Hi,

There's a chance I may be flying out of Manchester to DC in the December holiday season and I thought it might be fun to have a look at Manchester prior to a flight as I have never been. In your opinion, is the downtown core worth a look-see? I realize that Manchester is not a common destination, but I have enjoyed checking out smaller cities in the region that don't get many visitors (such as Albany and Schenectady) which I actually quite appreciated for their architecture, history and eating/drinking establishments. I notice there are some museums, but if I visit, I would likely arrive in the mid-afternoon, overnight and catch a flight mid-day the next day, so time at most for a brief visit to one museum. I think checking out the central streets, checking out some Merrimack River views and trying an interesting restaurant downtown and coffee shop the next morning could be fun. Thoughts?

Best wishes

Daniel

I don't know Manchester that well but love the view of the old mill buildings you can see when you drive I293 on the west side of the river. There are plenty of restaurants to chrck out. Choose your cuisine. You might check out the free weekly Hippo for a calendar of events and restaurant talk. They have a website. Project SEE is a popular museum for kids. The Currier for art. There are two Frank Lloyd Wright houses that can be toured. I've been on tours that explain the history of the old locks. The west side used to have more mill buildings but most gone. For French Canadian cuisine you might go to the west side's Chez Vachon. The Merrimack River was a cesspool when I was you but has been cleaned up. The old factory outlets are long gone. You might visit an old mill building just to get a flavor of what used to be. Cotton is a very popular restaurant if you want upscale but it has been so long since I visited I've forgotten what the interior looked like. I don't think of Elm Street as being the walkable downtown like Concord's Main Street. The mall killed Elm Street and the South Willow Street shopping plazas finished it off.

dfrostnh— Thanks so much for your insight on Manchester. Sorry to hear that there has been some exodus from the downtown, but glad to hear the Merrimack has been cleaned up. Your input makes me think a look-see visit would be interesting. You remind me that I must check out Concord at some point! All the best. Daniel

i agree with dfrostnh. Manchester is not what I'd call a top tourist destination, but it would be a fun, interesting place for an afternoon. Elm Street is the 'main drag' - lined with all kind of dining and shopping options. Our favorite food spot is the Republic Cafe,a middle eastern influenced farm to table restaurant. I would consider the Currier Museum to be the top attraction in the city. it's a very beautiful, medium sized art museum with a well rounded collection including a gallery of colonial era furniture and a very pleasant cafeteria. It's a bit off the beaten track in a quiet residential neighborhood about 5 blocks from Elm St. When I moved to NH in the 80's, Manchester was a dreary old mill city with not much to offer. it's come a long way in the past 10 years with a lively big city urban vibe.

Thanks so much zootsi! I am now very tempted, not only out of general curiosity but also since the plan would have me in Manchester on Thursday December 22nd and I discovered that the Currier Museum is open until 8pm Thursdays!

We really enjoyed the Currier Museum. I like smaller museums because they are not so overwhelming. It's well worth visiting.

I would not call Manchester a noteworthy place to visit, but having followed your travels to places all over the country i am sure you will find some of the history quite interesting.

KarenWoo—Thanks for the Currier Museum recommendation!
J62— Thanks for your thoughts on Manchester and I very much appreciated your advising based on your knowledge of my travel style.