New Hampshire stay, The Hotel Portsmouth, sits along Bridge Road in its namesake city’s historic downtown district, a short walk from Market Square and the harbor.
Planes
Stateside hubs offer direct flights to Portsmouth International Airport, which is a 10-minute drive from the hotel. If you’re arriving from anywhere else, touching down at Boston Logan Airport is your best bet, and puts you just over an hour’s drive away. The Hotel Portsmouth doesn’t offer private transfers, but both airports have easy-to-find taxi ranks.
Trains
There’s a small station a 10-minute walk from the hotel. The Amtrak Downeaster — which runs between Boston and Maine — stops at the Portland Transportation Center, around 45 minutes away by car.
Automobiles
Portsmouth is easily walkable, and there are plenty of bike-rental stations around the city, too. If you are bringing a car, there’s free parking on-site.
Worth getting out of bed for
The Lark hotel group has gained quite the reputation for their hideaways in close-to-the-action settings, and The Hotel Portsmouth is no exception. Get a snapshot of your historic surroundings on a hike along the Portsmouth Harbour Trail and at the Strawbery Banke Museum. The Music Hall hosts all sorts of artists throughout the year; and during the summer, Prescott Park runs an annual outdoor festival to showcase soundbites of the city’s musical scene. If you’re here to investigate Portsmouth’s locally brewed beers, there are tastings at the nearby Great Rhythm Brewing Company and Smuttynose Brewing Co.
Seafarers can make the most of the hotel’s proximity to the water with a boat ride along the Piscataqua River and whale-watching tour with Rye-based local captain, Pete Reynolds. The Isles of Shoals are also within sailing distance, and guided tours of Star Island are available for anyone looking to learn more about its 17th-century origins. There are plenty of beaches in reach (New Castle, Great Island Common, Hampton) if you’re in search of sand, too.
Local restaurants
Moxy brings an all-American feel to its tapas-style sharing plates, where ‘frickles’, sliders, marmalade-glazed short-rib and chilli chicken are made with ingredients sourced from within the state. Oysters should rank high on your list of must-haves while in New Hampshire, and at the Franklin Oyster House, they’re practically straight out the net. For something that’ll satisfy comfort-food cravings, book one of the coveted tables at the Library Restaurant to enjoy its convivial setting and old-English ambience.
Local cafés
Wholesome hangout, Wild Valentine, pairs fresh brews, oven-warm breads and oat-based breakfast bowls with displays of eye-catching bouquets of locally picked flowers. Coffee cakes, scones, buns and brioches are all baked from scratch at Ceres Bakery, and there’s an assortment of sandwiches for grab-and-go lunches.
Local bars
Live music and microbrews have been drawing loyal crowds to the Press Room for over 45 years. If you prefer a pinot over a pale ale, there are two wine bars to choose from at Cava, including a ‘wine cave’ that comes crammed with sommelier-selected labels.
