70 Great Things to Do in New Hampshire (NH)

Mount Washington Cruises

211 Lakeside Avenue Weirs Beach, NH 03246 Phone: 603-366-5531 Toll-Free: 1-888-THE MOUNT

Cruise Lake Winnipesaukee Aboard The M/S Mount Washington!

If you're looking for a truly great thing to do and a memorable experience, a cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee aboard the Mount Washington is for you.

The M/S Mount Washington offers one of New England’s most unique and dramatic venues for your family getaway, a romantic weekend or group event. You can enjoy the natural beauty of the lake and all its surroundings during the day, or enjoy a romantic sunset dinner & dancing cruise. Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruises from Weirs Beach and Alton Bay are also a regular event, and popular with couples.

The M/S Mount Washington has plenty of banquet & ballroom space, providing the perfect fit for your wedding party, family reunion or company outing. Late May - Late October.

Artists of Needle and Loom, Take Note

Dorr Mill Store at 22 Hale Street in Guild, is a national center for wool and has had manufactured an extensive line of 100 percent wool for the time-honored crafts of traditional rug hooking, braiding and quilting. Dorr produces white and natural wools for those who wish to dye their own colors, thousands of yards of woolen textures and solids, and a full line of accessories and the latest patterns from noted designers. Fiber artists find Door’s wide selection of fabric designs, textures, wools, and blends irresistible. Open year-round, Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 800-846-3677.

Close-Up View of New England Farm Life

If you are curious about New England farming and would love to see farming up close, plan a day-long or overnight visit to D Acres of New Hampshire, an organic farm and educational homestead at 218 Streeter Woods Road in Dorchester. The farm’s mission is to teach skills of sustainable living and small-scale farming. Its grounds include forests, walking trails, and gardens. Workshops are plentiful, but many visitors come just to hike, tour the gardens, visit the farm animals, paint landscapes, and take nature photography. The farm offers lodging, accommodations, and camping to overnight guests. The farm hosts Farm Feast Breakfasts, Soup Nights, Pizza Nights, Potlucks and other monthly community dining events. Phone: 603-786-2366.

Craftsmen in Lake Sunapee Region

Founded in 1932, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is one of the oldest craft organizations in the country. The League was formed during the Depression to help New Hampshire craftspeople make a living through difficult financial times by building an audience and market for fine handmade craft. The League operates seven retail galleries throughout New Hampshire. The galleries present the work of juried craftspeople, along with demonstrations, exhibits and educational programs.
Galleries in the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region are Hanover Retail Gallery, 13 Lebanon Street, Hanover, 603-643-5050.

Currier & Ives Trail Is a
Peaceful Meander Among Small Towns

The 30-mile Currier and Ives Trail displays the beauties of small-town New England along its entire length, through or near the towns of Hopkinton, Warner, Henniker, and Webster. The trail follows Route 127 from Salisbury at its northern end down to Contoocook and Hopkinton, and from there along Routes 103 and 202 towards Hillsborough. Hopkinton has its historic covered bridges and grand colonial houses along Main Street. Downtown is split by the Contoocook River runs shimmering through the heart of Hopkinton. Henniker is rich in the arts and culture of the region. Warner is the home of Rollins State Park and Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum. Webster is filled with old farms and fields. See map.

Families First Ski Lessons

At most ski areas, if a family wants to learn how to ski or snowboard, members would be split up by age. Mount Sunapee Resort on Route 103 in Newbury, offers Families First, a program in which a family can learn how to ski or snowboard as a group. Family members must be at least eight years old. If there is a mix of skiers and snowboarders then two instructors are assigned to the family. Families First program includes: A two-hour introductory ski or snowboard lesson, specially designed rental skis or snowboard that facilitate the learning process, and unlimited lift ticket to the South Peak Learning Area. Cost is $80. Phone: 603-763-3500.

Head to the Hood

People with every taste and preference in world art will find something wonderful to savor at the Hood Museum of Art on East Wheelock Street on the campus of Dartmouth College in Hanover. The Hood is home to an outstanding collection of European, American, Middle Eastern, African, and Asian art and artifacts. The collections are especially strong in American art, with portraits and landscapes by noted Americans. Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Phone: 603-646-2808.

Performing Arts in a Historic Setting

Claremont Opera House, located in the city hall at Opera House Square in Claremont, is in full swing, presenting acoustic singers and instrumentalists, chamber music, dance, comedy, and children’s theater year-round. The theater, above the city offices, has a frescoed ceiling and a decorative wall frieze culminating with a proscenium arch adorned with gold-leaf molded plaster-work in high relief--sounds fancy, right? Coming up in 2012: comedian Juston McKinney, Doo-Wop group The Corvettes, and more. Phone: 603-542-4433.

