College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 2 days, 4 campuses

URI, Bryant, Holy Cross and Stonehill in 2 Days: A Rhode Island and Massachusetts College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing the University of Rhode Island in Kingston and Bryant University in Smithfield on day 1, then the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester and Stonehill College in Easton on day 2: how each visit works, where to park, three Providence-area hotels from budget to upscale, drive times, things to do with siblings and seasonal weather, every fact sourced.

Lippitt Hall at the University of Rhode Island, a gray granite building with steep slate gables, a squat tower and arched windows, under a blue sky with puffy white clouds and a leafy tree at left
Lippitt Hall, URI Kingston campus (Aug 2016). Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI) · Bryant University (Smithfield, RI) · College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) · Stonehill College (Easton, MA)
Days
2 weekdays: URI in the morning and Bryant in the afternoon on day 1; Holy Cross in the morning and Stonehill in the afternoon on day 2. Arrive in Providence the evening before.
Fly into
Rhode Island T.F. Green (PVD), about 20 minutes from downtown Providence with no traffic. Fly home from Boston Logan, about 44 minutes from Stonehill, or back through T.F. Green, about 66 minutes.
Best base
Courtyard by Marriott Providence Downtown: about 45 minutes from URI, 19 minutes from Bryant, 49 minutes from Holy Cross and 48 minutes from Stonehill with no traffic.
Car or transit
Rent a car. The four campuses are spread across two states, and every leg in this plan is a drive.
Registration
All four schools take visit sign-ups online. URI also asks every visitor to register their car before arriving.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare four very different New England schools in two days: the University of Rhode Island, the state's flagship campus in Kingston; Bryant University in Smithfield, which grew from a downtown Providence school into a 435-acre campus; the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester; and Stonehill College in Easton, 22 miles south of Boston.

Downtown Providence sits roughly in the middle, so both days start and end at the same hotel until the last afternoon, when you head for the airport.

Why this order

  • Day 1 morning: a URI visit is a 30-minute admission information session plus a one-hour walking tour led by a student ambassador.
  • Day 1 afternoon: Bryant's visit is a 30-minute information session and a 75-minute student-led tour, and Bryant is about 55 minutes from URI and 19 minutes from the Providence hotel with no traffic.
  • Day 2: a Holy Cross campus visit runs about 2 hours (an information session with admission staff and a student-led tour); Stonehill's tour plus information session runs about two hours, or 90 minutes for the tour alone.
Plan ahead: register your car at URI and print your Holy Cross parking pass
  • URI: every visitor must register their car in advance. Tour guests who pre-register park in Lot #1 at the Higgins Welcome Center, and the lots are enforced by license-plate recognition.
  • Holy Cross: your visit confirmation email includes a parking pass to print; without it, pick one up at the Admission Welcome Center in O'Kane Hall, Room 179, beneath the clock tower.
  • Bryant and Stonehill: their visit pages don't name a visitor lot, so ask when you register (Bryant 800-622-7001; Stonehill 508-565-1373).
Tour availability varies by season.
  • Fall open houses when we checked: Bryant on November 7, Holy Cross on Sunday, November 8, and URI and Stonehill both on Saturday, November 14. Regular tours may be limited on those days, so check each sign-up page.
  • Bryant has no information sessions or tours on Saturdays in January and June. Holy Cross runs campus visits year-round.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Providence, Worcester and Boston-area rush hours can add a lot, so leave a cushion, especially on day 2.

Arrival evening: fly into T.F. Green and check in downtown Providence

  1. Rhode Island T.F. Green Airport (PVD) → Courtyard by Marriott Providence Downtown (32 Exchange Terrace)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~20 min, 11.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Rental car from the airport
  • Holy Cross lists four airports for visitors: Boston Logan, Bradley, T.F. Green and Worcester; Stonehill names Logan and T.F. Green as its nearest.

Day 1: University of Rhode Island in the morning, Bryant University in the afternoon

  1. Courtyard Providence Downtown → URI, Robert J. Higgins Welcome Center (GPS: 75 Briar Lane, Kingston)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~45 min, 30.3 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required

  2. URI → Bryant University (1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~55 min, 37.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required

  3. Bryant → Courtyard Providence Downtown

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~19 min, 10.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  • URI visits start at the Robert J. Higgins Welcome Center, 45 Upper College Road; use 75 Briar Lane in your GPS.
  • Eat lunch at URI before you leave: its Butterfield and Mainfare dining halls are all-you-care-to-eat for one entry price, and its retail spots take cash or credit cards.
  • Book an afternoon Bryant visit that leaves at least an hour for the drive from Kingston.

