Whether you’re squeezing in one last quick summer escape or already planning out your fall foliage road trip, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, should be on your list. 

A long-standing foodie destination, Portsmouth boasts everything from farm-to-table elevated experiences to whimsical soda fountains to Parsianne cafes. Beyond food, there’s ample shopping, making it a perfect place to go, even if you want to get out of Boston for an afternoon. 

Getting to Portsmouth from Boston 

How long it takes to get from Boston, MA, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, depends on traffic. With tunnels open and non-rush hour traffic, the drive takes about an hour. 

Unfortunately, the MBTA Commuter Rail doesn’t go to Portsmouth, but you can take the Amtrak from Boston’s South Station. The ride takes about 2 hours. 

Stay at AC Hotel Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront

For those looking to do a long weekend in Portsmouth, there is no shortage of hotels to accommodate. My partner and I were invited to stay at AC Portsmouth Downtown/Waterfront, just a block from the Piscataqua River and within walking distance of everything we had planned for our two-night stay. 

Maybe it’s just a happy coincidence that hotel check-ins always coincide with the time of day when afternoon light starts to turn gold. Either way, it’s always painted every place I’ve stayed in the best light, and AC Portsmouth is no exception. 

While Portsmouth is full of great places for breakfast and dinner, guests can enjoy a European-style breakfast buffet complete with freshly made pastries, quiche, yogurt, cereal, and more. Guests can also make reservations for Rooftop at The Envio, located on the hotel’s roof complete with views of both the city and harbor.

Located on the edge of the busy restaurant and shop district, you’re a short walk to anything you’re going to want to see in Portsmouth. The hotel itself is as trendy and modern as it is quiet and comfortable.

The rooms are spacious; during my hosted stay, I had a King-sized bed and a view of the city. Normally, rates start around $300 for non-members and can fluctuate depending on demand and season.

Walk Downtown Portsmouth

Like most people, I like getting my bearings in a new place. After a 4 p.m. check-in, my partner and I had a few hours to kill before our 7:30 p.m. dinner reservation. Turns out, that’s just enough time to do a loop of Portsmouth’s main streets and grab an appetizer. 

Walking Portsmouth during golden hour was the perfect introduction to this magical little city. As we headed up Portwalk Place and through Vaughn Mall, I caught glimpses of Old World charm mixing with modern New England. 

You’ll also see a lot of new construction, especially around where most of the area's hotels are. The closer you get to the heart of the city, though, you’ll find preserved patches of original storefronts, restaurants, and homes. 

Appetizer and Aperitifs at Barrio 

There is no shortage of places to eat in Portsmouth; there is one restaurant for every 162 residents packed into 16.8 square miles. Two days isn’t enough time to sample everything, but we made the most of our time in Portsmouth. 

Suckers for a good margarita, we stopped at Barrio, a chain popular for their build-your-own tacos and whisky list. Each location is designed to reflect its neighborhood, with artists painting original murals and installing displays. Portsmouth is no exception. Here, artist Michael "Mac" McNamara painted a “Day of the Dead” storybook that plays out across the restaurant’s entire space. 

You’re not just eating here. You’re interacting with and living around a large-scale art installation.

As you enter, you see a skeleton couple on a bicycle hanging upside down from the ceiling. Their whole life plays out on the walls — from the dining room to the bar. Talking to Jeanné McCartin of Foster’s Daily Democrat, McNamara explained that he goes into these projects with no plan, making each mural unique. 

Dinner at Black Trumpet 

When I was asked to come here, I put a call out on Threads about where to have dinner in Portsmouth. New Englanders, more than anyone I’ve interacted with on social media, have very clear opinions about where to eat — and they’re not afraid to share them. More than one person brought up Black Trumpet Bistro, so I made a reservation. 

The walk to Black Trumpet Bistro feels like you’re stepping back in time (because, yes, everything in Portsmouth is very walkable). Right on the waterfront in a narrow alley, the restaurant lives in what used to be a Colonial Era ship supplier. Inside, it feels like time has stood still, with dark wood accents and exposed brick throughout. While the main floor has a jazz cellar vibe, upstairs has big windows with views of the harbor that let in a lot of natural light.

