Portsmouth

Portsmouth sits on the Piscataqua River, which forms the border between New Hampshire and Maine, about 55 miles south of Boston and 53 miles southwest of Portland, Maine. It is one of the earliest European settlements in what is now the United States: the west bank of the harbor was settled in 1630 and named Strawbery Banke, incorporated as a city in 1849.

Strawbery Banke Museum preserves several dozen restored historic homes in Colonial, Georgian and Federal architectural styles on the site of the original settlement. Downtown's compact historic district, centered on Market Square, was rebuilt in brick and slate after an 1813 fire destroyed 244 buildings — the architecture visitors see today is that rebuild.

The city has kept its working waterfront. Portsmouth remains an active port, and historic shipbuilding continues nearby at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, established in 1800 and located across the river in Kittery, Maine. Market Square, at the center of the historic district, is lined with galleries, shops and restaurants inside the rebuilt colonial-era streetscape.

Strawbery Banke Museum is the anchor: a preserved neighborhood of several dozen historic homes in Colonial, Georgian and Federal styles, standing on the same ground where Portsmouth's original 1630 settlement stood. The homes span multiple periods of the city's history rather than a single moment, laid out as a walkable outdoor museum.

Popovers on the Square, a bakery and cafe in Market Square at 8 Congress St, has operated in Portsmouth since 2006 and is known for its egg-based popover pastries served with maple butter; its bakery has been recognized as “Best In New Hampshire.”

Beyond that, downtown Portsmouth's cafes, restaurants and shops are found around Market Square; confirming current hours and status on each business's own site is recommended before planning a visit around a specific name.

4 breweries within 10 miles of Portsmouth, one of them a brewpub with a kitchen.

Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)

Portsmouth has no professional or major college teams; the nearest are in Manchester, about an hour west.

23 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Portsmouth in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.

• SalemMassachusettsabout 40 mi
• PortlandMaineabout 45 mi
• BostonMassachusettsabout 50 mi
• FreeportMaineabout 65 mi
• North Conway (White Mountains)New Hampshireabout 70 mi
• PlymouthMassachusettsabout 75 mi
• Provincetown (Cape Cod)Massachusettsabout 75 mi
• ProvidenceRhode Islandabout 95 mi
• AugustaMaineabout 100 mi
• BristolRhode Islandabout 100 mi
• NewportRhode Islandabout 110 mi
• Basketball Hall of FameMassachusettsabout 120 mi
• MontpelierVermontabout 120 mi
• SpringfieldMassachusettsabout 120 mi
• HartfordConnecticutabout 130 mi
• MysticConnecticutabout 130 mi
• WaterburyVermontabout 130 mi
• StoweVermontabout 140 mi
• Albany/CooperstownNew Yorkabout 150 mi
• Acadia National ParkMaineabout 160 mi
• Bar Harbor (Acadia)Maineabout 160 mi
• BurlingtonVermontabout 160 mi
• New HavenConnecticutabout 170 mi

• USS AlbacoreQuirky museumPortsmouthabout 1 mile away

  Cost to see it

  Costs something — we did not find the price published

  When you can see it

  Seasonal — not open all year

  Nearest road

  I-95

  Research submarine resting on dry land

  • Open seasonally, not all year

  Read on the page we checked

These are things you can go and look at, not a recommendation of any of them. Oddities move, get sold and quietly disappear more than anything else we list, so check anything you are driving a long way for. Where this list says we did not find a price or opening times published, that is exactly what we mean. A blank is not “free” and not “always open”. Some sit on private land and can only be seen from the road — please do not go onto anyone’s property. Every entry links the page we read it off.

Strawbery Banke Museum's historic houses and gardens operate seasonally; the museum lists its 2026 season as June 17 to November 1, with self-guided visits Wednesday through Monday, 10 am to 4 pm, and Tuesdays by guided tour only. Skating, special events and educational programs take place at other times of the year, so checking the museum's current schedule before visiting is advised.

Strawbery Banke Museum says parking in Portsmouth's historic district can be limited. On-street and lot parking managed by the city is metered, and the city also operates two garages: the Hanover garage at 34 Hanover St., a block from Market Square, at $3.00^* per hour, and the Foundry Place garage at 100 Foundry Place at $2.00^* per hour.

The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, across the river in Kittery, Maine, is an active military facility and not generally open to public tours.

Portsmouth's waterfront and Market Square are both walkable from Strawbery Banke, making a car largely unnecessary once parked downtown.

*Fees subject to change, please check portsmouthnh.gov for updated information.

Strawbery Banke Museum

Address

14 Hancock St, Portsmouth, NH 03801

Hours

2026 season, June 17 to November 1: Wednesday through Monday, 10 am to 4 pm (to 5 pm on weekends in July and August); Tuesdays, 10 am to 2 pm, guided tours only. Check the official site for current seasonal hours.

Price

General admission at the door: adults $25^*, seniors 65 and older $23^*, ages 5 to 17 $12.50^*; under age 5 free. Valid for two consecutive days; guided tours and special events are priced separately. Check the official site for current admission fees.

Link

strawberybanke.org

*Fees subject to change, please check strawberybanke.org for updated information.

We checked seasonal opening, fees and opening hours on 2026-10-13. These change without notice — confirm with portsmouthnh.gov and strawberybanke.org the week you travel.

Straight-line distance from Portsmouth, not drive time.

• Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) — 3 miles
• Lawrence Municipal (LWM) — 31 miles
• Beverly Regional (BVY) — 35 miles