Often times we take for granted the many adventures right in our own back yard. Being based out of a city in Northern New England certainly has its perks! Our love of Portsmouth, NH grows greater with each passing season. It’s been a long and snowy winter here in the North East and we feel it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy the fruits of our winter labors earlier than usual this year!
It’s no secret that Portsmouth and its surrounding areas are filled with fun places and events to check out. It’s an area filled with a rich history and scenic view and, not to mention some great adventures. The first place that comes to mind is Portsmouth Kayak Adventures. Like the name says, they offer kayak tours and rentals, but they also have a lot more! They offer paddle board rentals and tours throughout the bay and they have bike rentals. Another place that offers rentals is Cinnamon Rainbows, located in North Hampton. They offer surfing, paddle board lessons, full day and half day rentals of equipment. Prices range from $20-35. It’s never too late to pick up a new sport!
The Portsmouth harbor has an abundance of different boating tours to try. You can choose from deep sea fishing trips, harbor cruises, whale watching tours or even take a trip to the Isles of Shoals. There are also plenty of sporting events to check out. Portsmouth houses their very own baseball team, called the Seacoast Mavericks. They are a non-profit, collegiate summer baseball team that competes in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. The Mavericks play at the historical Leary Field right outside of downtown Portsmouth. There is also the Piscataqua Sailing Association, which is a group of experienced sailors who share an interest in racing. The group also opens up to outside boat owners who are welcome to join and race with them, no matter your experience level might be.
There are plenty of free beaches and trails to visit! Prescott Park right in Portsmouth holds many free concerts and plays during the summer months, and even if there is nothing going on it is still a beautiful place to walk around. Nubble Lighthouse in York, Maine is another great place to explore and it’s located right next to Long Sands and Short Sands beaches. There is also Odiorne Point, which has a small $4 fee but is open year around. Odiorne Point offers 330 acres are open year-round for boating, fishing, hiking, biking, nature walks, cross-country skiing and picnicking.
There are five beautiful state park beaches located along the New Hampshire coast, Hampton Beach, North Hampton Beach, North Beach, Jenness Beach and Wallis Beach. Take a scenic drive along Route 1A that hugs the coastline, passing by each of these beaches. If you want to take your adventure a little further you can make your way over to Lake Winnipesaukee located in central New Hampshire. It has beautiful beaches, fishing, many hiking trails, shops and restaurants. If you’re looking to take your adventure to the mountains then make your way up to the White Mountains in Franconia Notch. There you can try hiking some challenging mountains like the Franconia Ridge and Tuckermans, or some easier hikes at Bald Mountain and Artist Bluff. There are plenty to choose from!
When you’re done with all of your adventuring for the day, or just looking to relax, check out some of the breweries located in Portsmouth for a local beer. There is the Portsmouth Brewery located right in the heart of downtown, Redhook Brewery and Smuttynose Brewery (just to name a few)! Now if those aren’t enough ideas for you, check out Portsmouth’s Trip Advisor section…there are plenty of adventures right in your back yard waiting for you!