Explore the Cochecho River by canoe, kayak, or chartered cruise.
Check out handcrafts, informational displays, food booths, entertainment, and more at Apple Harvest Day, held the first Saturday in October.
Sample some of the area’s diverse ethnic cuisine – from traditional New England seafood to Cajun, Chinese, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Thai, and more.
Explore Dover’s original 1675 William Damm Garrison House, part of the Woodman Institute Museum – the city’s hidden treasure.
See how pottery is made at Salmon Falls Stoneware.
Listen to live concerts featuring nationally known performers at the Cochecho Arts Festival on Friday nights during summer.
Take a walking tour of Dover’s historic downtown and Riverwalk.
Shop for one-of-a-kind gifts, antiques, art, and unique crafts.
Enjoy a community theatre production at the Garrison Players Arts Center.
Get a bird’s eye view of Dover and surrounding communities from the top of Garrison Hill; climb to the top of the Garrison Hill Tower for an even more spectacular view.
Welcome to Dover!
On behalf of the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce, welcome to our community! Dover has been gaining increasing renown as a dynamic city that has it all: thriving business, an expanding cultural scene, a wide selection of dining establishments, a notable history, a strong sense of community, and beautiful scenery.
History – Looking Back
Settled in 1623, Dover was the first permanent settlement in New Hampshire and is the seventh oldest in the United States. English settler Edward Hilton established the first settlement on what is now Dover Point. The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce publishes Dover’s Heritage Trails, a brochure featuring three historical self-guided walking tours for visitors.
Dining – Something for Everyone
Dover offers plenty of casual breakfast and lunch options, in addition to dockside dining on Dover’s waterfront. From Creole and Cajun cooking to fine steaks and real Downeast lobster; whether you’re in the mood for an ethnic specialty, steak, or seafood, or pizza and subs, you’re sure to find plenty of choices to tempt your palate.
Lodging – A Variety of Options
The greater Dover area offers a variety of options for overnight lodging. From full-service hotels with fitness centers, pools and meeting facilities to cozy bed and breakfasts and elegantly restored Colonial and Victorian inns, visitors have a choice of accommodations and amenities sure to please.
Shopping – Shops & Galleries
Dover’s tree-lined downtown is brimming with quaint shops and galleries. A host of shops, restaurants, and services are located within easy traveling distance of one another. The area offers a wide variety of one-of-a-kind treasures such as handmade jewelry, original art, clothing, and classic New England antiques.
This New Hampshire Main Street community offers outstanding shopping and dining opportunities – and with no sales tax in New Hampshire, shopping dollars go so much further. Dover’s tree-lined downtown is brimming with quaint shops, boutiques, and restaurants of all types.
Events & Attractions
Dover is in the center of the region’s event scene, with community events and festivals, museums, art galleries, craft fairs, music venues, and performing arts centers. From the Rochester Opera House and Rochester Fairgrounds, Dover’s Rotary Arts Pavilion and Woodman Institute Museum to Portsmouth’s Music Hall, Children’s Museum, and Strawberry Banke Museum, visitors to the area have a variety of activities from which to choose.
Outdoor Recreation
Dover’s climate captures the full spectrum of four seasons. However, its proximity to the ocean tempers both the summer heat and winter cold.
The greater Dover area features magnificent parks, trails, towers, views, hikes, and access to the water and has more than 150 acres of richly equipped parklands, three rivers, a 73-acre pond, and a year-round program of activities and events.
The Cochecho, Bellamy, Piscataqua, and Salmon Falls rivers run through and around Dover, offering both scenic vistas and recreational opportunities.
Location & Transportation
Getting to and around the Dover area is fast and easy – it’s one of the many reasons so many businesses chose to locate here. In fact, in 2003 Dover was named by New Hampshire Magazine as Editor’s Pick for the “Best Traveler-friendly Downtown.” Visitors can come to downtown Dover by train, bus, or boat as well as by car, bike, or on foot. The city has a customer-friendly parking policy, with free two-hour on-street parking and a validation program that forgives tickets for shoppers who stay longer.
Today, the Cocheco River offers virtually unrestricted access to the Piscataqua River and the Atlantic Ocean. The river has become a central attraction of the city’s downtown. The revitalized Cochecho Riverwalk crosses the river through a wooden covered bridge then winds through the riverside Henry Law Park and among the shops and restaurants of Dover.
Get the PDF:
Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce
299 Central Ave
Dover, NH 03820
Phone: 603-742-2218
Fax: 603-749-6317
E-mail:
Web: www.dovernh.org
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