Small Engineering Gems

This region of New Hampshire is wealthy with covered bridges. We have a tender spot for the puckishly named Blow Me Down Bridge in Cornish. The most famous of the region’s bridges is the Cornish-Windsor Bridge, the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States. Shutterbugs: try the interesting viewing challenges on both the New Hampshire and Vermont ends of the bridge.

Bird Watchers Paradise

This self-titled “bird watchers’ paradise,” the Great North Woods boasts five habitats for bird watching within one region. The pristine northern waterways have an abundance of nesting water birds. Freshwater marshland supports warblers, olive flycatchers, and rusty blackbirds. Cultural grasslands have the eastern meadowlark and bobolink. Mixed forestland supports warblers warblers. The Great Northern Boreal Forest has birds rarely seen elsewhere such as the spruce grouse, Canada jay, boreal chickadee, and Lincoln's sparrow. Experts at the North Country Chamber of Commerce in Colebrook are ready to offer assistance to bird watchers. Phone: 800-698-8939.

Call of the Moose

Northern New Hampshire hosts an abundance of wildlife, including that gentle giant, the moose. Many guests travel to the White Mountains and Great North Woods regions of New Hampshire to see moose in their natural habitat. Moose Path Trail starts at Route 16 north from Gorham to Errol. Take Route 26 to Dixville Notch to Route 3 north to Pittsburg. This wilderness byway is ideal for the outdoor enthusiast as moose are often spotted along the drive. If you see a moose, keep your distance! They are large, wild animals, and it is important to give them wide berth.

A Farm with Two Centuries of Stories to Tell

At the Prescott Farm and Environmental Education Center in Laconia, New Hampshire, guests can not only learn about the ways of a working farm, they can also learn a thing or two about New England’s rich agricultural history. The farm was established by Colonel Dudley Prescott, who served in the Revolutionary War when he was just 19 years old. Over the years the farm has evolved into what it is today: an educational center serving all ages, with summer camps, public programs, field trips, and long-term partnerships with local elementary schools. The farm is designated as an official New Hampshire Wildlife Viewing Area and offers hiking on more than three miles of woodland, pond, and field trails. Visitors can also explore the three-story historic barn, beautiful heritage flower and vegetable gardens, and an old-fashioned maple sugar operation during the month of March.

A General Store With Granola
Worth the Trip, Year-Round

The Holderness General Store at 863 US Route 3 in Holderness is Is a market and deli, specializing in gourmet sandwiches, pantry provisions, unique gifts and homemade fudge. The store is becoming a local celebrity for its Nutty Granola. Wonderful in summer for the lake-loving crowds and equally comforting in winter, when the crowds die down and everyone needs a hearty sandwich to bulk up against the cold. Open year-round, daily, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Phone: 603-968-3446.

Artistic Gifts for Every Taste

With the motto “Not your ordinary gift shop,” Earthly Treasures , at 150 Lake Street in Bristol, is a showplace for the work of more than 450 fine artisans, including many from New Hampshire. Over the past 10 years, Earthly Treasures has evolved from a place selling hand-forged iron work, known as Iron Horse Metal Works, to an American craft gift shop. There is a large section of garden furniture, wrought iron, and metal sculpture, along with gift items of jewelry, pottery, glass, and wood. Lots of unusual home accessories that would make wonderful gifts. Open year-round, daily. Phone: 800-480-0380.

Candy? Step This Way!

The Penny Candy Shop at 15 North Main Street in Wolfeboro is the sweetest incarnation of a long history of fine candy shops at Durgin Stables. Open year round, Penny Candy Shop features the finest chocolates available, handcrafted in New Hampshire. In addition to locally made fudges, chocolate covered pretzels, maple products, peanut butter cups, and other confections, Penny Candy Shop is true to its name, offering an extensive array of old fashioned penny candies. There is even an antique gumball machine that still dispenses gumballs for just a penny. Open daily during the summer. Hours change in the off-season, so call ahead for hours from Christmas to April. Phone: 603-569-9800.

Civil War-era Barn Houses
Thousands of Prints, Old and New

As you approach the grounds on the Winona Road from Route 104, in the distance across a field you will see a large 1790 farm with many buildings under the trees of nicely landscaped grounds. You are at The Old Print Barn, 343 Winona Road in Meredith, a Civil War period barn that has been scrubbed and redecorated to serve as a 21st century art gallery. Inside, you will find more than 2,000 original works of art on display, in all forms of printmaking from etchings to mezzotints, photography, watercolors, and oil paintings. In addition to having an extremely large stock of original art, The Old Print Barn offers all the services that art galleries should including authentication, evaluation, framing, and restoration. Open year-round, daily, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. Phone: 603-279-6479.

