New Hampshire river city with milltown brickwork, Cocheco River history, and a compact working downtown.
Dover is the oldest permanent European settlement in New Hampshire, founded in 1623 and now the state's third-largest city. It sits along the Cocheco River near Great Bay, and while it doesn't draw tourists the way the White Mountains or the seacoast do, it has a compact downtown with decent restaurants and a genuine working-city feel.
The Woodman Institute Museum is the main cultural attraction — three historic buildings holding collections of natural history, Civil War memorabilia and 18th-century furnishings. Garrison Hill Park offers views over the surrounding countryside and a climb to the top of the stone observation tower.
Dover's milltown past is still visible in its brick architecture along the river. It's a solid base for exploring the seacoast area, with Portsmouth just 15 minutes south and the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge easily accessible.
Guide
Getting Around
Downtown Dover is compact and walkable. The main commercial streets, the mill district along the Cocheco River, and the Cochecho Falls area are all within easy reach of each other on foot, and the walk from Dover Transportation Center to the center of downtown takes about ten minutes.
For Garrison Hill Park and the observation tower, which sit a bit north of downtown, a car or rideshare is more practical. The park has free parking if you drive.
Guide
Getting There
Dover sits on the Amtrak Downeaster line, which runs between Boston's North Station and Brunswick, Maine, stopping at Dover Transportation Center on Orchard Street. The train is a comfortable way to arrive — the ride from Boston takes about two hours and deposits you within walking distance of downtown.
By car, Dover is about 90 minutes north of Boston on I-95, taking Exit 9 toward downtown. Portsmouth is just 15 minutes south on the same highway, making the two cities easy to combine in a single trip.