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 <br>Peaceful Meander Among Small Towns 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.

Etch-A-Sketch, Without Boundaries

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Wingdoodle (definition: a fanciful whatchamacallit) is an art gallery and retail store on East Main Street in Warner that invites visitors to pick up imaginative drawing tools and discover the artist within themselves. A new, populist art form that you can practice at Wingdoodle is known as zentangle, an easy-to-learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive patterns. It is a fascinating new art form that is fun and relaxing. Even though it is a specified series of steps, it results in a creative expression that transcends its own rules. Think of a free-form, Zen version of Etch-A-Sketch. Zentangle kits and advice from the folks at Wingdoodle can get you or another artist in your life buzzing on paper. Hours: Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone: 603-456-3515

Hanover Has Charm and Culture to Spare

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The town of Hanover – home to Dartmouth College – offers a charming combination of urban cultural sophistication, Ivy-League New England village atmosphere and natural beauty and recreational opportunities. Hanover's historic, four-block downtown features more than 90 distinctive specialty shops, brand name stores and 20 restaurants. Downtown Hanover is home to nine theaters, the Hopkins Center for the Arts and the Hood Museum of Art. Immediately adjacent to the downtown is Dartmouth College's architecturally stunning campus. Within walking distance of the downtown is a challenging 18-hole golf course and boating on the pristine Connecticut River, a national heritage river. Within easy drive are hundreds of day hikes, some of the most beautiful biking in America. Phone: 603-643-3115.

Head to the Hood

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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.

Jewels of Your Own Design for Neck, Wrists, Fingers

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Experience whimsy at Vessels and Jewels, a contemporary American craft gallery and bead boutique on Main Street in New London. The gallery consists of unique hand crafted art (pottery, jewelry, glass, metals, fiber, and more) by artists from New Hampshire, New England, and across the United States. Design and create your own beaded jewelry, with a bit of help from the staff. Year-round, daily except Tuesday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; closed at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Phone: 603-526-8902.

Small Engineering Gems

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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.

GREAT NORTH WOODS top of listings

A Bold Display of a Mighty Industry

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Located in the Androscoggin River Valley in the heart of New Hampshire's Great North Woods, the Northern Forest Heritage Park on Main Street in Berlin is a wonderful place to see the logging traditions of the Great North Woods come to life. The park includes a walkways along the mighty Androscoggin River, an outdoor amphitheater, a replica logging camp, the Brown Company House Museum, and an Artisans Gift Shop. The park art exhibits, concerts, major cultural festivals, lumberjack competitions, special blacksmith demonstrations and special events. Open year round with limited programming in the winter. Phone: 603-752-7202

Bird Watchers Paradise

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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

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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.
Moose and Wildlife Tours are a popular New Hampshire activity for wildlife enthusiasts. The town of Gorham is host to a Scenic Moose & Wildlife Tour where there is a 95 percent guarantee of spotting some of the Granite State’s unique wildlife. Similar tours are available in the town of Lincoln. Guests take a two-to-three-hour bus journey through the White Mountains in search of New Hampshire’s gentle giants.

Fiddleheads' Artists Celebrate
the Beauty of Nature

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Fiddleheads -- A Great North Woods Shoppe is a place to find distinctive gifts from the hands of artists. The shop’s website celebrates the artists who produce the fine glasswork, jewelry and metalwork, and leather work, much of it celebrating natural imagery. Work on display at the shop, on Main Street in Colebrook, includes glass by Stephen Kitras, pottery by Smoky Mountain Potter and right Off the Batt Pottery, jewelry by Gardella, and more. Stop, browse, exclaim. Phone: 603-237-9302

Great Waterfalls: Beaver Brook Falls

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Beaver Brook Falls fans out over a sliding cascade, then broadens and drops about 30 to 40 feet over a sheer and jagged cliff face before collecting itself and cascading about 25 to 30 feet more to the base. The terrain is very steep, and the dirt is slick. Unless you're very comfortable with strenuous and treacherous terrain, stay on the lower level. The falls are the centerpiece of a small park, just north of Colebrook. The parking area overlooks a well maintained expanse of lawn, with picnic tables and restroom facilities. To find it: From Colebrook, take Route 145 east for 2.5 miles. The well marked recreation area and parking lot are on your right.

