Great Island Common
Great Island Common
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Maurene_K
Dover, NH12,283 contributions
Aug 2014 • Friends
Great Island Common is a 30+ acre park owned and operated by the Town of New Castle.
The park affords stunning views of:
● The entrance to Portsmouth Harbor, part of Fort Constitution State Historic Site and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse on the grounds of the USCG Station Portsmouth Harbor in New Castle to the northeast
● Fort McClary State Historic Site across the harbor in Kittery
● Whaleback Lighthouse and the vacant former Wood Island Life Saving Station off to the east
● Part of Fort Foster State Historic Site to the southeast
Fort Stark State Historic Site, the fourth fort to defend Portsmouth Harbor, is off to the southwest but is not very visible from this park.
On a clear day, one can see the Isles of Shoals some 6 miles out to sea. And, as it gets dark, one can also see White Island Lighthouse, New Hampshire’s second lighthouse.
Great Island Common has a paved roadway that goes around the perimeter of the public area. The green space in the center has a small playground for children and a large open area for kite-flying, sunbathing, picnicking, etc. There is a small beach for enjoying the ocean and sunbathing. There are a few pavilions that can be used if not rented out for the day by reservation. Those are on a first come, first served basis. There about 20 stationary grills scattered around the park near the picnic tables.
Along the waterfront, there are several picnic tables with a cluster of them nearer the beach area and restrooms building. That building has an interesting weathervane that shows children at play with a seesaw. There is also a short pier for fishing.
People come to ride bicycles around the park’s loop; others walk, run, or jog. One of the most popular activities is watching all the passing marine traffic. One is just as likely to see one of the Moran Towing tugs head out to pilot in a large tanker or the gundalow Piscataqua out for a sail as one is to see a kayak, a sailboat, powerboat, or the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company’s. M/V Thomas Laighton coming or going.
Over near the closest point to Whaleback Lighthouse, there’s an outdoor sculpture of an artist with his painting on an easel. The painting is all open. One can use that opening as a frame for a photograph of Whaleback or a passing craft or the family.
Bring your picnic lunch, camera, binoculars, sunscreen, and insect repellent for a perfect day. Beach-goers will want all their beach gear.
There is a gate attendant from late May to late September.
The fees are reasonable. The 2014 fee schedule is:
Free - New Castle Residents & Guests
Free - up to age 5
$4.00 - Non-Residents 6-65 years old
$2.00 - Non-Residents ages 66 +up
$2.00 - Handicapped - any age
Seasonal passes are available.
Great Island Common is a favorite summer place of mine. I've been going there several times each summer for over 25 years to enjoy a number of activities. On one visit in June of this year, I hosted an early evening picnic for a friend and her visitor from Australia. In July, I watched and photographed the Privateer Lynx under full sail during the annual SAIL Portsmouth event. In August, I watched and photographed the Supermoon with a group two nights in a row. I’ve also stopped by late in the afternoon to relax, enjoy the fresh, salty air with a sea breeze, watch the passing marine traffic, and take a lot of nice photos.
Most areas of the park are handicapped accessible, including the small pier. Getting there requires going over a small bridge with a grate-type surface. I've seen a man in a lightweight manual wheelchair fishing on the pier so I know it's accessible.
In season, for an ice cream treat or light fare, The Ice House Restaurant on Wentworth Road over the town line into Rye is good place for a family to finish off the day. A little further down Wentworth Road is BG's Boathouse which offers more serious fare and views of Sagamore Creek.
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The park affords stunning views of:
● The entrance to Portsmouth Harbor, part of Fort Constitution State Historic Site and Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse on the grounds of the USCG Station Portsmouth Harbor in New Castle to the northeast
● Fort McClary State Historic Site across the harbor in Kittery
● Whaleback Lighthouse and the vacant former Wood Island Life Saving Station off to the east
● Part of Fort Foster State Historic Site to the southeast
Fort Stark State Historic Site, the fourth fort to defend Portsmouth Harbor, is off to the southwest but is not very visible from this park.
