Directions
Our wedding ceremony is being held at the South Church, located at 292 State Street Portsmouth, NH. The reception is being held at the Portsmouth Pearl, located at 45 Pearl Street Portsmouth, NH. Both are in downtown Portsmouth, within walking distance of each other.
There's on-street parking throughout Portsmouth, but June 13 is Portsmouth Market Day so the on-street parking will be a problem. However, there is free parking in the business across Hanover Street from the Pearl. We recommend driving from your hotel to that lot, and then making the easy walk to the South Church. The reception is then another short walk back.
Here's a map showing walking directions between the two locations:
There are two major ways to get to Portsmouth: from Manchester Airport (MHT) or Logan Airport (BOS) in Boston. The drive from both is about the same, though driving from Boston is more direct and driving from Manchester is less busy. Manchester also tends to be less expensive for rental cars.
Coming from MHT
Manchester is a much smaller airport with relatively few direct flights and no international flights except from Canada. Ticket prices can vary widely, though you can occassionally get good deals. Several major airlines serve MHT. For discount airlines, Southwest only flies into Manchester.
All major car rental companies operate out of MHT. At the time this site was written, rentals were running $15-$30 per day for small cars. The rental companies have desks next to the baggage claim and all the cars are in the bottom of the parking deck. Gas stations are nearby. Overall, MHT is cheaper and more convenient for rental cars.
Getting to Portsmouth by car is very straightforward. Keep in mind that I-95 in New Hampshire is a toll road.
Coming from BOS
Logan is a major national and international airport. Ticket prices also vary widely. All major airlines serve BOS. For discount airlines, your choices are AirTran and Jet Blue.
All major car rental companies also operate out of BOS. At the time this site was written, car rentals were twice as expensive as MHT. In addition, the cars are located offsite and gas stations are relatively hard to get to. So while BOS can usually be cheaper for plane tickets, car rentals are much more difficult. BOS is also located in a major city which means it has all the usual traffic problems.
Getting to Portsmouth by car is very straightforward. Keep in mind that I-95 in New Hampshire is a toll road.