Best Engagement Locations in New Hampshire
Pawtuckaway State Park, Nottingham, NH
Pawtuckaway State Park, Nottingham, NH - 128 Mountain Rd, Nottingham, NH 03290
https://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/pawtuckaway-state-park
Pawtuckaway State Park is one of New Hampshire’s 93 state park properties. Located about halfway between Manchester, NH and Hampton Beach, NH off of Route 101, Pawtuckaway is a phenomenal spot for engagement photography! I have photographed weddings and engagements at Pawtuckaway and love it. If you are outdoorsy at all, this location is fantastic, as it offers lush open fields, marshes, rustic woodlands, a footbridge, multiple walking paths, a beach, and the huge lake itself with docks to shoot on. And the views are stunning! Also, there are lots of quiet locations ‘off the beaten path’ if you’d prefer to avoid others during your shoot. Bathrooms are available on site at the Visitor’s Center (near main parking lot), and parking is simple (they charge $5 per person to drive into the park, which is a little bit of a ride in once you get past the check in hut). If you want to include your dog in your engagement session, leashed pets are welcome on hiking trails only. Pets are NOT permitted in the campground or beach area during the summer season (May 1 - September 30). Although Pawtuckaway’s wesbsite indicates they close at 5pm, I have done engagement shoots there (in the fall) and was able to shoot right up until dusk before we had to depart.
GREAT ISLAND COMMON, NEW CASTLE, NH
Great Island Common - 301 Wentworth Rd, New Castle, NH 03854
https://www.newcastlenh.org/great-island-common
Located a short drive from Portsmouth, NH, Great Island Common is a 32-acre seaside park operated by the Town of New Castle. Great Island Common is a quite popular location for engagement and portrait photography, and for good reason. On any given night throughout the summer and fall, you are likely to see a handful of photographers there capturing seniors, families, and couples. I have literally run into photographer friends of mine on multiple occasions when shooting there. What I like about Great Island Common for engagement photography is that you can do a ton of photos in the forest area there ensuring you get those woodland vibe images. Then steps away, you are met with a beach, fantastic ocean views, and the iconic Portsmouth, NH Lighthouse in the backdrop. (Surf and Turf! haha). The park offers public bathrooms making outfit changes a breeze, easy parking, not a lot of walking to get the shots, and is a pretty mellow beachside spot unlike the mayhem that one might find at, say, Hampton Beach. I also love the late day light there with the sun setting over the seagrass (alliteration unintentional). This kind of backlight is to die for. Great Island Common is open 9am – 9pm, 7 days/week, 365 days/year. Admission to the park is $15 if you arrive before 6pm. Animals are not allowed in the park from May 15th - September 15th. Bonus tip!! - Make sure to grab dinner or an ice cream on your way home at The Ice House just over the bridge in Rye, NH! Their fish chowder is THE BEST!!
See more Newcastle shoots here.
PORTSMOUTH, NH
Portsmouth, NH
Every time I photograph an engagement session in downtown Portsmouth, I feel like I could spend a week shooting there. There are so many nooks and crannies with unique light around every corner. I always seem to meet my couples at Book and Bar, which is a perfect spot to chat and grab a pre-shoot beverage (or a good new book!). If the upscale-urban vibe is what you are looking for, Portsmouth has it all: brick sidewalks, interesting and historic buildings, a panoply of colors and textures, art, hidden little alleyways, and a bustling waterfront park with its famous flower gardens — all within easy walking distance. Portsmouth is always busy, but I have found Sunday evenings to be the best bet for engagement shoots. Street parking is metered and there are two municipal garages as well. You can’t go wrong with Portsmouth!
See more Portsmouth shoots here.
RAYNES FARM, EXETER, NH
Located on the east side of Newfields Road approximately one mile north of the intersection with Route 101 in Exeter, NH, Raynes Farm is a 50-acre property with rolling fields, woodlands, stone walls, and an iconic red New England Barn and silo. Parking is free at the gravel parking lot, but there are no bathrooms. Throughout the summer months, the grass can get really long, making for some nice portraits if the wide open field vibe is what you’d prefer.
CURRIER MUSEUM OF ART, MANCHESTER, NH
Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH - 150 Ash St, Manchester, NH 03104
Interested in a unique location for your engagement shoot? The Currier Museum in Manchester, NH might just be the option you’ve been looking for! To secure the facility for a private shoot, you’ll need to contact them directly to work out logistics, and they will provide you with a fee based on your needs. Parking is free, and even if you don’t rent out the museum interior for your shoot, the exterior grounds boast ample green space, trees for cover, and the iconic building architecture and artist Mark di Suvero’s red and black steel sculpture (“Origins”) which can make for some very cool photos that will resonate with the inner artist in you.
NORTH BEACH, NORTH HAMPTON, NH
NH Beaches, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, and Seabrook, NH
New Hampshire’s coastline is only 15 miles long (Maine’s by comparison, is 3,000 miles long! longer even than California’s! - let that sink in!), but is beautiful in every way. If you are looking to capture your engagement session at the beach, then look no further than the several beaches in New Hampshire. Even though New Hampshire's coastline is short, there are several ocean beaches located in the towns of Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, and Seabrook. Beaches include: Hampton Beach State Park, Jenness State Beach, North Beach, Rye Harbor State Park, and Wallis Sands State Park. I am partial to North Hampton Beach (“The Wall”) where parking is metered, public bathrooms are available, and views are amazing with The Isle of Shoals looming in the distance. I also love the colorful fish shacks there to bring a little color into the shoot. Make sure to grab a smoothie across the street at The Secret Spot (next to Cinnamon Rainbows Surf Shop) while there!
Glen Ellis Falls, Jackson, NH
Glen Ellis Falls, Jackson, NH
Glen Ellis Falls is a 64-foot waterfall located in the Pinkham Notch area of the White Mountains in Jackson, NH, about fifteen minutes north of North Conway, NH. Parking is $5 and is located on the west side of Route 16 right across the street from the trailhead. Once you park, it is a 15 minute walk along the Ellis River (there are lots of stone steps too) down to the falls. Glen Ellis Falls is a pretty well-known sight-seeing destination attracting a lot of people, so although beautiful, it is not a private location. Often you need to “take your turn” to get the iconic shot in front of the falls as there is limited room out on the (slippery!) rocks.
ODIORNE point STATE PARK, rye, NH
Odiorne Point State Park, Rye, NH
Odiorne is a beautiful 135-acre seaside park with wooded picnic grove, grassy fields, and miles of walking trails! Odiorne features salt marshes, freshwater and salt ponds, and sandy beach (non-swimming) with diverse nature walks. Parking is $4 per adult. Restrooms are located in The Seacoast Science Center. See more here!