Craftsmen Among the Lakes

Founded in 1932, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is one of the oldest craft organizations in the country. The League was formed during the Depression to help New Hampshire craftspeople make a living through difficult financial times, by building an audience and market for fine handmade craft. The League operates seven retail galleries throughout New Hampshire. The galleries present the work of juried craftspeople, along with demonstrations, exhibits and educational programs.
Galleries in the Lakes region are the Center Sandwich Retail Gallery, 32 Main Street, Center Sandwich, 603-284-6831 (open May-October); Meredith Retail Gallery, 279 Daniel Webster Highway, Meredith, 603-279-7920; and Wolfeboro Retail Gallery, 15 North Main Street, Wolfeboro, 603-569-3309.

Dinner by the Hearth

The Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm Cleveland Hill Road in Tamworth is a fun and illuminating look into 19th-century farm life in New Hampshire. It also can be a lips-smacking experience for guests at the monthly hearthside dinners , where costumed interpreters cook dinner at the hearth with guests in attendance. Menus sound ravishing, and include homemade biscuits, breads, and cobblers, roast pork and chicken, farm-grown vegetables and preserves of all kinds, apple ciders, and old-fashioned desserts and drinks. In 2011, the final dinner is Eat, Drink & Be Merry on December 17. Phone: 603-323-7591.

Do Your Tubing With Help From the King

King Pine Ski Area at 1251 Eaton Road, Route 153 Route 153 in East Madison offers snow tubing at its Pine Meadows Snow Tubing Park on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and daily during school vacation weeks, for only $15 per person. Known for its family-friendly atmosphere and affordability, Purity Spring and King Pine Ski Area have been a tradition for families throughout New England for decades. Phone: 800-373-3754.

Flying Monkey Movie House
Brings the Classics to Main Street

A vintage, 1920s movie house at 39 Main Street in Plymouth has been purchased and restored by the Common Man family of restaurants with the goal of bringing movies back to Main Street and providing a performing arts venue for the region. Playing independent, classic and first-run movies and hosting area theatrical groups for live performances. Recent artists to appear at the Flying Monkey Movie House include Dueling Pianos, Gallagher, Comedian Bob Marley and Greg Browne. The Monkey also serves a full food and beverage menu courtesy of The Common Man restaurants. Phone: 603-536-2551.

Penny Candy By the Yard

The Old Country Store and Museum On Whittier Highway in Moultonborough has been in business since 1781, and has been the site at various times of town meetings, the town library, the post office and a stage coach stop. Still a working general store, it is stocked to the rafters with everything from gumdrops to hardware. Start with the penny candy counter and see how far you get. Phone: 603-476-5750.

Skis? Snowshoes? Take Your Pick

For the beautiful sights and rugged workout of skiing without the high-speed downhill terrors, cross-country skiing is ideal. The Lakes Regions offers plenty of opportunities for cross-country skiing, along with its plodding cousin sport of showshoeing. To get started, check out these ski areas and resources: King Pine Ski Area on Route 153 in East Madison; with 20 kilometers of groomed trails; Gunstock Cross Country and Snowshoe Center in Gilford with 50 kilometers of groomed trails; or Nordic Skier Wolfeboro XC in Wolfeboro, on the east side of Lake Winnipesaukee, with 30 kilometers of groomed trails.

Try the Bloody Mary Mix First

In the early days of The Common Man restaurant, an old jelly cabinet at the front desk offered an assortment of coffee mugs, comfy C apparel, white chocolate, and home-made foods. Customers always enjoyed taking home a taste of the Common Man, so The Common Man Company Store was opened at 59 Main Street near the flagship restaurant in Ashland. The store carries New England-made products, unique toys and gifts, and a 20-foot penny candy counter. You'll also find Common Man goodies such as wines, fudge, Bloody Mary mix, clothing, mugs and more. Open daily, hours vary. Phone: 603-968-3559.

A Look Behind the Scenes
of High-Volume Beer Making

Whether or not you are a beer aficionado, a visit to the Anheuser-Busch Brewery at 221 Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack is a fun and interesting behind-the-scenes exploration into the brewing industry at it best. Free tours of the brewery include a visit to the Clydesdale Hamlet, home to the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales. At the Brew Hall, guests discover how the world's greatest beers are carefully crafted using the highest quality ingredients and packaged in a state-of-the-art facility. If you are 21 years of age or older, sample our products in the Hospitality Room. Choose from a variety of brews including our seasonal brands and new products. Phone: 603-595-1202.