Day 2: College of the Holy Cross in the morning, Stonehill College in the afternoon, then home

  1. Courtyard Providence Downtown → College of the Holy Cross (1 College St., Worcester)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~49 min, 37.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required

  2. Holy Cross → Stonehill College (GPS: 124 Belmont St., Easton)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~78 min, 55.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required

  3. Stonehill → Boston Logan Airport (BOS)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~44 min, 28.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Return the rental car at Logan, or drive ~66 min (41.6 mi) back to T.F. Green
  • Check out of the hotel before Holy Cross, since you won't come back to Providence.
  • Holy Cross's Kimball Dining Hall and Crossroads in the Hogan Campus Center are the places for lunch before the drive to Easton.
  • Book an afternoon Stonehill visit that leaves about 90 minutes for the drive from Worcester.

3. Campus by campus

Lippitt Hall at the University of Rhode Island, a gray granite building with steep slate gables, a squat tower and arched windows, under a blue sky with puffy white clouds and a leafy tree at left
Lippitt Hall, URI Kingston campus (Aug 2016). Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University of Rhode Island (Kingston, RI)

Where visits start
  • A visit is a 30-minute admission information session followed by a one-hour walking tour led by a student ambassador.
  • Visits start at the Robert J. Higgins Welcome Center, 45 Upper College Road (GPS: 75 Briar Lane, Kingston). During the academic year it's open Monday–Friday 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.–2 p.m., closed Sunday.
  • A self-guided audio tour podcast is available, and a map and stop list are posted outside the Welcome Center.
Visitor parking
  • Visitor parking is behind the Higgins Welcome Center, and all visitors must register their car in advance.
  • Pre-registered tour guests park in Lot #1 at the Welcome Center. Other visitors use the AMP Park app, metered spaces or a daily pass for stays over 4 hours; enforcement is by license-plate recognition.
Getting there
  • URI is about 45 minutes from downtown Providence and about 55 minutes from Bryant with no traffic.
What to know
  • The URI photo in this guide shows Lippitt Hall. Butterfield and Mainfare are URI's all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, with one entry price.
Contact
Robert J. Higgins Welcome Center, 45 Upper College Road, Kingston, RI 02881: 401-874-2133, welcomecenter@uri.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: URI: Visit Us · URI: Visitor Parking

Bryant University's Bello Center, a long modern building with a curving blue-glass facade, seen across a brick walkway and a lawn on a sunny early-spring day
Bello Center and Library, Bryant University (Mar 2018). Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Bryant University (Smithfield, RI)

Where visits start
  • A visit is a 30-minute information session followed by a 75-minute student-led campus tour; a tour-only option and a self-guided option are also offered.
  • Bryant's Day with Class adds sitting in on a class, meeting faculty, lunch with a student ambassador and an interview. Interviews aren't required.
Visitor parking
  • Bryant's visit page doesn't name a visitor lot. The Office of Admission is at 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield; call 800-622-7001 with questions.
Getting there
  • Bryant is about 19 minutes from downtown Providence and about 55 minutes from URI with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Bryant photo in this guide shows the Bello Center and library. Bryant's 435-acre campus was donated by Earl S. Tupper, and the Business Leadership Entrepreneurship Center opened in fall 2024.
Contact
Bryant University Office of Admission, 1150 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, RI 02917: 800-622-7001, admission@bryant.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Bryant: Visit Campus · Bryant: Day with Class

The brick-and-limestone front of Kimball Hall at Holy Cross, with a columned arched entrance, a carved crest above the doors and a red-leafed tree at left, behind a paved plaza
Kimball Hall, College of the Holy Cross (Nov 2023). Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA)

Where visits start
  • A campus visit runs about 2 hours: an information session with admission staff and a student-led tour. Visits are offered year-round.
  • The Admission Welcome Center is in O'Kane Hall, Room 179, beneath the O'Kane clock tower.
  • Interviews aren't required but are strongly recommended; they're for rising or current high school seniors, in person or virtual, and each student may interview once.
Visitor parking
  • Admissions parking is free on Linden Lane: enter through the main gate off College Street. Print the parking pass from your confirmation email, or pick one up at O'Kane 179.
Getting there
  • Holy Cross is about 49 minutes from downtown Providence and about 78 minutes from Stonehill with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Holy Cross photo in this guide shows Kimball Hall, home of Kimball Dining Hall, the largest dining location on campus. Crossroads, on the bottom floor of the Hogan Campus Center, serves salads, grain bowls and burrito bowls at lunch.
Contact
Holy Cross Admission, O'Kane Hall, Room 179, 1 College Street, Worcester, MA 01610: 508-793-2443, admissions@holycross.edu (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.).

