Prov is definitely dog friendly, overtly so actually. Near my parents house there is a park that has been turned into an unofficial dog park even though the sign says no dog allowed… lol. As for dating, it’s what you make of it. There are a ton of bars and clubs (if that’s your thing) to meet people.

>overtly so actually

Literally as I type this comment, there are these assholes with their dog on the table at Madrid after having already been asked last time to take their dog off of the table.

What the actual? That’s so gross.

Yeah I literally can’t believe it. I can’t imagine being this entitled.

What neighborhoods would you recommend for a newcomer? I do like being able to walk to shops and restaurants and I have a couple years of going out dancing left in me haha.

If you couldn't cut it with outdoor activities and dogs in Denver I can't imagine PVD is going to be much better lmao sorryyy

Wow, like, ok, I don't want fur and hair in my food and I'm kinda concerned with folks who are allergic. Also, what if someone sits there after and there's hair and maybe even dog shit residue or whatever?

I'd just tell them to their face tbh, then again, I'm not afraid of confrontation.

East side of providence is rich in history, shops, activities, everything. Hope St has a lot of stores including a dance studio but kinda deadly if you aren't driving, Thayer St if you're into modern stuff like boba tea, crepes, cute asian shops, Benefit St. for those long romantic, historical walks... lots to do.

Single 28 M... Also in providence... Would love any advice

Everytime I see stuff like this, I wish more places would force people to leave their dogs at home.

Two dog owner here. Imho, PVD and Rhode Island is not that dog friendly.

I was in Burlington VT for years and that was much more dog friendly, with much nicer dog parks & outdoor activities -- dogs were also welcome in the main shopping areas.

The dog parks around the state are a just a pile of dirt mounds and weeds. There is one dog friendly beach too, and its in the middle of an industrial park.

I gotta admit, it was a big shock seeing more dogs in public places when I moved up here. I’m not like, 100% against it, but it’s people who feel this comfortable and entitled that ruin it for everyone else. Like, when I see a dog shaking itself out in a grocery store or something, I can’t help but be like, “Yeeaaaahhh, maybe it makes sense to not allow dogs in stores.”

The Federal Hill area (west of downtown)is worth checking out. 29M, and I moved here from Florida last October, after flying up and checking out the city for a weekend.

I like the area, have been able to live without a car. The area from here to downtown is very walkable. I think the city being so walkable makes it a very nice location for dog-lovers.

It can be a little difficult to break into social circles, but I’ve found the dating pool of young professionals/grad students to be fine. You have to put effort in to get the results you want.

Lots of restaurants, bars, and lounges on federal hill. Clubs are more downtown.

There is a beautiful park, Roger Williams Park, on the south side of Providence. The park has a zoo, baseball fields, clay tennis courts, pickle ball.

From what I hear from friends who are in late 20s, finding ppl in similar age range is kinda rough (if that applies to you). Also idk if this matters to you but even tho there are pockets of diversity, I wouldn’t say it’s very diverse. Not sure how PVD compares to Denver tho. I’m also Asian and the same age btw—feel free to DM me if you have any more PVD-related questions

I'd presume she meant the dating part was tough in Denver.

That is nasty

I'm not a skinny, white girl that climbs 14er's every weekend which is the ideal for Denver. Providence is more diverse so I'm hopeful.

Wish I met someone like you when I first moved out here lol

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I've lived in Denver for 8 years and now in RI for 4 (only 1 yr in PVD): legally speaking, RI is not dog friendly, but many people disregard the law. There's at least 2 public parks in my neighborhood posted as "no dogs," although it's frequently disregarded at one of them.

Not to rain on any parades, but I wouldn’t say anyone really moves to Providence for the dating scene. Or dog friendliness, for that matter.

Pvd isn't diverse?

It’s not gonna be better than Colorado

People walk their dogs across plenty of bay and ocean front beaches. IDK if it's legal but they do it. So maybe that counts as dog friendly.

A lot of dog walkers around PVD too. But not much sidewalk on certain parts of town.

We've only got a couple of smaller hills here

what da fuck.

You really need to make your way over to the dog park at the end of Broadway by the church. A true gem, maintained by people who care, and frequented by competent dog owners.

Low key hoping someone recognizes them and it gets back to them haha.

Tbh I think providence is less diverse outside of the university crowd

These dirt nasty motherfuckers

Jfc. I take my dog to Madrid all the time. He always stays outside while I go in to buy something. Can’t imagine bringing him inside let alone setting up a little spot on the table for him to nest. People never cease to amaze me

Probably just hang out near the boba shops on Thayer street and you’re be bound to be approached by weebs

I high key hope for the same thing.

What gets me is they have already been asked, at least on one occasions, to stop. I didn’t elaborate but they were also letting it walk around without a leash.

Look, I’m pro-dog just like any normal human would be, but let’s also keep them on leashes when out. No, I’m not afraid of it. But I also don’t want your dog waltzing up to me unhindered to take a piss on my shoe, hypothetically.

Some people blow my mind.

