Portsmouth sits at the northern tip of Aquidneck Island, where Narragansett Bay, Mount Hope Bay, and the Sakonnet River wrap one of Rhode Island's most scenic coastlines. Founded in 1638 by Anne Hutchinson and fellow signers of the Portsmouth Compact, the town pairs deep colonial roots with 56 miles of shoreline, working farms, and a celebrated sailing culture — it's the headquarters of US Sailing. Visitors wander the whimsical hedges of the Green Animals Topiary Garden, the oldest topiary garden in the country, then admire gleaming machines at the Newport Car Museum.

 

Summer brings the Newport International Polo Series to Glen Farm, while the Sakonnet Greenway Trail and Sandy Point Beach reward walkers and swimmers. History lovers seek out Founders Brook and Battle of Rhode Island sites that recall the town's Revolutionary past. Linked to the mainland by the Mount Hope and Sakonnet River bridges, Portsmouth offers quiet, water-wrapped living just minutes from historic Newport and the shops of Bristol. The Town of Portsmouth and the State of Rhode Island keep investing in farm preservation, open space, and shoreline access — making it a stunning place to build, remodel, and put down lasting roots.