On a clear day, one can see the Isles of Shoals some 6 miles out to sea. And, as it gets dark, one can also see White Island Lighthouse, New Hampshire’s second lighthouse.
Great Island Common has a paved roadway that goes around the perimeter of the public area. The green space in the center has a small playground for children and a large open area for kite-flying, sunbathing, picnicking, etc. There is a small beach for enjoying the ocean and sunbathing. There are a few pavilions that can be used if not rented out for the day by reservation. Those are on a first come, first served basis. There about 20 stationary grills scattered around the park near the picnic tables.
Along the waterfront, there are several picnic tables with a cluster of them nearer the beach area and restrooms building. That building has an interesting weathervane that shows children at play with a seesaw. There is also a short pier for fishing.
People come to ride bicycles around the park’s loop; others walk, run, or jog. One of the most popular activities is watching all the passing marine traffic. One is just as likely to see one of the Moran Towing tugs head out to pilot in a large tanker or the gundalow Piscataqua out for a sail as one is to see a kayak, a sailboat, powerboat, or the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company’s. M/V Thomas Laighton coming or going.
Over near the closest point to Whaleback Lighthouse, there’s an outdoor sculpture of an artist with his painting on an easel. The painting is all open. One can use that opening as a frame for a photograph of Whaleback or a passing craft or the family.
Bring your picnic lunch, camera, binoculars, sunscreen, and insect repellent for a perfect day. Beach-goers will want all their beach gear.
There is a gate attendant from late May to late September.
The fees are reasonable. The 2014 fee schedule is:
Free - New Castle Residents & Guests
Free - up to age 5
$4.00 - Non-Residents 6-65 years old
$2.00 - Non-Residents ages 66 +up
$2.00 - Handicapped - any age
Seasonal passes are available.
Great Island Common is a favorite summer place of mine. I've been going there several times each summer for over 25 years to enjoy a number of activities. On one visit in June of this year, I hosted an early evening picnic for a friend and her visitor from Australia. In July, I watched and photographed the Privateer Lynx under full sail during the annual SAIL Portsmouth event. In August, I watched and photographed the Supermoon with a group two nights in a row. I’ve also stopped by late in the afternoon to relax, enjoy the fresh, salty air with a sea breeze, watch the passing marine traffic, and take a lot of nice photos.
Most areas of the park are handicapped accessible, including the small pier. Getting there requires going over a small bridge with a grate-type surface. I've seen a man in a lightweight manual wheelchair fishing on the pier so I know it's accessible.
In season, for an ice cream treat or light fare, The Ice House Restaurant on Wentworth Road over the town line into Rye is good place for a family to finish off the day. A little further down Wentworth Road is BG's Boathouse which offers more serious fare and views of Sagamore Creek.
If you found this review helpful, kindly click YES below.
Written September 9, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maurene_K
Dover, NH12,283 contributions
Jul 2015 • Solo
This beautiful, scenic park owned by the Town of New Castle is one of my favorite parks. I come here several times a year. See my original review for details and admission prices.
My most-recent visit was to watch the Parade of Sail in the 2015 SAIL Portsmouth event organized by the Portsmouth Maritime Commission.
Admission for the event was only $1.00.
I took a spot on the fishing pier with my lawn chair. The Parade of Sail event was supposed to start at 3:00 PM. Several local aviators had a flyover in their antique airplanes. All local sloops, catboats, commercial boats, and the Portsmouth Harbor Fireboat escort were in place, but Privateer Lynx was not. That finally left the dock at the UNH Marine Pier at 3:40 PM just as huge dark gray storm clouds moved in. Lynx got past Whaleback Light which was about one third of the way out to meet the other vessels when the sky opened up. About 250 spectators dashed to their vehicles. When the torrential rain persisted for more than 20 minutes, 90% of the crowd left. Since I did not have a parking space right along the edge of the park close to the ocean, I was among those who fled. That concluded my visit for that day.
