Those of us who call Portsmouth NH home know that we have all kinds of great things that go on all year long.  One very special event that has been taking place for the last 10 summers is our Tall Ships Festival, put on by the Piscataqua Maritime Commission.  The folks on that commission do a fabulous job bringing in Tall Ships for us to enjoy each year.

This year, the first of the four ships visiting for our Tall Ships Festival began arriving a week ago.  The Tall Ships Boat Parade was Friday morning, starting out at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor.  I watched them come into the harbor in Newcastle, and then I followed them through Newcastle and then down into the downtown area where they tied up at the State Piers downtown.

These ships are so majestic to see – just beautiful!

If you want to see more beautiful pictures of these Tall Ships, please check out Philip Case Cohen’s Photo Blog – The Daily Portsmouth.  His photographs are just beautiful!

Related Posts:
Tall Ships Are Coming to Portsmouth NH
The Scenes of Home in Portsmouth NH
The Sounds of Home in Portsmouth NH
Portsmouth NH Homes – Buying a Home and a Community

Images © 2009 Ann Cummings Portsmouth NH REALTOR
NH Coastal Living – Portsmouth NH Photo Blog

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.</P

It can mean the closeness of family and friends.  It can mean the closeness of all the water in and around Portsmouth.  It can mean the beautiful historic homes and rich history we’re surrounded with here.  It can mean the beautiful parks scattered all about town. 

It can mean the wonderful brick buildings that make up our downtown area.  It can mean sitting outside downtown at any number of outdoor cafes and restaurants.

To me, Portsmouth NH as my home means so many things, some of which are the iconic scenes that so many associate with this fabulous town……

….. the beautiful soaring steeple of the North Church, the Moran tugboats that navigate the river and harbor with grace and dignity, the bridges that connect Portsmouth NH with Kittery Maine, our beautiful parks ………. 

…..these and some much more are home to me, home here in Portsmouth New Hampshire.

Related Posts:
     The Sounds of Home in Portsmouth NH
     Buying A Home and A Community – Portsmouth NH Homes
     NH and Maine Coastal Living Pictures – Photo Blog
     Portsmouth NH Coastal Area – A Little Show and Tell

Would you like information on the Portsmouth New Hampshire real estate market?  Do you have questions about the buying or selling process?  Give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 x 3839 or send me an email and let’s talk real estate!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Below are examples of pictures you’ll find on my new photo blog:

So, with that in mind, I started my own photo blog – www.NHCoastalLiving.com.  And I invite you to check it out!

If you love Portsmouth NH homes, the City of Portsmouth, and just everything about living in and around Portsmouth, then you just might become a fan of New Hampshire Coastal Living Photo Blog!

I hope you enjoy the pictures there, and if you have pictures you’d like to share, I’d welcome your submissions, and will give you proper attribution.

Enjoy!
Ann

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Looking to catch some great fireworks displays in the Portsmouth NH area?

Here’s where some of them will be:

Friday, July 3rd -
Portsmouth fireworks starting at 9:15pm – South Mill Pond across from Portsmouth Middle School.  Music at 7:30pm.
York fireworks start at 9:05pm – Harbor Beach York Harbor.

Saturday, July 4th -
Dover fireworks start at 9pm – Maglaras Park.
Greenland fireworks start at 9pm – Bramber Valley Golf Course – outdoor grilling all evening.
Hampton fireworks start at 9:15pm – Hampton Beach area.
Rye fireworks start at dusk – Parson’s Field.

Sunday, July 5th -
York Beach fireworks start at 9:30pm – Ellis Park Short Sands Beach

UPDATE – Portsmouth NH fireworks have been move to Sunday night, July 5th, same time and location

Find a fireworks display near you and enjoy them!

I wish you and yours a safe and enjoyable 4th of July holiday weekend!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Rye New Hampshire Waterfront Homes –

Dreaming of Homes on the Water

Rye NH is a beautiful little seaside town along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.  The next town south of Portsmouth, it has an entirely different feel.  Parts of Rye are quite country-like feeling, parts of Rye are on the ocean and offer stunning views and beaches for summer fun, and there are beautiful estate-like settings scattered all throughout Rye, and we have everything in between as well.

