What would happen if you reverse the order of the trip.

I'm not familiar with other cities, but traffic into and out of Boston
can be quite heavy, even on weekend afternoons. It would be
pretty nerve racking if you found yourself running behind schedule
and had to drive through the middle of the city on your way
to Providence. It is also an easy city to get lost in for first time
visitors in a car, so arriving late at night with little traffic might
be an advantage.