Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Portsmouth travel guide

Portsmouth Tourism | Portsmouth Guide

You're Going to Love Portsmouth

With a population of 95,535, Portsmouth is a must-see destination in Virginia, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Portsmouth has to offer.

Where to Eat in Portsmouth

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Bier Garden (438 High St) and Admiral's Steak and Seafood (3630 Victory Blvd) are great picks.

When to visit Portsmouth

Portsmouth in February
Estimated hotel price
$95
1 night at 3-star hotel
Portsmouth in February
Estimated hotel price
$95
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Portsmouth in July, when the average temperature is 78.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 32 °F, with an average temperature of 41 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 5.4″. In contrast, November is usually the driest month of the year in Portsmouth, with an average rainfall of 3.1″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Portsmouth

Plane

When flying to Portsmouth, you’ll arrive at Norfolk Airport (ORF), which is located 7 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Portsmouth include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Portsmouth departs from Boston and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Portsmouth. The train journey from Portsmouth to Alexandria takes 4h 21m and costs around $48 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $39 for a 5h 30m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Portsmouth is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 148 miles from Portsmouth. You’ll find branches of Turo and Alamo, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portsmouth, including FlixBus, Greyhound and VA Express Lanes. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Portsmouth takes 330 miles and will cost you around $93. From New York, the ticket costs about $113 for a journey of 425 miles.

Plane

When flying to Portsmouth, you’ll arrive at Norfolk Airport (ORF), which is located 7 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Portsmouth include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Portsmouth departs from Boston and takes around 1h 35m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Portsmouth. The train journey from Portsmouth to Alexandria takes 4h 21m and costs around $48 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Baltimore, expect to pay about $39 for a 5h 30m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Portsmouth is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 148 miles from Portsmouth. You’ll find branches of Turo and Alamo, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portsmouth, including FlixBus, Greyhound and VA Express Lanes. From Philadelphia, the bus ride to Portsmouth takes 330 miles and will cost you around $93. From New York, the ticket costs about $113 for a journey of 425 miles.

Airports near Portsmouth

ORFNorfolk
RICRichmond Byrd Intl
PHFNewport News Intl

Airlines serving Portsmouth

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,837 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,934 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,244 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,968 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
ITA Airways
Good (967 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (2,922 reviews)
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Find flights to Portsmouth

Where to stay in popular areas of Portsmouth

Most booked hotels in Portsmouth

See all
Hilton Norfolk The Main
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 695 reviews)
$295+
View
Bay Inn Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.6, 97 reviews)
$94+
View
Renaissance Portsmouth-Norfolk Waterfront Hotel
3 stars
Good (7.9, 815 reviews)
$181+
View
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Norfolk
2 stars
Good (7.4, 1654 reviews)
$109+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Norfolk Airport
4 stars
Good (7.3, 774 reviews)
$155+
View
Quality Inn and Suites Olde Town
2 stars
Good (6.3, 718 reviews)
$104+
View

Renting a car in Portsmouth

Renting a car in Portsmouth costs $58 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 15% cheaper than airport locations in Portsmouth.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Portsmouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Portsmouth is Standard (Ford Edge or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Volkswagen Jetta or similar) are, on average, 43% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Portsmouth costs $58 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 15% cheaper than airport locations in Portsmouth.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Portsmouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Portsmouth is Standard (Ford Edge or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Volkswagen Jetta or similar) are, on average, 43% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Find car rentals in Portsmouth

Portsmouth Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Portsmouth city guide for the best Portsmouth travel tips. To help you organize your Portsmouth trip ideas, this Portsmouth visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.