Tours and Guided Trips in the Seacoast

New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any coastal state, but it packs a lot into those miles: a working harbor, a swift tidal river, an island group with four centuries of history, and open ocean where whales feed. The easiest way to understand all of it is to let someone who knows the water show you. This guide rounds up tours on the NH Seacoast, from harbor cruises and island trips to whale watching, a sail on a historic style of barge, history walks and surf lessons, with operators from our directory.

Understanding the Seacoast's waters

A little geography helps you choose a tour.

The Piscataqua River is a 12-mile tidal river that forms the boundary between New Hampshire and Maine and empties into the Gulf of Maine east of Portsmouth. Its last 6 miles before the sea are known as Portsmouth Harbor, and its tidal current runs around 4 knots, making it one of the swiftest rivers in the United States. Portsmouth, New Castle, Newington, Kittery and Eliot grew up around the harbor. Above the harbor, five rivers flow into Great Bay, part of the Piscataqua's larger drainage.

The Isles of Shoals are a group of small islands and tidal ledges about 6 miles off the coast, straddling the New Hampshire and Maine border. They have been occupied for more than 400 years, first by fishing communities and later by summer hotels, private homes and a marine research facility. The islands include the easternmost point of New Hampshire.

Harbor tours show you the river, forts, lighthouses and shipyard. Island trips take you offshore to the Shoals. Whale watches head out into open ocean. Each is a different experience, and many visitors combine two over a long weekend.

Harbor and river cruises from Portsmouth

Portsmouth Harbor Cruises runs narrated tours of the Seacoast's waterways aboard the M/V Heritage, a 1963 60-foot Deltaville deadrise. The operator describes its cruises as casual, sometimes amusing and always informative, with captains discussing the birdlife of the inland waterways, the folklore of the Isles of Shoals and the shipbuilding history of Portsmouth Harbor. Its options include harbor cruises, Isles of Shoals cruises, evening and sunset cruises and inland river cruises, and the boat can be chartered for private groups of up to 49 passengers.

Isles of Shoals Steamship Company operates from Market Street in Portsmouth aboard the M/V Thomas Laighton. It offers narrated history tours of Portsmouth Harbor, the Isles of Shoals and the Seacoast, plus party cruises and special events, and the vessel is available for private charters such as weddings and company outings. The boat's name nods to Thomas Laighton, who with Levi Thaxter opened a popular summer hotel on Appledore Island in the 19th century.

What to expect on a harbor cruise: views of the working waterfront, historic forts, lighthouses including Portsmouth Harbor Light at New Castle, and the shipyard. Because the river's current is strong, these are experienced local operators and the narration often explains how the tides shaped the harbor's history.

Sail on a gundalow

A gundalow is a flat-bottomed sailing barge that was once common on the rivers of Maine and New Hampshire. Gundalows first appeared in the mid-1600s and used tidal currents for propulsion, with a single lateen sail on a counterweighted yard that could be lowered to pass under bridges. They carried bulk cargoes such as bricks, timber and livestock. The type nearly vanished as a commercial watercraft in the early 1900s.

Gundalow Company is a Portsmouth nonprofit that maintains the Piscataqua, a reproduction gundalow built in 2010 on the grounds of Strawbery Banke. The organization runs public sails, education programs and private charters. Its typical charter is about two hours, departing from its dock in Prescott Park and sailing the Piscataqua River past the working waterfront, forts, lighthouses and the Naval Shipyard.

A gundalow sail is slower and quieter than a motor cruise, and it suits families, history fans and anyone who wants to experience the river the way it was traveled for centuries.

Whale watching from Rye Harbor

Granite State Whale Watch sails from Rye Harbor on Ocean Boulevard, Route 1A, in Rye. Besides whale watches, it offers trips to the Isles of Shoals and Star Island. The operator posts recent sightings on its website, and humpback whales are among the species it reports.

Whale watch tips:

• It is always colder on the open ocean than on shore, even in July. Bring a warm layer and a windproof jacket.
• If you are prone to seasickness, plan ahead and sit where the motion is least, usually low and near the middle of the boat.
• Sightings depend on nature. Ask the operator about its policy if no whales are seen.
• Binoculars and a hat with a strap are worth packing.

Walking tours: the Black Heritage Trail

Not every Seacoast tour is on the water. Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire offers guided walking tours in Portsmouth led by its Sankofa Scholars, along with tours across New Hampshire, self-guided tours, virtual tours and private tours. Its work focuses on the history of Black New Hampshire, and its sites include the African Burying Ground Memorial Park in Portsmouth.

A walking tour is a good choice for a morning before a harbor cruise, or for a day when the weather keeps boats in port. It adds depth to the story of a city that most visitors know mainly for its waterfront.

Surf lessons in Rye and Hampton

E Street Surf School offers surf lessons, kids' surf camps and rentals in Rye and Hampton. Its programs include ladies' surf nights, sessions for young children, sunset lessons and private group sessions.

Surfing in New Hampshire surprises many visitors. Summer is the gentlest season for learning, and a lesson with an instructor is the safest way to start. Expect to wear a wetsuit, since the water stays cool even in midsummer.

Building a Seacoast tour weekend

Here is one way to combine these experiences over two days.

Day one, Portsmouth:

1. Morning walking tour with the Black Heritage Trail.

2. Lunch downtown.

3. Afternoon harbor cruise or a gundalow sail on the Piscataqua.

4. Sunset or evening cruise if you still have energy.

Day two, Rye and offshore:

1. Morning surf lesson in Rye or Hampton, or an Isles of Shoals trip.

2. Afternoon whale watch from Rye Harbor.

General tips:

• Book ahead for summer weekends. Popular trips sell out.
• Arrive early. Parking near the waterfront can take time in season.
• Check weather and sea conditions on the day. Operators may change or cancel trips in rough weather.
• Confirm departure points, schedules and policies directly with each operator.

FAQ

How far offshore are the Isles of Shoals?

About 6 miles off the coast, straddling the New Hampshire and Maine border.

What is a gundalow?

A flat-bottomed sailing barge once common on New Hampshire and Maine rivers. The Gundalow Company sails a reproduction called the Piscataqua from Portsmouth.

Where do whale watches leave from in New Hampshire?

Granite State Whale Watch departs from Rye Harbor in Rye.

Are there history tours in Portsmouth that are not on a boat?

Yes. The Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire runs guided walking tours in Portsmouth.

Can you surf in New Hampshire?

Yes. E Street Surf School offers lessons and camps in Rye and Hampton.

Sources

• Piscataqua River, Wikipedia (length, Portsmouth Harbor, tidal current): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piscataqua_River
• Isles of Shoals, Wikipedia (location, history, Laighton and Thaxter hotel): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isles_of_Shoals
• Gundalow, Wikipedia (history, Piscataqua reproduction built 2010): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gundalow
• Portsmouth Harbor Cruises official site: https://www.portsmouthharbor.com
• Isles of Shoals Steamship Company official site: https://www.islesofshoals.com
• Gundalow Company official site: https://www.gundalow.org
• Granite State Whale Watch official site: https://granitestatewhalewatch.com
• Black Heritage Trail of New Hampshire official site: https://www.blackheritagetrailnh.org
• E Street Surf School official site: https://estreetsurfschool.com