What are the good places to eat and stay in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire. We are going next week. How is the downtown Holiday Inn. Thanks, Lisa

I've eaten in Manchester a few times - Margarita's is a very good Mexican place, nice ambiance, very good food. The Black Brimmer is an attractive, upscale pub with typical pub food,and often has live blues or rock bands. Nachos is a small taco cafe with very delicious tacos, etc and an interesting juice bar- nice lunch spot. There's a pretty good Thai place on the corner of Elm st. and Hanover st. All of the above places are on Elm st., which is the main drag in Manchester. There are many other nice looking restaurants, but I haven't tried them. Manchester is an OK city to spend a few hours in, but I wouldn't call it a vacation spot. There are some very nice areas of the state within an hour's drive of the city, however.

I usually go to the Lobster Boat in Merrimack (Phone: (603) 424-5221) for seafood. It's not a large place but has great prices and great food. Not a far drive south from Manchester if you jump on the turnpike, it's on the Daniel Webster Highway, known locally as the DWH. Have fun

Manchester is just beginning to come into its own. The downtown Holiday Inn is just that; it's in what is called the Center of New Hampshire (a conference facility as well), across from the new arena. There are three good restaurants: Baldwins on Elm, Richard's Bistro, and Cotton. All probably require reservations (and you could walk to all three). If you don't want to stay in town, consider the Bedford Village Inn, in Bedford, NH, just outside town.

Lisa,

In if you are a history buff, check out tours of the Amoskeag mill. A mamouth 19th century mill, this structure enclosed more floor space than the (former, alas) World Trade Center in NYC.

http://www.plainfolk.com/Feature3.htm

http://www.nhcentury.com/manchester/...itthetra.shtml