this light sits behind the coast guard station in portsmouth harbor and is thoroughly inaccessible…read moresince the plannedemic according to the goat keepers which kind of detracts from the whole "let's go see some historic lighthouses" experience but slightly enhances the "we're already here so let's go have a look" and "do you think the coast guard is hiding something back there?" aspects of the trip so it's almost a push. original tower erected in 1771 was the first light north of bean-town; the current forty-eight foot tower was built in 1878, the focal plane for the fixed green light is 52' up and visible for 12 nautical miles give or take... automated in 1960 the light is still in use and the coast guard still holds title but the 'merican lighthouse foundation holds license since 2000 with the local chapter acting as stewards and fixing whatever needs it. the light is supposedly open to the public a few days each year but not right now because of storm damage and the impending change of seasons.

With Fort Constitution closed, all opportunities to visit the lighthouse are null. You can see…read moreanother lighthouse at the distance, in an island and maybe available with a boat, but the Portsmouth Harbor lighthouse is not available. You can walk around, go into street that lead to the area, but the lighthouse is not visible from the street unless you go further. Basically, skip until the fort is open again.

Cute little bridge that you can definitely jump on! Having been to other suspension bridges, I can…read moresay this one is just as wiggly as Lynn Canyon in Canada. It's small obviously, not the views in the area are commanding. My only complaint is that parking is really tricky. We had to park at a store and walk a bit (not awful but not ideal). Anyway, would hike this trail again! It was relatively flat, shaded, and not crowded.

"Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle in your boots and shoes Wiggle,…read morewiggle, wiggle, you got nothing to lose" (Bob Dylan) Ever since I stumbled upon a Yelp listing for something as awesomely named as "The Wiggly Bridge", I knew I just had to make a visit happen one of these days. Pulling off that visit was difficult, because following the address we had put us in the middle of a residential neighborhood with "Permit Parking Only" signs galore. We parked off to the side, held our breath, crossed our fingers, and looked for the Bridge, which was nowhere to be found. Luckily, a gent was walking near us, and he directed us to a long circuitous walk down an elevated path, under the road, and across a marine walkway. As we walked and walked and walked, we finally caught sight of the big green spires that told us we had found the elusive Wiggly Bridge. The Wiggly Bridge is just 75 feet long, and I've seen a few sources claim it's the smallest suspension bridge in the world. And yes, we can confirm that when you walk across it, it most definitely bounces, wiggles, and flexes under your feet. I can also confirm that on a rainy day (like today), the Bridge should really be named "The Wiggly and Slippery Bridge", because it was slippery as hell.

You stumble upon the burying ground without really expecting it. On the corner of a dead-end street…read moreis a statue representing Mother Africa reaching out to her children. Look down that side street and you see the monument follows the road from the statue to the end. There are plaques along the way with information about how the memorial came to be. There is a QR code you can scan for more information as well. The city did a nice job creating this memorial to those citizens who were buried and forgotten to time. Who were not seen as deserving of a burial in sacred ground. Whose names and lives not deemed worthy of remembering. A much deserved memorial.

Portsmouth did a great job at paying respects to the Black residents who were buried here. It is…read moresad the originally they did not, actually painful. In 2003, construction workers discovered the site while doing work on the street. They found the remains of Black Portsmouth residents. A 1705 map sited the cemetery but the site was paved over. By the 1800s houses were on the site and the cemetery was gone. A sewer line went through the coffins. The Black residents were buried in the same fashion as white residents at the time. Sadly they do not know who they are. To correct the disrespect, the city built the memorial park that is here today. If you have time, I highly recommend doing the Black Heritage Trail.

During our visit in early May there were few people here making for a quiet visit. There are…read moreseveral picnic tables and a few benches scattered around the property with beautiful views of the water. This fort was active through many wars and then decommissioned while building a protective wall around the property. Huge slabs of quarried stone, partually carved blocks and lots of stone 'chips' are scattered about. There are a few information signs detailing the history of Fort McClary and some buildings have signs that state the building purpose. Foundations of some buildings is all that remains. They have a few cannons on display. Check out their website for information on events and when the fort is manned. There is a seperate picnic grove up the road about 50 yards across the street. A dirt parking lot holds around a dozen vehicles or so and there is an 'RV turn around' area, but no parking for RV's or busses here. One outhouse is located past the end of the parking lot. There is a wooded trail at the back corner.

they have been shooting off loud cannons all weekend. we live right across the harbor in new…read morecastle, nh and the cannon noise goes on until after 9 pm at night scaring our small children and dogs. it is unnecessary and when we called dalton richardson the park manager at 207-357-3642 we got nothing but blather and defensiveness. this is an incredibly poorly managed park with no oversite to the people shooting off the revolutionary war cannons and no interest in what the public cares about.

A fun and interesting way to spend some time in Portsmouth. I visited town during off-season and…read morethis was one of the few tourist attractions still open. Touring the actual sub can be done in 20-30 min. If you're claustrophobic, the first couple areas are tight but it soon opens up. If you have mobility issues, it'll be tough to maneuver. This doesn't take away from my experience but something to consider for others. The attached museum/gift shop is nice and packs in a lot. It's a one time visit for me but glad I went.

