Portsmouth New Hampshire Photo Spots: A Complete Guide to the Best Photograph Locations
Portsmouth New Hampshire is a coastal city in the United States. It has a population of just over 20,000 and is located on the southern coast of New Hampshire. Portsmouth is a tourist destination with many popular photo spots. The city boasts historic homes, lovely parks, working harbors, and more!
Remember to check out the official GoXplr New Hampshire Map to find great spots all around the state!
#1 Memorial Bridge
- Address: U.S. Route 1, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The Memorial Bridge is a bridge that spans the Piscataqua River in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It connects the downtown area of Portsmouth to Kittery, Maine. The first bridge at this location was constructed in 1923 and lasted until 2012. In 1999, the Memorial Bridge was renamed in honor of all those who have served our country in war. Originally, it was known as the North Bridge.
The current vertical-lift bridge was built in 2013. The Memorial Bridge is open to cars, pedestrians, and bicyclists. It does have a sidewalk. The bridge is not only functional, its extremely beautiful!
#2 USS Albacore Museum
- Address: 600 Market St, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The USS Albacore Museum is a super cool sight located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The museum features a decommissioned Albacore submarine that was used by the Navy during World War II. The museum is open to the public and offers tours of the submarine.
The USS Albacore Museum was built in 1944 and served as a submarine for the US Navy during World War II. It was decommissioned from service in 1970 and donated to the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire in 1973. The museum offers tours of the submarine that are available for visitors on Saturdays from 10:00am to 4:00pm or by appointment on weekdays. A must-visit location in Portsmouth!
Learn more and get tickets at https://www.ussalbacore.org/
#3 North Church of Portsmouth
- Address: 2 Congress Street, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The North Church of Portsmouth, New Hampshire is a stunning United Church of Christ. It was originally built in 1712 and rebuilt in 1854. The architect was John Stevens, a prominent local builder. The church features beautiful architecture including a large bell tower which has become an iconic sight. The tower stands over a hundred feet tall and can be seen throughout the city. In 2006, the church and steeple underwent extensive renovation project through a capital campaign.
#4 Strawbery Banke Museum
- Address: 14 Hancock St, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The Strawbery Banke Museum is an outdoor history museum in Portsmouth’s South End historic area. It is the oldest European-settled neighborhood in New Hampshire, as well as the oldest neighborhood in the present-day city of Portsmouth. It includes more than 37 restored buildings in the Colonial, Georgian, and Federal styles built during the 17th and 19th centuries. The structures used to be grouped around Puddle Dock, a waterway that was filled in in 1900. The previous waterway has been transformed into a big open park.
To see the historic buildings, experience the interactive displays, and explore the magnificent gardens, plan on spending 1.5 to 2 hours. General admission tickets are available online and at the TYCO Visitors Center box office.
Learn more at https://www.strawberybanke.org/
#5 Prescott Park
- Address: 105 Marcy St, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
Prescott Park is a beachfront park in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, that spans ten acres. Josie and Sarah Prescott, two sisters, bought the estate in the 1930s. The sisters, both public school teachers, had used an inheritance to buy and clear land along the Piscataqua River in a systematic manner. The sisters’ vision was to build a free and open-to-all public waterfront park to replace a run-down and filthy industrial sector. The Prescott sisters’ trust was founded in 1949 with a sum of $500,000. In 1954, the park was bequeathed to the city of Portsmouth for public pleasure.
Today, the park is free to visit and has become a popular spot for locals and tourists. In the spring and summer, beautiful flowers can be found blooming!
#6 Governor John Langdon House
- Address: 143 Pleasant St, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The Governor John Langdon House is a historic house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. It was built in 1814 by John Langdon (1741-1819) who is well-known as a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence. He was also a three-term mayor in New Hampshire, a merchant, a Revolutionary War leader, and the father of James G. Blaine.
This historic home is located at the corner of Court and Pleasant Streets, near the waterfront and north of downtown Portsmouth. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 2, 1973. It is a exceptional Georgian mansion which George Washington “esteemed the first” in Portsmouth. Don’t miss out on seeing this gem!
#7 Moffatt-Ladd House & Garden
- Address: 154 Market St, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The Moffatt-Ladd Home, also known as the William Whipple House, is a historic house museum in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. William Whipple, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Revolutionary War commander, lived in the 1763 Georgian residence. The home was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1968 and it is currently owned by the National Society of Colonial Dames in New Hampshire. The organization does open the home and grounds to the public regularly.
Due to its prominent location, visitors of the house and garden enjoy a wonderful view of Portsmouth Harbor from within the home. The garden at the Moffatt-Ladd house is one of the most beautiful gardens in New England. It dates back to 1768 when Sarah Catherine Mason Moffatt planted an English damask rose. In 1776, William Whipple planted a horse chestnut tree which has become enormous and was designated the Millennium Landmark Tree for the State of New Hampshire in 2000, and is on the National Register of Historic Trees. In the late nineteenth century, Alexander Hamilton Ladd laid out the complete garden. Alexander was a passionate bulb gardener.
You can learn more about the house and get tickets at https://moffattladd.org/
#8 Old Harbor
- Address: Ceres St, Portsmouth, NH
- Directions: HERE
The Old Harbor is one of the most fun places to observe and photograph in Portsmouth. On the docks, there are always colorful fishing boats and red tug boats. The harbor is extremely active with boats coming and leaving at all hours of the day. Fishing vessels and tour boats call the harbor home. Additionally, the red tug boats have become iconic. The Piscataqua River passage, which connects Maine and New Hampshire, is famously rough, with one of the country’s most treacherous currents, therefore tugboats stand ready to safely escort tankers and other large vessels through.
_________________
Two spots in the neighboring town of New Castle, New Hampshire to check out:
Fort Stark
- Address: 211 Wild Rose Ln, New Castle, NH
- Directions: HERE
Fort Stark is a former military stronghold in the United States, located in New Castle, New Hampshire. The fort is located at Jerry’s Point on the southeastern extremity of New Castle Island. The majority of the remaining defenses were built in the early twentieth century, while there were many earlier fortifications on the site. The fort was named after John Stark, a New Hampshire officer who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War’s Battle of Bennington. The goal of Fort Stark was to protect Portsmouth’s harbor and the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
Today, the site provides visitors a unique opportunity to explore the old coastal forts and enjoy beautiful views of Portsmouth Harbor and beyond!
Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse
- Address: 25 Wentworth Rd, New Castle, NH
- Directions: HERE
The Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse in New Hampshire. It was built in 1878 and is still in operation today.
The Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse was built to replace the old 1827 lighthouse which was no longer able to provide enough light for the port of Portsmouth. The new lighthouse had a 3-order Fresnel lens with a focal length of 65 feet and an intensity of about 1 million candlepower. Today, the 48-foot lighthouse continues to be active and provides an important navigational aid for sailors entering the Piscataqua River.
Responses