Exeter Town Guide: Historic Downtown on the Squamscott

Exeter is one of the oldest towns in New Hampshire, and it still feels like a place built on foot. The downtown sits where a freshwater river turns tidal, the main streets are lined with brick and clapboard, and you can walk from an inn to a gallery to dinner without moving the car. This guide covers the things to do in Exeter NH that hold up in any season, with places to stay, eat and unwind from our directory.

Exeter at a glance

Exeter is a town in Rockingham County on the Seacoast. The 2020 census counted 16,049 residents, up from 14,306 in 2010, and about 10,000 of them live in the compact village center the Census Bureau counts as the Exeter census-designated place. Exeter was the county seat until 1997, when county offices moved to neighboring Brentwood.

The town is home to Phillips Exeter Academy, a private boarding school whose campus sits beside downtown. Its brick buildings and lawns are part of what gives Exeter its look, and they are easy to see from the public streets.

Geography is the key to the town. Exeter sits where the Exeter River becomes the tidal Squamscott River. The falls at that spot were the reason people gathered here long before the town existed, and they are still the center of downtown today.

A short history on the river

For thousands of years before European colonization, the area was home to Pennacook Abenaki people, who knew the place as "M'Squamskook," meaning "falls at the place of the salmon." The name later became Squamscott. Native families returned to the falls in spring to fish and to raise corn and pumpkins.

On April 3, 1638, John Wheelwright, a clergyman exiled from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, bought the land from the sagamore Wehanownowit and led roughly 175 people to found a town he named after Exeter in Devon, England. On July 4, 1639, 35 freemen signed the Exeter Combination, a document Wheelwright wrote to set up their own government. Exeter was one of the four original townships in the province, and its original territory included what are now Newmarket, Newfields, Brentwood, Epping and Fremont.

The Gilman family shaped the town for generations as lumbermen, shipbuilders, merchants and statesmen. Edward Gilman Jr. built the first sawmill in 1647. The Gilman Garrison House and the American Independence Museum were both Gilman family homes, and the family donated the land for Phillips Exeter Academy's original Yard. Nicholas Gilman, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, was one of them.

Walking downtown

The best thing to do in Exeter is simply walk it. Start at the falls where Water Street crosses the river, follow Water Street past shops and restaurants, and turn onto Front Street toward the academy. Along the way you pass the American Independence Museum, the Gilman family's former home, and a downtown full of independent businesses.

Give yourself time to stand by the river. At the falls you can see exactly why the town grew here: freshwater above, tidal water below, and a natural drop that once powered mills.

See local art

Art Up Front Street is a contemporary gallery with five working studios at 120 Front Street, in West Exeter. The gallery describes itself as about 2,000 square feet of space, where you can see work by the artists who make it nearby. Check the gallery's site for current exhibits before you visit.

Where to stay

The Exeter Inn sits among the old trees and lawns of the Phillips Exeter Academy campus and is within walking distance of downtown. The inn was built in 1932 and has a Georgian facade and detailed millwork inside. It is home to Epoch Restaurant & Bar, which describes its menu as American regional cooking with global influences and seasonal ingredients from local producers, with an award-winning wine list.

Downtown, the Inn by the Bandstand on Front Street puts you in the middle of the village, and its restaurant is covered below.

Where to eat and drink

Exeter has a stronger restaurant scene than its size suggests. Three directory picks show the range.

Ambrose is the restaurant at the Inn by the Bandstand, 6 Front Street. It serves contemporary cuisine made with seasonal, locally sourced products, mixed with ingredients from what the restaurant calls its motherland, and the plates are designed for sharing and brought to the table at an easy pace. The elegant dining room has a fireplace and overlooks the historic downtown, and in warm weather there is a garden patio.

Fat Hen Brewing Co. at 150 Front Street pairs craft beer with handmade meat pies, a combination you do not see often in New England. The menu runs from a classic meat pie of ground beef simmered with red wine and the brewery's Red Ale to a pork tourtiere spiced with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg.

For dessert, Stillwells Riverwalk Ice Cream on Water Street is part of a family-owned group that opened its first shop in 2002 and later added locations including Exeter. Stillwells serves ice cream from Richardson's farm in Middleton, Massachusetts, along with gelato and Italian ice. A cone by the river is a good way to finish a downtown walk.

Our earlier Exeter restaurants guide covers more places to eat in town.

Yoga and wellness

If you want to slow down, Bryony Body at 175 Water Street is a yoga and wellness studio offering classes along with private and group interval training programs. The studio also runs a giving-back program connected to Dana-Farber. Check its schedule online before you go.

Exeter through the seasons

Exeter is a year-round town, not a summer resort, which is part of its appeal.

• Fall: The academy lawns and the trees along Front Street make downtown especially pretty, and it is a good time for a long walk followed by a pie and a pint.
• Winter: A warm inn, a fireplace dining room and a gallery visit make a cozy weekend.
• Spring: The falls run high, and the river is a reminder of why the Abenaki gathered here for salmon.
• Summer: Patio dining downtown and ice cream on Water Street. Portsmouth and the beaches are a short drive east.

A simple Exeter day

1. Walk Water Street to the falls in the morning.

2. Visit the gallery and studios at Art Up Front Street.

3. Lunch on meat pies at Fat Hen.

4. Take a yoga class or simply stroll the academy grounds from the public streets.

5. Dinner at Ambrose or Epoch, then ice cream at Stillwells.

Getting there

Exeter is in the southern Seacoast, inland from Hampton Beach and southwest of Portsmouth. Route 101 passes just north of town and connects to I-95 and the Manchester area. Amtrak's Downeaster stops in Exeter, which makes a car-free visit possible from Boston or Maine.

Frequently asked questions

Is Exeter, NH worth visiting?

Yes. It is one of New Hampshire's oldest towns, settled in 1638, with a walkable downtown on the river, a historic inn, a gallery and a good range of restaurants.

What river runs through Exeter?

The Exeter River, which becomes the tidal Squamscott River at the falls downtown.

Can you visit Phillips Exeter Academy?

The campus is next to downtown and its buildings are visible from public streets. Check the academy's own guidance before walking onto campus grounds.

Is Exeter close to Portsmouth?

Yes. It is a short drive southwest of Portsmouth on the Seacoast.

Sources

• Exeter, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (2020 census, county seat, history, Gilman family): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exeter,_New_Hampshire
• The Exeter Inn: https://www.theexeterinn.com/
• Ambrose Restaurant, Inn by the Bandstand: https://innbythebandstand.com/ambrose-restaurant/
• Art Up Front Street Studios & Gallery: https://www.artupfrontstreet.com/
• Fat Hen Brewing Co.: https://www.fathenbrewingcompany.com/
• Stillwells Ice Cream, Our Story: https://www.stillwellsicecream.com/
• Bryony Body: https://bryonybody.com/
• Amtrak Downeaster, Exeter station: https://www.amtrakdowneaster.com/stations/exeter