LAKES top of listings

A Close Look at New England Farm Life

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The Remick Country Doctor Museum and Farm on Cleveland Hill Road in Tamworth is a wonderful place for adults and youngsters to see up close the daily lives and chores of the agricultural way of life in New Hampshire from 1790 to the present. Naturally, raising and preparing food – from hatching chicks to stoking the woodstove – is a large part of the story. Workshops are offered through the year in homestead cookery and other crafts of the 18th to the 20th century like soap- and candle making, wool spinning and felting. Special events include the ice harvest festivalin January, maple sugaring in March, and historic hearthside dinners, which are ongoing. Phone: 603-323-7591 or 800-686- 6117.

Accessories From the Art of the Forge

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Earthly Treasures on Lake Street in Bristol began as a place to sell hand-forged metal art by Vic and Elaine McAdams. Later, they added items such as candles, pottery, and glass and the store began to grow, expanding in 2000 to a 10,000-square-foot building in Bristol. Today the store features the works of more than 350 American artisans, mostly using designs inspired by nature. Almost everything is functional, ranging from fun and funky to inspiring and elegant. There are home and garden furnishings, accessories, lots of unique gifts, lovely jewelry, soaps, candles, New Hampshire and Newfound Lake memorabilia, inspirational items and lots more. Many artisans are from New Hampshire, a state where fine craft has a long tradition. Many more are from New England, every corner of the United States, and from Canada. Open daily. Phone: 800-480-0380.

Bluegrass & Gospel Jam Session, Live and Alive

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A jam session of local musicians playing old-time country, gospel and bluegrass music is held at the historic Old White Church on Route 109A in Center Tuftonboro from 6 to 9:30 p.m., every Tuesday night in June, July, and August, and Wednesday nights from September through May. This is a real, unprocessed, uncensored, old-time jam session in a historic church building. Musicians in these sessions range in ability from old-time country musicians that have played many grange hall dances to new country and bluegrass enthusiasts. Musicians and singers and listeners are all welcome. These jam sessions are open to the public and there is no admission charge, even though donations are appreciated. Phone: 603-569-3861.

Byway, Not the Highway

So, what’s so great about traveling by foot? To take in great sweeps of Lakes region scenery, get in your vehicle and tap into the Lakes region scenic byway tour, a designation of the National Scenic Byways Program. This 97-mile tour travels through the lovely villages of Alton, Gilford, Weirs Beach, Meredith, Holderness, Center Harbor, and Moultonborough.

Craftsmen Among the Lakes

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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

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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. For adults, this is a restful and fascinating dining experience. Phone: 603-323-7591.

Greatest Generation on Display

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The Wright Museum of WWII History at 77 Center Street in Wolfeboro is devoted to preserving the stories of World War II, on the battlefront and the home front. The Wright Museum consists of three sections: a home front gallery and theater, a Visitor's Center, and a wing, which houses exhibits devoted to all branches of the armed services. Among the highlights of the military exhibition is a collection of vehicles, including a 42-ton Pershing tank--the only known surviving example from the 1945 crossing at Remagen Bridge. Hours: Open daily May 1-October 3. Open Sundays February-April. Phone: 603-569-1212.

Handmade Pottery and Chocolate in One Neat Stop

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The handiwork of Winnipesaukee Chocolates and SkySong Pottery is on display and for sale at Winnipesaukee Chocolates at 53A North Main Street in Wolfeboro. Toffees, caramels, and hand-rolled, fresh cream truffles by Jonathan Walpole and unique, nature-inspired pottery from Sally Cornwell ideal gifts for yourself for friends back home. Open Tuesday through Saturday in July and August, and more limited hours during the rest of the year. 603-569-4831.

