You're the first president of the United States, and you've just wrapped up the first session of the first Congress — where do you go to get away from it all? Well, in 1789, George Washington chose Portsmouth, the Seacoast region's largest city, as the final destination of his tour through New England. Since then, millions of other vacationers have followed suit, choosing the diminutive shoreline area with 350 years of history for its sandy beaches, ocean excursions, old-fashioned clambakes, boutiques and antiques, and family attractions.

Proximity also makes the region a popular choice. Portsmouth is just an hour north of Boston, and a stay in the Seacoast region puts you within a short drive of the outlets and other enticements of southern Maine and the beaches and seafood delights of the North Shore.

Even though you won't be greeted with quite the pomp and ceremony that accompanied George Washington's arrival in Portsmouth, you won't have to steal away on your fifth day of vacation to have some seaside fun without your military entourage cramping your style.