To me, when I drive through Rye, I get a peaceful serene feeling inside.  The roads and scenery just make you want to take your time and soak in all the beauty around you.  All of our towns here in the Seacoast areas of NH offer incredible beauty, and all are slightly varied in their town personalities.

Homes in Rye are priced from $280,000 for a small 3-bedroom home that needs some work to $5,377,000 for a stunning 7,000 square foot home with fabulous views of the ocean, Little Harbor, Wentworth-by-the-Sea Marina and hotel, Wentworth Golf Course, and more.

If you’re interested in Rye New Hampshire homes with water views or waterfront homes, here’s a sampling of what’s currently for sale:

$625,000 – 2 bedroom contemporary home with panoramic views of the ocean and the Isles of Shoals from wonderful rooftop deck, quiet location yet steps from the ocean.

$659,000 – ocean views from beautiful 2 bedroom Arts and Crafts style home with 2 master suites just steps from the ocean and beaches.

$750,000 – enjoy lovely views of the Isles of Shoals and Atlantic Ocean from most rooms in this contemporary ranch with private pond.

$995,000 – ocean views and steps to sandy beach from this 4 bedroom 2-story home, potential for in-law living if needed.

$1,150,000 – 14 room Victorian-style home across the street from the ocean, ocean and marsh views, duplex or single family living – you choose!

$1,175,000 – great ocean views from most rooms in this charming seaside completely remodeled Victorian-style home.

$2,950,000 – gorgeous 10 room 2-story home with awesome views of Wentworth Marina and Golf Course, Little Harbor, Atlantic Ocean, and more.  Luxurious 6,300 square foot home loaded with every type of space for today’s living.

$3,195,000 – oceanfront estate setting for this renovated 2-story home right on the sandy beach. Almost an acre of beachfront living, fabulous views, vacation right at home here!

$3,350,000 – 6,000 square foot Victorian shingled seaside home, across the street from sandy beach and Rye Beach Club, amazing ocean views, luxurious appointments.

$3,500,000 – right on the sandy beach and the ocean beyond, completely renovated cape-style custom-built home, fabulous condition – fabulous location!

$4,500,000 – beautiful contemporary home offering views galore of Little Harbor, Atlantic Ocean, Wentworth Marina, Wentworth-by-the-Sea historic hotel.  6,500 square foot 2 story contemporary home.

If Rye NH Homes are what you’re looking for, look no further – we’ve got just the right home for you.  Give me a call or send me an email and let’s go find YOUR new Rye NH home!!

Would you like information on the New Hampshire or Maine real estate market? Do you have questions about the buying or selling process? Give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 x 3839 or send me an email and let’s talk Rye NH real estate!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington, Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery, Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

If you follow my blog and read my posts, you know I LOVE to show off this gorgeous Portsmouth New Hampshire area that I’m fortunate enough to call HOME!

And show it off, I do!

I thought I’d use this post to show off some of our beautiful New Hampshire coastline – rocky and sandy, and just as most would picture a New England coastline to be.

We have the smallest coastline in America – so small that most people not from this area and/or New England don’t even realize New Hampshire has a coastline.  We do, and it’s all of 17-18 miles long, from the Massachusetts border to the Maine border.  In almost 2 blinks of an eye, you can travel 3 states right here, and if you make that drive along the Atlantic Ocean route, you’ll see some spectacular scenery.  I like to call this area “God’s Country” – it really is.  And yes, I know I’m a teeny tiny bit partial, but if you could see what I see, I think you’d agree with me and the rest of us who get to live right here in the NH Seacoast.

I hope you enjoy the coastal scenery I’ve posted here!

And if you’re interested in making this beautiful area your home, I would just love to show you how easy it is to fall in love with the Portsmouth NH area and find a new home or condo here in the Seacoast NH areas.

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle,
Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington,
Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery,
Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

As you can see from the sign that greets you as you drive into Newcastle NH, you’re driving onto a quaint and charming island community, dating back to the early 1600’s.  There are a good number of homes in Newcastle that date back to the 1600’s that are still being lived in.

