• About
  • Groups
  • Contact
Portsmouth Tourism
    • Top Eight Things To Do
          • Top 8 Things To Do
          • Museums
          • Arts & Entertainment
          • Outdoors
          • Dining
          • Shopping
          • Events
          • Walking Tours
          • Casino
          • Top 8 Things To Do

          • Experience the best of the best with this Top 8 list of things to do and see in Portsmouth.

    • Explore History
          • Explore History
          • Olde Towne Historic District
          • History of Portsmouth Timeline
          • Olde Towne Historic District

          • Walk through history and see Olde Towne’s origins and it’s continued evolution.

    • How To Plan Your Trip
          • Visitor Directory
          • Where To Stay
          • Visitor Services
          • Parking
          • Visiting By Boat
          • Itineraries
          • Upcoming Events
          • Digital Brochures
          • Visitor Directory

          • Plan for your visit and explore Portsmouth with the Visitor Directory.

    • From The Blog
    • About
    • Groups
    • Contact
Back to Blog
  • All Posts
  • Museums
  • Outdoors
  • Restaurants
  • History
  • Shopping
  • Events
  • Press Releases
  • Videos
  • Arts and Entertainment
  • Boating
  • Children/Kids/Family Fun
  • Tours
  • Sister City

Museums, Historic Sites, and a Charming Olde Towne Make for Portsmouth Summer Fun

June 24, 2016

TIDEWATER TRAVELER | By James F. Lee  | Published June 2016

On the patio of the Bier Garden in Portsmouth, I sample a German beer and a Bavarian wurst. From my vantage, I can enjoy the art deco front of the historic Commodore Theatre and the lovely crepe myrtles and pin oaks lining High Street.

Portsmouth often plays second fiddle to its better-known Hampton Roads neighbors, such as Virginia Beach and Norfolk. That’s a shame, because this small city, founded in 1752 and home to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, has enticing secrets.

“People underestimate Portsmouth,” says Diane Cripps, the curator of history for the city’s museums. “They think you have to go to Williamsburg for history, but a stroll through Olde Towne Portsmouth takes you back to quiet side streets to see 18th- and 19th-century houses.”

Olde Towne’s herringbone brick sidewalks remind me of Savannah, Georgia, or Charleston, South Carolina. Nuggets of history abound: a house visited by President Andrew Jackson in 1829, another house designed by Pierre L’Enfant. For present-day diversions, High Street offers dining, entertainment, and an array of galleries and museums. In Olde Towne and beyond, Portsmouth provides an exciting destination for summer fun.

Read More

Share
Related Articles

October 12, 2022

The History of Cock Island Race

As Told by Portsmouth Boat Club Member, Mo Whitlow. The Race to Cock Island was created in...

Read More

October 14, 2021

Portsmouth is a BOO-tiful place to be for...

The spirits are restless in Portsmouth this month, but if you know the right spots, they may...

Read More

October 12, 2022

40th Annual Olde Towne Ghost Walk

Portsmouth's Olde Towne Ghost Walk Returns! Portsmouth’s Olde Towne Civic League is once again producing the 40th...

Read More

Join our Mailing List and learn what’s happening!

Sign up today so you can stay informed on all things Portsmouth all the time.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
  • Portsmouth Visitor Center
    206 High Street
    Portsmouth, VA 23704
    757-393-5111
    • About
    • Dining
    • Blog
    • Meetings
    • Things To Do
    • Shopping
    • Outdoors
    • Museums
    • Visitor Directory
    • PLAN YOUR TRIP
    • Where To Stay
    • Parking
    • Visitor Services

  • City of Portsmouth Municipal Website
    Portsmouth Economic Development
    Portsmouth Virginia Events Calendar
    Olde Towne Portsmouth

  • Top Eight Things To Do
    • Top 8 Things To Do
    • Museums
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Outdoors
    • Dining
    • Shopping
    • Events
    • Walking Tours
    • Casino
  • Explore History
    • Explore History
    • Olde Towne Historic District
    • History of Portsmouth Timeline
  • How To Plan Your Trip
    • Visitor Directory
    • Where To Stay
    • Visitor Services
    • Parking
    • Visiting By Boat
    • Itineraries
    • Upcoming Events
    • Digital Brochures
  • From The Blog
  • About
  • Groups
  • Contact

Subscribe to our E-Newsletter

Subscribe to the Portsmouth Tourism e-newsletter to be the first one to know about local events, deals, and itineraries.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
no thanks
 
Change Location
Find awesome listings near you!