Overview
Dover is a city in New Hampshire, United States. Settled in 1623, it pre-dates the founding of America and is the 7th oldest city in the country.
2 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 5 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Dover
Woodman Institute Museum
Dover's only history, science and art museum offers interesting insect and geological specimens as well as local historic memorabilia. Three buildings open for tours including a 1675 colonial garrison house with artifact…
Children's Museum of New Hampshire
The Children's Museum operates exclusively for charitable purposes and serves as an educational resource for schools, families and communities. The museum strives to support the diverse population of the region, to provi…
William Damm Garrison House
Built in 1675, creak up the narrow ladder steps to the second floor loft and wonder how someone like you could have lived there and slept in those old rope beds. The Woodman is a true turn of the century natural history,…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 16°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Dec. (climate data from nearby Seacoast)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- PSM Portsmouth International Airport at Pease, Portsmouth — 9 mi away. Directions
- MHT Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, Manchester — 34 mi away. Directions
- PWM Portland International Jetport, Portland — 42 mi away (major hub). Directions
Dover is located off of the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16), and is about 10 minutes from I-95, which connects to Maine and Massachusetts.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $115–$115 a night (typical $115), from 3 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$160, mid-range ~$190, comfortable ~$280.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Woodman Institute Museum, Children's Museum of New Hampshire
- Lunch La Festa Brick and Brew
- Afternoon William Damm Garrison House
- Evening Cara Irish Pub
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Dover divides its restaurant 'areas' mainly into two distinct locations. In north Dover, off Spaulding Turnpike's exit 9, are a plethora of chain restaurants. Landing in this area you will find Chili's, The 99, Applebee's, Five Guys, McDonald's, and Wendy's. A short drive south on Central Avenue will bring you to the old mill area of the city. This is an area of more the one-of-a-kind custom restaurants. Each has a unique style and atmosphere that covers a very wide variety and one of them is sure to please your taste for the evening. In this area the street addresses range from 286 Central Ave up into the 300's.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
Dover is located off of the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16), and is about 10 minutes from I-95, which connects to Maine and Massachusetts.
By train
- Route stopping at Dover:
- Downeaster operating five or six trains in each direction daily between Brunswick and Boston with stops Freeport, Portland, Old Orchard Beach (seasonal), Saco, Wells, Dover, Durham, Exeter, Haverhill, and Woburn. During the summer, the Downeaster makes an additional stop at Old Orchard Beach, near to the resorts between Dover and Portland. This comes in handy on summer weekends, when I-95 and US-1 are both bumper to bumper with vacation traffic.
By bus
- Wildcat Transit, operated by the University of New Hampshire, runs from many points in Dover to the campus, and connecting buses can be taken to Portsmouth and Newington (New Hampshire).
- COAST bus is the local, non-university bus company. The Dover school district uses four COAST buses in addition to the normal yellow school buses to transport high school students, and several COAST stops are for this purpose only.
- C&J Trailways operates hourly service every day from Boston's South Station or Logan International Airport. They are different bus routes; make sure you purchase a ticket for the correct route. As of Nov 2021, due to COVID, only the South Station buses are running from Dover, and only 5 times a day. All Logan travel is going through Portsmouth or Seabrook. Service to Newburyport has been discontinued for all routes on C&J.
See
See Children's Museum of New Hampshire
The Children's Museum operates exclusively for charitable purposes and serves as an educational resource for schools, families and communities. The museum strives to support the diverse population of the region, to provide learning opportunities for all children, and to enrich the services of regional schools. The Children's Museum of New Hampshire offers a variety of programs for children from preschool through middle school. From science classes to overnights, museum educators have designed engaging, high-quality programs that feature hands-on opportunities for learning while having fun.
Do
Do William Damm Garrison House
Built in 1675, creak up the narrow ladder steps to the second floor loft and wonder how someone like you could have lived there and slept in those old rope beds. The Woodman is a true turn of the century natural history, local history and art museum established in 1916. See an entire floor dedicated to taxidermist stuffed animals. This includes an enormous 10-foot polar bear. Visit the Senator John P. Hale home and hear the story about his young daughter Lucy and an actor by the name of Booth. The Woodman is an experience you won't want to miss. Call for special group tours.
Buy
Eat
Dover divides its restaurant 'areas' mainly into two distinct locations. In north Dover, off Spaulding Turnpike's exit 9, are a plethora of chain restaurants. Landing in this area you will find Chili's, The 99, Applebee's, Five Guys, McDonald's, and Wendy's. A short drive south on Central Avenue will bring you to the old mill area of the city. This is an area of more the one-of-a-kind custom restaurants. Each has a unique style and atmosphere that covers a very wide variety and one of them is sure to please your taste for the evening. In this area the street addresses range from 286 Central Ave up into the 300's.
Eat La Festa Brick and Brew
Exceptional creative and traditional pizzas.
Drink
Sleep
Nearby
Durham
City / town · 4 listings · 5 mi away
Rochester
City / town · 3 listings · 9 mi away
Kittery
City / town · 11 listings · 10 mi away
Portsmouth
City / town · 48 listings · 10 mi away
York
City / town · 53 listings · 12 mi away
Odiorne Point State Park
Park · 2 listings · 13 mi away
Ogunquit
City / town · 64 listings · 14 mi away
Epping
City / town · 15 mi away
My experience
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