Portsmouth Town Guide: Where to Eat, Stay and Walk

Portsmouth is New Hampshire's seaport, and it is one of the most walkable small cities in New England. In a single afternoon you can cover nearly four centuries of history, a working waterfront and a downtown packed with restaurants, all without moving the car. This guide covers the things to do in Portsmouth NH that are worth your time in any season, with a short list of places to eat and stay from our directory.

Portsmouth at a glance

Portsmouth sits on the south bank of the Piscataqua River, which forms the border between New Hampshire and Maine. The 2020 census counted 21,956 residents. It is the only city in Rockingham County, and it is about an hour north of Boston by car on I-95.

The city's story begins on the water. European colonists settled the west bank of the harbor in 1630 and called it Strawbery Banke, after the wild strawberries growing along the shore. The settlement grew into a shipbuilding and trading port, and the brick and clapboard downtown that survives today reflects that wealth.

Start at Strawbery Banke

Strawbery Banke Museum is the place to begin. It is a living history neighborhood with more than 37 restored buildings dating from the 17th through the 19th centuries, set in the area once called Puddle Dock. Rather than a single museum building, it is a whole neighborhood you walk through, with houses furnished to show how Portsmouth families lived across different eras.

Give it a few hours. Programs and building openings vary by season, so check the museum's website for what is open the week you visit.

Right at the museum, The Puddle Dock Restaurant is a modern colonial dining room built around seasonal New England sourcing, a convenient lunch or dinner stop that keeps you in the historic setting.

Walk the downtown

From Strawbery Banke, it is a short walk to the rest of the historic core.

• Prescott Park sits along the water across from Strawbery Banke, with gardens and harbor views.
• Market Square is the center of downtown, ringed by shops and cafes, with the North Church steeple as a landmark.
• Bow Street and Ceres Street run along the waterfront, with restaurants and views of the tugboats that work the harbor.
• The Music Hall on Chestnut Street was built in 1878 and describes itself as the oldest operating theater in New Hampshire.

The whole loop is easy on foot. Wear comfortable shoes: some sidewalks are brick and uneven.

More history within a few blocks

Strawbery Banke is not the only old house worth seeing. The Moffatt-Ladd House on Market Street is a 1763 Georgian house museum and a National Historic Landmark, declared in 1968. It was the home of William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and its collection includes his sword and a portrait of him. Outside stands a horse chestnut tree that Whipple planted in 1776 from seeds he brought back from Philadelphia. The house is owned by the National Society of Colonial Dames in New Hampshire and is open to the public; check its website for hours.

Look across the river from the waterfront and you will see the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. Despite the name, it sits on Seavey's Island in Kittery, Maine. Founded in 1800, it is the U.S. Navy's oldest continuously operating shipyard, and most of its work today is the overhaul and repair of submarines. It is an active base, not an attraction, but it explains a lot about the harbor. The Piscataqua's swift tidal current keeps ice from blocking the channel to the Atlantic, and shipbuilding here goes back to colonial days. The warship Raleigh was built in 1776 on Badger's Island in Kittery, and it still appears on the Seal of New Hampshire.

Get on the water

Portsmouth makes the most sense when you see it from the river. The Gundalow Company operates a replica gundalow, the flat-bottomed cargo sailing barge once common on the Piscataqua and its tributaries, and offers narrated sailing trips from Prescott Park. Sailings are seasonal, so check its schedule.

Even without a boat trip, standing on the waterfront to watch the current tells you why Portsmouth became a port. The Piscataqua has very strong currents. Its last 6 miles before the sea, known as Portsmouth Harbor, carry a tidal current of around 4 knots, and the river is considered one of the swiftest in the country. Gundalows historically used those tides to move cargo upriver and down.