Bring a Camera for Photos with a Clydesdale

A visit to the Anheuser-Busch brewery on Daniel Webster Highway in Merrimack offers a broad menu of pleasures: see how the brew is made; stroll through the gardens; visit the gift shop. On the first Saturday of each month, a Clydesdale horse – one of the gentle giants that pulled Budweiser wagons back in the day – is brought out for picture-taking with the public. Phone: 603-595-1202

Cinema for Elite Tastes

People who love movies: do yourselves a favor and get out of those multiplexes that look and feel like a walk through the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. New England has a healthy scattering of proudly small, independent movie theaters that show new releases along with independent films, shorts, and other cinematic art that doesn’t necessarily include exploding helicopter scenes. Among these is the Red River Theatres, at 11 South Main Street in Concord, a non-profit cinema showing current independent and foreign films, classics, documentaries, and cult favorites. With rocker-style, stadium seating, Dolby surround sound and unique concessions - including wine, beer, fresh sandwiches, and local pastries. Phone: 603-224-4697

Come to Pat’s for Tuberiffic Fun

Snow tubing is a blast for people of all ages and those who prefer being close to the surface when sliding down a mountain. Many areas are adding carpet lifts that take you up the hill for the next run. Pat’s Peak, at Flanders Road (off Route 114) in Henniker, is a good place to do some family tubing (although tubers must be above age 5). Snow tubing is open to the public Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and school vacation weeks. Phone ahead; hours of operation vary. Phone: 603-428-3245.

Concord Arts Market
Turns Shopping into a Gallery Visit

The award-winning Concord Arts Market is a juried, weekly, outdoor artisan and fine arts market. In addition to Granite State artists, guest artists from all of New England bring the best variety of handmade goods our region has to offer. Blown glass, handbags, accessories, paintings, multi-media art, handmade baskets, pottery, handmade books and jewelry are just some of the items for sale at a variety of prices. Modern twists and traditional styles meld to create a lavish art experience. Admission is free. Consult website for dates and hours of operation. Phone: 603-229-2157.

Craftsmen in Merrimack

Founded in 1932, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is one of the oldest craft organizations in the country. The League was formed during the Depression to help New Hampshire craftspeople make a living through difficult financial times by building an audience and market for fine handmade craft. The League operates seven retail galleries throughout New Hampshire. The galleries present the work of juried craftspeople, along with demonstrations, exhibits and educational programs.
Galleries in the Merrimack region are Concord Retail Gallery, 36 North Main Street, Concord, 603-228-8171.

Hop a Star

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center at 2 Institute Drive in Concord is a place to enjoy aviation, astronomy, space and rocketry activities. The Discovery Center has an inspirational collection of innovative, interactive exhibits to explore. Delve into the worlds of astronomy, aviation, Earth and space sciences and become immersed in this entertaining learning environment. There are programs at the Discovery Center for all ages! From the state-of-the-art planetarium theater to our high-tech observatory to workshops for Little Explorers and educators alike… there is something for everyone here. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Fridays, 6:30-9 p.m. Phone: 603-271-STAR.

Snowshoes Meet Stonehenge

America’s Stonehenge, at 105 Haverhill Road in Salem, is a large wooded property filled with mazes of man-made chambers, walls, and ceremonial meeting places, probably more than 4,000 years old. Like Stonehenge in England, America's Stonehenge was built by ancient people well versed in astronomy and stone construction. It has been determined that the site is an accurate astronomical calendar. For the rest of us, America’s Stonehedge is a fun place to explore and marvel, even in the winter. Snowshoeing trails wind through 105 acres of woodlands filled with wildlife. The property is open for snowshoeing daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and snow shoes are available for rent. Information: 603-893-8300.

A Haven for Weavers and Knitters

This place is a gold mine for weaves and knitters. Harrisville Designs on Main Street in Harrisville is a family-owned and -operated business founded in 1971 to preserve and re-establish the economic vitality of the historic 18th century textile village of Harrisville. Woolen yarn has been spun in the water-powered, mill town of Harrisville since 1794. This village in the Monadnock Highlands is the only industrial community of the early 19th century that still survives in America in its original form. Today, the center offers products for the weaving and knitting enthusiast, as well as the Friendly Loom line of educational toys for children. Weaving Center Hours are Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 603-827-3996.

A Tisket, a Tasket

From knitting baskets to bicycle baskets to picnic and pie baskets – and other uses you have never imagined -- Peterborough Basket Company and its factory outlet store on Grove Street in Peterborough are ready to serve your basketry needs. Hand-made Peterborough baskets are made from Appalachian white ash, the same hardwood that baseball bats, snowshoes, and axe handles are made from. The wood is harvested from Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, and the baskets’ solid brass nails prevent rusting. All of the baskets are made on site at the factory in Peterborough, and the factory store has great bargains and wonderful gift ideas. Factory outlet store hours are Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Closed most holidays. Phone: 603-371-9020

Antiques Co-op Is Packed to the Rafters

New Hampshire Antique Co-op at 323 Elm Street in Milford was founded in 1983 as one of the first group shops in New England. More than 200 dealers from New England, South America, England, and western United States exhibit here. Whether they are offering it be ancient Chinese art, sterling silver, Viennese bronze or Federal furniture, all areas of interest are covered. Go antiquing through the co-op's Main Street, Small Treasures Hall, Market Square's, and Discovery Barn. View 19th and 20th century fine art in Tower and Upstairs Galleries. You will find 20,000 square feet of changing merchandise. Open daily, year-round from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone: 603-673-8499

