Your Best Summer Experience Isn’t By Car, It’s on a Bike in New Hampshire

Summer gives us the chance to be outside, soaking up the sunshine and warm air. Our New Hampshire summers seem short, so spending as much time as possible outdoors when it's warm is a necessity. So, what outdoor activities do you enjoy during summer in New Hampshire? One of my favorite ways to get fresh air, Vitamin D from the sun, exercise, and explore an area is on a bike ride. If you're like me, you'll want to join in on a super fun guided bike tour in Portsmouth with Port City Bike Tours!

If you're looking for a unique way to explore the city of Portsmouth, an excursion with Port City Bike Tours is an excellent option. New Hampshire resident and owner, Dawn, has lived in New Hampshire since 1983 and believes that "a guided bike ride is the best way to explore a city." I have to agree! Not only is it a great way to see the sights, but the tour involves a history lesson at each stop along the route.

Your guide will personalize the two-hour tour in both a fun and informative way. First, you will pick up your bike, helmet, and fluorescent yellow safety vest, and listen to the rules of the road along with bike safety instructions. Once that's all set and your guide has made introductions, it's time to hit the road!

The first leg of the group bike tour takes you to Prescott Park on the water, where your guide will share the history of shipbuilding in the city, a primary economic driver from the 1800s through the mid-1900s. You'll also hear about the park's islands. Next, you'll pedal through the park to the village area of New Castle Island and Wentworth by the Sea, a historic hotel.

If you're curious as to how New Hampshire's motto became "Live Free or Die," you'll visit Fort Stark Historic Site, named after the Revolutionary War General John Stark, who coined the term in a toast. Your guide will then lead you to the Great Island Common for more stories and history lessons before heading back to where the tour started in Portsmouth.

This bike ride is an absolute blast and also informative. If you've never taken a bike tour through the city of Portsmouth during summer, I suggest you do, whether you live here full-time or you're visiting from out of town. You never know what you'll learn from an experience like this!

While Portsmouth is considered a very walkable town, it's also very bikeable. If you've never taken a summer bike tour, now is your chance! Book your spot on one of the Port City Bike Tours for some fun as you learn about Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on two wheels.

Looking for more activities and adventures throughout the Granite State this summer? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Summer Fun in New Hampshire.