The Seacost

What to do on New Hampshire’s seacoast? Play at the beach, of course! People often don’t realize New Hampshire has a coastline, but its residents and visitors make the absolute most of their 18 miles of ocean. Hampton Beach State Park is usually crowded, but in a fun way. Wallis Sands State Beach is less people-packed.

 

Off the beach in Hampton, Fuller Gardens offers tours of the 2-acre grounds, including amazing rose bushes of more than 2000 varieties. Driving scenic Route 1A is must-do experience, although it can be very crowded in the busy season. The gorgeous architecture is increasingly impressive as you make your way to the famed Millionaire’s Row. If you have the stamina, cycling in the bike lane gives the same view, without the sometimes bumper-to-bumper traffic.

 

The village of Portsmouth is full of lovely architecture, with many buildings in the Georgian style. Strawberry Banke is the town’s centerpiece. It consists of some 46 historic buildings over ten acres in the downtown area. The Drisco House is an intriguing stop; its two halves show life in the 1790s on one side and the 1950s on the other. The 1760 Wentworth-Gardner House is one of the nation’s best examples of Georgian architecture. You can tour it for a small fee.

 

If you have kids, don’t miss The Children’s Museum of Portsmouth. It is full of lively, hands-on exhibits. Also fun for kids is the Seacoast Trolley, which offers free tours around the town.

 

The Library Restaurant is located in the Rockingham House, one of Portsmouth's valued historic landmarks. They offer traditional steakhouse fare with a New England twist. 43 Degrees North is directly off the city square, and they offer a wide variety of “small plates,” meaning you can sample that many more of the fine dishes. For fantastic seafood, try Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café. It sounds like it would be a raucous place, but it is actually quite upscale.

 

Outside of town in Exeter you will find Loaf and Ladle, a café and bakery offering a terrific variety of soups (all of which are served with homemade bread).