[This article appears in the January/February 2020 issue of Boston Spirit magazine. Subscribe for free today.]
Looking for a postcard-pretty getaway in the middle of a New England winter? Head to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, a picturesque seaport with a small but thriving LGBTQ community. We’ve got a bucket list of 13 different ways to shop, dine and explore.
Reserve a room at the Inn Downtown, a centrally located, 1809-built property that has been transformed to feature 10 contemporary, kitchenette-equipped suites offering all the amenities of home. Guests get total privacy, starting with the independent check-in, but enjoy thoughtful appointments and little perks—like pre-arrival grocery delivery, so your fridge is already stocked.
Replenish your wardrobe with a trip to Sault—a men’s lifestyle shop that also has a location in Boston’s South End. From refined-rustic fashions to leather goods and luxurious personal care products, it’s got plenty of fabulous finds for gifting yourself.
Support Seacoast Outright, an organization that supports LGBTQ young people in the Portsmouth area. Not only does Seacoast organize the annual Portsmouth Pride parade, but it hosts community events, youth meetings, and parent support groups throughout the year.
Pick up a love potion at Deadwick’s Ethereal Emporium, a unique magic shop tucked quietly down a quaint Portsmouth street. The four-year-old, queer-friendly boutique is beloved by New England’s witch community, and sells everything from tarot cards to talismans to special gems and oils for spellcasting.
Stop for pastries at Teatotaller, a café in Somersworth, New Hampshire, which is just outside of Portsmouth. Its management team, which includes the trans justice organizer at the ACLU of New Hampshire, is known for celebrating and advocating for the local LGBTQ community. Several of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have made stops here, and maybe you’ll even spot a drag show while snagging a scone.
Take in a show with Seacoast Repertory Theater, a fantastic professional organization in the heart of downtown. Show tune queens will love this year’s lineup, which includes “Ragtime” throughout February, as well as a live version of the drag classic “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” in April and May. (The theater also hosts a recurring “Drag Haus” series of performances.)
Bite into a beefy meal at Brgr Bar, owned by renowned local restaurateur Phelps Craig and her wife. The inventive patties—made with responsibly raised meat from a Maine family farm—feature fun toppings like ancho aioli or smoked fig and apple jam. There are also quirky apps, such as Buffalo-style Brussels sprouts and boozy, adult milkshakes.
Strap on your skates and hit the ice rink at the Strawbery Banke Museum. The outdoor museum, a 10-acre collection of historic buildings that tell the story of the oldest neighborhood in New Hampshire to be settled by Europeans. The museum’s Puddle Duck Pond is a quaint little spot to rent blades and sip hot chocolate on a romantic wintertime playdate.
See what’s new at 3S Artspace, a hip multidisciplinary complex that contains a buzzy taco restaurant, gallery for rotating exhibits of boundary-pushing visual art, and a flexible performance space that hosts everything from film festivals to fashion shows to cool bands. It’s where you’ll find “Bunny and the Fox,” a live series starring “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum Joslyn Fox and Bunny Wonderland, a cult-favorite in the local drag scene. (The next spate of shows kick off on February 22.)
Find an inclusive community through Feminist Oasis, an organization founded by activist, community organizer, and communications expert Crystal Paradis—who also works with Seacoast Outright to coordinate Portsmouth Pride. All genders are welcome at the meetups, which include everything from book clubs to hiking trips, so there’s a visible queer contingent.
Sip a selection of New Hampshire-made wines at the Portsmouth tasting room of LaBelle Winery. The bottle-stuffed shop has a counter where helpful grape experts pour out flights of grape-based whites and reds, as well as more unique fruit wines—such as a standout dry pear selection, and a luscious red raspberry-based dessert wine.
Hang out with Seacoast Gay Men, a social organization that meets every Monday in or around Kittery, Maine, which neighbors Portsmouth. Potlucks, movie and trivia nights are among the experiences—and the crowds range from late bloomers to those who have been out pre-Stonewall.
Take a trip to Ogunquit. The gay beach town—which takes on a different, but equally appealing kind of charm in the off-season—is only a 20-minute drive from Portsmouth. So it’s easy to take in a show at the Ogunquit Playhouse, visit the piano bar at the Front Porch restaurant for a singalong, or cut up the dance floor at the year-round Mainestreet nightclub.
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