Artistry in Glass

The exhibit New Hampshire Glassmakers: 1780-1886 celebrates the extraordinary glass manufacturing industry in the Granite State from the Revolutionary War era through the Industrial Revolution. This exhibit is open to the public November 13, 2010, to February 19, 2011, at the Peterborough Historical Society, 19 Grove Street in Peterborough. New Hampshire was home to five early American glasshouses, producing bottles, flasks, and tableware for more than a century. Working under cruelly primitive working conditions, early glassmakers conquered their harsh environment to produce wonderful utilitarian objects and creative works of art. About 250 rare examples will now be assembled under one roof. Open: Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Phone: 603-924-3235.

Books With Depth, From Deep in the Past

Bequaert Old Books at 37 Route119 West in the town of Fitzwilliam is a treasure house for people who love old books on abstruse topics. The store has a stock of more than 40,000 books and paper items, with particularly strong collections of children's, European monarchy, and technical books. There is also an extensive stock of books on American history, the Civil War, cooking, travel and adventure, polar and mountaineering, hiking and the outdoors and transportation. When you're in the area, stop by and immerse yourself. Or make a day of it with lunch at a local restaurant and an afternoon in any of the town's numerous antique shops. Hours: April through mid-November, Thursday through Sunday. Other times of the year, call ahead to make an appointment. Phone: 603- 585-3448.

Call Stonewall for a Sleigh Ride

Stonewall Farm, at 242 Chesterfield Road in Keene, is a working farm and educational center with a mission to connect people to the land and to the role of local agriculture in their lives. Set in a scenic valley, the farm consists of pastures, fields and woodlands and is open, free of charge, every day of the year. The farm offers a nostalgic 45-minute horse-drawn sleigh ride or hayride, followed by hot chocolate, cider and roasted marshmallows. (A fee is charged.) Call ahead to make arrangements for rides. Phone: 603-357-7278.

Chocolates in Monadnock

Vacation is time for indulgence, and New Hampshire has a chocolate and martini road trip that can guide you through some fabulous flavors of both of these intoxicants. In the Mondanock region, a good place to start is the town of Walpole, home to L.A. Burdick Chocolate Shop and Café at 47 Main Street in Walpole. The cafe offers an extensive variety of pastries and drinks in a serene environment. It's also the location of Burdick’s chocolate and pastry production facility (603-756-2882). Also in Walpole, stop at Bellows House Bakery for one of its famous Whoopie Pies and other prize-winning baked goods (800-358-6302). Drift over to the nearby town of Marlborough to visit Unbridled Chocolates at 135 Main Street (603-876-4700). Be sure to taste the rich, handmade Belgian chocolate bonbons, and browse the selection of natural herbal chocolates.

Cottage in the Forest

The sweet little cottage at Pickity Place on Nutting Hill Road in the town of Mason has stood for more than 200 years (historic note: Pickity is the setting for Little Golden Books’s 1948 version of “Little Red Riding Hood”). These days, the cottage is a place to enjoy peaceful gardens, a greenhouse shop, and elegant gourmet luncheons accented with herbs and edible flowers. Lunch is served every day and the menu changes monthly. Open daily, year-round. Phone: 603-878-1151.

Hannah’s Here to Help With Creative Shopping

Hannah Grimes Marketplace on Main Street in Keene is a education center and incubator for New Hampshire products, crafts, and artwork. For visitors, the Marketplace is a great place to browse for local foods, including maple syrup, children’s books, and luxuries from fancy shampoos to original art. Think about your gift shopping for the next several months, and go explore what Hannah has to offer. Hours: Store Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday, 11a.m.- p.m. Phone: 603-352-6862.

Milk and Salsa, But Not in the Same Bowl

Stonewall Farm on Chesterfield Road in Keene is a farm with an organic attitude, and the public is welcome to come and check it out. The farm showcases local vendors such as Cheshire Gardens of Winchester, which produces preserves, mustards, vinegars, salsas and sauces. Visitors are welcome daily from dawn to dusk for milking, educational events, and shopping at the farm stand and gift shop. Phone: 603-357-7278.

Pewter in Process

Hillsborough Center retains the atmosphere of a 19th century New England town, with its central Common, surrounded by buildings that once housed taverns, a blacksmith shop, and a post office. This is the workplace of pewtersmith Jon Gibson, owner of Gibson Pewter on East Washington Road. Watch Gibson create pewter objects in the 200-year-old barn where he apprenticed as a boy. More than 100 traditional and contemporary pieces are for sale. Phone: 603-464-3410

Stock Car Racing on -- Believe It or Not -- Ice

Racing fans don’t need to vegetate indoors during the winter. On Sunday afternoons from January to March the Jaffrey Ice Racing Association hosts stock car races on a quarter-mile oval track on Lake Contoocook (also known as Sunshine Lake), on Squantam Road in Jaffrey. Two divisions, modified and four-cylinder, race 10-lap heats and 20-lap feature races. Racing takes place from noon to 4 p.m. Of course, Mother Nature has to cooperate; the races take place only if the ice is just right. Phone: 603-593-5181.

