Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
America's third-oldest city (1623), Portsmouth wears its history on its sleeve. Its roots
are in shipbuilding, but New Hampshire's sole coastal city also has a hip, youthful en-
ergy. The old maritime warehouses along the harbor now house cafes and boutiques. El-
egant period homes built by shipbuilding tycoons have been converted into B&Bs.
Sights & Activities
Strawbery Banke Museum
MUSEUM
( 603-433-1100;
www.strawberybanke.org
;
cnr Hancock & Marcy Sts; adult/child $17.50/10;
10am-5pm May-Oct)
Spread across a 10-acre site, the Strawbery Banke Museum is an ec-
lectic blend of period homes that date back to the 1690s. Costumed guides recount tales
of events that took place among the 40 buildings (10 furnished). Strawbery Banke in-
cludes
Pitt Tavern
(1766), a hotbed of American revolutionary sentiment,
Goodwin
Mansion
(a grand 19th-century house from Portsmouth's most prosperous time) and
Ab-
bott's Little Corner Store
(1943). The admission ticket is good for two consecutive
days.
USS Albacore
MUSEUM
( 603-436-3680;
http://ussalbacore.org
;
600 Market St; adult/child $6/3; 9:30am-5pm
Jun-mid-Oct, to 4pm Thu-Mon mid-Oct-May)
Like a fish out of water, this 205ft-long sub-
marine is now a beached museum on a grassy lawn. Launched from Portsmouth Naval
Shipyard in 1953, the
Albacore
was once the world's fastest submarine.
Isles of Shoals Steamship Co
CRUISE
( 603-431-5500;
www.islesofshoals.com
; 315 Market St; adult/child $28/18; )
From mid-
June to October the company runs an excellent tour of the harbor and the historic Isles of
Shoals aboard a replica 1900s ferry. Look into the all-day whale-watching and shorter
sunset, hip-hop and dinner cruises.
Sleeping
Ale House Inn
INN$$$
( 603-431-7760;
www.alehouseinn.com
; 121 Bow St; r $150-280; )
This brick warehouse
for the Portsmouth Brewing Company is now Portsmouth's snazziest boutique, fusing
contemporary design with comfort. Rooms are modern with clean lines of white and
