Historical Tastings at the Iconic Rockingham
Description
Introducing a Memorable Portsmouth Tasting Experience at one of the city’s most iconic historic venues, where heritage dining meets history and architectural treasures. For 90 minutes, immerse yourself in the story of the iconic Rockingham, one bite and one sip at a time. Guided by Cassandra and Cameron, uncover layers of history woven into the walls of this Portsmouth gem. Savor curated wines paired with gourmet bites from our five-star kitchen. Discover the Rockingham’s beautifully preserved architecture, meet historical figures who graced these rooms, uncover its jazz-filled past, and perhaps sense a whisper from its more spectral residents. This isn’t just a tasting. It’s a journey through time—one sip, one story, and one delicious moment at a time. Perfect for foodies, wine lovers (21+), and those who appreciate historic venues, heritage dining, and unique Portsmouth experiences. A great rainy-day activity on the Seacoast. Private tours are available year-round.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Wheelchairs accessible possible - but some parts of the tour are limited, and restrooms require 2 steps. Meet at the back of the building on Porterstreet
- Restrooms available
- We can accommodate dietary restrictions vegetarian, gluten-free. Please indicate special requirements at the time of booking.
- Important Note: We only serve alcoholic drinks for travelers 21 years old and above. Minor travelers below 21 years old will be served non-alcoholic drinks
Reviews(26)
We enjoyed the historical tour and access to the former reception/registration room. We would've liked to see the basement & lower level(s) but not enough time was alotted.
It was an amazing experience! I would recommend it to everyone. Going into the other side of the restaurant and seeing the old hotel entrance was so much fun. Met some really nice people from Colorado.
This was a great afternoon. The Library restaurant is a beautiful room in the former Rockingham Hotel. The wines from Flag Hill Winery were excellent and the appetizers served with each glass complimented each wine selection beautifully. If you like wines this was a fun afternoon.
Fun, convivial, beautiful venue, passionate guides
This was a very interesting and informative tour. Learned some of the history of Portsmouth as well as the Rockingham. Our hosts, Cassandra and Cameron were relaxed and led us through tastings of different wines paired delicious bites which the chef explained to us. We got a tour of the Library Restaurant which Cassandra led us through and saw the off limits Hotel Lobby and then the beautiful Lounge. She also explained the role the hotel played in the Japan -Russia Peace Accord. Cameron, the bartender, explained the wines and was not stingy on the pours. He also brought us downstairs to see the tunnels that Frank Jones created leading from his brewery to the hotel and down to the waterfront that was used as part of the Underground Railroad. This was a very worthwhile experience. I highly recommend it.
We were very impressed with this tour! The guides were very informative, wine tastings & food pairings were delicious! We learned so much that we didn’t know about the building, as well as the city of Portsmouth! Highly recommend!
Very good interaction with hosts and guides. Great tastings and wine pairings. Tour and history about hotel And restaurant was very interesting and fun facts.
We have long been fans of The Library for dinner so we enjoyed the experience of learning more about the building. The tasting tour included four very nice wines, generously poured, and lovely little “tastes”. The guides did a nice job and were friendly and enjoyed what they were doing.
This beautiful building paired with some local history, tasty bites and drink pairings made this a fun stop for a couple of afternoon hours.
This food and wine tasting was a lot of fun and great pairings. The staff was friendly, fun and knowledgeable. Only suggestion would be to give bigger portions of food to the amount of wine given.