When I was single I didn't find dating in Providence to be too hard however if you start dating around you're going to find that there's a lot of crossover especially in the Providence 'scene' so to speak. Hang around enough at places like Kimis, Nolans, Ogies, Avery, Scurvy (aka west end haunts) you're gonna see a lot of the same people.

It’s the 80/20 rule. 80% incompetence to 20% competence

I’m an asian guy who’s in their mid 20s that grew up in RI. Disregarding the colleges and universities in Prov (Brown, RISD, etc) there isn’t much diversity in terms of an Asian population. I think it’s gotten better over the years but definitely doesn’t compare to like Boston but I do imagine it might be better than Denver (visited for the first time last year, absolutely gorgeous out there). Dating scene I heard can be tough for young professionals around here (luckily I met my gf in college right before I graduated) but not impossible. For the OP, I think you just have to find where you fit in. PVD is diverse in the different things you can do so don’t lose faith if it seems challenging at first to find your footing.

I live in fox point and I love it! Lots of students here but it’s very walkable to downtown, wayland square, and wickenden street (lots of shops/places to eat). I also feel very safe here

At least it’s not a cat

Lots of people adopted dogs during the pandemic and didn’t realize the sacrifices it takes to care for one.

Also it’s illegal in RI to bring your dog into any place that serves food or drinks. This one probably shouldn’t have been allowed through the door.

I'm going to sound old AF, but I guess in my generation it was very diverse. I'm Asian, went to school in Providence, and almost 30% of my class was Asian.

Not sure the dating scene is better in PVD…Denver is full of young professionals

Also, people…they’re dogs. I love dogs but my dogs would be happy running around a landfill. A luxury dog park means nothing to them.

Hey i used to live in Denver. Almost ten years ago now, and only for a year because i didn't feel like i really fit in for similar reasons. I'm white but not thin and appreciate nature but its not compulsive for me, nor am in a middling tech or beer company. that being said, its just a much smaller pool here. as far as a numbers game - denver has more people. and i think is more dog friendly on the whole. its 'chill'. providence is 'easy'.

i haven't tried dating here much yet after being here for a year but i will say i was surprised i was ghosted, and that a 42 year old couldn't figure out how to ask me out on a proper date. i think that denver love-bombing and/or fear of commitment is a thing - people just like being intense out there and often feel like they got something to prove, and people aren't trying as hard here. for better and for worse.

that being said, if you are over bros that don't have a personality besides wilderness survival even though they live very much on the grid, you may like the options more here! Good luck : )

i will also say, that for how 'accessible' the rockies are when you live in Denver, there are plenty of comparable drives/trips you can take outside of providence if you really wanted to do some hiking. MA, NH, ME, VT are all not that far when you're used to 2 hr mountain traffic. I was once stuck in 8 hrs. of mountain traffic in colorado.

Wtf? So much entitlement!

I wouldn’t say providence is super dog friendly. Parts of the city are very walkable. Many breweries allow dogs on the patio. There are a few dog parks. It’s not like a Burlington, VT where dogs are allowed in many cute shops. The amount of time of the year where it’s nice enough to enjoy a place with a patio is also going to be shorter than Denver

Idk if there’s a conclusive way to say how the dating scene is. It’s New England, by and large there are many more established friend groups and more of a socially closed off vibe than Some place like California or Colorado with a lot of transplants. I’m from RI and it was much easier to make friends and meet people when I lived in SoCal than in providence.

One very nice thing about providence is you can drive 10-20 min outside the city and be in a nice woodsy area to walk the dog. There’s certainly pockets of outdoorsy people , but it’s not a majority or significant chunk like I imagine Denver is.

Personally I wouldn’t determine where to live based on the dating scene, thats so random and variable. If you like the place and you’re happy in your life good things will come IMO.

This is sooo true! I've seen some of the people out here and they are *fit*. Not that generic 2-3" in superficial height either where they have dumpy dad bods but still act elite. These people are ACTIVE! I can't keep up...lol

5.5% of people living in PVD identify as Asian, which is pretty small compared to other ethnicities (although it's the highest population in the state). Do you think having a large percentage of Asians in your graduating class speaks more to which neighborhood you lived in?

>There's at least 2 public parks in my neighborhood posted as "no dogs," although it's frequently disregarded

I'm looking at you, Woodward Ave Park!

Hey! Don’t give away our best park! RWP is in Providence. (Although, it is down by Cranston).

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Yeah, they're concentrated in the Smith Hill, Mount Pleasant, Olneyville portions of the city. I had friends in Classical, Mount Pleasant, Central and Hope High. I think most of us have moved out from these areas so hence we are not helping with diversification in Providence.

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I stand by that you can't just limit anything pvd to just providence. Providence is small but the metro area extends far. Not only that alot of people from outside the city work or go to school in providence, even in public schools you have alot of kids from out of the city. so you kind ot exclude alot of people by just keeping it providence only.

Big Asian population in Cranston and I'm sure alot of them socialize in providence, especially since there's nothing to do in Cranston lol

North Providence area is nice. Dating is hard, I’m a 37m

i forgot to mention the people passed out or comatose on the side of the bike path where we walk. Also, vomit puddles, and tons of dog shit left by previous visitors on the bike path.

