We’ve made some big changes in the last few months, for our repeat guests who’ve known us as the Ramada Inn; we have a little surprise for you: we’re now the Holiday Inn Downtown Portsmouth, our dedication to accommodation excellence is better than ever.

The renovations have brought about some alterations to our hotel’s appearance, and there are definitely some big changes. Among those changes are:

- A spacious Lobby/Lounge area

- A Business center with free Wi/Fi

- A Fitness room

- 24 hour Gift shop

Our hotel, which is located in downtown Portsmouth, Ohio, is devoted to meeting all of our clients’ lodging requirements. From advice on the best tourist attractions in Portsmouth and complimentary guest amenities to our indoor heated pool and Hot tub. Our new Restaurant and Lounge is now called “Oscar’s” with everything you need to complete your stay in our Portsmouth Hotel.

While we may have given the hotel itself a makeover our great location is still the same as it always was. We’re still conveniently situated near many of Portsmouth’s biggest tourist attractions as well as local landmarks like the Shawnee State University and the great Ohio River.

We hope that all of our returning (and new) guests recognize us as one of the great hotels guest love to visit. Whether you’re in town on business or pleasure, our freshly-upgraded hotel is exactly what you’re looking for, and we have the expertise and knowledge of the Portsmouth area to ensure that no matter why you’re in town, you will love your experience with us.

Coming to town with a group? Please contact us at our toll free number 1-877-356-7711 to ensure you get the best deal possible for your special event or occasion.

What was your favorite fairytale growing up? Ask many of our Portsmouth, Ohio hotel staff members and they’ll tell you that it was “Beauty and the Beast.” This classic tale of true love conquering all has been delighting people of all ages for years and now it’s coming to town. Catch the live musical version of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” on November 29 at the Verne Riffe Centre for the Arts, which is only a 3-minute walk from our family friendly Portsmouth, OH Hotel.

“Tale as old as time, true as it can be” is just one familiar song that you will hear at the show. This version of “Beauty and the Beast” is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes and dazzling production numbers. Part of the Broadway Series of the Southern Ohio Performing Arts Association (SOPAA), this is one show that you definitely won’t want to miss!

Tickets are available on the SOPAA website and the show begins at 7:00pm. After you’ve had an amazing, song-filled night, why not take the kids back to our nearby River Inn hotel? We provide complimentary breakfast and even have an indoor swimming pool to keep the fun going! Call today to find out room availabilities.

Something wicked this way comes…to the Portsmouth, OH Library! With Halloween this month, there are many spooky and fun activities to do in town, but these family-friendly events will surely give you and your kids a thrill or two. The Portsmouth Library is only a 15-minute scenic walk from our family-friendly and not at all scary River Inn Hotel.

On October 31^st, there are two activities to choose from at the hallowed library halls. At 6pm, there will be a Halloween Craft Program for children ages 4-12. Kids can make all sorts of Halloween themed arts and crafts projects to take home and enjoy.

Or you can take in a night of Macabre Move Madness beginning at 5:30pm at the nearby New Boston Library. Old black and white horror classics will be shown in the library and light refreshments will also be served. Just be prepared to cover your eyes when the scary parts come on

After a night of spooky entertainment, come back to our Portsmouth, Ohio hotel for a treat- complimentary breakfast with your stay! Contact our friendly staff and they can help you plan your trip to our Halloween town.

If you’re a fan of art or history, you’ll definitely want to make a stop at the Southern Ohio Museum in Portsmouth, Ohio. Established in 1979, the museum is located in an old Beaux Arts style building that used to be home to Portsmouth’s largest bank. The museum is just a 6 minute walk from our family-friendly Portsmouth hotel.

The museum is home to two permanent installations, one of them being the largest single collection of works by American Scene painter Clarence Holbrook Carter. There are also 10,000 fascinating prehistoric Native American objects housed within the building. There is also a 100-seat theater for music and performing arts and a reading room with more than 1000 volumes and changing exhibits of local historic photographs.

Exhibits change frequently at the museum, so there’s always something fresh and definitely interesting to see and do. From September 10 to October 30, you can see the Creeping Out of the Dollhouse exhibit. It’s a wildly imaginative, unexpected and strange series of startling dolls and figures created by a variety of contemporary artists. It’s the perfect way to get into the Halloween mood!

The museum is open Tuesdays to Saturdays at varying times. Admission information is available on the official website. We recommend booking a room at our River Inn Hotel, so you can drop off your stuff and have the freedom to explore everything beautiful Portsmouth, OH has to offer!

Be prepared for an evening of wonder and bewilderment when the National Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China soar into Portsmouth, Ohio. This multi-award winning act comes direct from Beijing and was formed in 1950. They will be performing for one night only on October 25^th at the Verne Riffe Centre for the Arts, which is only a 3-minute walk from our family friendly River Inn Hotel.

The Acrobats are known for gold winning acts including “Slack Wire,” “China Soul,” “Pagoda of Bowls,” and “Acrobatic Spectacular.” This is the first time that the Acrobats will be performing in North America. You’ll be amazed at the skill, flexibility and dexterity of these performers. They’ll be doing gravity defying balancing acts, chair stacking routines and beautifully choreographed pieces that will make you hold your breath and cry out in delight.

The show begins at 7:30pm and tickets are available through the Southern Ohio Performing Arts Association website. After the show come back to a comfortable room and unwind at our beautiful, Portsmouth Ohio hotel. Contact our front desk today to book your stay at the River Inn hotel.

No summer/fall trip to Portsmouth, Ohio is complete without a visit to the local Farmer’s Market! Indulge in the freshest produce, flowers and homemade dishes at this growing market. Aptly located on Market Street, our River Inn hotel is just a short 2 minute walk to the market.

