To get here, you would arrive one of several ways:

• Fly into Boston, MA (or the private Boston-Online site) to Logan International Airport.
• Fly into New Hampshire's Manchester Airport.
• Fly into Maine's Portland International Jetport.

There are a couple of fairly handy airport shuttle services that you might consider:

• C&J Trailways
• Southwick Airport Shuttle.

I'm going to assume that you arrived last night. Since my daughter was having a sleepover for a half dozen of her friends this weekend, you graciously declined my invitation to stay at my house. Hearing that Portsmouth had a Sheraton Hotel overlooking the Piscataqua River, you opted to camp out there allthough my suggestions for several of the local bed and breakfast establishments or the lovely Exeter Inn in Exeter tempted you. Perhaps next time...

I pick you up early so we can get over to the Rusty Hammer in downtown Portsmouth for breakfast.

From there, we are off on a walking tour of Portsmouth, following the recommended virtual walking trail outlined on the Harbor Trail page of Portsmouth's web site. We are doing this not only so you can see the sights of this beautiful city, but also to aquaint you with the different flavors of property to be found in Portsmouth.

There are New Englander style homes, Capes, Gambrels- just about anything from Victorian to contemporary. Particularly charming is Prescott Park, a beautiful waterfront park and boat docking area just off the South End.

Of course, we had to poke around in all the shops on Bow and Market Streets as well as all around Market Square and along both sides of Congress Street. We stop for lunch at the Dolphin Striker at the corner of Bow and Ceres, taking a few minutes out to for a prelunch cocktail downstairs in what I think is Portsmouth's prettiest and quaintest lounge, The Springhill Tavern.

A little trivia here, but at the end of the bar there is a plexiglass cover over a well that the old sailing cargo ships used to draw their water from. To build the tavern, the workers had to dig out the basement floor as there was not enough head room. When they dug down, they hit the spring that feeds this well and the whole place filled up with water!

After lunch, we take a leasurily strole down Ceres Street. Naturally, we get distracted by all of the quaint shops that line Ceres Street across from waterfront along the Piscataqua River. This is where all of the tug boats tie up which are used to go out and guide in the large cable, gypsum, salt, etc. ships that visit Portsmouth. There are some waterfront cafes where we can get closer to the water and look across the river over to Kittery, Maine. In fact, here is a view from the water looking at the Ceres Street area-

Boaters pull alongside the waterfront decks on Bow and Ceres street in Portsmouth. Photo ©Patrick Stevens.

I mention to you that this area of the river has the second fastest current on the Eastern Seaboard- the fastest being up in the Bay of Fundy. Quite impressive to watch it churn by...

Continuing our walk down Ceres Street, I motion you over to the bay window of the former Blue Strawberry resturant. Just recently changing hands from world famous Master Chef James Haller, this former ships chandelry housed Portsmouth's most famous resturant for over 20 years. My husband Peter traded Karate lessons for cooking lessons from Chef Haller back in the late '70s and James was kind enough to do our wedding reception dinner.

Well, we just can't seem to help ourselves and simply must stop into the Oar House resturant at just about the end of Ceres Street for a hot chockolate in their lounge. Actually, I wanted you to see the interior of another of Portsmouth's finest resturants- even though the crisp cooling breeze blowing off the river would have been reason enough.

Late afternoon, and the bustle of the Market Square, Congress, Bow, Market, and Ceres areas is at a fever pitch. People are everywhere and excitement is in the air. Though finding a parking spot can be challenging at times, we had parked in the convienient Hanover Street Municipal Parking Garage.

We grab the car and head over to Strawberry Banke. When the great urban renewal in Portsmouth got under way, many of the old original homes were moved here to perserve their heritage. We spend a couple of hours wandering through the different homes and exhibits, and then jump back in the car.

We head across the water causeway into Newcastle and drive through the narrow winding streets (more like lanes)- homes in the late 1600's and early 1700's are common- just look for the date of the house next to its front door.

We end up with a quick drive around Newcastle Common, a magnificant recreation park and beach area. We stop the car and look out across the water at the famous 2KR bouy marking the entrance to the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor.

Well, I think that it's time for a relaxing sauna at the hotel for you. I'll pick you up for dinner around six, and we'll head to Sander's resturant overlooking senic Rye Harbor. Before dinner, however, we'll drive down the Route 1A along the coast to gape at all of the "mansions" and drive through some of the North Hampton and Rye neighborhoods to get a feel for the types of homes in those areas. After dinner we can either catch a movie or visit one of the numerous night spots the Seacoast has to offer.

We take a left onto Route 33, and head back toward Portsmouth. There is a Dunkin Donuts in a service area just before the 95 interchange, so we stop and grab a couple of cups of coffee. Onto 95 North we go, and in less than 15 minutes we are getting off at the York, Maine exit. We go right onto Route 1 South and make a left onto York Street at the lights. This takes us right into downtown York where the road "Ys" at the monument. I point out that if we bear left at the monument, we would go through numerous residential areas with 2 opportunities to turn off to the right and end up at the ocean on Route 1A while continuing straight along this road would bring us back out to Route 1.

Well, its been a long day. We head back to the Sheraton in Portsmouth for an after dinner drink in their Harbor View Dining Room with the soft sounds of the piano player filling the expansive room. Knowing me from the times my husband and I have come here for dinner, he invites me to sing. I fell like a little Phantom of the Oprah tonight, and so that's what we do. It brings the place down! I'm a little embarassed but I love to make people happy by singing. A nice way to end off the night!