I didn’t miss any spectacular sight. The 170-foot, 495 ton El Galeón Andalucía, a replica of a galleon from circa 1623 when Portsmouth was settled, was the featured vessel for the 2015 event. It did not come in under sail. There was a strong headwind, and it’s quite difficult to sail and maneuver any large ship like that close to the wind, plus the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor is difficult for larger ships to navigate. So, most large ships drop their sails before they reach Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.
But, on a nice day, this park is great place to watch local marine traffic and the occasional large commercial ship escorted by the Moran Towing tugs.
Great Island Common is a great place for a picnic.
New Castle Beach is over by the bathhouse / restrooms. It’s quite small.
Most areas of the park are wheelchair accessible.
If you found this review helpful, kindly click YES below.
My most-recent visit was to watch the Parade of Sail in the 2015 SAIL Portsmouth event organized by the Portsmouth Maritime Commission.
Admission for the event was only $1.00.
I took a spot on the fishing pier with my lawn chair. The Parade of Sail event was supposed to start at 3:00 PM. Several local aviators had a flyover in their antique airplanes. All local sloops, catboats, commercial boats, and the Portsmouth Harbor Fireboat escort were in place, but Privateer Lynx was not. That finally left the dock at the UNH Marine Pier at 3:40 PM just as huge dark gray storm clouds moved in. Lynx got past Whaleback Light which was about one third of the way out to meet the other vessels when the sky opened up. About 250 spectators dashed to their vehicles. When the torrential rain persisted for more than 20 minutes, 90% of the crowd left. Since I did not have a parking space right along the edge of the park close to the ocean, I was among those who fled. That concluded my visit for that day.
I didn’t miss any spectacular sight. The 170-foot, 495 ton El Galeón Andalucía, a replica of a galleon from circa 1623 when Portsmouth was settled, was the featured vessel for the 2015 event. It did not come in under sail. There was a strong headwind, and it’s quite difficult to sail and maneuver any large ship like that close to the wind, plus the entrance to Portsmouth Harbor is difficult for larger ships to navigate. So, most large ships drop their sails before they reach Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse.
But, on a nice day, this park is great place to watch local marine traffic and the occasional large commercial ship escorted by the Moran Towing tugs.
Great Island Common is a great place for a picnic.
New Castle Beach is over by the bathhouse / restrooms. It’s quite small.
Most areas of the park are wheelchair accessible.
If you found this review helpful, kindly click YES below.
Written July 26, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen B
New Castle, New Hampshire, United States5 contributions
Apr 2015 • Family
Great Island Common offers a great open grassy area perfect for whiffle ball, frisbee, soccer etc while offering ocean views and offshore breezes. Lots of picnic tables and areas to grill.
Small crescent beach with calm shore great for little ones with rocky areas to explore.Also nice playground with sandbox, swings, slides and climbing structures. Public bathrooms and outdoor rinsing shower in season. Long stone jetty to fish off of as well!
Small crescent beach with calm shore great for little ones with rocky areas to explore.Also nice playground with sandbox, swings, slides and climbing structures. Public bathrooms and outdoor rinsing shower in season. Long stone jetty to fish off of as well!
Written April 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nomads999
Cumbria, UK59 contributions
Sep 2014 • Family
Great big space with gorgeous coastal position. Good picnic spot and great for kids to run around in safety.
Written September 30, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SethBrady
Thousand Oaks, CA41 contributions
Jun 2017 • Family
If you're looking for an out-of-the-way coastal spot in New Hampshire, then this area just south of Portsmith is probably right up your alley.
There's a kids playground, spots for barbecue fire pits, and a beach with rocky areas to climb on and tidal pools to explore. And most importantly, not the kind of drunk or rowdy crowds you'll get a few miles south at Hampton Beach.
There is an entrance fee, and I'm not sure how packed this place really gets in summer (we went in early June; I imagine this place must fill up in July and August).
That said, if you're looking for a great spot to head to with your kids for a few hours, add this one to your list.
Bonus tip: there's a great seafood take-out joint a half mile from the beach so you can load up on all the fried clams and fries you can handle!!
