Pawtucket, called the "place by the waterfall" is where the Blackstone river forms Pawtucket Falls as it tumbles into the Pawtucket River.

Pawtucket is part of the Blackstone River valley, through which the Blackstone river flows for 48 miles. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1986 as a national historic region, the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor helps preserve the history of the American Industrial Revolution. The area spans nine Rhode Island towns and covers 250,000 acres from Worcester Mass. to Providence, Rhode Island.

A popular recreation area is the Slater Memorial Park on Newport Ave. (US 1A). The park offers recreational facilities and attractions including an 1895 Looff Carrousel and paddleboats. Pawtucket is part of the Providence-Fall River-Warwick metro area and is in Providence County.