First thing to know about Papa Wheelies is that they straddle the line between "Cycling Shop" and…read more"Bike Store", meaning that these are people who take the sport seriously as enthusiasts, but not exclusively for the "serious cyclist type". This store appeals to both demographics, although the "everyday commuter" type might find the bicycles in stock to be on the pricey side. I do not fault the store, but instead greater consumer trends within the industry. The service is generally good and reliable, however certain times of the year service will be backed up (summer holidays).

I am an avid cyclist in road, mountain and gravel cycling, and Papa Wheelies has been my go to bike…read moreshop for a number of years. Their customer service and knowledge of all types of riders and bikes is why I choose to patronize them, as well as why I will send all my friends who I try to convince to get into cycling. They truly just want you to get the best bike for yourself. Not the most expensive or the flashiest bike. They know their stuff and they truly just want to match everyone to a bike that will make them happy and give them the best riding experience. Their repair staff is also top notch. I have had some whacky issues with my bikes over the years and they have solved them every single time. Several years ago, I purchased an Orbea mountain bike through them. Unfortunately, there was a manufacturers defect with the dropper post (not Papa Wheelie's fault - a manufacturing issue). The staff at Papa Wheelie's took my bike in and took care of the entire process in dealing with the claim and getting the part from the manufacturer and got me back on my bike quite quickly considering many of the parts were coming in from Spain. I am always team support your local bike shop, but I am specifically team support Papa Wheelies as your lbs, because they truly care. Yes, you can order a bike online direct from manufacturers, but nothing beats the experience of going in and working with the people at Papa Wheelies to figure out what bike works for you and making adjustments to that bike or getting a bike fit to make sure that it is the best possible machine you can ride. It's an investment and Papa Wheelies makes that process 100 times easier. Lastly, I'll add that bikes can be expensive. Tax on expensive things can be expensive. New Hampshire doesn't have taxes. Are you doing the math with me? If you are buying a bike for several thousand dollars in other New England states, you can end up paying several hundred dollars in taxes. You can avoid that by heading on up to beautiful tax free New Hampshire and buying your bike at Papa Wheelies.

Odiorne Point State Park is a public recreation area that opened in Rye, New Hampshire in July…read more1972. It is administered by the New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation. The park is located along the Atlantic seacoast in Rye, not far from Portsmouth. The area is the site of the Pannaway Plantation: the first European settlement in New Hampshire. Settled in 1622, the plantation was completely abandoned by the 1630s when the settlers moved to nearby Strawberry Banke. The land was settled in the mid-1660s by the Odiorne Family, whom the park is now named after. From 1942 to 1947, the park was the home of Fort Dearborn. The ruins of the deactivated World War II-era fort can still be seen today. Today the park is home to hiking trails, bike paths, a playground, picnic areas, pavilions, and a Seacoast Science Center which opened in 1992. My family and I visited Odiorne Point State Park this summer while we were heading to Maine for a summer getaway. We had some time to kill before we could check in to our AirBnb, so we decided to stop at the park. We had fun exploring the grounds and my two sons especially enjoyed playing on the nautical-themed playground. The highlight of the park is the Seacoast Science Center. There are all sorts of exhibits devoted to the conservation of marine and coastal environments. My two sons loved learning about whales, local shellfish populations, the local fishing industry, the fight against ocean pollution, and underwater exploration. There was even a cool gift shop where we picked up a few things. Whether you live in the area or you're just passing through like us, Odiorne Point State Park is a fun place for the whole family!

