Escape from Durham - When your weekend routine begins to feel tired, its time for a change!

For what it’s worth, Durham, New Hampshire does offer its university students the quintessential college bar town experience. The downtown watering holes are a classic staple in the routine of most plus 21’s. If you’re looking for awesome specials, live music, cheap bar food, or a great dance party, chances are you can find at least one of the above at any given bar on any given night throughout the week.

But there often comes a time when Main Street seems just a little too short and your relationship with D-town reaches a breaking point.

Never fear dear HC readers, if your love affair with the downtown scene is on the rocks then we have just the remedy. It’s time for a venue change.

We found three local hot spots- all outside Durham boundaries, promise- and caught up with some UNH kids to hear what they love about each of our picks.

Asia. If you’re taking a night off from classy, looking for scorpion bowls that will knock you to the floor or some kickin' karaoke jams, then Asia is your place. An unassuming Chinese buffet by day and rocking dance-floor-with-disco-ball-type party by night, Asia offers a unique change from the college bar scene. Split a double scorpion bowl or have one all to yourself, but there is still a full bar in case you aren’t feeling the famed neon concoction. The night may start out tame, but sit tight and wait for the rowdiness that is certain to ensue.

“Nothing really happens on campus on Friday night so it’s a great alternative to leave Durham," senior Nina Petruzzo said about why she loves Asia. “The dance floor is fun, listening to other people sing is really fun, the scorpion bowls are strong, and safe rides gets you so you don’t have to worry about driving anywhere, which is pretty great.”

One thing to remember: when the Safe Ride bus comes- get on! You don’t want to be left stranded at Asia, and it’s one very far walk back to campus.

Check out The New Asia here!

The Stone Church. If you’re looking for a little more authenticity and a place with a holy dedication to great local food and drink, try the big stone church that sits atop Zion Hill in Newmarket. This place has been a hallmark to the town since the sixties and a favorite for UNH kids living in the area. The Church is so iconic that even bands like Phish have graced its stage.

For senior Cody Kelly, Stone Church can be summed up with one word- ‘awesome’. “They have awesome live music and a great variety of beers on tap”, Cody said. "It's got an awesome vibe to it... it's always a blast.”

The Stone Church emits a “come one, come all” vibe, so stroll on in, order a Smuttynose or Allagash White and settle in for a great evening with good people.

Check out the Stone Church!

The Portsmouth scene. The Portsmouth bar scene is a unique experience. It’s a step above the college bar crowd, yet it still caters to those undergrads looking for a real ‘night out on the town’. You’ll most likely swim through a sea of young professionals and local Seacoasters to get to the bar at any one of the downtown establishments, but the mix of people is part of Portsmouth’s charm.

“I like going out in Portsmouth because it’s a different crowd,” graduate student Jenn Sculley said. “You can get away from the Durham bar scene and meet new and interesting people. The Gas Light is one of my favorites; it has decently priced drinks and great appetizers.”

Poco’s. Another thing that’s sweet about this city is its variety of drinking joints. Poco’s Bow Street Cantina is a Mexican inspired restaurant right on the Portsmouth waterfront. There is a classy dining room upstairs, but the real party is in their funky downstairs cantina.

What keeps people frequenting Poco’s apart from the atmosphere is their wide drink selection that features tasty margaritas with names like Prickly Pear, Mojitos and Martinis galore, and even concoctions like Oreo cookie mudslides.

Poco’s becomes more of a hot spot when the weather turns warm and their deck opens out back. Crowds deck hop in the back alley off Bow Street and flow out onto the main roads for what can feel like one big, city-wide party.

There are way too many great places in Portsmouth to put them all down in one tiny article. If you really want to take advantage of the night life in this seacoast town, take a page from my book, or rather my plans for this evening:
To celebrate my 22nd birthday, my ladies and I are hitting up P-town and bar hopping our way through the city. On the list tonight- Ri Ra, Gas Light, The Page, Fat Belly’s… really the options are endless.

So there you have it- three alternatives to another routine Saturday night in Durham. Next time you’re feeling a touch of claustrophobia set in on Main Street, take the quick drive to any of the above locations, let loose, and we’re sure you’ll be thanking us for spicing up your weekend routine.