Like nearby Portsmouth, Dover New Hampshire is one of the gateways to the state’s beautiful Atlantic Ocean coastline, beaches, and historic lighthouses. It is the oldest (settled in 1623) permanent settlement in the state and one of the oldest in the country. Appropriately enough, the city motto is “Dover Was First.”

Trips to Dover New Hampshire showcase the history of the city and region. Historic Dover attractions include the Woodman Institute. Created in 1915, it is one of the state’s highly respected museums, and includes three lovely Federal style brick buildings. The oldest dates from 1818 and contains a fascinating collection of Native American and Colonial artifacts. There’s also the 1675 William Damm Garrison, oldest intact garrison in the state.

On a vacation to Dover New Hampshire you can take advantage of walking tours to explore the other historic structures that line the city’s Main Street. One of these Dover attractions is the Stafford Bank, built in 1895 with native pink granite. Another reveals the house where Abraham Lincoln stayed when he visited during his 1860 presidential campaign. You can also visit one of the state’s farms here. Tuttle’s Red Barn marks the oldest continuously operating farm in the country. There’s even an excellent Children’s Museum in town, and it makes a fascinating stop if you’re traveling with youngsters.

New Hampshire Map

Like Meredith in the Lakes Region, this is a former mill town. Dover New Hampshire is located on a falls that drops more than thirty feet and at the head of the navigation channel leading to the large bays of Portsmouth and the ocean. The falls powered important Industrial Revolution textile weaving and spinning factories housed in huge brick mill buildings. As you will find on lakes and rivers throughout the state, these old mills are Dover attractions and have been converted into fashionable condos, excellent dining venues, chic shops, and even Dover hotels. If you take a vacation to Dover New Hampshire to learn New England history, you won’t be disappointed. Often, tourists at the ocean beaches will take day trips to Dover New Hampshire just for this reason. You can even find two replicas of historic covered bridges in the area.

When you enjoy a vacation to Dover New Hampshire you will find yourself only about ten miles from Portsmouth, and only about five more miles to the ocean beaches. While the state’s ocean coastline is one of the shortest in the country, it is packed with beautiful beaches, exciting attractions, and plenty of things to do, including deep-sea fishing, water parks, and ocean kayaking.

Dover New Hampshire is also quite close to the state university in Durham, which boasts a number of beautiful old inns, and there are several camping sites in the area offering hiking and cycling trails, lake fishing, and horseback riding. From Boston’s Logan International Airport, trips to Dover New Hampshire only take about 45 minutes, and you’re also only a short drive from the rugged, rocky coastline and historic lighthouses of Maine.