Unique Décor, from Bedroom to Garden

Bowerbird & Friends, an unusual little gift-and-antiques shop in the town of Peterborough, promises to sate your appetite for beautiful, rare treasures, even after repeated visits. A trip to bowerbird is a captivating encounter with the pieces and parts that make a home warm, special, and romantic. The decorative and functional items within the shop are ready to bring beauty and pleasure to your home. Industrial home décor melds with flow blue china, vintage jewelry, European plaster, candlesticks, antiques, rare books, and reclaimed tables. A small greenhouse is home to diminutive houseplants and garden accessories.

Warm and Colorful Artwork

The Sharon Arts Center on Grove Street in Peterborough offers fine art galleries, a fine craft store, and even a school of arts and crafts. The craft store is a warm and colorful excursion into beautiful, highbrow textiles, pottery, jewelry, glass art, wooden objects, and more from regional and national craftsmen. Phone: 603-924-2787.

A New Hampshire Country Store,
from Aged Cheese to Pewter Gifts

Calef’s Country Store, at routes 9 and 125 in the Seacoast town of Barrington, has been dispensing welcome, hospitality, and good food since the horse-and-buggy days. Stop in for a deli sandwich during your explorations of the area, and, if you can, pick up some great food gifts to charm the people you left back home. These include Caleb’s Snappy Old Cheese, maple foods, jams, jellies, butter, pickles, relishes, olives, chutney, salsa and pretzel dips, soup mixes, and more. Caleb’s also carries beautiful artwork by the New Hampshire Pewter Company. Open daily. 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Phone: 800-462-2118

Brewery Hounds Alert

People who appreciate the fruit of the beer maker’s art should be advised to visit two local breweries in the Portsmouth area: the large Portsmouth Brewery & Cataqua Public House on Corporate Drive at Pease International Tradeport, (603-430-8600) which offers tours, samples, and a restaurant, and the Portsmouth Brewery on Market Street in downtown Portsmouth (603-431-1115). You won’t be disappointed.

Celebrate a Night in a Paris Cabaret

The Gaudy Baubles, featuring Renee, will entertain at a Parisian-themed Valentine’s Day show in the Music Hall Loft in Portsmouth on February 14. Escape to Paris for the evening with this retro cabaret, great songs, great vibe. If you loved Midnight in Paris, this one’s for you and your baby. Each ticket includes one dessert of tiramisu or French truffle. The Music Hall Loft – around the corner from the historic Music Hall -- is a 125-seat theater where audiences experience fabulous programming in a smaller and more intimate setting, with gourmet food and cocktails that can be taken right to each seat.

Charms of the Music Hall Unveiled

The Music Hall, the landmark Victorian theater at 28 Chestnut Street in Portsmouth, will host behind-the-scenes tours of the historic Beaux Arts theater. The tour paints a full picture of the history of the hall, including the tales of sailors who rigged the theater in the late 19th century, its flashy and famous owners, and stars across three centuries. Its performers have ranged from Mark Twain to Wynton Marsalis and David Crosby. Visitors will see the passage of time through the building’s restorations, which have brought back details dating back to 1878 and 1901, the hall’s periods of architectural significance. In 2011-2012, tours operate October 18, 2011, to May 2012 on the third Thursday of each month starting at 5:30 p.m. Tours run about 75 minutes. Phone: 603-436-2400.

Forest on the Edge of the City

One of New Hampshire's most unique natural resources is found on a quiet road on the outskirts of Portsmouth, welcoming anyone who values New Hampshire's woodlands and natural resources. The Urban Forestry Center at 45 Elwyn Road consists of 182 acres of field, forest, and salt marsh. The center is used as a tree farm, a bird and wildlife sanctuary, a garden and landscape demonstration site, and as a learning center for tree and plant identification. It has several gardens, walking trails, tree identification trail, salt marsh, and other educational displays. And, pets on leash are welcome. Trails open daily, year-round; office open weekdays. Phone: 603-431-6774.

Four Centuries of Daily Life

Strawbery Banke Museum on Hancock Street in Portsmouth is a community composed of restored and furnished houses, exhibits, historic landscapes and gardens, and costumed role players. Together, these elements bring to life the daily activities of New England people from European settlement in the 17th century to the mid-20th century. In addition to ongoing exhibits, lots of special events take place during warm weather. Phone: 603-433-1100.

