Last weekend I took a quick trip up to New Hampshire to visit my childhood bestie Mackay. We grew up in Portsmouth, RI and ironically enough, she’s ended up in another Portsmouth area which is just as, if not more, beautiful than our hometown. This is the second trip I’ve taken to Portsmouth and every time I’m there I can’t help thinking about the next time I can make it back (mostly for the company, partly for the scenery.)
The first thing Mackay and I did when I arrived Saturday morning was jump back in the car. We drove an hour to the Lake Winnepesaukee area to hike Mount Major, which we had done last fall as well. I love how mountain landscapes change depending on season and the icy views we got at the summit might be some of my favorite ever. It was a mild winter day which was perfect for an easier hike and we certainly made the best of it. Overall I think we were up in a little more than an hour and back down in about half that time. 
Mackay is one of those crazy people who have hiked Kilimanjaro. She used to run around our neighborhood for hours when we were in middle school. She’s always been my most active friend and I love that she always wants to be outside. Personally, I think going on a hike is one of the best things to do when you haven’t seen someone in a while because you get your steps, you get the views, and you get to catch-up without any distractions.
After our hike, we made it back to Portsmouth for showers and lunch. We hung out for a bit before heading into downtown. Mackay lives just a few minutes from the heart of Portsmouth and it was so fun to explore, popping in and out of shops. Some of the big ones that stood out were The Green Room, the Salt Cellar, Village Silversmith for their crystals, Portsmouth Soap Company, and Atrezzi.
There are so many amazing shops for tourists and locals alike. However, Atrezzi was by far our favorite. Think home-goods with a side of wine and cheese and all the samples you can eat. All the wine you can taste! We were in the shop for probably half an hour walking around, sampling pieces of bread in truffle oil and sharp cheddar. However, the chocolate dessert wine was definitely the star of the show.
After spending Saturday evening home, cooking and watching a movie, we got up bright an early Sunday so we could walk Odiorne State Park. The coastline reminded me so much of home and I was amazed that in such a short time, we’d managed to fit in mountains, downtown, and the ocean! Portsmouth is truly the ideal.
It’s always fun visiting somewhere you don’t get to visit very often, but I’ve learned that your tour-guide/hostess with the mostess makes all the difference. Mackay and I talk a lot about how even if we haven’t seen each other in months, things are still so easy because we’ve known each other practically all our lives. I think you need people like that- the ones that truly know you best. Then, when it comes to where you are, the rest is secondary.