What to do and see in Portsmouth, New Hampshire (NH): The Best Things to do Good for Couples

May 11, 2022 Kandra Bartel

Don your walking shoes, breathe in the ocean air and set out to discover this picturesque maritime town. You can join one of several organized walking tours or explore on your own. Portsmouth is filled with old homes and museums, and you'll have your pick of fascinating historic sites. Climb aboard the USS Albacore, a retired U.S. Navy submarine offering tours and exhibits. View an 18th-century garden, striking stairway and period furniture at the Moffatt Ladd House, the home of William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, or follow a costumed guide through the John Paul Jones House, home of the Revolutionary War naval hero. For a broader look at the city's history, visit Strawbery Banke Museum, where over 40 buildings have been assembled to depict Portsmouth life from 1695 to 1950, complete with costumed actors. If you know architecture, Portsmouth's array of Colonial, Federalist and Neo-classical styles will dazzle you. Weary of walking? Sit down for a meal at one of Portsmouth's fine eateries or relax on a narrated harbor or whale-watching cruise.
Restaurants in Portsmouth

1. Gundalow Company

Excellent
83%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 191 reviews

Gundalow Company

Sail aboard the Piscataqua, a traditional reproduction of the flat-bottom gundalow barges that were once prevalent along local waterways. Educational, informative and fun, a sail is a great way to explore the sights and sounds of the Piscataqua River. Morning, afternoon, and sunset sails run Memorial Day through Columbus Day, and we offer weekly specialty sails featuring music, guest speakers, local tastings, and more. Private charters are also available.

2. Seacoast Helicopters

Excellent
96%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
4%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 101 reviews

Seacoast Helicopters

Seacoast Helicopters offers aerial scenic tours of historic Portsmouth, surrounding Seacoast, White Mountains, Lake Winnipesaukee, or customize your tour. Air Taxi Service to Logan Airport, New York, Cape Cod. Ask about our "Dream Flight" where you take over the controls! Offering both Helicopter and Fixed Wing instruction.

3. Granite State Growler Tours

Excellent
90%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 278 reviews

Granite State Growler Tours

Granite State Growler Tours, the first craft brewery tour bus in New Hampshire and a Best of NH 2013 winner chosen by NH magazine, is roaming for foam! Hop on our bus, affectionately named 'Greta the Growler Getta', and visit the best craft breweries on the NH seacoast. Your four-hour adventure includes exclusive personal tours given by the brewers themselves so you can talk to them one on one. Tastings are included in the ticket price. If you like what you tried, grab a growler and we'll keep it iced down for you. As we roam from tap to tap, our knowledgeable guide will entertain and intrigue you with unique facts and little-known stories about the rich and foamy history of brewing in NH. With great hops at every stop, meet us for beer every Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Are you looking for a private or group tour a custom itinerary for your special event? We can visit over 27 different breweries and distilleries.

4. New England Lighthouse Tours

Excellent
100%
Good
0%
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0%
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5.0 based on 38 reviews

New England Lighthouse Tours

Join Jeremy D'Entremont, author of more than 20 books and hundreds of articles on lighthouse history, for a minivan tour of some of New England's most beautiful and historic beacons. A portion of the proceeds from all tours is donated to help lighthouse preservation. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS BUSINESS IS NO LONGER ACCEPTING TOUR BOOKINGS.

5. PortCity Bike Tours

Excellent
93%
Good
5%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 160 reviews

PortCity Bike Tours

CDC protocols in place. All guides are vaccinated. Bikes are sanitized before and after use. We all ave a passion and a love of the area & the rich history. Our small team of tour guides live in the area and are experienced riders with a deep love of NH history & historic preservation. I'm sure when you take one of our tours, you'll experience the enthusiasm & excitement as we turn each corner on one of our tours. The beauty in what we do is constantly changing, from the gardens of Prescott Park to the repainted historic homes, to the rapid tides of the Piscataqua River...we fall in love all over again. ​Call us geeks, call us whatever, but, you can tell we all love the Seacoast! At PortCity Bike Tours, we want all of our customers to rave about their time with us and in Portsmouth. All of our bike tours are created from our experiences in traveling around the world trying different tours. We want to share the entire PortCity Bike Tour experience with you. We hope you will join us. ​

