Understand
[edit]Portsmouth was founded in 1752 during the days of the Virginia Colony and named after Portsmouth, England. Situated on prime land where the Elizabeth River meets the James and empties into the Chesapeake Bay, its shipyard has always been of strategic importance, from its nascent beginning up through the Civil War and on to today.
Get in
[edit]Portsmouth is primarily served by Norfolk Airport and to a lesser extent, Newport News/Williamsburg Airport.
By plane
[edit]- Norfolk International Airport (ORF IATA), 2200 Norview Ave (one mile east of Interstate 64 Exit 279), ☏ +1 757-857-3351. Non-stop flights to Norfolk Airport from the following cities (some cities may be seasonal or only offer service certain days of the week): Atlanta, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Dallas Fort Worth, Detroit, Houston, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Memphis, Miami, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York, Orlando, Philadelphia, St Louis, Tampa and Washington.
- Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport (PHF IATA).
By boat
[edit]Take a ferry from Norfolk.
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]
Map of Portsmouth (Virginia)
- 1 .
- 2 Fresnel Lens Pavilion. An 1896 first order Fresnel lens on display in a 16-foot pavilion.
- 3 Lightship Portsmouth.
- 4 Hill House Museum.
- 5 Children's Museum of Virginia.
- 6 Visual Arts Center at Tidewater Community College.
- 7 Portsmouth Art & Cultural Center.
- 8 Railroad Museum of Virginia.
- 9 Jewish Museum & Cultural Center.
- 10 Portsmouth Colored Community Library Museum.
- 11 Paradise Creek Nature Park.
- 12 Portsmouth City Park. A 93-acre landscaped park that includes a nine-hole executive golf course and a walkway along the Elizabeth River.
- 13 Hoffler Creek Wildlife Preserve. Virginia’s only urban wildlife preserve.
- Olde Towne Public House, 467 Court St, ☏ +1 757-966-1229.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- Barons Pub, 500 High St, ☏ +1 757-399-4840. Live music daily.
Drink
[edit]- Bier Garden, 438 High St, ☏ +1 757-393-6022. German classics pair with 300+ global brews in a traditional setting with a beer hall and garden.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center, 425 Water Street (In the heart of the historic district), ☏ +1 757 673-3000, toll-free: +1-888-839-1775, fax: +1 757 673-3030. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: noon. All guest rooms have views of the Elizabeth River. Foggy Point Bar & Grill, the hotel restaurant, serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Go next
[edit]- Norfolk, just across the Elizabeth River
- Chesapeake
- Suffolk
- Virginia Beach
| Routes through Portsmouth |
| END ← Chesapeake ← | W  E
|
→ Norfolk → Virginia Beach |
| Fredericksburg ← Newport News ← | N  S
|
→ Chesapeake → Wilmington |