Best Things to Do in Portsmouth, NH
Société Apothecary
As a Seacoast native and downtown business owner, I often get asked by visitors what are my favorite restaurants, events, and things to do. We are very blessed in Portsmouth to have as many restaurant seats as we do residents, so there’s lots to choose from. What’s not to love. Portsmouth is such a beautiful, historic, quaint town, near the beach and within driving distance of mountains and hiking. There’s so much to do. As a local, here is a list, in no order of importance, of events and places I personally love, and restaurants and locales I love to haunt in the Seacoast. There are many great places not in this list that are wonderful as well, that you’ll find as you walk through town. Events Market Square Day Market Square Day was put together to celebrate the revamping of Market Square and Downtown Portsmouth as a whole. The celebration continues to grow each year and it has been estimated that nearly 80,000 people will walk through the festivities on Market Square Day. Entertainment, food and goods offered by artists, crafters and merchants are all available. There are typically over 150 vendors in and around the square. Local and regional musicians will play on two stages. The Market Square Day 10K Road Race starts off the day. Prescott Park Arts Festival The Festival is a vibrant, easily accessible experience of high-quality live theater and music in a stunning natural environment along the Piscataqua River in downtown Portsmouth. Film screenings, music festivals and concerts, food festivals, dance, children's activities, and signature musical theater performances are some of the typical events held at the festival. The diverse, family-oriented performances provide access to a vast variety of performance styles and cater to all members of the community, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. It is also fully accessible to people with disabilities, emphasizing the Festival's reliance on and promotion of a true sense of community. NH Film Festival The New Hampshire Film Festival is a fall gathering of professional filmmakers, screenwriters, and film industry experts, as well as film fans. The non-profit New Hampshire Film Festival, which began in 2001, has grown to become one of New England's premier film festivals and a much-anticipated Portsmouth, NH tradition. In addition to the numerous dining and shopping options available in Portsmouth, over 10,000 visitors enjoy screenings of carefully selected films, interactive panel discussions, and buzzworthy activities. Candlelight Stroll Candlelight Stroll at Strawbery Banke has been showcasing 350 years of seasonal and holiday rituals against the backdrop of the museum's historic houses every year since 1979. Hundreds of lighted candle lanterns illuminate the museum grounds, and handmade decorations made from live greens, dried flowers, and herbs gathered from the museum gardens adorn house doors and railings. Visitors are welcomed by costumed roleplayers and performers who recreate historical traditions as they walk along candlelit pathways. My Favorite Portsmouth Restaurants Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe Jumpin' Jay's, a local foodie enclave just two blocks from Market Square, serves refined seafood in a sleek restaurant atmosphere. The food is of exceptional quality, with regular deliveries of fish from local fishermen as well as some exotic catches. The atmosphere is laid back and effortlessly hip. Reservations are highly recommended. Raleigh Raleigh is a trendy neighborhood restaurant and bar in downtown Portsmouth with a view of the Memorial Bridge. Chef Jeremy Glover and Sous/Pastry Chef Rebekah Cote prepare a diverse range of wine, local craft beer, and creative seasonal cuisine. Black Trumpet The Black Trumpet is a welcoming neighborhood bistro and bar with a view of the harbor. Craft food, great people, and inventive cocktails. Mr. Kim’s A relaxed community hangout where good food and good people are celebrated. Gary Kim curates delicious Asian comfort foods with his own twist and a friendly environment open to all. Rudi’s Rudi's is a modern American eatery that offers something for all. Ease your way into Rudi's charismatic setting, which boasts an eclectic blend of downtown charm and uptown gloss, on bright and brassy Sunday afternoons or moody weeknights. Row 34 In an industrial-inspired atmosphere, Row 34 serves a seafood-focused menu. Chef/Owner Jeremy Sewall's menu features fish entrees, a vast array of oysters, craft beers, and an eclectic wine list. The menu is pulled together by classic comfort food side dishes. The Green Room The Green Room was born out of the frustration of trying to find a place that could meet the needs of an entire family in one location. The owners are thrilled to be able to offer just that place to the community. From smoothie bowls and sweet potato toast to giant bakery bagel breakfast sandwiches topped with eggs scrambled your way, there's something for everyone. Breakfast and lunch are available during all operating hours. There are plenty of options for those who are vegan or gluten free! American History Portsmouth Historical Society The Portsmouth Historical Society, founded in 1917, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the heritage, arts, and culture of the Portsmouth area through acquisitions, restoration, museum exhibits, programs, and publications. Discover Portsmouth and the 1758 John Paul Jones House Museum and Garden , a national historic landmark, are two of its facilities. Portsmouth Athenaeum The Portsmouth Athenaeum is a non-profit membership library, gallery, and museum established in 1817 and located in the heart of historic Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail From the docks of Portsmouth, where trans-Atlantic slave traders unloaded their cargo, to the northern border with Canada, where many escaped slaves found their first taste