Getaway Weekend to Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Strawberry Banke When the earliest settlers arrived on the shores of what today is Portsmouth, NH, they found to their delight that part of the coast area was covered with strawberries and so they appropriately named the fledgling community Strawberry Banke. That discovery and naming occurred in the early 1600’s. Since then Strawberry Bank has experienced nearly four centuries of change and development.
Today Strawberry Banke is part of the larger community of Portsmouth, NH and has been sculpted into a tourist attraction deserving a visit from anyone on a getaway weekend to Portsmouth, NH . This is because Strawberry Banke has been converted into a living and always growing historical museum. Unlike Shaker Village, Plymouth Plantation or even Williamsburg, VA, Strawberry Banke has not been refurbished to memorialize any single time period in American history. Instead, Strawberry Banke presents a walk through four centuries of local history including tours of private homes, public buildings and the workshops of artisans that typify life as it was lived in each of the centuries through which it has survived.
If you are spending a getaway weekend in Portsmouth, NH take just a little time to visit Strawberry Banke and stand on the ground where once stood such giants of American history as George Washington, John Hancock, John Paul Jones and Daniel Webster. Truly Strawberry Banke is a history lovers’ dream come true, but it is also a wonderful escape for anyone on a getaway weekend in Portsmouth, NH.
Water, Water Everywhere If you planned a getaway weekend to Portsmouth, NH in part to escape the heat and enjoy some cooling water activity you made a wise choice. Staying a few days in Portsmouth, NH means that you have surrounded yourself with opportunities to enjoy the water you love.
Those spending a getaway weekend in Portsmouth, NH will quickly discover that they have located themselves practically next door to New England’s second largest water park -” Water Country”. At “Water Country” you can enjoy cooling off on dazzling rides and depth defying slides or for the less adventurous you can get equally cooled down by frolicking in the gigantic wave pool. If your getaway weekend group includes small children you’ll be pleased to find that Water Country has set aside a special spot just for toddlers called Kiddie Cove where youngsters can safely enjoy a cool down and play in both sand and water in a peaceful setting.
Getting away to Portsmouth , NH also means getting close to the ocean. Only a short drive away is Hampton Beach, a local and regional summertime favorite. Easily accessible to those enjoying a getaway in Portsmouth, NH, Hampton Beach is a large, well managed beach area that offers plenty of sand and surf for the enjoyment of all.
If your getaway timetable permits you may choose to venture a half hour north along the coast to Ogunquit, ME. Long a vacation center, Ogunquit annually welcomes not only local vacationers but also has become somewhat of a magnet for Canadian tourists. So if you want to internationalize your getaway weekend , an afternoon swim at Ogunquit might be just the thing.
Scenic Beauty Part of any getaway weekend to Portsmouth, NH should be given over to simply enjoying the scenic beauty that abounds. Because time is of the essence you may want to experience a full dose of what Mother Nature has to offer by taking a short ride to Rye, NH and Odiorne Point State Park. There weekender’s will discover 330 acres of prime coastal property reserved for public use and enjoyment. You can walk the trails or pass around a picnic lunch while savoring the ocean view. Odiorne Point gives visitors all the space they could want to spread out and drink in the beauty and power that can be found along the New Hampshire Coast.
Smaller than Odiorne Point but similarly spectacular is Portsmouth’s own Prescott Park. Though covering only a fraction of the terrain of Odiorne, Prescott Park showcases its on sparkling view of the sea. This waterfront park also features magnificent groomed gardens and annually hosts a summer art show.
Those active weekender’s who like their nature up close and personal can select a bike or kayak from Portsmouth’ s “Rent and Ride” shop. Renting either a bike or kayak can put exercise into your schedule but not at the expense of seeing the sites. Peddling and paddling may work off a few pounds but more importantly it can land you in a front row seat from which to observe the surrounding beauty.
Theatre A weekend getaway to Portsmouth, NH is incomplete without an experience of local theatre. If you don’t mind a thiry minute drive to Ogunquit you might attend the well know Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit , ME. This playhouse frequently features known well known shows and equally well known talent and has long been a summer tradition in Maine.
But if your timetable for your getaway weekend to Portsmouth, NH wont’ allow a trip to Ogunquit there is plenty of live entertainment right in town. Portsmouth’s “Music Hall” touts itself as the “Seacoasts Premier Performing Arts Center” and they might be right. The Music Hall dates from the 19th Century and is the second oldest of such theaters in New England. The seating capacity of the Music Hall is a solid 900 and the Music Hall offers ever changing schedules of film, such, theatre and dance performances.
A weekend getaway is always a good thing. But a weekend getaway to Portsmouth, NH can be a wonderful combination of history, water fun, scenery and night life that can please you and everyone or anyone you choose to bring along.
