Portsmouth, NH

[PollyannaMom]

It seems our summer vacation is going to start in a different direction than we originally thought. Due to a work meeting for DH, we will be spending a couple of days in Portsmouth, NH, before we head to upstate NY.

Soooo, besides Water Country (which we love!) what things do you like to do in Portsmouth??

Or, what great hidden gems (little museums or whatever) are worth a stop on the way from Portsmouth to Albany? (That's where we'll pick up the NY Thruway, and the route will be familiar to us from there.)

Thanks for any advice!

 

[poohs_hunny]

We spent a few days in Portsmouth last summer. Have breakfast at The Friendly Toast and dinner at the British Beer Company (great fish & chips and pretzel appetizer!). Also, the outlets over the bridge in Kittery, Maine are great too. Yummies candy store is amazing!

 

[tabby1881]

I love Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth. It is a collection of historic homes. So much to see there. You can take a harbor cruise or a boat ride to Isle of Shoals if it is a nice day. There is a boat type common in Portsmouth called a Gundalow. You can take a ride on one. There's also a submarine that you can visit, USS Albacore. Lots of great little shops, cafes, restaurants, tug boats etc.

 

[aunties]

For a really good lunch, try Popovers. So delicious. As poohs_hunny mentioned - Yummies candy store in Kittery, which is not very far. You can gain 10 lbs. just smelling the all the Candy. It has everything from handmade chocolates to the old-fashioned penny candy.

 

[leebee]

In Portsmouth- Things to do- Tour Strawbery Banke, Harbor Cruises/Cruises out to the Isles of Shoals, USS Albacore (self-guided submarine tour), poke around town in the shops. Good places to eat include The Rosa, British Beerworks, Cafe Nostimo, Ceres Bakery, Portsmouth Brewery, Shalimar, Pocos. There is a big mall in Newington, if you have rain. There's also Water Country, but we don't usually go there. Whym Craft Beer or Red Hook Ale Brewery are both Portsmouth.
Kittery, ME (just north of Portsmouth)- Fort Foster, Fort McClary... Good places to eat include Tulsi, Misto, AJ's, Tulsi, Anneke Jens, Lil's Bakery, Black Birch. (don't go to Warren's Lobster House- mediocre at best, especially the seafood...). If you go up Route 1 there are tons of outlet mall stores, Bob's Clam Hut, Robert's, Weathervane (but not my favorite place for seafood). Keep going north and you'll hit Yummies candy shop. A little further north and there's When Pigs Fly- AMAZING breads for sale (you can taste them all) and a fairly decent restaurant.
York, ME (just north of Kittery)- Walk through downtown York Beach, York's Wild Kingdom (haven't been in years, but it's there), Nubble Lighthouse (get ice cream at Dunne's), go through the historical houses in York Village. My favorite place to eat in York is called Central. It's in a shopping center but the food's terrific! There's also Ruby's on Rt. 1. On Rt. 1A (Long Sands Beach) there's Mimmo's, Lobster Cove, Stones Throw. On route 1 there's also a microbrewery, SOME, and Stonewall Kitchen (good food, and you can sample any of their products... almost all their jams, jellies, sauces, toppings, salsas, etc. are set out for sampling).

Favorite place for seafood is Newick's in Dover Point, NH. It's maybe 15 mins. west of Portsmouth.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Thanks, everyone!!

I wasn't aware of how close it was to York, ME. If we get nice weather, I think we might do one day at Water Country and one day there.

I appreciate the restaurant recommendations, too!

 

[leebee]

Groupon has a discount offer for Water Country- just came into my email this morning:

https://www.groupon.com/deals/gl-wa...-45d1-8466-d5d00c034832_0_20170628_treatment1

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Portsmouth hasn't been the same for me since Yoken's closed!

 

[Diane♥Disney]

Portsmouth hasn't been the same for me since Yoken's closed!

Oooohhh I remember Yoken's. We used to eat there all the time.

 

[leebee]

Everything in PA is arbitrary, lol.

Hey! We've just started allowing grocery stores and gas stations to sell beer and wine!

Portsmouth hasn't been the same for me since Yoken's closed!

Oooohhh I remember Yoken's. We used to eat there all the time.

I had my wedding reception at Yoken's in Portsmouth! We have an iconic picture of the wedding party posed under the big "Thar She Blows" sign!!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I had my wedding reception at Yoken's in Portsmouth! We have an iconic picture of the wedding party posed under the big "Thar She Blows" sign!!

Get out! Too funny! We used to stay there a lot over New Years. I could look in that gift shop for hours!

 

[coneeny4]

I remember when we used to eat at Yoken's they gave you a little key to try in the lock on a chest in the gift shop. Of course it never did.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I saw this on Boston.com today:

https://www.boston.com/culture/trav...o-do-in-portsmouth-new-hampshire-for-under-20

 

[DisneyOma]

Hampton Beach for the ocean, downtown Newburyport, MA for the waterfront, shops, Cider Hill in Amesbury MA for farmstand/you-pick/cider donuts, downtown Amesbury MA for dinner (Crave, Ale House, Flatbread Pizza, Noshery, Wild Bites, Ristorante Molise, so many places to choose from)

 

[PollyannaMom]

Back from vacation, and we had a great time starting it off in Portsmouth!

...Have breakfast at The Friendly Toast and dinner at the British Beer Company (great fish & chips and pretzel appetizer!)...

We made it to both of those! The British Beer Company was out of the pretzels , but I had the best omelet at The Friendly Toast!

...York, ME..York's Wild Kingdom...Stonewall Kitchen (good food, and you can sample any of their products... almost all their jams, jellies, sauces, toppings, salsas, etc. are set out for sampling).

Loved York's Wild Kingdom - there were so many baby animals when we were there!! We made it to Stonewall Kitchen as well, and DS says he'll never eat regular ketchup again!

I saw this on Boston.com today:

https://www.boston.com/culture/trav...o-do-in-portsmouth-new-hampshire-for-under-20

Didn't see this 'til we got back, but DS and I happened to find #14 and #15 anyway! -

14. Wander through the historic Moffatt-Ladd House

Visit this 1763 historic landmark, the home of William Whipple, who represented New Hampshire at the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. Walk the estate’s elegant garden, and take in the Georgian mansion’s portraits, manuscripts, furnishings, and textiles. Tours of the house and garden cost $8 for adults and $2.50 for children. (154 Market St.)


15. Play at Diversions, Puzzles & Games

Drop by for game night at Diversions, Puzzles & Games in downtown Portsmouth. Enter a $5 monthly Game of Thrones tournament, a free weekly Star Wars board or card game, or try out a game or puzzle from the store’s vast selection. Don’t know how to play something? Store workers and fellow gamers are happy to help. (123 Congress St.)

We enjoyed both!