From the narrow winding streets, you’ll see some stunning antique homes, gorgeous water views of the Piscataqua River or the back channel, and a slightly modern day view of what life might have been like back then.

New Castle was originally known as “The Great Island”, being the largest of several islands in the mouth of the Piscataqua River.  The Piscataqua River is the dividing line between New Hampshire and Maine, and has the third fastest river current in the world.

Newcastle is the smallest town in New Hampshire, covering only .8 square miles, which is roughly 512 acres or so, and the only town in NH located entirely on islands.  Surrounded by water, New Castle is connected to the ‘mainland’ via the causeway to Portsmouth and a drawbridge to Rye, both taking you over water and offering up even more delightful views of our great Seacoast here in New Hampshire.

The current population of New Castle NH is 1,100 residents, giving it a population density of 1,376 people per square mile.  The island residents love seaside living, and get to enjoy a wonderful ocean side park called owned by the town, “Great Island Common“.

Great Island Common is a 31 acre ocean side park, open to local residents for no charge.  Non-residents, during the summer season have access for a small charge.  What a great place for family gatherings, picnics, swimming, and more.

New Castle Beach is right next to The Common, making it a perfectly relaxing place to spend the day with friends and family.  Because it’s tucked away like it is, very few of the summer tourists that descend on the area find their way to this quiet relaxing spot of seaside serenity.

New Castle residents have their own elementary school, Maude H. Trefethen Elementary School, for the town’s children to attend.  They move on to Portsmouth for middle school and high school.  Children from kindergarten through 6th grade in New Castle attend this school.

The stunningly renovated Wentworth-by-the-Sea Hotel is located on New Castle.  This hotel is on the National Register for Historic Places, deservedly so.  The “Hotel Wentworth”, as it was originally named, was built atop a hill in 1874, and has fabulous views of the Little Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean.  The 1905 Treaty of Portsmouth, which ended the Russo-Japanese War, was negotiated here by President Theodore Roosevelt.

A quaint quiet fishing village for most its existence, New Castle has played an important role in our country’s history.  Home to an actively operating Coast Guard Station, Newcastle is home to the historic Fort Constitution site and to the historic Fort Stark site.

Fort Constitution overlooks the Atlantic Ocean and the Piscataqua River, and was originally named Fort William and Mary.  This fort played a great role in the Revolutionary War.   Fort Stark was one of seven forts built to protect the Portsmouth Harbor.

Originally these forts were built to protect the colonists, but as the area’s importance in the ship-building industry grew and as the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard grew, the importance of these forts grew as well, and they all underwent major fortifications.

If you love history, be sure to check out the links to these forts, as there’s some great information in there not only about these forts, but others in the area.  The forts in the NH Seacoast area played major roles for our country.

New Castle New Hampshire is such a charming seaside town.  If you’re looking for island living and you want to be close to everything, you just might want to consider making New Castle NH your next home.

Newcastle NH may just be the perfect little community for you!  Beautiful towns in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire make finding your next dream home here easy – if you’re ready to start your search, I’m ready to help you as your New Hampshire REALTOR!

Come for a visit and you’ll soon find you’ll want to make this area YOUR HOME – you can then be AT HOME IN NEW CASTLE NEW HAMPSHIRE!!

Once you’re here, this area just makes you fall in love with it, and this just helps to make my job as your New Castle NH REALTOR that much more enjoyable to ensure you have as smooth a move as possible!

It’s no wonder so many people love living here in this area of NH and making it their HOME!  If you’re interested in learning more about making New Castle NH home – I’m ready to help you do just that!

Give me a call or send me an email, and let’s get started!!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle,
Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington,
Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery,
Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Send me an email or give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839.

Portsmouth New Hampshire Homes Show Off State Flower – Lilacs!

Lilacs are the state flower of New Hampshire, and one quick drive through town, and you’ll clearly see them all around Portsmouth NH homes.  For several weeks each May, the intoxicating scent of lilacs is all around you here in the NH Seacoast as well as all around the state…..breathe deeply……………ah….  I love that fragrance!

