Great visit. Every employee was a pleasure to talk to. The gift shop has a nice selection. The…read morelittle cafe on site has snacks and cold beverages. This was an actual neighborhood saved from demolititon. Each home is set up for a specific period in time up to the 1950's. I really enjoyed the WWII grocery store. The docent there had lots of very interesting information about grocery shopping during wartime. All together a good experience we would repeat. We left midway through to have lunch nearby and returned to complete the circuit. One of the houses is in an unrestored condition. A blacksmith was on hand during our visit too in his workshop. Private dirt parking lot, clean public restrooms in two locations. Most buildings are not ADA accessible if I remember correctly due to their age, but some are ground level entrance. Pathways throughout are wide, compact dirt or gravel.

This review is for the Thanksgiving-specific tour they give in November which I'm sure is quite…read moredifferent than their in-season tour, but it was fantastic. It was 90 minutes and covered 4 of the houses ranging from a Revolutionary-era tavern serving a local Thanksgiving to a WWII era general store operating on rations gretted by an in character store owner. Despite the bitter cold outside, the houses were decently warm. Our tour guide was fantastic. He answered all questions thoroughly, and we were able to look through the available rooms at our own pace. The tour covered both Thanksgivings through time and also a bit on the history of the museum, how it came to be, and who the people were who lived there. It was well worth visiting again when I can go on a regular tour, but they also have a Christmas light stroll that sounds intriguing. There is a decent-sized parking lot, but it is shared with other businesses, so I recommend coming to an earlier tour to ensure availability. The visitor's center is pretty big with restrooms, snacks for purchase, and a small gift shop. Right now, there is also an ice-skating rink adjacent to the center if you have time. The tour had a few kids on it, and they seemed pretty interested in the presentation. If you love historical sites and even just unique experiences, this is a cool museum to visit.

The Woodman Museum was a very pleasant surprise. It contains a wide variety of exhibits and…read moreitems/specimens. People working there are pleasant and helpful. Parking is on street we grabbed a spot on Summer St next to the museum). There are three buildings total to walk through. There are stairs involved once you are in the museum. Plan to spend a couple of hours there. It's a hidden gem in Dover, NH.

The last time I went to the Woodman Museum, I was in utero. But I found out today that they have a…read moreteacher discount, so I should have gone again much sooner! There were several highlights but I'll just share a few. First was the room dedicated to our nation's 250th anniversary. This historical tribute renewed my respect in the values upon which the United States was founded. Thomas Jefferson writes about King George: "He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States: for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners: refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither..." Jefferson reminded me that like the Woodman Museum, the country was built on a foundation of open arms. I have to mention the bronze statues of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles mounted on granite in a special exhibit dedicated to these lovable heroes. It was an impressive and whimsical display. If there is a movement to make a grand-scale version in a public park in town, sign me up to campaign for that! This would be so cool with a splash pad in the center of it for kiddos. Finally, I have to say how impressed I was with the staff who were friendly, helpful, and incredibly well-versed in the history of the grounds. They answered all my questions with ease in a welcoming Dover style. It was totally gnarly, dude.

When I wandered into the Portsmouth Athenaeum I had a Belle from Beauty and the Beast moment. The…read morelibrary is not as grand as Beast's, but there is something magical about being around really, really old books and stuff. We met a man who was working (or was he just hanging out? not sure) there and was nice enough to give us a special tour of the place! He was so knowledgeable about the history of Portsmouth and was so passionate about the town. I saw some really neat artifacts here, including whale vertebrae...which totally made me squeal in excitement. Just take a visit to the Portsmouth Athenaeum and strike up a conversation. You never know what you will discover!

If you are a history buff, you have to check out the Portsmouth Athenaeum! The front door is…read moresomewhat hidden but if you walk a little bit up the block from Starbucks you'll find it. Couple flights of stairs or an elevator and you find yourself in the middle of a pretty neat research library. We went to the North End History exhibit and it was super-informative and very interesting. Lots of neat old photos and details about parts of Portsmouth we drive by on a regular basis without realizing their historical significance. Ask for James, ask a few questions, and sit back and laugh as he takes the history of the area and wraps it up in funny and memorable stories and anecdotes. Just a note - finish your food and coffee before visiting. There are some incredibly old books in this place and you don't want to spill!

Totally love this seacoast museum. My grandchildren love the hands on touch tanks, the pretend…read morefishing boat, the live seahorses and the sand play area. We also enjoy the huge playground and tide pools. We bring a picnic lunch and make a day of the experiences. We love it there so much we became members! I highly recommend!