This was an amazing experience!! We went on a whim and as someone who knows nothing about…read moresubmarines, I learned so much and it was super engaging. The self guided tour has little speakers with buttons along the way that tells you all about how the ship works and amazing stories from the crew! The inside museum was really cool as well!! There's a periscope inside that you can move around and look all around the area surrounding the building! A documentary about the ship plays on loop inside as well. The staff was extremely friendly and helpful, and they were excited to talk about the submarine! The prices are 1000% worth it and I would totally do this again if I was in the area. They have tons of memorabilia to look at and gifts to buy as well! We will be back!!

We had an incredible time on our bike tour with Donna. We did the 3 hr tour hitting every part of…read morePortsmouth. Our e-bikes worked great and were very comfortable. Donna was a true historian of the area and told us all about the history and prominent sites with her enthusiastic energy which made it truly interesting. Our ride was challenging enough to keep us active and moving while being totally doable. What a great way to see the area in a way that would be very difficult to do on your own as a visitor. I highly recommend it!

Really great tour. The guide was spectacular. Coming from a former horse trail guide myself I have…read moreto say she was beyond amazing. Incredibly informative and knew so much history about the town. She was super friendly and really nice. Made everyone feel extremely comfortable when riding and knowing the rules. The ride itself was extremely scenic and beautiful. I didn't give it 5 stars due to this site as they will sometimes put the higher stars lower and because the quality of the bikes. 2 bikes had issues while riding. One was the one I was riding. I would have given less stars because of the bikes, but the guide was so amazing I upped the stars. Truly the company needs to invest in better quality of bikes. You get what you pay for. Again, fantastic guide!

A nice little museum but it really isn't John Paul Jones' house. The house depicts the history of…read morePortsmouth but JPJ simply stayed at the home but it was not his. The historical value is in the rehab and Portsmouth artifacts contained in the house. The exhibition on the Portsmouth Peace Treaty is really good, they should actually highlight that more than the JPJ side of it. The Museum shop is very small and not much to look at. Overall it is ok but I would rather spend my time on another stop.

If you're a history buff you will no doubt like this place. It's full of period pieces, great…read morestoryboards, historical charm and provides a great sense of what living here during the late 18th century would have been like. After having toured John Paul Jones' tomb at the Naval Academy in Annapolis and getting a great history lesson there from our tour guide, we were anxious to stop at this house during our recent visit to Portsmouth. Conveniently, it was right around the corner from our hotel! The house is run by the Portsmouth Historical Society who have done a great job re-establishing the home to its current state after what we learned were years of neglect. With volunteer help and amazing contributions of historical furniture and other items from committed supporters, the home really does bring you into the age of John Paul Jones. I didn't mind the $5 senior citizen admission charge knowing that it was going to support the upkeep and maintenance of such a historic place. The representative from the Historical Society provided an excellent narrative of the significance of the home and all that is contained therein. Very informative. Then we were free to wonder at our leisure. What was a surprise, however, was that this was really NOT John Paul Jones' house. Yes, he rented a room here on two occasions during the construction of war ships. I was under the mistaken impression that he owned this house. Turns out that he was just a boarder here. Nonetheless, you'll get a good overview of his life and the significance of the man known as the Father of the U.S. Navy.

Just can't resist a quickie to pop in and add Tuck-Leavitt Mill in Hampton. Maybe my Moulton…read moreancestors knew this place! This mill was rebuilt in 1897 by the same guy who built Hampton Casino in 1901. Old stones are used for the stairs and the water runs under the building with abandon. Where's the mandated safety?!

While the Memorial Bridge looks old, it was actually completed in 2013. The vertical lift bridge…read morereplaced a similar bridge built in 1923 that crossed the Piscataqua River connecting New Hampshire and Maine as part of historic Rt. 1 highway. The bridge honors U.S. forces that served during World War I. The bridge center section is able to raise and allow large boats to pass under using a fascinating chain mechanism. In addition to vehicle traffic, pedestrians can walk or bike across the bridge on a walkway. Picturesque views can be seen from the bridge. There is nearby free parking if you get there early. The sidewalks are accessible. Worth a visit if you like engineering or great scenery.

I hate it when I miss the previous bridge... original…read morebridge, rumored to be the first toll free crossing in these parts, was up and running in 1923 and had continued apace for the larger part of a century before responsible persons determined that the area was long past due for a new bridge. so down went the old bridge in all its antiquated glory to be replaced by a modern but still fabulously bridgey structure. nice that they kept the vertical lift span to permit the passage of ships and boats and all that floats... the central section of the 1200-foot bridge has about 130 feet of clearance to the water at full lift, considerably less when lowered. the lift section is raised for fifteen minutes every thirty in season (I am assuming this is on an as needed basis) and on call for commercial traffic in excess of 100 tonnes because, well, you know... commerce.

our guide, Knut Realsvig, was absolutely wonderful. we have been to Portsmouth quite a lot and my…read morewife has ancestors from here. we didn't expect to learn anywhere near as much as we did, but Knut was incredibly knowledgeable as well as great company. He apologized for going a bit long which he had no need to do. We enjoyed every minuute. 6 out of 5 Paul and Lois

Fantastic Tour!!! I'm a resident and love taking this tour. I love taking guests on this walking…read moretour when they are here for a visit. A great way to see downtown and get a quick and interesting history lesson. The tour guides are knowledgeable, informative, funny. I can't say enough good things about this tour. A must do if you are in the area!!!