Portsmouth, Ohio, is a small city of approximately 20,000 residents on the southern border of Ohio in Scioto County. It is across the Ohio River from Kentucky. The Scioto River is west of the city. Founded in 1803, Portsmouth is the home of Shawnee State University, a public institution with over 4,200 students. Although it is a small city, it offers plenty of fun and educational activities for families.
Parents who enjoy musical and theater performances can take their children to see all types of programming at Shawnee State's Vern Riffe Center for the Arts (sopaa.org). World-renowned musicians, theater companies and dance troupes perform throughout the year at the center. The Portsmouth Little Theatre (pltlive.com), a local community organization, also produces plays and musicals. For visual art, the Southern Ohio Museum and Cultural Center (somacc.com) hosts a permanent collection, exhibitions of regional artists and a section of prehistoric Native American artifacts. The museum also has a performing arts theater for shows and film. Parents interested in introducing their children to art can participate in the museum's educational programming such as tours, classes and talks given by artists and curators.
The Shawnee State Athletic Department competes in the Mid-South Conference of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Families can attend college sporting events such as soccer, basketball, basketball and volleyball. Golfing is available at three area golf courses. At Shawnee State Park, families who enjoy playing tennis can use the courts in the park. Swimming, canoeing and fishing are other activities families can participate in at the park.
Attractions in Portsmouth include the Clark Planetarium (planetarium.shawnee.edu) at Shawnee State's Advanced Technology Center. The planetarium has a 66-seat theater with a domed projection screen for family friendly movies and multimedia presentations. The theater's projection system also provides visitors with realistic views of the sky at night. The planetarium has downloadable teacher's guides and coloring pages. If you want to teach your family about Portsmouth history from a visual perspective, visit the city's historic downtown area where murals that depict the city have been painted on the city's flood walls that protect it from the Ohio and Scioto Rivers. Other historic attractions in the town include two historic homes that are open for visitors, Philip Moore Jr. Stone House, a house made from ancient blocks, and the 1810 House, a 19th century farmhouse. Tours of local attractions can be arranged through the Portsmouth Scioto County Visitor's Bureau (ohiorivertourism.org).
Municipal and state parks in the area offer ample camping opportunities. Families who would like to enjoy the outdoors and sleep under the stars can find sites at Shawnee State Park and the city-run Riverfront camping area as well as commercial campgrounds. Shawnee State Park has modern campground facilities such as a laundromats, showers and electricity.
