College Hill is a district in Providence, Rhode Island. It is bounded by North Main Street to the west, Governor Street and Arlington Avenue to the East, North Main Street to the west, and Olney Street to the north.
The main center for shopping, food, and drink can be found on Thayer Street, located just off of the Brown campus. Another area to visit in the College Hill is Wickenden Street. The street is in the Providence College District and is parallel to Thayer Street, the infamous college hot spot. This area is nice break from the hustle of Providence itself and it is also a more relaxing and residential area than Thayer Street. Wickenden Street in general can be described as eclectic, featuring twists on original and classic foods and coffee. Although there are a few original and small shops located on the street, Wickenden is mostly renowned for a few relaxing hot spots. The artwork gracing the telephone poles is the first sign that Wickenden Street is big on personality. This stretch of Providence is a funky mix of galleries, antique shops, junk shops, restaurants and cafes. Also a formerly working-class Portuguese neighborhood that's seen a steady gentrification, Wickenden Street has antiques stores, galleries, and trendy cafés. Professors, artists, and students are among the newer residents here. Many of the houses along Wickenden, Transit, Gano, and nearby streets are still painted the pastel colors of Portuguese homes. Wickenden Street is right off Route 195, leading you into Providence's East Side.
The district gets its name from two college campuses found within its borders: Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design. It is an eclectic district swarming with college students, hipsters and wanna-be breakout musicians, but is also filled with a plethora of unique things to do and see.