The first lilacs introduced into NH came to use via England in the 1750’s.   Royal Governor Benning Wentworth wanted them to showcase his Portsmouth NH historic home, now known as The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion.  Every summer, this historic home in Portsmouth is open for free tours, and each May you can see the lilacs bursting with those fragrant little flowers, descendents of the original lilacs brought over in the 1750’s.

The most common lilacs you’ll see around homes in Portsmouth NH are the lavender, deep purple and white lilacs.  In the last few years, light pink lilacs have been showing up, and I saw a couple of yellow lilacs recently as well.  Those are really beautiful, and striking when you see them because they’re not very common varieties of lilacs.  They smell just as beautiful as the more common colors.

This year’s Lilac Festival will be May 29th, from 10am to 4pm.  You’ll be able to buy beautiful lilac bushes, lilac-themed gifts, and refreshments.  Tours of The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion will be offered, as well as the opening of an art exhibition.  The festival is free to all who attend, donations are most certainly welcome, so feel free to donate whatever you feel being able to see and smell this beauty is worth to you!

Whenever I’m near lilacs, I can’t help put gather a branch, pull it to me, and breathe in deeply that heady lilac scent.  I can never get enough!  Fortunately for me, I have my own lilac bushes around my own Portsmouth home.

I wish I could put a ‘scratch and sniff’ tool on my post so you could experience their fragrance as well…. who knows, some day soon ‘scratch and sniff’ may be a tool that comes with all computers.  As a friend always said, “if we can think it, someone somewhere has or will create it’.  I’m waiting!!

If you’re interested in buying or selling homes or condos in the Portsmouth NH real estate market, let me know. I love helping people achieve their real estate goals!

Once you’re here, this area just makes you fall in love with it, and this just helps to make my job as your Portsmouth NH REALTOR that much more enjoyable to ensure you have as smooth a move as possible! Give me a call or send me an email, and let’s get started!!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle,
Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington,
Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery,
Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Send me an email or give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839.

Rye New Hampshire is a beautiful scenic small town located right on the coast of NH.  We have the smallest coastline in the country, and it’s just beautiful!  Our small 17 mile long coastline is just as most picture New England’s coast – some rocky coastal areas and some beautiful sand stretches of beach.

Our coastline offers some wonderful scenery and beautiful peaceful settings along the coastal route of Route 1-A, which follows the ocean.  You’ll find great fishing spots, as well as whale-watching trips and deep-sea fishing cruises, all from Rye Harbor.

The drive along Route 1-A, Ocean Boulevard, is so tranquil, it can really soothe your soul.  It’s one of my favorite drives, and is a favorite of most locals.

There are some truly stunning Rye homes along this drive, most were built as summer homes in the Victorian times.  Today, many of these Rye NH homes are now used as year-round residences.

Rye NH became the summer playground for the rich and famous during the early 1900’s for many years.  Many of the local residents today can trace their roots many generations back to the early settlers of Rye.

Students in Rye attend Rye Elementary School and Rye Junior High School, and then go on to Portsmouth High School, as part of the School Administrative Unit #50.  Rye Elementary covers pre-school through 5th grade, and Rye Junior High covers 6th grade through 8th grade.  The Rye PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) is very active, holding monthly meetings as the Rye Library during the school year.  They take to heart the Rye School System’s slogan of “every child – one voice”.

Rye NH is in a great location – right along the Atlantic Ocean, less than an hour’s drive south into Boston, and an hour north to Portland Maine.  Manchester NH and Manchester Airport is a 45 minute drive west, and loads of winter activities can be found within less than a 2 hour drive from Rye.  Portsmouth NH is the next town over, just a short few minutes drive away.

These pictures show a sampling of the beautiful homes in Rye NH:

Come for a visit and you’ll soon find you’ll want to make this area YOUR HOME – you can then be AT HOME IN RYE NEW HAMPSHIRE!!

The beauty of this area just makes selling homes in the Seacoast areas of New Hampshire and southern Maine such a pleasure!

It’s no wonder so many people love living here and making Rye NH their HOME!  If you’re interested in exploring making Rye your home, I’m at your service!