of freedom, the Granite State has a plethora of tales that mark the turning points in its complicated past. The lives of African people and their descendants have been a part of New Hampshire's history for more than 300 years. Even though Black and White lives have intermixed in deeply personal ways, African-American culture has long been shrouded in the shadows. New Hampshire's Black Heritage Trail encourages understanding and appreciation of African American history and culture in order to foster more inclusive communities today. Strawbery Banke Museum Strawbery Banke Museum is a thriving nearly 10-acre campus committed to bringing 300+ years of American history to life through clusters of historic buildings on their original foundations, heirloom gardens, hands-on traditional crafts, and engaging costumed roleplayers sharing the perspectives of those who lived and worked in Puddle Dock's waterfront neighborhood. Fitness Seacoast Road Race Series There are seven different races in the Seacoast Road Race Series. They've teamed up to promote running for sport, fun, and health, as well as the beauty of the Seacoast. Each of these races is a fundraiser for a local non-profit, so your race entry fees can go toward helping each organization reach its goals! Coffee & French Pastries Elephantine Bakery Elephantine has gained a reputation for freshness and creativity since opening in November 2018, and has extended its pastry menu to include hearty sandwiches with an international twist. Portsmouth Brewery Since 1991, the Portsmouth Brewery has been serving excellent food and handcrafted beers in a comfortable, lively atmosphere. NH Business Review readers named the Portsmouth Brewery as the Best After-Work Bar (Seacoast) and Best Business Lunch (Seacoast) in 2019. The Press Room The Press Room has been the go-to place in Portsmouth for an afternoon pint and a bite to eat, a night out with friends, and live music for more than four decades. Entertainment Music Hall The Music Hall first opened its doors as a Vaudeville theater in 1878, bringing a new sense of cultural richness to Portsmouth. Fast forward 140 years, and The Music Hall—now with a second theater—has played a key role in transforming downtown into one of New England's most vibrant arts destinations. Players Ring Gary and Barbara Newton formed The Players' Ring in 1992. Their aim was to support local artists by producing original works while also providing a cost-effective theatre venue for local production companies. The Ring provides an encouraging atmosphere in which all artists can flourish, evolve, take risks, and make bold decisions. The Players' Ring has provided a venue for local businesses to perform plays since its inception. Some produce shows on an annual basis, while others shape to create a single special event. Original works often make up half of each season's offerings, allowing playwrights to see their work performed for the first time. Each year, more than 200 actors, directors, playwrights, and technicians collaborate to put on plays at The Players' Ring. Seacoast Repertory Theatre The Seacoast Repertory Theatre is a non-profit, independent regional theatre in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The actors are a community of entertainers with a common goal: to improve the Seacoast through the mutual experience of live theater. They hold the opinion that Broadway-quality productions can be produced, staged, and shown right here on the Seacoast, using the best talent from New England and beyond. Their Mainstage features Broadway-quality entertainment year-round, ranging from classics to new works, performed by the leading actors from New England, Broadway, and beyond. Shopping Société Société draws upon on holistic healing practices to create herbal skincare, delicious elixirs, healing teas, and beautiful aromatherapy mists to enhance your beauty, health, and happiness. All of our products are locally made, plant-based, natural, sustainable, ethical, and made in small batches. Société is a woman owned company. Wiglesworth’s Mercantile Wiglesworth's Mercantile has a little bit of everything, but all of their products have one thing in common: they are all regionally sourced New England goods from local, authentic vendors. Macro Polo Macro Polo has been in business for 41 years, with the first owner, Will Berliner, opening the shop in August 1979. Macro Polo focuses on providing each customer with a pleasurable shopping experience as well as a large variety of novelty gifts. Tugboat Alley Tugboat Alley has been a staple of Portsmouth since 1995, it is veteran owned and operated. Em & Elle A charming modern boutique with a diverse selection of women's apparel, swimwear, jewelry, and home goods. Jane Gee Jane Gee believes that beauty does not have to come at the expense of wellness. “Natural is how we are meant to be.” They approach everything they do with an unwavering love and reverence for nature's wisdom. Hello Lovely Hello Lovely has a wide variety of consignment clothing and accessories, as well as a smaller retail area consisting of items from select women-owned businesses that have common values when it comes to offering sustainable fashion options. It was established with the aim of creating a store that shares the same delight that comes with discovering a hidden gem. One in which you are free to experiment with different styles and colors in a friendly and encouraging atmosphere. A spot where you can meet up with a group of like-minded shoppers for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Cork & Curds This cozy little shop is located down idyllic Commercial Alley, a quaint street that will make you feel as though you've been brought to the south of France. At Corks & Curds you can always find the perfect affordable bottle of wine or a fantastic hard to find vintage bottle paired with a selection of your favorite cheese & crackers, salami, fig spread, and more. New H