Fruit Wines, Apple Brandy, and Vodka to Taste Year-Round

Flag Hill Vineyard and Winery at 297 North River Road in Lee has ground in 20 years from a family-operated vineyard to an established winery in this picturesque seacoast region. The winery produces more than 15 varieties of red and white wines. Owner Frank Reinhold recently secured Flag Hill as the first distillery in the state, producing distilled spirits such as General John Stark Vodka and Josiah Bartlett Apple Brandy. A new Tasting Room & Gift Store, offering events, tours, sales, and more, opened in March 2010. Open year round, Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. except for major holidays. Phone: 603-659-2949.

Stop to Shop

The Seacoast region has wonderful shopping for beautiful and unusual items. The Fox Run Mall in Newington is a place to start for national names, followed by a trip to Boardwalk Strip at Hampton Beach. The cream of the shopping experience has to be Portsmouth's Market Street , crammed with art, toys, home decorations, clothing, hardware, jewelry, flowers, and more. Voted one of New England's Best Shopping Streets by Travel and Leisure Magazine.

Theater with a Moving Floor

Like many of New England’s historic regional theaters, the Rochester Opera House was built in the early 20th century, with stunning architectural details. In fact the Rochester is the nation’s only theater with a moveable auditorium floor, designed to incline for amphitheater seating or level off for dancing. By 1984 however, the theater was in near ruins and no one remembered how to operate or where to locate the floor mechanism. Now thanks to a community restoration project, the theater is again fully functional, hosting an array of performing arts year round. Coming up in 2011: “Cabaret,” comedian Jimmy “J.J.” Walker, “Freedom Train,” a Patsy Cline tribute show, the Stafford Wind Symphony, and more. Phone: 603-335-1992.

America’s Oldest Continuously Operated General Store

The Brick Store is a genuine old-fashioned general store that dates back as far as 1790 – in fact, the store calls itself America’s oldest continuously operated general story. It is located on the main street – Route 302 – in the delightful town of Bath. Customers include some old-timers in their 90s who tell the owners, Mike and Nancy Lusby, that they remember buying penny candy there as kids. How authentic is that? At the Brick Store, visitors can buy distinctive New England specialties — including smokehouse meats and cheese, homemade fudge, gift packs and gift baskets, maple syrup, weathervanes, and much more. It is open daily. Phone: 800-964-2074

Are We There Yet?

If you drive regularly in any New England town, it’s only a matter of time before you spot a car bedecked with a bumper sticker that reads “This car climbed Mt. Washington.” In 2011, the famous Mt. Washington Auto Road on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch is celebrating its sesquicentennial--that’s 150 years of family trips, road races, and bicycle climbs to the summit and its impressive view. The Auto Road plans to celebrate with a number of special activities all summer long, including motorcycle weekend, a road race, and a special sesquicentennial black tie gala. The Road is open from March through November. Phone: 603-466-3988.

Call of the Moose

Northern New Hampshire hosts an abundance of wildlife, including that gentle giant, the moose. Many guests travel to the White Mountains and Great North Woods regions of New Hampshire to see moose in their natural habitat. Moose Path Trail starts at Route 16 north from Gorham to Errol. Take Route 26 to Dixville Notch to Route 3 north to Pittsburg. This wilderness byway is ideal for the outdoor enthusiast as moose are often spotted along the drive. If you see a moose, keep your distance! They are large, wild animals, and it is important to give them wide berth.

Coach Trip to the Snow Fields

Winter brings a whole new set of sights and sounds to the White Mountains: extra-crisp mountain air, crystal-blue skies, the soft crunch of new snow. A winter tour above the tree line on Mount Washington is absolutely unforgettable, and now this tour is accessible to anyone by way of the SnowCoach, operated by Great Glen Trails on Route 16 in Pinkham Notch, Gorham. A specially constructed all-wheel drive system allows the SnowCoach to deliver you to the world above tree line on the Mount Washington Auto Road. SnowCoach tours last approximately one and one-quarter hours and depart daily, weather permitting, from December through March. Phone: 603-466-2333.

Come Ride With Us, Says Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel

Crisp winter air, beautiful forest all around, and a harness full of big dogs who just want to pull. The town of Jefferson in the White Mountains is home to Muddy Paw Dog Sled Kennel. The kennel offers dogsled rides ranging from two to 50 miles, including dog sledding overnight trips. Guests of all ages and abilities can meet the rescue and second chance sled dogs, pet them, help to harness/hitch the teams and even help drive. The company will customize a unique dogsledding trip to fit your family or large group if you don't see a trip listed that is the perfect fit for you. Sgt. Preston, don’t you wish you were here? Phone: 603-545-4533.

