever seen and is not to be missed!

Tips & Info:

• For Monday – Thursday nights, tickets are $12 adults, $10 seniors and $9 for children ages 3 – 12, with children under three admitted for free.
• Admission prices on Friday – Sunday are $16 adults, $14 seniors and $13 children ages 3 – 12 with children two and under are admitted for free.
• The event will be extended one hour on Saturdays to close at midnight with the last admission at 11 pm.
• While the event is rain or shine, severe weather can close things down. Check the Roger Williams Zoo Facebook Page for the latest update if the weather is iffy before you head out.
• Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. You’ll be walking along the wetlands trail (in the dark) so be prepared!
• Mark your kids: It is DARK out there! Give your kids a glow-in-the-dark bracelet, necklace or glow stick so you can easily spot them out if they wander off when they see a Yoda pumpkin. Not that this happened to us.

Another favorite activity of ours is WaterFire.

We visit WaterFire at least once a month during the summers, but this year we have started going in Fall as well!  This fall there are eight lightings through November 2014. A signature Providence event, WaterFire draws 15+ million spectators annually. Set along the city’s three downtown rivers, which come together at Waterplace Park, WaterFire creates a serene and multi-sensory experience marked by sparkling bonfires, the fragrant scent of aromatic wood smoke, flickering firelight on the city’s arched bridges, and the silhouettes of the fire tenders in torch-lit vessels passing by the flames. Fall is even better with the crisp temperatures, warm drinks and cozy atmosphere! We love to wander around the artisian booths, munch on great food and people watch. Its a great time to bring the kids – WaterFire doesn’t start until after dark – 6:00 sunsets are easier than 9:00 ones with small kids! For more information, please visit www.waterfire.org.

Our tips and tricks for Fall WaterFire:

• Find a great restaurant! We always hit one of our favorites, so we snag parking early and can just walk over to WaterFire with  full, happy kids who are ready to walk around! (Make reservations early) We love Luxe Burger and Union Station Brewery. Both are great for kids!
• Dress warm!
• Check WaterFire on Twitter for latest updates if its raining. The night we went, it had rained all day – but stopped just at 5pm – we just kept checking for the latest updates before we left.
• Remember the time of sunset changes, so fires are lit at unique times every night.
  • Saturday, October 11^th  –  Sunset 6:12 p.m.
  • Saturday, October 25^th  – Sunset 5:51 p.m.
  • Saturday, November 8^th  – Sunset 4:33 p.m. (Veteran’s Day WaterFire Celebration)
  • Saturday, November 29^th  – Sunset 4:17 p.m.

And you can never go wrong with a fall classic – pumpkin picking and corn maze-ing at 4 Town Farm!