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Holy Cross: Connect With Us · Holy Cross: Maps, Directions & Parking

The Georgian-style brick mansion of the former Ames estate at Stonehill College, with white columns and a long row of windows, above a wide striped green lawn and trees
Former Ames estate, Stonehill College (Jun 2016). Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Stonehill College (Easton, MA)

Where visits start
  • The guided campus tour is student-led in a small group and lasts 90 minutes. The tour plus an information session takes about two hours.
  • An online self-guided tour is also available.
Visitor parking
  • Use 124 Belmont Street, Easton, in your GPS. From Route 24 take Exit 31B (old 17B), Route 123 West toward Easton; the college is half a mile on the right.
  • Stonehill's visit pages don't name a visitor lot, so ask the admission office (508-565-1373) when you register.
Getting there
  • Stonehill is 22 miles south of Boston and 25 miles northeast of Providence; by car it's about 48 minutes from the downtown Providence hotel and 44 minutes from Logan with no traffic.
What to know
  • The guided tour takes in several academic buildings, popular student spaces and a residence hall room, so you'll see what living on campus looks like.
Contact
Stonehill College Admission, 320 Washington Street, Easton, MA 02357: 508-565-1373, admission@stonehill.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Stonehill: Campus tour and information session · Stonehill: Plan Your Visit · Stonehill: Directions & Campus Map

4. Where to stay: two nights in downtown Providence, the hub between all four campuses

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Courtyard by Marriott Providence Downtown

32 Exchange Terrace, Providence, RI

Why here

  • It's about 20 minutes from T.F. Green, 19 minutes from Bryant, 45 minutes from URI and 49 minutes from Holy Cross by car with no traffic.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free Wi-Fi, a gym and an on-site restaurant and bar; parking and breakfast cost extra. Confirm before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn Pawtucket

2 George St., Pawtucket, RI

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 9 minutes north of downtown Providence, about 50 minutes from URI and 50 minutes from Holy Cross with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists an indoor pool, a gym and free self-parking. Confirm breakfast and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

Omni Providence Hotel

1 West Exchange St., Providence, RI

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about a 2-minute drive from the Courtyard, so the drive times in this guide barely change. Bryant's visit page says the Omni offers a discounted rate to Bryant guests, including families.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists two on-site restaurants, a 24-hour gym and valet parking (extra charge). Confirm details before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Book two nights in downtown Providence and check out on the morning of day 2. Bryant's visit page lists several Providence-area hotels that offer rates for Bryant visitors, so check it before you book.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

On campus at URI

URI's two dining halls are all-you-care-to-eat for one entry price, and its retail spots take cash or credit cards. Check current hours before you go.

Eat

Butterfield Dining Hall

URI Kingston campus

One of URI's two all-you-care-to-eat dining halls, per URI Dining.

Details →

Eat

Mainfare Dining Hall

URI Kingston campus

URI's other all-you-care-to-eat dining hall, per URI Dining.

Details →

On campus at Holy Cross

Holy Cross Dining posts menus and hours for each spot. Check current hours before you go.

Eat

Kimball Dining Hall

Lower campus, College of the Holy Cross

The largest dining location on campus, with a variety of food stations, per Holy Cross.

Details →

Eat

Crossroads

Hogan Campus Center, bottom floor

Custom salads, grain bowls and burrito bowls at lunch, per Holy Cross.

Details →

Eat

Cool Beans

Hogan Campus Center, Level 1

Coffee, baked goods and breakfast sandwiches all day, across from the College Store, per Holy Cross.

Details →

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Roger Williams Park Zoo

1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI

More than 100 species, about 10 minutes by car from the downtown hotel; buy tickets online, and if tickets are on sale, the zoo is open that day.

Official page →

With siblings

Providence Children's Museum

100 South St., Providence, RI

Open seven days a week, 9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; reserve tickets online or buy walk-up tickets. It's about 3 minutes by car from the downtown hotel.

Official page →

With siblings

A Rams, Bulldogs, Crusaders or Skyhawks game

Kingston, Smithfield, Worcester or Easton

Check the URI, Bryant, Holy Cross and Stonehill athletics calendars for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • Register your car with URI before you arrive and park in Lot #1 at the Welcome Center; Holy Cross admissions parking is free on Linden Lane with the pass from your confirmation email.
  • Day 2 is the long driving day: about 49 minutes to Holy Cross, 78 minutes to Stonehill and 44 minutes to Logan, all with no traffic.

