Print Story  Email Story  Discuss Story
» More Feature Stories

With summer coming to a close I find myself running around trying to get every thing I want to do before the summer is over done – go to the beach, go for some by-the-beach seafood, have a picnic in the park; yes they’re all on my list just waiting to be crossed off.

And then the other day someone suggested to me that I take that list of things to do and turn it in to this week’s “Amanda’s Choice” article. So here it is readers of the Seacoast and beyond, my list of the things on the Seacoast that if you haven’t done, you have to do, and if you’ve already done, you have to do again!

_____________________

Amanda A. Hamilton Photo

Have some lobster bisque at Petey’s Summertime Seafood & Bar in Rye.

I’ve had a lot of lobster bisque in my life, but none of them compare to the lobster bisque being served at Petey’s. Amazing every time, this lobster bisque is exactly what lobster bisque should be – thick, creamy and full of large lobster chunks! I know it’s summer and it’s hot out, but this bisque is absolutely worth the sweat; plus Petey’s is only open during the summer, so this time of the year is your only opportunity to taste this delicious concoction.

_____________________

Enjoy a scoop or two at Golick’s Dairy Bar in Dover and Lago’s Lone Oak Ice Cream in Rye.

I could never chose between going to Golick’s or Lago’s Lone Oak, so I’m always thankfully that they’re in opposite directions from my house. When I go to Golick’s, as I mentioned in a previous “Amanda’s Choice” article Best bets on a tour of Seacoast's ice cream hot spots, I love to get the Fudge Brownie Cookie Dough; it’s rich, it’s creamy and it’s full of big chunks of brownies! When I go to Lago’s the Cappuccino Slam is a must, sometimes in a cup, sometimes in a frappe; either way it’s always full of flavor and has a much better after taste than an actual cappuccino.

_____________________

Enjoy a day, or evening, at Prescott Park in Portsmouth.

Prescott Park is absolutely one of my favorite places in the whole entire world. I know that might sound crazy, but I go to school in a city where there is no peace and quiet, so when I come home all I want is peace and quite and the best place to get it is Prescott Park. It’s a great place to have a picnic, toss around a ball and people watch. They also put on some wonderful plays there that make a great date night or family night.

_____________________

Catch up on some reading at Jenness State Beach in Rye.

I’m not a huge fan of the beach; huge crowds, salt water and sand just aren’t my things. But there are some days when all I want to do is lay out in the sun and read a book or listen to my iPod. So instead of trying to fight the crowds of tourists at Hampton Beach, I like to head to Jenness State Beach where, although it can still get crowded, it never seems as busy as Hampton. It’s small, quaint in fact, and it always seems peaceful. There are also some great picnic spots!

_____________________

Pamper your feet at Portsmouth Harbor Inn & Spa in Kittery, Maine.

After spending a long day at the beach and having your feet in the hot, rough sand all day, there’s nothing better than a professional pedicure, and at the Portsmouth Harbor Inn & Spa they absolutely know what they’re doing. My favorite is the Peppermint Spa Foot Therapy, which uses a peppermint scrub and peppermint essential oils; I just love the way it smells! The treatment is relaxing and my feet always feel thankful afterward. They even have seasonal pedicures, so when your feet start to ache from those cold winter days, you can go back for a festive treat.

_____________________

Grab a slice to go at Joe’s New York Pizza in downtown Portsmouth.

This isn’t really a summer thing, but I still felt it was a good opportunity to mention it since it is one of my favorite places to eat; and hey, don’t you think pizza just tastes better in the summer? There isn’t a better slice of pizza anywhere than the pizza at Joe’s in downtown Portsmouth. I’m a huge fan of the white pizza with spinach, which has big dollops of ricotta cheese on it, but I also love the barbecue chicken and the pepperoni. It’s best to go right when they open in the morning, when the first pizzas of the day are just coming out of the oven; but it’s also a lot of fun to hit it up at midnight when, on a Friday or Saturday night, it’s always packed.

_____________________

Cool off with a frappe at Wild Willy’s Burgers in York, Maine.

I hadn’t really thought about Wild Willy’s Burgers until a reader e-mailed me after the ice cream story asking if I knew a good place for a frappe; but ever since that e-mail I can’t stop thinking about it! The frappe at Wild Willy’s is the best frappe you’ll ever have, particularly the strawberry one. It’s unbelievably thick and always tastes like you’re eating fresh strawberries. It’s a great treat on a hot summer day!

_____________________

Amanda A. Hamilton Photo

Go out for breakfast to the Hampton Airfield Café in North Hampton.

I honestly think I crave the French toast at the Hampton Airfield Café in my sleep every night. In my opinion, it is the best breakfast around! The dish is made with huge pieces of thick Texas toast and is best when smothered with maple syrup and powdered sugar. I always enjoy mine with some hash brownies, which are also out of this world, and two slices of bacon.