Welcome to Providence!

Ummm I used to have to clean up human dumps in a previous city I lived in.

PVD is child’s play.

Providence is great for swingers. Ok for kinksters. If you want to date guys here you gotta really really like beards.

I know some singles! Sweet guys who are foodies, love anime, and grew up in the area! Full time employees too!

rough.

AFTER ALREADY BEING ASKED? Wow fuck them.

We've been carfree for years in Federal Hill, very walkable but most of the city is tbh. Decent transit too, well most of the time.

Happily committed here, but Providence used to be one of the worst cities to date in nationally for straight women looking for college educated men. The dating ratio is just really bad-- like 5 women for every 2 men (also the case in NYC). Seriously, they wrote books about it if you google it we came in like top 5 worst.

Things are changing here, but people don't move here for the dating scene they tend to move here inspite of it or move their partner here.

Why does Madrid attract such entitled d-bags? Every time I go there, at least one person is acting like a complete asshole. This is a legit question; I haven't lived here long.

Damn, so college educated men are a hot commodity here? Can't say I've had that experience in the dating scene..

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It's been reported a few places, but here's one:

https://www.providencejournal.com/story/lifestyle/2016/02/12/author-in-providence-it-can-be-tough-to-find-college-educated-mate/32519882007/

Part of his advice was literally to move haha. Just bringing it up since OP asked. Things may have shifted a bit with remote work, but probably not that much the East Coast is pretty tough for women seeking men.

Haven't actually been to Madrid -- what's the price point? Generally, the number of dollar signs a place has is commensurately proportional to its assholicity.

>You really need to make your way over to the dog park at the end of Broadway by the church

Oh that's awesome to hear! When I first moved to Prov (decades ago) I lived on Broadway and always took my dog to just where you're describing: delighted to learn they've made it a dog park 😍

Yes, another high five for Fox Point. The undergrad and grad students also make it about the most diverse neighborhood in the city.

And at least on my block, most of the residences have at least one dog, and often two.

I’ve only ever gotten croissants and their Americano. The croissants (huge, amazing) are $5.50, the Americano is around $3.20. The croissant may seem pricey, but IMO it’s worth it for what it is.

Men in Providence are ludicrously immature and 10-15 years behind in life… development. I say this as a man in Providence.

Honestly, Providence is not where it’s at for dating. At all. I only met my wife because she happened to be home in RI for a bit after living in Europe and right before she planned to move back to NYC. Several of my exes are dead from drugs and alcohol abuse. It’s rough here.

I love my dog but she steps in her own pee every damn time. She also licks her butthole when we go to bed at night. I love my dog and she is very well behaved but she does not have a place in restaurants or grocery stores. This is not a living room. There are places these people can go- outdoor seating, dog park, regular park, Blackstone Blvd...or to their own living rooms.

And I'm inclined to agree- if everyone told them it's gross and to stop they probably would. They probably feel entitled or determined to do it because they think their dog is cute and they love it so much...regardless of any outcome for anyone else. The fact they've been asked not to and do it anyway is pretty telling.

I also think it says a lot about the establishment that they continue to serve these people and they haven't enforced their boundaries. It's their business and if they don't want to alienate other customers or to break health codes then they really should be forcing these people to leave. Losing their business is really a small price to pay considering how intrusive and disgusting they are.

Pricey. But so damn good. Amazing pastries. The older woman (owner?) often working the counter is always so nice- I wish people wouldn’t be asses to her.

Same. Favorite thing to do when I have time is grab a pastry and a coffee and take my dogs over to Waterman dog park. Dogs get leashed up outside while I’m grabbing my food.

Prov is pretty diverse and definitely dog friendly, I for one, am 24 and love Asians😏

Truth be told, I don’t really have that same experience and I’m here often. But it is a more “affluent” area so perhaps there are more entitled folks? This was definitely the most egregious example by far.

Just finished making a similar comment. It’s pricey but the pastries are made by hand and it shows. As another commenter said, the croissants are expensive but they take 3 days to make.

That being said, most people here are pretty sedate if a little… WASPy. But I’ve also met and spoke to some of the nicest people in Providence here who’ve gone out of their way to be kind.

29F cis white, fairly attractive, active conversationalist, actively dating in Providence for at least 7 years and the men are garbage. All the okay seeming ones are fully committed or absolutely unavailable in some way. Plenty of great places to go on dates here, but no one of merit to take on any.

Fed Hill is a great spot for young professionals. I live downtown but spend a good chunk of time in Fed Hill at restaurants and seeing friends.

Seems to be a dog-friendly city (I don't have a dog but my friends when we go out don't have a problem finding outdoor seating at restaurants that accommodate dogs).

Moved here last year from Midwest. Not super easy to meet people (compared to Midwest) but if you put in the effort, you'll get the results you want. Dating scene is good - I met my girlfriend via Hinge a year ago. Providence is a young professionals city it feels like most days. Lots of good bars too (not just college bars).