Overview
Portsmouth is a city in Southwest Ohio, it is the county seat of Scioto County. Portsmouth is full of history so take time to visit the antique shops, cafes and pubs in the Bonneyfiddle District. One of the main attractions in Portsmouth is the 2,200-foot floodwall mural painted by famed artist Robert Dafford. It is truly amazing and unique.
6 sights · 6 things to do · 5 places to eat · 5 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Portsmouth
Shawnee State University
One of Ohio's fastest-growing universities.
Southern Ohio Museum
Clark Planetarium
First Presbyterian Church
Greek Revival church constructed in 1849.
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Built in 1870.
Columbia Music Arena
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 21°F. Wettest: May and Jul. (climate data from nearby Natural Bridge State Park)
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.
- HTS Tri-State Airport / Milton J. Ferguson Field, Huntington — 35 mi away. Directions
- LCK Rickenbacker International Airport, Columbus — 74 mi away. Directions
- CMH John Glenn Columbus International Airport, Columbus — 87 mi away (major hub). Directions
By car, Portsmouth can be accessed using U.S. Route 23 (North/South) and U.S. Route 52 (East/West).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Shawnee State University, Columbia Music Arena
- Lunch Scioto Ribber
- Afternoon Kricker Innovation Hub, Shawnee Game Conference
- Dinner Hickies Hamburgers
- Evening Party Time Pub
Day 2
- Morning Spartan Municipal Stadium, Southern Ohio Museum
- Lunch Belini Cucina Italian Restaurant
- Afternoon First Presbyterian Church, World Championship of Corntoss
- Dinner Mex-Itali
- Evening The Ports City Cafe & Pub
Day 3
- Morning Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, Clark Planetarium
- Lunch Jade East
- Afternoon St. Mary's Catholic Church, Southern Ohio Machine Gun Shoot
- Evening Frank & Steins
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
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
Go Greater Portsmouth Regional Airport
By car, Portsmouth can be accessed using U.S. Route 23 (North/South) and U.S. Route 52 (East/West).
Greyhound serves Portsmouth by bus.
Travelling by own boat is quite popular along the Ohio river and nearby Scioto river is popular for canoeing.
Amtrak serves the city via its thrice-weekly Cardinal train, running between Washington, D.C. and Chicago. Trains call in the small town of South Shore, Kentucky, just across the Ohio river.
Get around
Other than a couple cab companies, there are no forms of public transit. Although, a traveler can easily walk to many locations downtown.
See
Churches
Do
Venues
Do Spartan Municipal Stadium
Events
Do World Championship of Corntoss
It takes place each summer in the nearby Village of South Webster. Teams from around the state and country visit the area on this weekend to take place in this popular sport.
Do Southern Ohio Machine Gun Shoot
Owners of machineguns and spectators gather in June to fire these historic and exotic weapons.
Buy
Shop Shawnee State University Bookstore
Eat
Eat Belini Cucina Italian Restaurant
Calzones and cannolis and that sort of thing.
Eat Jade East
Excellent Chinese-American cuisine. All food is created by the chefs, egg rolls are hand rolled, soups are created from scratch. Always a good choice
Drink
Drink The Ports City Cafe & Pub
Drink Portsmouth Brewing Company
Sleep
Chain hotels are located in the north side of the city and in nearby Wheelersburg, east of Portsmouth.
Stay Shawnee Resort & Conference Center
In the 63,000-acre Shawnee forest, the Shawnee Resort & Conference Center offers many vacation attractions and amenities, golfing along Ohio River, indoor or outdoor pool. 65 miles of adjacent hiking trails, ideal for avid hikers or photographers. A cedar and flagstone lodge with 50 rooms, 25 two-bedroom cottages, and the O-Hee-Yuh Restaurant.
Nearby
Greenbo State Resort Park
Park · 19 mi away
Carter Caves State Resort Park
Park · 26 mi away
Ashland
City / town · 11 listings · 27 mi away
Jackson
City / town · 23 listings · 29 mi away
Catlettsburg
City / town · 1 listings · 32 mi away
Huntington
City / town · 88 listings · 37 mi away
Chillicothe
City / town · 43 listings · 41 mi away
Maysville
City / town · 10 listings · 43 mi away
My experience
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