Flying in and out

  • Fly into T.F. Green (PVD), about 20 minutes from downtown Providence, and home from Boston Logan, about 44 minutes from Stonehill, with no traffic.
  • Bryant notes that Boston is about a 50-minute drive from its campus.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Providence T.F. Green Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 59°F highs and 40°F lows, with about 4.3 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 84°F/65°F, with about 2.9 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 64°F/45°F, with about 4.2 inches of rain; November about 53°F/36°F.
  • Winter: January averages about 38°F/22°F, with about 10 inches of snow, so pack for cold on the outdoor tours.

Parent checklist

  • Register for a URI morning visit and an afternoon Bryant visit for day 1, and a morning Holy Cross visit and an afternoon Stonehill tour for day 2.
  • Register your car with URI before you go, and print the Holy Cross parking pass from your confirmation email.
  • Book two nights in downtown Providence and a rental car you can pick up at T.F. Green and drop at Logan.
  • Note where each visit starts: URI's Higgins Welcome Center, Bryant's Office of Admission, Holy Cross's O'Kane Hall Room 179 and Stonehill's admission office.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

4 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (University of Rhode Island, Bryant University, College of the Holy Cross and Stonehill College): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: University of Rhode Island
  5. University of Rhode Island Athletics (official site)
  6. University of Rhode Island Athletics: Prospective Student-Athlete Questionnaires
  7. University of Rhode Island Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. University of Rhode Island Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: Bryant University
  10. Bryant University Athletics (official site)
  11. Bryant University Athletics: Compliance
  12. Bryant University Athletics: Staff Directory
  13. Bryant University Athletics: schedule of events
  14. NCAA Directory: College of the Holy Cross
  15. College of the Holy Cross Athletics (official site)
  16. College of the Holy Cross Athletics: Compliance
  17. College of the Holy Cross Athletics: Staff Directory
  18. College of the Holy Cross Athletics: schedule of events
  19. NCAA Directory: Stonehill College
  20. Stonehill College Athletics (official site)
  21. Stonehill College Athletics: Compliance
  22. Stonehill College Athletics: Staff Directory
  23. Stonehill College Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

Plan this trip

Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.

Which schools?
Driving or flying?

Emails aren't active yet. Your plan appears right here on the page, with a preview of the email we'd send. Nothing you type here is sent or saved. Only if you use the route planner in your plan is the starting point you type there sent to our map provider, Geoapify, to plan the drive; we never store it. Privacy

Sources

All checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. University of Rhode Island Admission: Visit Us
  2. University of Rhode Island: Tours and Information Sessions (official sign-up)
  3. University of Rhode Island: Visitor Parking Information
  4. University of Rhode Island Transportation: Visitor Parking
  5. University of Rhode Island Dining Services: Prospective Students
  6. Bryant University Undergraduate Admission: Visit Campus
  7. Bryant University: Visit Campus (official sign-up)
  8. Bryant University: Smithfield, RI, and Beyond
  9. College of the Holy Cross Admissions: Connect With Us
  10. College of the Holy Cross: Campus Visits (official sign-up)
  11. College of the Holy Cross: Maps, Directions & Parking
  12. College of the Holy Cross: Dining
  13. Stonehill College: Plan Your Visit
  14. Stonehill College: Campus Tours (official sign-up)
  15. Stonehill College: Campus Tour and Information Session (official sign-up)
  16. Stonehill College: Directions & Campus Map
  17. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  18. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  19. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Providence T.F. Green Airport, RI (USW00014765)
  20. Expedia listing: Courtyard by Marriott Providence Downtown (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Providence-Hotels-Courtyard-By-Marriott-Providence-Downtown.h474537.Hotel-Information)
  21. Expedia listing: Omni Providence Hotel (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Providence-Hotels-Omni-Providence-Hotel.h24536.Hotel-Information)
  22. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Pawtucket (star class, address and amenities, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Providence-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-By-Hilton-Pawtucket.h11581.Hotel-Information)
  23. Roger Williams Park Zoo: Visit
  24. Providence Children's Museum: Plan Your Visit
  25. Rhode Island Rams Athletics: Calendar
  26. Bryant Bulldogs Athletics: Calendar
  27. Holy Cross Crusaders Athletics: Calendar
  28. Stonehill Skyhawks Athletics: Calendar
  29. College of the Holy Cross Admissions: Admission Programming