Portsmouth, NH Travel Guide

I grew up in Southern New Hampshire and visiting the seaside town of Portsmouth was always one of my favorite activities. Still an active shipping port, Portsmouth has also developed a trendy food scene and a frankly astounding number of local boutiques. For shopping, sipping, and seaside strolls it can’t be beat. 

Where to Stay 

The Sailmaker’s House was opened just last year by the restauranteur couple behind Jumpin’ Jays and other local haunts. It’s a perfect blend of economy, function, and charm. The renovated historic home features a number of beautifully decorated rooms. There are no keys, all rooms and entrances use an electronic lock. When you book you receive a unique key code for access. It’s nice to not have a prolonged check in process. For experienced travelers ready to get out and explore, the key code system is extremely convenient. 

Despite the self service lock system, the inn offers lots of amenities. Coffee, drinks, and snacks are available in the lobby 24/7. The inn manager Aislinn is on site often and gives great recommendations for meals and activities. There’s also a to-die-for sunroom in the back of the inn open for leisurely afternoons reading and chatting. 

The rooms are well appointed with EO toiletries, two glasses for water or wine, hairdryers, complimentary wifi, and flat screen TVs. It’s an old building so hallway noise can be heard in the rooms but things are quiet by 10pm. 

Rooms start as low as $132 for a queen bed. The inn is just a three minute walk from downtown’s main square. With so many restaurants and bars close by, a designated driver is never an issue. There is on-sight parking available. Despite it’s increasing popularity, Portsmouth hasn’t had a great, affordable place to stay until Sailmaker’s. Now you can get all the charm of boutique lodging, at an Airbnb price. 

What to Do

Strolling through downtown is genuinely one of my favorite Portsmouth activities. The number of boutique, local shops is incredible. Better yet, they thrive in this environment so you can return to your favorites year after year. This trip I stopped in at Puttin’ on the Glitz to get a new travel hat. They have an amazing selection of vintage style hats and accessories. 

There are lots of galleries downtown and around the city. 3S Artspace, a trendy Miami-vibe compound a little outside of downtown, offers up gallery space, performances, and a restaurant. It’s an industrial building with big glass garage doors that are opened up in the summer. You can easily spend a day listening to local artists, checking out their latest exhibits, and sipping cocktails on the patio. 

And of course I always visit Club Boutique & City Shoes. I did my first blog event here back in 2012 and these entrepreneurial ladies have been a huge inspiration to me since. They offer a beautifully curated selection of clothes, shoes, and accessories. I picked up a navy blue tulle skirt and my travel companion found a stunning cross between a military and moto jacket. 

We always went to Strawberry Banke for field trips but it turns out Portsmouth is RIFE with historic homes. At least one every block. As you know I’m a huge historic house buff so we toured the Wentworth-Coolidge mansion, pictured above. The setting is unparalleled. The house sits in a secluded cove surrounded by State Park land. It boasts gardens, a beach, and hiking trails. 

The interior is just as exciting. The house was added on to several times and used for different purposes. As a result there are dozens of rooms of all shapes and sizes hidden in places you would never expect. Guided tours of the house are offered on the weekends. On Saturday, May 26 the house will host its annual Lilac Festival featuring stunning blooms, free house tours, and a kids scavenger hunt. 

I shook things up this trip by trying my hand at making art rather than just looking at it. Turns out there’s a reason I’m an art reporter and not an artist. That gene must have skipped a generation! But it was fun to be creative. The watercolor class I attended, led by artist Doris Rice, was a wonderful group of locals. You can rent supplies or bring your own and she takes you through the steps of painting around a different theme each week. Our theme was tulips. It’s offers more flexibility than a paint-and-sip class which I like. 

Where to Eat 

There’s so much delicious food in Portsmouth you could spend a whole week just eating. If you’re looking for something classic New England I recommend Martingale Wharf. They serve a killer lobster roll and have a patio looking out over the water. Think it can’t get any better for summer nights? The patio has a fire pit. Chilly ocean winds? No problem. At night the bar, the top of which was designed for the space by a glasswork artist, is popular with locals. They even serve up live music every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. It’s a one-stop-shop to please everyone in your party with culinary and entertainment delights. 

For tapas, Cava is a Portsmouth institution. They’ve been serving up delectable Spanish eats for ten years. To illustrate the wonders of this establishment: they have a daily empanada flavor. Heaven. On. Earth. We tried the flank steak and the octopus for proteins, both were cooked to perfection. The patatas bravas and white asparagus were delicious as well. Don’t skip dessert. The chocolate, hazelnut goodness below was the perfect way to top off the evening. 

If you’re looking for nightlife Wilder is where it’s at. Their cocktail list is truly a work of art. If I could only drink one things for the rest of my life it would be “The Jackalope” with fig + cacao nib infused bourbon, peated scotch, lemon, ginger, honey, garam masala, black pepper, and ginger beer. The large, upstairs space has a great vibe to it with original art on the walls and some old arcade games in the back. 

You won’t have to drink on an empty stomach, their menu lives up to the bar hype. It’s an creative blend of New England and Southern flavors. Pictured above is beer battered fried chicken on a pancake with maple syrup. 

For avant-garde foodies and wine lovers, Raleigh Wine Bar is a must. Not only is it a beautiful, contemporary space, they have a large wine selection and an extremely innovative menu. You can order off the menu or request wine pairings with your meal. They also have an adjacent market where they sell many of the wines as well as gourmet goodies perfect for picnics in Prescott Park. Never fear, beer lovers! There’s a wide selection of imported and local beers as well. 

Raleigh’s menu changes weekly depending on ingredients and Chef’s inspired inklings. Though it’s not strictly a small plates menu, that would be a great way to sample a few different dishes. The caviar with creme fraiche and egg, shown below, was one of my favorites. Plus it’s a VERY generous portion, great for 3 or 4 people to snack on. 

Raleigh also gets points for one of the most Instagrammable spots in Portsmouth. I would honestly travel the hour and a half from Boston just to eat here. 

Portsmouth, like Gloucester, is a perfect weekend getaway from city. As summer approaches urbanites flee to oceanside retreats and Portsmouth has the food scene, activity packed calendar, and cozy accommodations to provide a perfect escape. 

Please note, I was provided with complimentary goods and services by some of the above businesses. However, all opinions expressed are my own.