There's a kids playground, spots for barbecue fire pits, and a beach with rocky areas to climb on and tidal pools to explore. And most importantly, not the kind of drunk or rowdy crowds you'll get a few miles south at Hampton Beach.
There is an entrance fee, and I'm not sure how packed this place really gets in summer (we went in early June; I imagine this place must fill up in July and August).
That said, if you're looking for a great spot to head to with your kids for a few hours, add this one to your list.
Bonus tip: there's a great seafood take-out joint a half mile from the beach so you can load up on all the fried clams and fries you can handle!!
Written July 12, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel H
Wellesley, MA91 contributions
Feb 2016 • Family
The Town of Newcastle's beach and park are both worth the detour, drawing you slightly away from all that Portsmouth has to offer. Great facilities: large playground, lookout with a "picture frame" sculpture. And all free out of season when dogs are also welcome.
Written February 28, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mjvinson
Concord, NC397 contributions
Nov 2014 • Solo
I actually made a detour to this park after trying to visit Fort Constitution and finding it to be closed for security reasons. I'm glad to have chosen this trip, as it was definitely a wonderful park to visit.
The views are great in all directions, and there was plenty of green space for all to enjoy. The views across the water to the Portsmouth Harbor Light, Fort McClary and Fort Foster in ME are fabulous. Even with a little chill in the air with it being mid-November, this was a great day to sit on one of the many benches along the coast and watch the waves crash in and the boats go by.
This park offers so much in views and areas to relax, making it yet another that I can't wait to visit in the summertime to take in a whole day here. It seems like it will be well worth the in season entrance fee.
The views are great in all directions, and there was plenty of green space for all to enjoy. The views across the water to the Portsmouth Harbor Light, Fort McClary and Fort Foster in ME are fabulous. Even with a little chill in the air with it being mid-November, this was a great day to sit on one of the many benches along the coast and watch the waves crash in and the boats go by.
This park offers so much in views and areas to relax, making it yet another that I can't wait to visit in the summertime to take in a whole day here. It seems like it will be well worth the in season entrance fee.
Written November 11, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NHjo
Saco, ME13,195 contributions
Aug 2019
Great Island Common is a wonderful park with 34 acres of greenspace and beach. The small beach is nice, albeit a bit rocky. The park itself has wonderful views of the Piscataqua River and ocean, two lighthouses (including a haunted one), and the Kittery, ME coastline across the way. There are picnic tables, stone benches, a walking trail, a great little playground for the kids, lots of trees, and plenty of room to play games like volleyball, fly a kite, or just sit in a chair and relax. The park's design is beautiful and looks like it could have been done by Olmsted. There's always a cool breeze off the water, even on a hot day. Serene little paradise, anytime of year.
Written August 10, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NHjo
Saco, ME13,195 contributions
Feb 2016 • Solo
This is a gem of a park and one of my favorite places in the world. It's a special place, with great views of two lighthouses, the Isles of Shoals, the Kittery coast line across the way, and occasionally the big ships hauling salt back and forth to Portsmouth. There's a small beach, a fishing dock, a small historic cemetery, loads of picnic tables and benches (some with canopies), beautiful landscaping, a playground, and fields to play sports on. It's also a great place to walk and climb the seaside rocks. There's a a small admission charge in the summer months for non-residents.
Written February 7, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NHjo
Saco, ME13,195 contributions
Jun 2022
How things change in a year. Their parking/entry rates went up and they're even charging a fee for seniors when it used to be free. No surprise in these times, and it's worth paying more to get in because it really is a great park in an outstanding location. The views of the ocean, two lighthouses, the opposite Maine coast, and the Isles of Shoals are wonderful. When I went, there were two different large school groups for what were most likely end-of-the-school-year outings, so it wasn't as peaceful as usual but everyone (thankfully) left after lunch.
Written June 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I don't believe they do however I am a resident of New Castle so I have a sticker that lets me enter for free. The price is still two dollars so I do not believe they have implemented a credit card system though I will update this response because it's a valid question.
Written March 14, 2019
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