Manchester (New Hampshire)

Manchester is in New Hampshire, USA. The state's largest city has enjoyed a renaissance over the past several years. Once home to the largest textiles facility in the world, the area has a vibrant and largely service-oriented economy. It is home to several educational institutions, including Southern New Hampshire University and St. Anselm College. In 2020, it was home to 116,000 people.

Tourist information

 * Manchester tourism information

By bus
Greyhound has services from Montréal and many cities in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, and Boston. Additionally, Concord Trailways runs buses from Boston. All buses call at, located on 119 Canal St close to downtown.

By car
The city can be reached on Interstate 93, and Route 3. To reach downtown from Boston, take I-93 to its junction with I-293, then take I-293 until you reach Exit 5 (Granite Street).


 * Town & Country Taxi,.

Get around
Renting a car, which may be done at the airport, and walking are the easiest ways to get around Manchester. Bus service and taxis are also available, although bus service is relatively limited and taxis can be expensive. Renting a car, or knowing a local who has one, will make your life considerably easier.

On foot: Downtown (Elm St.) has become more walkable as of late, much of the sites are within walking distance.



Sports
Manchester is home to a handful of minor-league sports teams, all of which enjoy considerable support from local fans. The most popular is the Eastern League's New Hampshire Fisher Cats (AA baseball affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays). Additionally, the New Hampshire Phantoms, a soccer team in the USL's Premier Development League (the fourth level in the American league pyramid), play in town.

The Fisher Cats' season runs from spring to summer. The team has captured two Eastern League championships (in their inaugural season of 2004 and also in 2011).



Buy
As with the rest of New Hampshire, there is no sales tax.

South Manchester is home to many large chains and the Mall of New Hampshire. The area is collectively referred to as South Willow Street after the name of the main road. Downtown (on and near Elm Street) offers many smaller shops.

Eat
For a city of its size, Manchester has surprisingly good restaurants, including some devoted to cuisines one would have trouble finding in larger cities. State law prohibits smoking in restaurants and bars.



Drink
Manchester has a vibrant nightlife scene, particularly along Elm Street downtown and surrounding streets. Note that "last call" in Manchester comes early by American standards: about 12:45AM, with bars in the city closing around 1AM



Hotels
Most travelers will find themselves staying in two-diamond or three-diamond (AAA) properties, with rates generally in the $75 to $150 per night range. Some properties may be slightly cheaper, although one tends to get what one pays for. The majority of Manchester's hotel stock is in the two- to three-diamond range, although business travelers with expense accounts should consider the Bedford Village Inn, an excellent inn in suburban Bedford, N.H.

Travelers with business downtown might consider the Hilton Garden Inn, immediately adjacent to the city's baseball stadium (rooms overlook the park, and home runs occasionally bounce off the hotel), or the Radisson Hotel Manchester, a popular place to hold conferences and meetings. (The Radisson is co-located with the Center of New Hampshire convention center. )

Stay safe
Compared to American cities of its size, Manchester has an extremely low crime rate. Violent crime and property crime is rare, and even at night, visitors should feel safe in pretty much every area of the city.

Although crime in the city is very rare, one should not take leave of one's common sense either. The downtown area is largely safe at all hours, although there are areas of the center city and the West Side where traveling alone, on foot, at night might be inadvisable. Female visitors should take all customary precautions.

Manchester Police Department's main police station is at 405 Valley Street,.

Go next
Particularly in early fall, a trip to the White Mountains for foliage viewing is rewarding. Boston, Vermont and the Southern Maine Coast are only a short distance away,

A trip down State Route 101 heading west will bring you to many of the type of small towns that New Hampshire and New England are famous for, including Amherst, Milford, Wilton, and Peterborough. Past Wilton, the road becomes more windy and scenic, but is still a major east-west thoroughfare. The route ends in Keene about an hour away.