Ten Activities to Enjoy in Portsmouth This Spring

Celebrating the arrival of spring with your family and friends can be really fun and refreshing after a long winter. Now that the weather is finally improving, it's time to break free from cabin fever, get some fresh air and enjoy fun outdoor activities.

Here are 10 fun ideas to try in Portsmouth:

1)    Take to the trails. Explore a trail near you at a local park, including the Greenway Trail or the trails at Melville Park and Campgrounds, or plan a day trip to the Sachuest National Refuge. 

2)    Zip to the zoo or your local wildlife or bird sanctuary. Beat the summer crowds and enjoy a visit to the Norman Bird Sanctuary in nearby Middletown. You may find the animals are outside and more active as they emerge to enjoy the warmer weather too. You'll enjoy the visit even more if you bring some binoculars.

3)    Hit the water. Take a kayak or canoe and head to Blue Bell Cove. Spring is also a great time to take a class to learn how to sail, canoe or kayak. 

4)    Serve Portsmouth together by sprucing up your favorite place to play outdoors. Check out Portsmouth Town Hall for opportunities to volunteer with friends or family to clean up a nearby park, playground or beach.

5)    Dig out your wheels. Time to break out your bikes from the garage. Ride together on a bike-friendly trail or head to the nearby East Bay Bike Path in Bristol. And don’t forget bike helmets! 

6)    Build a fort or a tree house. If your family includes kids, spring is an ideal time to build a fun place to play. A great source of inspiration is The Treehouse Book by Peter Nelson and David Larkin, available from Amazon.

7)    Start a garden. Now is the time to get your garden beds ready for planting by putting down compost. New to gardening? The Portsmouth Garden Club can help you build your garden beds and offer advice on which flowers and veggies will do well in your climate. And kids can help start the garden too by planting seeds indoors in empty egg cartons that can be transferred outside into your garden beds in just a few weeks. You can find great soil and seeds to get started at Ace Hardware on East Main Road. 

8)    Learn some new navigation skills by going letterboxing. Letterboxing is an outdoor hunt for hidden treasures using navigational tools. You can find parks participating in letterboxing in your area here.

9)    Enjoy your flea and farmer’s markets.  In many parts of the country, outdoor markets can be found all year round or from early spring to late fall. Even though it's spring, you can visit the Winter Aquidneck Growers Market starting on March 30 at St. Mary's Church in Portsmouth. The spring Growers Market will open later in the season in Middletown. 

10)  Go fly a kite. The wild wind makes spring an ideal time to enjoy kite flying. 

TELL US: How will you celebrate the arrival of spring here in town? Share your ideas for getting outside and enjoying the warmer weather in the comments section below.