Riverside Portsmouth, whose 18th-century architecture is among the best-preserved in New England, exudes historic charm. Colonial-era buildings at Strawbery Banke Museum showcase life in Portsmouth’s maritime heyday, and wandering the leafy streets offers a glimpse into that backstory. Not that seafaring is in the past. On the riverfront, restaurants serve local seafood feasts. Portsmouth is an excellent gateway to explore many things to do on New Hampshire’s narrow coastline, from the nearby Seacoast Science Center to Hampton’s sandy beaches.
Warm weather brings crowds to Portsmouth in June, July, and August, when sunny days are ideal for visiting nearby beaches and walking trails. Autumn means cooler nights and, in October, a display of bright foliage along the Piscataqua River. If you’re here to visit the historic houses at Strawbery Banke Museum, remember that the campus is open from May through October.
Most visitors arrive in Portsmouth by car, bus, or via Amtrak trains that run multiple times daily from Boston. Once you’ve arrived, compact Portsmouth is best explored on foot, by bicycle, or on the COAST public buses that loop through downtown. Limited street parking makes finding spots a hassle, so if you’ve come by car plan on using the Hanover Street municipal parking garage.
A unique style of shallow-bottomed sailing barge, known as a gundalow, plied the ports of the Piscataqua River from the 17th century to the 20th century. While that river trade has dried up, a reproduction gundalow now spends the summer moored on the Portsmouth waterfront. Visitors can take a look, or sign up for sailing outings on Portsmouth Harbor that cruise past lighthouses, forts, a naval shipyard, and historic prison.