Where to eat

Downtown Portsmouth has more restaurants than it seems possible for a city its size. Three from our directory, for different moods:

• Geno's Chowder and Sandwich Shop on Bow Street is a chowder house and sandwich shop, the classic casual Portsmouth lunch.
• The Library Restaurant is a candlelit dining room lined with books and a classic menu, suited to a slow dinner.
• The Puddle Dock Restaurant at Strawbery Banke, mentioned above, works for lunch in the middle of a museum day.

For a wider list, see our Seacoast dining roundup and the full Seacoast dining section of the directory. Reserve ahead for weekend dinners.

Where to stay

The Ale House Inn is a contemporary boutique inn in an 1880s brick building that once belonged to a brewery. Its downtown location puts the harbor, Strawbery Banke and Market Square within walking distance, which is the main thing to look for in a Portsmouth stay.

If you want more choices, our guide to where to stay in Portsmouth covers bed and breakfasts, independent inns and chain hotels across the city.

Portsmouth in late fall and winter

Portsmouth does not close up after foliage season the way some resort towns do. Restaurants, shops and The Music Hall stay busy year-round, and the quieter months are a good time to get a table without a long wait. Bring layers: wind off the harbor makes the waterfront feel colder than the forecast. Seasonal attractions, including outdoor tours and some museum programs, scale back in the colder months, so check ahead if a particular stop matters to you. Indoor plans such as a long lunch, a bookshop browse, or a show fill a winter afternoon easily.

Who Portsmouth suits

• Couples: a walkable downtown, candlelit dining rooms and a historic inn make an easy weekend.
• History fans: Strawbery Banke alone can fill a day.
• Families: short walking distances and the open space of Prescott Park help with younger children.
• Food travelers: few New England cities this size have as many restaurants in so small an area.

A one-day Portsmouth plan

1. Morning: coffee downtown, then Strawbery Banke.

2. Lunch: The Puddle Dock Restaurant, or chowder at Geno's on Bow Street.

3. Afternoon: Prescott Park, the waterfront and Market Square. In season, a Gundalow sail.

4. Evening: dinner at The Library Restaurant, then a show at The Music Hall if one is on.

With a second day

• Drive the coast. Route 1A runs south from Portsmouth through Rye and along New Hampshire's short coastline, about 18 miles from end to end.
• Head inland to Exeter. A walkable historic town about a half-hour drive away.
• Cross into Maine. Kittery is just over the bridges.

Practical tips

• Parking. Downtown has metered spaces and a public garage. Park once and walk.
• Timing. Summer and fall weekends are the busiest. Late fall and winter are quieter and easier for dinner reservations.
• Hours. Museums, tours and restaurants adjust hours by season. Check official websites before you go.
• Getting there. I-95 runs along the west side of the city, and Route 1 and Route 1A lead along the coast.

FAQ

What is Portsmouth, NH known for?

Its historic seaport downtown, Strawbery Banke Museum, a walkable restaurant scene, and its location on the Piscataqua River across from Maine.

How old is Portsmouth?

European settlement began in 1630, when colonists named the area Strawbery Banke.

Is Portsmouth walkable?

Yes. Strawbery Banke, Prescott Park, Market Square and the waterfront are all within a short walk of one another.

What is a gundalow?

A flat-bottomed sailing barge once used to carry cargo on the Piscataqua and nearby rivers. The Gundalow Company operates a replica.

How far is Portsmouth from Boston?

About an hour by car on I-95 in normal traffic.

Sources

• Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (2020 census; 1630 settlement; The Music Hall): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth,_New_Hampshire
• Strawbery Banke, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strawbery_Banke
• Gundalow, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundalow
• Piscataqua River, Wikipedia (tidal current around 4 knots): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piscataqua_River
• New Hampshire, Wikipedia (18-mile coastline): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Hampshire
• Business details: each business's directory listing and official website.
• Moffatt-Ladd House, Wikipedia (1763, William Whipple, NHL 1968, 1776 horse chestnut): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moffatt-Ladd_House
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Wikipedia (founded 1800, Seavey's Island, submarine work, Raleigh 1776): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Naval_Shipyard