Secret™ Providence & Newport is a new travel book that reveals the best-kept secrets of two cities steeped in American history. Providence’s consuming passion is food. One of the most prestigious training grounds for American chefs — Johnson and Wales — is in Downcity (Providence’s term for downtown). After a succulent dinner at one of the city’s charming little restaurants, visit the garden where Edgar Allan Poe courted and won the heart of Sarah Whitman, or find hidden places to have a picnic and enjoy the flowers.

Newport’s past and present are quite different from those of Providence. A great colonial seaport, it was a major stop on the northern tip of the deadly — but profitable — Triangle Trade. During the Revolution, the city was occupied by the British, who left a set of vaulted brick barracks that most Newporters don’t even know exist. But for all its fascinating colonial history, Newport carved its niche as the summer home of Gilded Age society. Few people have seen the views from the rooftop of a Bellevue Avenue palace but you might be able to with the help of this guide.

Secret™ Providence/Newport is one of a unique series of in-depth guidebooks that take you off the tired track of mainstream tourism. This guide is a gem for anyone eager to discover the unconventional.