Portsmouth named one of most charming downtowns by HGTV. Here's what they said
HGTV recently published a list of the top 40 most charming small-town downtowns in America, and Portsmouth was the only New Hampshire city to make the cut.
"Nothing charms like a small downtown that beckons visitors with historic architecture and boutique shops or local culture and tree-lined streets," the article said. "Many small-town downtowns are located in beautiful settings or have stunning views."
Here's what HGTV had to say about one of the most walkable cities in the Granite State.
HGTV named New Hampshire's downtown as one of the top 40 most charming small-town downtowns in the United States.
What HGTV said about it: "New England is teeming with walkable, charming small-town downtowns, and New Hampshire may have more than its fair share. Portsmouth, for one, is a delightful port city on the Piscataqua River that's rich in history for those eager to learn about life in Colonial days. Start your day with a cuppa at Cup of Joe Café and Bar, or order up a full breakfast at The Friendly Toast before strolling the red brick-lined sidewalks around Market Square. Head to Portsmouth Harbor for sensational views of the historic Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse. The seaside Prescott Park rewards visitors with gorgeous manicured gardens in warm-weather months."
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH downtown named one of most charming in US by HGTV

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Yahoo
21-07-2025
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Two old Florida restaurants in Naples, Fort Myers area make statewide best of list
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CNN
18-07-2025
- CNN
‘It's all still here.' This seafaring town brings the past to life
See More Videos It's Sunday night at Middleton Tavern, where a handful of drinkers at the rustic wooden bar are surrounded by glimpses of America's colonial past. Copper pots hang over a fireplace, while seascape paintings, farm tools, old naval uniforms and models of sailing ships adorn the walls. The patio offers views of Annapolis' City Dock, where Chesapeake Bay watermen once brought in the day's catch. And the tavern itself dates to 1750 – before America became a country – when Horatio Middleton opened it to lodge travelers crossing the bay on his ferry. If you believe the local lore, George Washington and Benjamin Franklin once drank here. 'This is one of the oldest – if not the oldest – bars in Maryland,' says bartender Steve Frederick, an amiable guy with a lanky frame and a trucker hat. 'There's a lot of history here.' MORE AMERICA'S BEST TOWNS TO VISIT 2025 1. Ithaca, NY 2. Missoula, MT 3. Asheville, NC 4. Bend, OR 5. 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The city also was a seat of government and even served as America's first peacetime capital for nine months in 1783-1784. By state capitol standards, the Maryland State House is a small, understated building — there's no grand, neoclassical dome. But as the nation's oldest state house still in legislative use, it's full of history and worth a visit. It was here on December 23, 1783, that George Washington formally resigned as commander of the Continental Army — a major event in the history of the fledgling country. And Congress met at the state house in 1784 to ratify the Treaty of Paris, officially ending the Revolutionary War. The moment is immortalized with a life-size bronze statue of Washington, placed in the approximate spot in the old Senate Chamber where he addressed Congress. An original copy of his resignation speech is on display as well. Many other handsome historic buildings are within a short walk. 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The memorial also reflects Annapolis' complicated African-American history as a city that held slave auctions in the early 1800s while also becoming home to a thriving community of free Black people, some of whom owned businesses and were granted the right to vote. Despite being a state where people were enslaved, Maryland sided with the Union during the Civil War. 'Being able to hold both things as true … can be confusing to folks,' says Briayna Cuffie, a volunteer at the Museum of Historic Annapolis. 'Because people associate freedom with the North and enslavement with the South … and we are the border state right in the middle, experiencing all of it.' Annapolis' status as a commercial hub was eventually eclipsed by Baltimore, whose deeper harbor could host larger, ocean-going ships. But the city remains deeply linked to the waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the nation's largest estuary, and its maritime heritage is still evident almost everywhere you look. 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'There's a lot to do,' says Eileen Hayden, a maritime museum volunteer, noting the city's festive spirit and packed calendar of nautical events. 