Odiorne Point State Park is a public recreation area that opened in Rye, New Hampshire in July…read more1972. It is administered by the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. The park is located along the Atlantic seacoast in Rye, not far from Portsmouth. The area is the site of the Pannaway Plantation: the first European settlement in New Hampshire. Settled in 1622, the plantation was completely abandoned by the 1630s when the settlers moved to nearby Strawberry Banke. The land was settled in the mid-1660s by the Odiorne Family, whom the park is now named after. From 1942 to 1947, the park was the home of Fort Dearborn. The ruins of the deactivated World War II-era fort can still be seen today. Today the park is home to hiking trails, bike paths, a playground, picnic areas, pavilions, and a Seacoast Science Center which opened in 1992. My family and I visited Odiorne Point State Park this summer while we were heading to Maine for a summer getaway. We had some time to kill before we could check in to our AirBnb, so we decided to stop at the park. We had fun exploring the grounds and my two sons especially enjoyed playing on the nautical-themed playground. The highlight of the park is the Seacoast Science Center. There are all sorts of exhibits devoted to the conservation of marine and coastal environments. My two sons loved learning about whales, local shellfish populations, the local fishing industry, the fight against ocean pollution, and underwater exploration. There was even a cool gift shop where we picked up a few things. Whether you live in the area or you're just passing through like us, Odiorne Point State Park is a fun place for the whole family!

A fun and interesting way to spend some time in Portsmouth. I visited town during off-season and…read morethis was one of the few tourist attractions still open. Touring the actual sub can be done in 20-30 min. If you're claustrophobic, the first couple areas are tight but it soon opens up. If you have mobility issues, it'll be tough to maneuver. This doesn't take away from my experience but something to consider for others. The attached museum/gift shop is nice and packs in a lot. It's a one time visit for me but glad I went.

This was an amazing experience!! We went on a whim and as someone who knows nothing about…read moresubmarines, I learned so much and it was super engaging. The self guided tour has little speakers with buttons along the way that tells you all about how the ship works and amazing stories from the crew! The inside museum was really cool as well!! There's a periscope inside that you can move around and look all around the area surrounding the building! A documentary about the ship plays on loop inside as well. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and they were excited to talk about the submarine! The prices are 1000% worth it and I would totally do this again if I was in the area. They have tons of memorabilia to look at and gifts to buy as well! We will be back!!

This place is super cute! I've been to all the popular aquariums in the US (Atlanta, Monterey,…read moreetc.) and this might actually be my favorite. While the entire exhibit only takes place in one room, the amount of hands-on experiences and knowledge offered by Ellen is next level. My daughter greatly enjoyed the experience, and I did as well!

What a great experience for my kids (6 and 13). Read the website for details but there's something…read morefor all ages in this tiny little place. Both kids were engaged and Ellen did a great job of doing so at the proper level. Highly recommended

our guide, Knut Realsvig, was absolutely wonderful. we have been to Portsmouth quite a lot and my…read morewife has ancestors from here. we didn't expect to learn anywhere near as much as we did, but Knut was incredibly knowledgeable as well as great company. He apologized for going a bit long which he had no need to do. We enjoyed every minuute. 6 out of 5 Paul and Lois

Fantastic Tour!!! I'm a resident and love taking this tour. I love taking guests on this walking…read moretour when they are here for a visit. A great way to see downtown and get a quick and interesting history lesson. The tour guides are knowledgeable, informative, funny. I can't say enough good things about this tour. A must do if you are in the area!!!

It is never open and the phone number is never working. I've taken several trips here and been…read moredisappointed each time.

I went here 2 weeks ago for their Lilac Festival, which to be honest, wasn't much of a festival due…read moreto the lack of lilacs. One of the exhibits had guided tours, but due to the event, there wasn't enough staff to handle all the tourists. Speaking of not enough, I can't speak for regular days, but during the events, parking is going to get crazy. There were cars parked on the right side of the trail leading up to the mansion. The mansion's backyard (I don't know what to call it) is quite big and you should bring the family to just play around there. As far as I can tell it's free, and they do take donations to preserve or revive the lilacs.

Cam was an amazing tour guide! He was entertaining & educational - a perfect balance. We had a…read moresmall group which was very fun. Will be recommending to everyone!

Was not able to go inside the house but glad we were able to enjoy the small garden they had…read moreoutside by the streets and had good viewing of the house. One way to see a historic house for free when youre around the area.