Thanks to those gusting winds, we were late leaving Gloucester which meant there was no way we were going to make it to our scheduled Maine destination. That realization necessitated an alternate plan. Lucky for us Portsmouth, New Hampshire was about 3 hours away and the marina at Wentworth By the Sea had one slip available. We were more than happy to have it as judging from the number of boats there, the resort is a popular destination. For us, it was an unexpected bonus!
We were relieved to be in place, and before doing any exploring of this very attractive resort we brought out goodies for tini time. It was great to just sit back, relax and forget about the challenge of getting here!
What made the location really special was its proximity to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, one of my favorite New England towns. Luckily, the resort has loaner cars which made it possible to make a quick trip into town.
Portsmouth is a place where on sunny summer days, folks enjoy sitting at a sidewalk cafe
and musicians like this fella playing a unique Swedish instrument enjoy playing for passersby.
For a small town, Portsmouth is full of shops and restaurants. In a short period of time, I made as many of the shops as possible and came away with some new duds and an addition to my birdhouse collection. You’ll likely see it later, perhaps as part of a tablescape.
Most of the downtown area is on the Piscataqua River which separates New Hampshire from Maine. The state line is right in the middle of the river, and every time I cross the bridge separating the two states, I wonder how that boundary was determined.
Though this facility is called the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, it is actually in Kittery, Maine,
as is this one time prison for recalcitrant naval and marine personnel. According to Wikipedia, it was abandoned in the 1970’s and remains standing because it is too costly to tear down.
With its storied history and early New England architecture, Portsmouth is well worth a visit if you are ever up this way. And, if you want to stay in a really super place, the Wentworth Resort is it. You can bet we are planning on returning to the marina for a longer stay!
i so appreciate your visit and the comments you leave behind
Lulu's Musings 
What a beautiful town…have never been there….I love reading about your ports of call….and yes, what a great unexpected bonus.
Sounds fabulous. That Inn is calling to me.
Listen to the call!
Looks delightful!
Lulu….the Tuscany Table Fairy told me to let you know he enjoyed your blog on Portsmouth. He lived in Portsmouth where his dad was stationed at Pease AFB for a number of years. He also worked at the Wentworth By the Sea during his high school and college years. We have been staying there every year in late November since Marriott restored and reopened the hotel. We both love the town, the shops, atmosphere and great eats. I have seen it mostly in the winter so the summer photo shots are nice to see. We usually have Thanksgiving dinner at the Wentworth or at Hartstone Inn. Hope you are both doing well. We moved to Williamsburg, VA about 3.5 years ago from Hawaii and enjoy the area. If you ever visit the area let us know.
Terry and the Tuscany Table Fairy
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So lovely.
Linda, what a lovely place…so glad you made it there safely! Pam @ Everyday Living
What a lovely town to visit, with so many attractive buildings and architecture. I love visiting towns like this one and exploring them just like you did. 🙂
We stayed at Wentworth back in the 70’s. Is it still the wooden structure it was then? T’was beautiful and food was delish.
No, it is now a very plush resort, privately owned but operated by Marriott.