The Farmer’s Market has been growing for over 12 years now. Some produce you can get your hand’s on include berries, apples, peaches, nectarines, cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes, corn, beans, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, cider, apple butter, pumpkins, gourds, flower bunches and other typical market produce.

Farmer’s Markets are a great way to get produce at an affordable rate because the farmers don’t have to share a cut of their profits with a middleman (aka grocery stores).  It’s also a great opportunity to speak directly with the people who grow your food and learn all about how it was produced. Taking your kids to the Market is definitely a great way to teach them about eating locally grown foods and sustainability.

The Market is open every Tuesday morning from 8am-12pm until October 31^st. We recommend reserving your stay with us until Tuesday afternoon so you can bring home any produce you buy while they’re at their freshest!

The biggest festival in Portsmouth, Ohio is coming this September 1^st-5^th. The 2011 River Days Festival is a fun-filled weekend of exciting activities, amazing entertainment and family fun. It’s definitely an event that the whole town looks forward to each year. The festival grounds are right next to the riverfront, adjacent to the historic Boneyfiddle district of town, which is conveniently located down the street from our River Inn hotel.

River Days opens on Thursday, September 1^st at 5pm with a performance by Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Steve Free and the introduction of the Miss River Days pageant contestants. Throughout the festival, there will be free nightly entertainment, arts and crafts, mid-way rides and other family fun activities. There will be late model racing on Friday and Saturday at the Portsmouth Raceway Park.

The Grand Parade (considered to be the biggest parade in Ohio!) begins at 11am on Saturday, September 3^rd at Spartan Stadium. The River Days Queens Pageant will follow at 6pm at the Vern Riffe Center at Shawnee State University. The festival ends on Sunday night with a Fireworks Extravaganza at 10pm and the annual Antique and Collector Car Show on Monday from 9am-4pm.

The festival is open from 4:30pm to 11pm throughout most of the weekend. Visit the official River Days website to get the full schedule and to also see the candidates for Miss River Days.

We invite you to stay at our centrally located Portsmouth, Ohio hotel. Not only will you be close to all the action, but our family-friendly hotel also features a complimentary breakfast and indoor pool.

With the final Harry Potter movie coming out this month, Muggles everywhere will have to find new ways to get their Potter fix. Luckily, a fantastic new live show will be bringing the magic of Harry Potter to Portsmouth, Ohio! Harry Potter and the Toledo Symphony Orchestra will be hosted at the Verne Riffe Centre for the Arts, which is only a 3-minute walk from our family friendly River Inn Hotel.

Join the Southern Ohio Performing Arts Association (SOPAA) for a day of music and magic on September 12, 2011. Merwin Siu, dressed as Harry Potter, will host and guide you through owls, wands, wizards, ogres and more! The always amazing Toledo Symphony Orchestra will also be performing music from the Harry Potter films throughout the production. This is definitely one show that both the young kids and big kids will love.

The show begins at 4pm and ticket information is available on the SOPAA website. To make your family outing truly magical, be sure to book a room at our fun and comfortable hotel, complete with indoor swimming pool and free breakfast

Looking for something fun to enroll your child into this summer in Portsmouth, Ohio? We highly recommend that you check out the Cirque d’Art program at the Cirque d’Art Theatre. This summer the program will be running ARTMoves Circus Camp with the next weeklong classes being July 18-July 22 and August 1-August 5. If you’re visiting from out of town, we invite you to stay at our family friendly hotel, which is a convenient 4-minute walk from the theatre.

During this fun and unique camp, kids will learn what it takes to be the next circus star. Students will have instruction in circus acrobatics, aerials and dance with a mix of camp activities like physical games and art projects. Potrsmouth’s ARTMoves Circus Camp will teach your child new skills while also getting them active in an exciting environment.

Cirque d’Art exists to mentor individuals physically, intellectually, emotionally and socially to attain positive self-esteem and self-confidence in a safe and enjoyable setting.  All Cirque students receive individual attention.

ARTMoves Circus Camp is $70 and runs each day from 9:00am to 4:30pm. Participants must bring their own lunch everyday except Fridays. To register, visit the Southern Ohio Museum website. Be sure to also give our River Inn Hotel a call if you’d like to stay close to the theater and in the heart of Downtown Portsmouth.

The infamous King of Cowboys, Roy Rogers, is a Portsmouth, Ohio native. This renowned American singer and cowboy actor was in more than 100 movies and even had his own Western themed radio, and later television, series, called The Roy Rogers Show. It was in Portsmouth that Rogers first learned the basics of horsemanship as a boy.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio on November 15, 1911 as Leonard Franklin Slye, his family moved to Portsmouth the following year. Rogers’ parents moved to Portsmouth because of their desire to have a more stable life. The family purchased a farm and built a home 12 miles north of Portsmouth in Lucasville, Ohio in 1919. When the family needed more money, Roger’s father took a factory job in Portsmouth to support them. With his wages, he often bought his family gifts, including Rogers’ first horse.

After moving to California in 1930, Rogers soon began pursuing a living as a musician. He hit it big in 1934 when he formed the group Sons of the Pioneers with Bob Nolan and Tim Spencer. This Western cowboy music group had huge success with songs like “Cool Water” and “Tumbling Tumbleweeds.” In 1938, he renamed himself Roy Rogers and launched his career in film. He went on to become a matinee idol with roles in such movies as The Dark Command with John Wayne.

Come stay in the hometown of a real American legend and walk the same streets that he did growing up. Call to book your room at the Portsmouth River Inn Hotel today!