Thrillist combed our great nation from coast to coast and ranked 10 ‘hoods whose curbside appeal is undeniable. From East Coast historic districts to West Coast sea cliffs and two nearby hotspots made the Top 5
# 4 College Hill, Providence:
The College Hill section of Providence is a living timeline of architectural motifs: from the 18th century Georgian-style Old State House, to the 19th century Greek Revival Providence Athenaeum library, to the modern, boxy design of Brown University’s Granoff Center for Creative Arts. It sounds like a lot, because it is. But that’s a good thing.
And then there’s Thomas Street, a tiny avenue dominated on one side by four colorful, historic structures that collectively house the Providence Art Club, and on the other by the creepy-yet-gorgeous First Baptist Church in America — so named because it is literally the oldest Baptist church congregation in the country. It’s no wonder H.P. Lovecraft was obsessed with this place.
#1 Beacon Hill, Boston
Between the red brick sidewalks, the classic Georgian architecture, and the gaslights casting their amber glow down the narrow streets, this gorgeous colonial ‘hood stands out from the rest of Beantown like a… well, like the most beautiful neighborhood in America. The row houses on Beacon Street overlook the fields of Boston Common (the oldest park in the country), and the whole neighborhood is equally beautiful in winter and summer. Hell, even the birdhouses are beautiful!
Beacon Hill’s filled with little streets and avenues that lend the area a distinctly European atmosphere, and striding down the mossy cobblestones of Acorn Street feels like traveling back in time to the founding of the nation — until you see someone taking a selfie with an iPad. And in that case, well, you can’t totally hate; iPads are so convenient.
