6 Must-visit Attractions in Portsmouth NH
Portsmouth is a day trip from Boston, and its location makes it an excellent base for exploring the region’s history, food, and seacoast. It has a lively art and culture scene centered around music and lives theater at the famous Music Hall, The Seacoast Repertory Theater, 3S Artspace, and Prescott Park Arts Festival. Enjoy all the local and independent shops that the downtown area has to offer. You will find award-winning chef-owned restaurants, unique shops, interesting history, and relaxing boat tours, all of which make Portsmouth an attractive weekend gateway.
Whether you want to experience the city in-depth or you’re looking for a quick weekend getaway, here are five exciting places to explore in Portsmouth, NH:
The Music Hall
The music hall is the oldest theater, the 14th oldest theater in America, with a 1000-seat venue in New Hampshire. Many notable characters, including Tony, Grammy, and Pulitzer Prize winners, have performed here. It’s famous for hosting musical performances, interpretive, dramatic, author-readers, dance recitals, and cinema exhibits. The venue puts on over 600 events and sees over 90 thousand visitors every year.
USS Albacore
It was once the world's fastest submarine, although it never went to war. Its shape, design, and equipment became the prototype for modern submarines. A permanently grounded submarine, the USS Albacore is now a museum ship. There are self-guided tours that show how the submarine operated and what life was like for the crew. The audio-visual recordings of former crew members create a visceral experience that makes the submarine come to life.
Strawbery Banke Museum
It’s a 10-acre living museum where you can walk through time. The museum was named after the first settlement on the bank of the Piscataqua River, at the mouth of Great Bay. Since its foundation in 1623, Portsmouth has grown into a major port, and the museum showcases its historical significance. Some of the prominent features are:
Houses furnished and decorated to reflect the era in which they were originally built.
Installations depicting the life of the families that lived there
Exhibits showcasing the original construction styles of houses
You can also see cutaway displays of tools, materials, and decorative artifacts. It also features costumed interpreters and artisans who demonstrate household skills, period crafts, cooking, and boat-building techniques.
Prescott Park
Next to Strawbery Banke Museum and along the banks of the Piscataqua River, Prescott Park contains a performance space, beautiful gardens of perennial and annual flowers, a demonstration garden, public docks, and benches to sit and enjoy the flowers and harbor views.
The park is famous for its dazzling tulip displays in the spring and beds of brilliant annual blooms in summer. You can also enjoy the Prescott Park Arts Festival featuring authentic music and live theater 6 days a week in the summertime.
The Gundalow Company
Unwind at the end of the day with a relaxing sunset sail. The Piscataqua River is beautiful in the evening, and guests may wish to bring along a picnic dinner or beverages on their evening cruise. On these public sails, you’ll be invited to join the crew in raising the sail and steering the ship. Our crew and Onboard Educators will share their knowledge of the Piscataqua maritime region, and you can ask them more about the cultural and natural history of the area, or just relax and take in the sights.
The Warner House
It’s the only surviving mansion among the ones that lined Daniel Street in colonial days. The Warner House was built in 1716 and is best known among history enthusiasts for the oldest painted murals in America. You can see them in the hall stairway, and throughout the house, there are exceptional examples of carved moldings and wood paneling.
About The Sailmaker's House
If you plan on exploring Portsmouth this weekend and are looking for the best comfortable hotels in Portsmouth, NH. The Sailmaker’s House should be your one-stop destination. It is a boutique inn with a perfect blend of traditional architecture and modern hospitality. You can get in touch with us at 603.380.3447 or email us at stay@sailmakershouse.com or fill out our contact form. We look forward to hosting you in Portsmouth, NH!