The seacoast of New Hampshire, just 18 miles long, is a New England sampler: broad sandy beaches and dramatic granite outcroppings, hidden coves for sail craft and lobster boats, Yankee craftsmen in shops their ancestors worked, white-steepled church and brick sidewalks. More, it is home to Portsmouth, a thriving commercial/maritime center in the 18th century and today, one of Money magazine�s �Top ten places to live.�

Wentworth By the Sea, the grand hotel that has crowned its New Castle peninsula overlooking the Atlantic since 1874, gives guests a perfect base for exploring the region Fodor�s Magazine named �one of the ten most underrated destinations in America.� Here, they will discover many hidden treasures of history (on the property and off) and the hotel staff is primed to show them where the treasure map can lead.

The Art of History The Wentworth, a member of Historic Hotels of America and AAA Four Diamond Award hotel, is historic both as an outstanding example of the Victorian resort hotel and because it played host to the Russian and Japanese delegates to the Treaty of Portsmouth congress that ended the Russo-Japanese War in 1905. (President Theodore Roosevelt won the Nobel Peace Prize for accomplishing that reconciliation.) Travelers may be just as surprised to learn how critical a role Portsmouth played in the history of the nation, and local historical societies work hard to make sure that history is made readily and appealingly available to visitors. Founded in 1623, just three years after the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Portsmouth has always lived and worked side by side with the sea. Not only have generations of fisherman called Portsmouth their home port, she has played a significant role in the history of the US Navy, most notably being John Paul Jones� choice for the construction of the first ship of the line, Ranger. Visitors can appreciate three centuries of how life evolved for the everyday American boatbuilder and fisherman at Strawbery Banke�s 10-acre waterfront neighborhood of historic houses and workshops, then tour the John Paul Jones House (1758), a National Historic Landmark where Capt. Jones lived while supervising the building of Ranger. The house is now the headquarters for the Portsmouth Historical Society Museum and is collection of artifacts including a photograph of a veteran of the American Revolutionary War.

Connoisseurs of historic houses will find a full buffet among the easily-walked streets of Portsmouth. The highlights include two houses owned and operated by the renowned Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, two more National Historic Landmarks � including the Wentworth Coolidge Mansion, just across Little Harbor from the hotel � plus the Wentworth Gardner House (1760) once owned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Fortunately, instead of being dismantled and moved to Central Park, this beautifully restored house, one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in America, has remained in Portsmouth.

For the traveler interested in the performing arts, Portsmouth boasts nationally acclaimed theater and music, contemporary artists� studios, a summer performance series outdoors in Prescott Park and jazz in intimate club settings. The hotel itself, once home to performances by Big Band orchestras, offers a sampling of indigenous talent in Roosevelt's, the lobby lounge. Diverse Recreational Options The Seacoast is equally compelling for visitors who prefer more active discoveries. Family-friendly beaches, challenging golf courses (especially the course at the Wentworth Country Club to which hotel guests have access), whale watches, deep sea fishing trips, kayaking, sailing, New England�s largest water slide park and miles of biking and hiking trails are waiting. The privately-operated Wentworth By the Sea Marina can make many of the marine arrangements for hotel guests and the onsite outdoor and indoor pools, fitness center, spa and tennis courts offer a full schedule of activity right on the hotel grounds. Those who want to exercise their shopping muscles will find individualistic boutiques on the brick sidewalks of the historic center of Portsmouth, outlet shopping (including the world-famous Kittery Trading Post) just up the road, antiques and a variety of tax-free alternatives. For dining, Portsmouth established its reputation for fine dining and creative chefs when James Haller opened The Blue Strawberry. Since then, chefs including Wentworth�s own Daniel Harrison Dumont have built solid followings for their inspired fusion of fresh local seafood, produce and imagination. The Seacoast can meet just about every possible taste, from lobster served dockside, to sushi to authentic barbecue. Red Hook Brewery chose Portsmouth�s converted Air Force base, Pease Tradeport, for its only brew location outside of its Seattle home.

Starting Point: Wentworth By the Sea There are just too many options to name, when it comes to what a visit to Seacoast NH could entail. And the best place to start, even to linger, is the Wentworth By the Sea Hotel. Should guests choose to leave the 161 luxurious guestrooms and suites (including three multi-level suites in the original Victorian towers), the wide verandah with its view of the sea, the historic gardens, the outdoor pool terrace and casual marina restaurant, the Dining Room, or the 8,500 sf. Spa, the hotel is ready to accommodate. Portsmouth Trolley service, directions, and the staff�s own personal recommendations will help them discover the hidden treasures of Seacoast NH. Portsmouth is easily reached by car, train and air. Just an hour north of Boston, travelers can fly to Logan International and head up I-95 in a rental car, or fly to Manchester (NH) International Airport, one of the fastest growing airports in the nation and just 45 miles west of the Seacoast. Some scheduled air even flies directly to the former Air Force base, Pease International. Amtrak passengers can take the �Downeaster� from Boston, stop in Exeter or Durham NH and be enjoying ocean views at the hotel�s dockside restaurant by lunch. �When seasoned journalists from publications as diverse as Money, The UTNE Reader, Cosmopolitan and Fodor�s are all recommending the New Hampshire Seacoast as an undiscovered gem, you have to start wondering why the place is so special,� said Tom Varley, Vice President for Ocean Properties, the owner and operator of Wentworth By the Sea. �Our restoration ensures that Wentworth By the Sea is indeed a fabulous hotel; but travelers owe it to themselves to come see why the Seacoast/Portsmouth is receiving such great notices as a destination. Portsmouth is known as the �City of the Open Door.� We look forward to providing the hospitality to welcome everyone who comes through that door.�

For reservations call 866-240-6313, or visit www.wentworth.com. ###