Come See the Birth Place of Pig’s Ear Brown

Warm up your visit to the White Mountains with a pop-in visit to the Woodstock Inn Brewery at 135 Main Street in Woodstock. Brews with names like Red Rack, Pig's Ear, and Loon Golden Ale are produced through a traditional seven-barrel system using premium hops and English grains. The prize-winning brews are on display during a free tour of the brewery every day at noon. Woodstock Inn Brewery has won several national awards for its ales; Pig's Ear Brown that has won the National Beer Tasting Championships two years in a row. Come by and get acquainted. Phone: 800-321-3985.

Come Shop With Me

There are over 100 factory outlet stores in Conway, most of them located at Settlers’ Green Outlet Village and Settlers’ Crossing, located adjacent to each other off Route 16. The original outlet destination resort, North Conway is home to Coach, Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Under Armour, Banana Republic and many more. Antiques, specialty ski shops, art galleries, craft shops, boutiques and gourmet food shops abound. And…no sales tax is charged here. Both Settlers’ Green and Settlers’ Crossing offer a variety of dining options including Black Cap Grille, Starbucks, Brandli’s Pasta Grille, Wrapsody’s ‘N Greens, Kaity’s Big Chill and the Lodge Café. Phone: 888-667-9636.

Craftsmen in the White Mountains

Founded in 1932, the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen is one of the oldest craft organizations in the country. The League was formed during the Depression to help New Hampshire craftspeople make a living through difficult financial times by building an audience and market for fine handmade craft. The League operates seven retail galleries throughout New Hampshire. The galleries present the work of juried craftspeople, along with demonstrations, exhibits and educational programs.
Galleries in the White Mountains region are Littleton Retail Gallery, 81 Main Street, Littleton, 603-444-1099; and North Conway Retail Gallery, Main Street/Route 16, North Conway, 603-356-2441.

Curious About George

Margret and H.A. Rey, authors of the Curious George children’s books, were artists and adventurers, historians and naturalists. Their spirit lives on in the Margret and H.A. Rey Center and Curious George Cottage at 35 Village Road in Waterville Valley, their former home and a place of art, science, and nature programs for children. On Saturdays, the Rey Center is open and filled with Curious George exhibits. Two storytimes will fill up the little ones with George adventures. At the Curious George Cottage, visitors may read books, try drawing in the style of H.A. Rey, and enjoy the view of Mount Tecumseh. Call ahead for hours. Phone: 603-236-3308

Indoor Comfort Alongside Outdoor Adventure

For indoor and outdoor pleasures, the resource in East Conway on Route 113 is Town & Country, offering country gifts, wood and gas stoves as well as snowmobile sales, service, rentals for outdoor adventurers. The country store offers Lodge Cast Iron Cookware, country furniture, weathervanes, Warren Kimble Prints, candles and gifts. The outdoorsman can find Polaris and Yamaha recreational vehicles for sale or rent. Snowmobile renters can hit the trails immediately through the Snoward Bound Covered Bridge parking area located just behind the store. Cross the covered bridge and enter a groomed scenic trail connection to New Hampshire's Corridor 19 snowmobile trails. (While the indoor people stay put and shop.) The store is open daily through the winter. Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone: 603-939-2698.

Off-Road Adventures in High Mountains, Deep Snow

Alpine Adventures on Main Street in Lincoln offers off-road trips in all seasons through fantastically beautiful wintry scenes through Franconia Notch, Twin Mountain, Bog Pond, and Mount Moosilauke. Buckle Up and Hold On, as the license plates dictate, because you're in for an off-road thrill like no other in New England. Winter displays the extreme off-road capabilities of 6-wheel-drive Swiss army transport vehicles called Pinzgauers. Pinzgauers have modified seating to accommodate 11 guests (one is shotgun) in blue bucket seats with lap belts. We padded the overhead cages and added a kickin' stereo system with mikes for the guides to entertain you on your journey. Phone: 603-745-9911.

Pollyanna Was Here

One of the last classic Main Streets in New England, downtown Littleton is a vibrant community on the bank of the Ammonoosuc River. Downtown offers a nice variety of restaurants, a historic inn, a 100-year old opera house, specialty shops, a majestic post office, a working gristmill, the world’s longest candy counter, and a sculpture of the original “glad girl” herself: Pollyanna.

Rounding Up the Horses for Winter Sleigh Rides

When snow blankets the ground in northern New England, October’s hay rides transform into winter sleigh rides. Farms all over New Hampshire offer this delightful outdoor adventure, sometimes in large groups, sometimes in sleighs for two or four people. These rides showcase New England in all its wintry beauty. Among the many farms offering the rides is Charmingfare Farm in Candia, where the sleighs travel along old logging trails. The one-and-a-half-hour ride includes a stopover with campfire and refreshments. Phone: 603-483-5623.

Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee	Great North Woods	Lakes
Merrimack Valley	Monadnock	Seacoast
White Mountains

NEW HAMPSHIRE