The heart of Portsmouth is this picturesque square, set neatly beneath the soaring white spire of the North Church. Within a few steps of the square are open-air cafes, colorful storefronts, and tiny galleries where banjo-playing buskers entertain the tourists and locals that drift past on warm summer nights.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Nahcotta

0.12 MILES

Nahcotta is one of Portsmouth's key galleries, located in the historical center.

2. Moffatt-Ladd House

0.16 MILES

Originally built by an influential ship captain for his son, the Georgian Moffatt-Ladd House was later the home of General William Whipple, a signer of…

3. John Paul Jones House

0.18 MILES

This former boardinghouse is where America's first great naval commander resided in Portsmouth. Jones, who uttered, 'I have not yet begun to fight!'…

4. Strawbery Banke Museum

0.25 MILES

Spread across a 10-acre site, the Strawbery Banke Museum is an eclectic blend of period homes that date back to the 1690s. Costumed guides recount tales…

5. Prescott Park

0.3 MILES

Overlooking the Piscataqua River, this small, grassy park with gardens makes a pleasant setting for a picnic. More importantly, it's the leafy backdrop to…

6. South Ward Meetinghouse

0.37 MILES

The towering meetinghouse, completed in 1866, replaced a parish meetinghouse that had been on the site since 1731. A stop on the Black Heritage Trail, the…

7. Wentworth Gardner House

0.41 MILES

This 1760 structure is one of the finest Georgian houses in the US. Elizabeth and Mark Hunking Wentworth were among Portsmouth's wealthiest and most…

8. USS Albacore

0.6 MILES

Like a fish out of water, this 205ft-long submarine is now a beached museum on a grassy lawn. Launched from Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in 1953, the…