The menu here changes every six weeks, adjusting to what ingredients chef Even Mallet and his wife and co-owner, Denise, can locally source from nearby farms. The night we went, we had the house-made bread ($9), which was a lavender focaccia served with red wine butter that night, as well as the Chorizo-spiced Local Fish ($34) and a Wild Boar Ragu ($32).

To try and recreate the magic at home, purchase a Black Trumpet cookbook. You can find them next door to Black Trumpet at Stock + Spice, from your local bookseller, or bookshop.org.

Breakfast at Popovers in the Square 

Pastries aren’t what you think of when you think of New England food. Popovers, though, have been a food common on breakfast tables in the region since the 1800s. A derivate of Yorkshire pudding, this egg-basted pastry is muffin-shaped and hollow, perfect for filling with butter, more egg, bacon, sausage – whatever you’d like. 

To kick off a morning in Portsmouth, stop in at Popovers in the Square to try a popover for yourself. You can order just a plain popover (they’re served hot with maple butter) or filled with scrambled eggs. Don’t forget to grab a coffee – hot and iced are both very good. 

Visit Prescott Park 

From Popovers in the Square, Prescott Park is a short walk along houses and shops. Not only is there a beautiful view of the river and Maine across the way, but there are also beautiful gardens to walk through. Even if flowers aren’t your thing, the gardens are still worth walking through. 

This waterfront park sits on 10 acres of land willed to the city by Josie F. Prescott in 1954. Her wish was for a park accessible to everyone in the community that added a balance to the heavy industrial area the waterfront had become. 

Elevensies at Fezziwig’s 

Whether you’re ready for lunch or just need a quick pick-me-up, stop into Fezziwig’s Food and Fountain for an enchanting (and delicious) experience. Packed with whimsy, Fezziwig’s serves breakfast all day — including crêpes, lunch, Elevensies — tea of your choice, and one pastry. 

Besides a wide array of tea from all over the world, Fezziwig’s has a full coffee bar plus plenty of sweet treats, including ice cream. There’s nothing like an afternoon affogato to get you ready to shop.

Visit Portsmouth’s Shops 

What Portsmouth has more of than restaurants is shops. You can find everything here, from gift shop staples to one-of-a-kind items you can’t find anywhere else. At Pickwick’s Mercantile, for instance, you’ll find New England’s largest collection of small-batch, handcrafted perfumes.

Deadwick’s Ethereal Emporium – owned by the same family that started Fezziwig’s and Pickwick’s –  is also worth stopping into. Whether you need to refresh your stash of incense and candles, pick up a new tarot deck, or are just Spirtualist-curious, Deadwick’s is worth a wander through. 

Fans of sea salt, whether for cooking or skin care, can stock up at The Salt Cellar. Here, you’ll find finishing salts perfect for fall cooking, as well as bath bombs and dead sea mud masks perfect for spa nights at home. 

Float at Flōte 

Making time for wellness practices has been key to avoiding burnout from work and travel. The more I travel, the more I see many wellness clubs starting to crop up that offer massage, float therapy, saunas, cupping, and more. My first experience was a solo float session at ebb + float in Columbus, Ohio, during a wellness-focused weekend trip. 

If you want a calming way to pass the hottest hours of the day, book a sauna, massage, or float session at Flōte. We did an hour-long couple’s float therapy session ($60), where we drifted weightlessly, suspended for an hour in 10,000 pounds of Epsom salt and body-temperature water. 

Even in July’s heat, the walk to and from the AC Portsmouth to Flote was short and simple. 

Dinner at The Rooftop at Envio 

Whether or not you’re staying at the AC Portsmouth, do not miss having dinner at The Rooftop at Envio. Now being led by Deb Weeks and Chef Jesse Souza ( “Chef of the Year (2023),” Hospitality Maine), the rooftop restaurant boasts a killer cocktail list that pairs perfectly with their menu, which heavily features locally sourced, sharable dishes. 

During our sunset dinner, we were lucky enough to taste some of the summer shareables, including Cauliflower Brava ($14), Lettuce Wraps ($18), Flatbread ($17), Street Tacos ($15), and Crispy Halloumi ($15).