I feel the need to preface all of my nature reviews with this: being 90% forested and having around…read more3500 miles of coastline, Maine (and NH) has a tremendous amount of spaces, walkways, paths, and trails of all kinds and of all levels. There's something for everyone. What I'm reviewing is how a spot compares to similar outdoor spots in my personal opinion. Being in nature - and remembering to carry in, carry out - is always five stars! :) Parking? Yes. Loop trail? Yes. Well marked signs? Yes. Element of surprise? Yes. I was looking for state parks in New Hampshire and this one caught my eye because of the name, if we're being honest. It sounded magical! So was the way it was advertised: "picnickers can enjoy sweeping views of the ocean and rocky shore, and explorers can uncover evidence of past military occupation. An extensive network of trails wind through the dense vegetation and traverse the park. [t]he property is also renowned for its... seven distinct habitats that can be visited within an hour's walk. Although the spectacular rocky shore is the one of the most notable, the woodlands, uplands, salt marsh, freshwater and salt ponds, and sandy beach (non-swimming) combine to create one of the region's most diverse nature walks." I like a little bit of everything, and this sounded like it had just that! The first time I came I bought a pass online; when we arrived it was a freak snowstorm and we were the only ones there. So we had a literal winter wonderland to play around it. The views from the coast were lovely and offer plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy yourself at, but exploring the woods that day was even more amazing - we spent a lot of time with a big buck who kept finding himself lazily meandering on the same trail as us. Thank goodness for binoculars! And the element of surprise! There was also some tremendously graffitied old batteries, a breakwater (that becomes nearly inaccessible when the tide is high; reversely when the tide is low that same area exposes a Sandy beach), there's an area called Pirate's Cove, an old cemetery, and Dolphin Fountain (which looks like it belongs in France, not NH). This became an immediate favorite! I can't wait to come back and see it in Spring and Summer! (SIDE NOTE: There's also the Seacoast Science Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit, that provides educational exhibits related to the seacoast area for a separate fee; but, I haven't been able to check that out yet!)

The way to Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse was closed for renovation so we ended up just checking…read moreGreat Island Common. It's actually a large enough place with plenty of parking and had some good amount of spots for gatherings/picnics/BBQ. I didnt feel like it was the most beautiful place although the view of the harbor was. I enjoyed the little painter decor that they have and that wide open feel of just standing by the waters. However i felt like the place needed some TLC. Idk. The gentleman by the entrance was very kind and sweet though and allowed us to just check the area for some quick pics for free as we didnt stay too long for this visit.

I'll tell you it was almost surreal. It was a litle like…read morebeing the only person in the world, just staring out at the wild ocean at sunset. Especially in january when there wasn't another soul in this tiny park, at the edge of this picturesque town of Portsmouth. I was of course struck by the wild beauity that makes up the NH/Maine Coastline and the crashing of the waves but the place itself was absolutely adorable. I could see the vibrant scenes of warmer months even though my face and lips were equally chapped in the brisk wind. Very clean, very organized and well layed out little park. There is a long walk on the rocks out to the sea and some sandy beach area for walking but I can't imagine it would be a fun place to swim with all those rocks and rocky shallow areas. I'd love to do a day trip or 3 day weekend up here just so I can bring my dogs here to enjoy this relaxed little area. There is a sweet little bench beneath a tree straight ahead when you pull in, and it would be probably the cutest place to get a kiss, enjoy a quiet moment or even a proposal. Le sigh. Can I live here and build a little hut beside the large sprawling waterfront mansions? I promise I won't be a bother. The trees in bloom here must be a sight in the fall,but no matter what season it was so worth stumbling upon.

The Rye Harbor State Park offers some great views of the Atlantic Ocean, the Isles of Shoals, and…read morethe Rye Harbor. This is a great place to do some saltwater fishing, have a picnic, or just to enjoy the scenic views. Others may utilize this spot for private events and for weddings. There is a fee to access the park, and when it is unstaffed for a portion of the year, there is a self-paying kiosk. Plenty of parking off the main road as well!

This little park has a beautiful view of the ocean. Please be aware that between the hours of 7am…read moreand 9pm, no dogs are allowed after April until late fall.

Great place to stay thoroughly relaxing ambiance and a great restaurant. The grounds and…read morelandscaping are beautiful and just adds to the scenic ocean experience.

The food was great. BUT it was a bit expensive but the location was great. That whole area together…read morewith the great food it will keep you coming back

Delicious creative appetizers etc we have been here a few…read moretimes, food is surprisingly creative. This time we tried the chicken marsala skewers, no words as to how delicious these little gems were, savory sauce with mushrooms over 3 large chicken skewers, wanted to lick the plate! Potstickers we have had before and as always they were yummy. We then split the turkey wrap, WOW, fresh thick sliced roasted turkey with the trimmings, awesome. Highly recommend you give it a try, great vibe in the bar!

Kind of meh. If you're there to hit golf balls or watch sports, the food is good by that standard…read more If you just want good food, you definitely have better options in the same area. The waitstaff was friendly and prompt. The menu is slightly upscale pub fare.