Photos and majority of text from www.portsmouthnh.com

In this section About Portsmouth Maps of Portmouth Things to see Places to eat

About Portsmouth

Portsmouth, N.H., a city of 23,000, sits near the mouth of the Piscataqua River, a short, wide river that divides New Hampshire and Maine. The city also is at the hub of a metropolitan region that includes several small cities and many towns.

Settled in 1623, Portsmouth lays claim to being the nation's third-oldest city. It served as a focal point on the Eastern seaboard until the late 1800s when rail travel did in the shipping industry. John Paul Jones' ship The Ranger was built in Portsmouth, and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard (which lies across the river in Maine) was established in 1800 as the country's first Naval shipyard.

The region is noted for its many restaurants, attractions and shopping opportunities, which include outlet malls just over the bridge in Kittery, Maine, as well as major malls minutes down the road in Newington, New Hampshire.

To learn more about Portsmouth visit www.PortsmouthNH.com. The site includes information on lodging, attractions, restaurants, as well as an excellent virtual tour of Portsmouth.

Maps of Portsmouth

• Detailed street map - This map requires that you have the Flash plug-in installed. Try it, and if it doesn't work for you, try one of the others.
• Locator street map - This map includes locations of many local attractions, as well as links to photos of many areas.

Things to see

If you will have time to see some of the city while you are visiting, here are some attractions. Many are within walking distance from the Sheraton.

• Strawbery Banke Museum - An historic waterfront museum featuring homes and exhibits from 3 centuries.
  
  
• Historic Homes - The Seacoast features dozens of historic homes and mansions from the John Paul Jones House in Portsmouth to South Berwicks' Sarah Orne Jewett House.
  
  
• Children's Museum of Portsmouth - Exhibits and activities for children
  
  
• Museums - Addresses and hours for museums from the U.S.S. Albacore Submarine Park to the Seacoast Science Center in Odiorne Point State Park.
  
  
• Prescott Park & Prescott Park Arts Festival - Portsmouth's waterfront park and summer arts festival
  
  
• The Music Hall of Portsmouth - The region's leading concert venue.
  
  
• Newington Cinema 12 - The movie theater just a couple miles from Portsmouth.
  

Places to eat

Most restuarants in Portsmouth are very good. PortsmouthNH.com has a complete listing in their Dining Section. Some of the more popular restaurants are listed below, along with links to web sites with menus. All are within walking distance of the Sheraton.

• Café Mediterráneo - Our favorite place for Italian food.
  
  
• Café Mirabelle - Country French Cuisine. We've been once and the food was very good.
  
  
• The Blue Mermaid - Sort of Carribean seasoned food. (This restaurant holds the distinction of being the first place we went on an official date in 1991, although it was called the Codfish then).
  
  
• Bananas Bar and Grill - If you're looking for someplace to go dancing, this is probably as close as you'll in Portsmouth.
  
  
• The Dolphin Striker - Nice restaurant with a varied menu. Excellent cappucino crème brulée.
  
  
• Dunfey's Aboard the John Wannamaker - Very nice restaurant on a remodeled tugboat anchored to the dock in the river. There is an open air bar on the top deck which usually features a live jazz group.
  
  
• Portsmouth Gaslight Company - Actually two restaurants in one: Upstairs serves a traditional mix of meals, downstairs serves the best brick-oven pizza to be found.
  
  
• Molly Malone's - Irish restaurant. The best steak and twice-baked potatoes in Portsmouth. But the best is their three-cheese artichoke appetizer.
  
  
• Muddy River Smokehouse - Barbeque ribs. Pulled-pork sandwiches. Corn bread. More ribs. You get the idea...
  
  
• The Oar House - One of the absolute finest (and most expensive) restaurants in Portsmouth.
  
  
• Portsmouth Brewery - Portsmouth's own micro-brewery. Great beers, good food.
  
  
• Sake Japanese - Sushi anyone? They also have some cooked food. We eat here from time to time (Sarah loves sushi).
  
  
• The Stockpot - Lunch-type food. They have some interesting soups, salads and sandwiches.