6. Monkey Mind Escape Rooms

10 Vaughan Mall 214, Portsmouth, NH 03801 +1 603-498-8997 [email protected] http://www.monkeymindescape.com/
Excellent
90%
Good
10%
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5.0 based on 29 reviews

Monkey Mind Escape Rooms

Monkey Mind Escape Room located in downtown Portsmouth NH. We are Portsmouth’s premier escape room and team building center. Our themed rooms require critical thinking, strong team work, and the ability to work quickly in order solve the puzzles and escape the room. Great for team building, birthday parties, and gatherings. Located in downtown Portsmouth New Hampshire. Come visit us.

Reviewed By kelleycoull - Norwich, United States

Monkey Mind was a lot of fun. My husband I have done 15-20 escape rooms over the last few years. I was impressed by the knowledge of the staff here on the evolution of escape rooms. We did both the Antidote and Mummy rooms because we were offered a discount for doing a second room and it was a blast. The two rooms were quite different, but totally enjoyable. The special effects were cool- in both rooms, there were moments where I jumped because of something happening that gave a little spook but nothing serious. Regarding COVID, they had plenty of protocols in place to ensure cleanliness and safety. Highly recommend!

7. Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden

154 Market St, Portsmouth, NH 03801-3730 +1 603-436-8221 [email protected] http://www.moffattladd.org/
Excellent
64%
Good
30%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
2%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 91 reviews

Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden

Originally built for a wealthy merchant family, and later the residence of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, this splendid home features an elegant 18th-century garden, interesting carvings, and much of the original furniture. Guided tours of the house are available June 1 through mid-October, Monday-Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sundays 1-5pm. Tours last 45-60mins and are $8 for adults, $2.5 for children (6-12) and children under 6 are free. To tour the garden on your own is just $2 per person.

8. Strawbery Banke Museum

14 Hancock St, Portsmouth, NH 03801-4669 +1 603-433-1102 [email protected] http://www.strawberybanke.org
Excellent
65%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,103 reviews

Strawbery Banke Museum

Museum houses open in December only for Candlelight Stroll: Saturdays Dec 12 and 19, 5-9 pm and Sundays, December 13 and 20, 4-8 pm. Guided Holiday House Tours offered Dec 26-31, 10 am to 2 pm with last tour starting at 2 pm. Labrie Family Skate outdoor ice rink at the museum is open daily 9 am to 9 pm (except for occasional private rentals).

Reviewed By aneczypor - Seattle, United States

This historic park is fabulous. From the first video to all the various houses, it is non stop entertaining and beautiful. The structures range from very old homes, to stores and churches transporting you back to another world and time. The buildings are often staffed by volunteers dressed in vintage clothing who act out the person who lived or worked there. The gardens are beautiful and the garden tour is worth taking if you are a Gardner. Do not go to Portsmouth and miss this magical place.

9. Isles of Shoals

Portsmouth, NH +1 603-431-5500 http://www.islesofshoals.com
Excellent
70%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 207 reviews

Isles of Shoals

Nine isolated, barren islands off the coast of New Hampshire.

Reviewed By PartyTheNightAway - New Jersey, United States

Great trip! We arrived at approximately 10:30 am and made our way towards the front of the boat. We handed our tickets to the employee and headed to the top floor of the boat. We bought the Isles of Shoals & Portsmouth Harbor Tour, and the entire trip lasted roughly 2 and a half hours. The tour guide was very good and told us about the history of the Portsmouth harbor, as well as pointing out important landmarks as we passed them, including an old abandoned prison. The weather was a little rough- as it was cloudy and windy- but we had a nice trip regardless. Tip: I recommend spending 2.5 hours here if you truly want to see everything

10. Market Square

Portsmouth, NH
Excellent
64%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
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Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 728 reviews

Market Square

The heart of downtown, where several walking tours begin, Market Square is a center of activity with art galleries, bookstores, antique shops, ethnic restaurants and many original 17th-century buildings.

Reviewed By ajayrrs

This is a great place to visit for a quick bite, or take as long as you want with a cup of coffee or drink. The ambiance is great and the location is fantastic.

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