'Annapolis always wants to have a party about something.' Annapolis is nicknamed 'America's Sailing Capital,' and to fully appreciate the city, it's best to get out on the water for views of its harbor, aquatic life and picturesque skyline, along with such nearby landmarks as the four-mile-long Chesapeake Bay Bridge and the 150-year-old Thomas Point Shoal Lighthouse. Visitors will find no shortage of boating options, from water taxis and fishing charters to two-hour sailing cruises aboard the Woodwind schooners, whose crew may even let you steer and help raise the sails. Or you can book a heritage tour on the Wilma Lee, the maritime museum's 47-foot skipjack, which was built in 1940 as part of the last commercial sailing fleet for fishing in the country. A trip to Annapolis isn't complete without a visit to the Naval Academy, established in 1845 on the site of an old fort. The rigorous institution has produced 55 NASA astronauts — more than any other school — plus such notable alumni as President Jimmy Carter, business tycoon Ross Perot, football great Roger Staubach and NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson. A brief walk from the City Dock, the academy's handsome waterfront campus — known locally as the Yard — offers daily, 90-minute walking tours of its history, unique culture and many sites of interest. Among the highlights: Bancroft Hall, a grand Beaux Arts building which houses all 4,400 midshipmen ('midshipmen' is a rank; about a third of the academy's students are women) and is the largest dormitory in the country. The sprawling complex has almost 5 miles of corridors and its own zip code, and its massive dining hall serves more than 13,000 meals daily. 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The US Naval Academy Museum, which offers exhibits on the history of sea power, foreign flags captured in battles and an impressive collection of antique ship models. Annapolis and the USNA are especially festive during Commissioning Week, an eight-day celebration each spring with parties, a parade and an aerial performance by the Blue Angels. The week culminates with the academy's graduation ceremony, where midshipmen are officially commissioned as officers and fling their caps into the air in triumph. Annapolis offers no shortage of worthwhile places to eat, drink and be festive. History buffs will appreciate the colonial charm of Reynolds Tavern, which dates to 1747 and looks the part. Music lovers have long flocked to the Ram's Head, a tavern and adjoining stage featuring national touring acts. Downtown's Main Street has a mix of restaurants serving steak, tacos, teriyaki and Thai food. 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If you're feeling brave, tackle the 6-pound milkshake – finish it along with a large sandwich and they'll put your photo on the wall. This Gold Rush-era boomtown still delivers culinary riches
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Yahoo
Protester dressed as 'tortured orca' chained to suitcases on Above Bar
Protesters have staged a demonstration outside the TUI store in Southampton in support of marine mammals and criticising 'notoriously cruel marine parks.' A campaigner from animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) stood outside the TUI store in Above Bar Street on Monday afternoon, chained to suitcases, representing a tortured orca, that will 'never get the chance to travel,' said protestors. It comes as the travel company continues to sell tickets to the likes of SeaWorld, a marine mammal park in Florida. More than 120 UK companies, announcing they've stopped selling tickets to SeaWorld and other attractions featuring captive whales and dolphins. Speaking to the Echo, PETA campaigner, Grace Galopin, said 'the message behind the protest was incredibly important'. READ MORE: PETA campaigner Josie Johnson, representing a tortured orca, outside the TUI store in Southampton (Image: Supplied) She said: 'It's World Orca Day, so we're here to tell TUI to drop marine parks and stop profiting from the abuse of marine mammals like orcas and dolphins. 'These poor animals are essentially imprisoned and forced to live in tiny tanks their whole life, they're put with incompatible mates, they're forced to perform tricks for tourists and their living conditions are just terrible. 'They should be out in the wild and free where they can display their own natural behaviour and not exploited for entertainment. A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) campaigner in Southampton this afternoon representing a 'tortured orca' outside the TUI store on World Orca Day, as TUI continue to sell tickets to the likes of SeaWorld that keep whales and dolphins in captivity. @dailyecho — Matt Davey (@MattDaveyJourno) July 14, 2025 'We've had a lot of feedback and conversations from shoppers in the high street today and the majority tend to agree that there's no place for marine mammals in captivity, when they should be free and in the wild.' Elsewhere in Lymington over the weekend a PETA campaigner served 'locally caught tabbies,' 'kitten cakes' and 'fresh local Siamese,' at the Lymington Seafood Festival, challenging the belief that some species are superior to others and more deserving of respect and kindness. 'Crabs and other marine animals feel pain and terror just as cats and dogs do,' said PETA senior campaigns manager, Kate Werner. She added: 'PETA urges anyone horrified by the thought of tucking into a tabby to extend that compassion to all animals and please, go vegan.' PETA, whose motto reads, in part, that 'animals are not ours to eat,' opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview.