Portsmouth is an independent city located in the U.S. Commonwealth of Virginia.
Portsmouth, Virginia is located on the Elizabeth river, tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. Portsmouth has one of the oldest working harbors in the country. You will see all kinds of ships passing by the downtown seawall.
One visit to Portsmouth and you’ll be hooked. Amble along our famous Seawall. Stroll through three centuries of historic neighborhoods. Go antiquing. Take in some art. Stand inside a giant soap bubble at the largest children’s museum in the state. And did we mention that Portsmouth is home to some of the most delightful restaurants in the region? Many of Portsmouth’s attractions are clustered within easy walking distance of each other, making it the perfect place to spend a day. And with its central location, it’s easy to get to – just a quick ferry ride from downtown Norfolk, a 20-minute drive from Virginia Beach, and less than an hour from Colonial Williamsburg.
Many of the finest attractions in Portsmouth, VA, are clustered within walking distance of one another in Olde Towne. This neighborhood features a scenic waterfront, upscale dining, a plethora of antique and boutique shops, and the largest collection of historic homes between Alexandria, VA, and Charleston, SC. Pick up the Olde Towne Walking Tour Map from the Visitor Center at 6 Crawford Parkway.
The Norfolk Naval Shipyard, often called the Norfolk Navy Yard, is a historic and active U.S. Navy facility which is actually located in Portsmouth, despite its name. The shipyard builds, remodels, and repairs the Navy's ships of all types.
Directly opposite Norfolk, the city of Portsmouth also has miles of waterfront land on the Elizabeth River as part of the harbor of Hampton Roads.
Many boaters find that joining a group of fellow boaters adds to their experiences on the water. Boating and yacht clubs organize outings, regattas, races, boating education courses, and social events.
Portsmouth has three great venues for music and the arts. We have a complete concert-goer's guide to the NTelos Pavillion Harbor Center, a 6,500 seat amphitheatre. Under cover or under the stars on the lawn, it's a good place to hear a concert. Willett Hall is a 2,000 seat indoor facility with outstanding acoustics. The Commodore Theatremakes movie-going an event at a luxuriously restored 1945 Art Deco style motion picture theatre presenting first run films with food and drink. For Portsmouth festivals, concerts and other events.
Charming Olde Towne is the place to go for a unique shoppingenvironment. The concentration of antique shops along High Street has made it one of the Hampton Roads region's antiquing hot spots. There's also a variety of other specialty shops, art galleries and restaurants.
Housing Cost
Estimated median house or condo value in 2007: $179,300
Demographics
Population in July 2008: 100,577. Portsmouth covers 33.2 square miles. It sits at an elevation of 10 feet above sea level. Area code commonly used in this area: 757
Weather
Portsmouth, VA climate is warm during summer when temperatures tend to be in the 70's and cold during winter when temperatures tend to be in the 40's.
The warmest month of the year is July with an average maximum temperature of 86.80 degrees Fahrenheit, while the coldest month of the year is January with an average minimum temperature of 32.30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Temperature variations between night and day tend to be fairly limited during summer with a difference that can reach 15 degrees Fahrenheit, and fairly limited during winter with an average difference of 16 degrees Fahrenheit.
The annual average precipitation at Portsmouth is 45.74 Inches. Rainfall in is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The wettest month of the year is July with an average rainfall of 5.17 Inches.
Information provided by idcide.com and city data.com
ortsmouth has one of the oldest working harbors in the country. You will see all kinds of ships passing by the downtown seawall. 