Please give me a call at 603-431-1111 x 3839 or send me an email to Ann@AnnCummings.com. I’d welcome the opportunity to talk with you, find out your real estate needs, and offer you my real estate assistance!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle,
Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington,
Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery,
Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Send me an email or give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839.

It’s really very easy to fall in love with Portsmouth New Hampshire, and the whole NH and Maine Seacoast area! We have so much to offer both residents and visitors alike.

It’s really very easy to fall in love with Portsmouth New Hampshire, and the whole NH and Maine Seacoast area!

We have so much to offer both residents and visitors alike.  As a matter of fact, many buyers I’ve worked with over time initially came here as visitors, returning again and again, and then decided to make Portsmouth their primary home.

And it’s no surprise they do, if you ask me!  

Five GREAT reasons to make Portsmouth YOUR home:

~~  Portsmouth has a terrific location!

We are right here on the coast of New Hampshire, just 45 minutes south of Portland Maine and 45 minutes north of Boston, Mass.  The closest snow skiing is an easy 30-40 minute drive to Gunstock Ski Mountain.  The coast, with our beautiful beaches and Atlantic Ocean, is right here at our doorstep.   We’ve got great highway access for all major commuter routes, airports in 3 cities are less than an hour’s drive and we have a small airport right here in Portsmouth, Amtrak rail service is just 15 minutes away.

~~  Portsmouth is just full of all kinds of things to do year-round!

We’ve got parks, multiple theaters and venues for all kinds of productions – plays, musicals, concerts, etc.  Loads of shopping abounds all over the place, and we’ve got just about every kind of dining right here in Portsmouth that you can think of!  Spring through Fall, our Seacoast Farmer’s Market runs every Saturday - a great place to buy fresh local produce, make new friends, and meet up with old friends.

~~  Portsmouth has great schools!

And those great schools include a beautifully renovated and expanded high school.  We have 3 wonderful elementary schools, serving the various neighborhoods around town.  And to add to all that our schools have to offer, we have a brand new beautiful library right next door to the Middle School.  In addition to our great schools right here, we’re only a few minutes away from the University of New Hampshire, located in Durham.  UNH has one of the prettiest college campuses you’ll ever see!

~~  Portsmouth offers great housing opportunities!

And we’ve got homes of all kinds, with a home to fit everyone’s needs.  Being in New England, we have all kinds of antique homes as well as lovely new construction homes, and everything in between.  We’ve got great condos – both conversions as well as newly built, in all price ranges.  We have plenty of homes for buyers to choose from, and with today’s interest rates what they are & prices a little lower than they were last year, it’s a GREAT time to be a buyer!

~~  Portsmouth’s economic environment is great!

We’ve got many great businesses here in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.  Over the last few years, a number of high-tech businesses have relocated to this area, causing this area to be dubbed the “e-Coast“.  Our downtown area has free wireless set up, a perfect environment for businesses and business people who love being downtown.  They are looking into expanding this further to encompass more of the downtown area as well going into some of the neighborhoods close to downtown.  Plus here in New Hampshire, we have NO income tax nor do we have a sales tax!!

There are so many other reasons to convince you Portsmouth is a great place to call home – you just have to come see for yourself why so many of us just love making our homes in Portsmouth!

Come to visit – come to STAY because you’ll want to make Portsmouth New Hampshire YOUR home!

Once you’re here, this area just makes you fall in love with it, and this just helps to make my job as your Portsmouth NH REALTOR that much more enjoyable to ensure you have as smooth a move as possible!

If you’re interested in buying or selling homes or condos in the Portsmouth NH real estate market, let me know.  I love helping people achieve their real estate goals!

Give me a call or send me an email, and let’s get started!!

Servicing the New Hampshire towns of Portsmouth, Newcastle,
Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Stratham, Exeter, Greenland, Newington,
Dover, Durham and surrounding areas, and the Maine towns of Kittery,
Kittery Point, Eliot, South Berwick, York, and surrounding areas.

Send me an email or give me a call at 1-888-349-5678 ext 3839.

]]> http://www.newhampshirerealestateforsale.com/featured/at-home-in-portsmouth-new-hampshire/feed/ 1