Into the Sunset

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Enjoy New Hampshire's beautiful Lakes Region on horseback. Travel throughout Gunstock's 2,400-acre resort aboard a well-mannered equines. All rides are accompanied by experienced guides and riders of all abilities are welcome. Enjoy the natural splendor the New Hampshire has to offer atop a horse whose rhythmic walking will lull you into unparalleled relaxation. The Cobble Mountain Stables of Gilford is the location of the daily horseback trails. Located on Route 11A, the stables and its surrounding trails and countryside offer miles of natural beauty and unbelievable vistas. Phone: 603-293-4341.

Look Out, Red Baron

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Visitors to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire now have a chance to fly over this beautiful landscape in an open cockpit biplane . Pilot Phil DiVirgilio, invites guests to take a ride with him in his WACO Classic YMF-5 Super, based at Emerson Aviation at the Laconia Airport. Soar with the wind in your hair and bask in the sunshine while taking in the spectacular 360-degree panoramic views. DiVirgilio will customize your experience for your comfort level. Enjoy a smooth ride with nice gentle turns so you can see all the landscape or add some adventure with rolls in and out of steep turns and some aggressive maneuvers that are sure to provide that adrenaline rush. Phone 603-250-6184.

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.

Try the Bloody Mary Mix First

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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.

MERRIMACK VALLEY top of listings

1 World Traders Offer Products
From Here to the Horizon

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For Earth-conscious shoppers, a visit to the southern New Hampshire city of Nashua should include a stop at 1 World Trading Company on Main Street, which offers fair-trade, locally made, and environmentally friendly products in a beautiful and friendly setting. Items range from colorful handmade Guatemalan friendship bracelets to traditional Granite State body lotions, shampoo and recycled (used) bicycles. Talk about diversity! Open daily except Tuesdays. Phone: 603-881-9111.

A Little Bit of Home in a Little Corner
of New Hampshire

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For some of us, winter is the time to hunker down near the fireside and wait it out ‘til spring. If you are going to be spending all that time at home, it is a good opportunity to spruce the place up a bit. A Little Bit of Home, a shop on Bridge Street in Pelham, is filled with products that are both locally and commercially made for the home and gift giving. They include soy candles, new and vintage jewelry, handmade baby gifts, home decor, framed prints, floral arrangements, wreaths, lamps and shades, garden products, angels, christmas goods, kitchen gifts, and collectable glass. Stop in form some browsing for your own home or a friend’s. Discover lovely things you didn’t know until now that you needed. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Phone:603-893-2921

A Look Behind the Scenes of High-Volume Beer Making

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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.

Astronomical Calendar Mystifies Visitors to America's Stonehenge

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America’s Stonehenge, a maze of man-made chambers, walls, and ceremonial meeting places at 105 Haverhill Road, Salem, is most likely the oldest man-made construction in the United States (more than 4,000 years old). Who built it? No one knows for sure. Like Stonehenge in England, America's Stonehenge was built by ancient people versed in astronomy and stone construction. The site is an accurate astronomical calendar. Various inscriptions have been found throughout the site including Ogham, Phoenician and Iberian Punic Script. Visitors today can enjoy walking, exploring, snowshoeing (equipment rentals available), visiting the resident alpacas, and browsing the gift shop, stocked with rocks and minerals, greeting cards, and more. Open daily year-round. Phone: 603-893-8300.

Bring a Camera for Photos with a Clydesdale

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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

Craftsmen in Merrimack

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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.

Historic Comunity Serves Shaker Style Cuisine

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Under the slogan, “Serving New Hampshire’s Bounty Every Day,” The Shaker Table Restaurant at The Canterbury Shaker Village is set in a warm, comfortable atmosphere with pastoral views, offering a culinary experience you won't soon forget. The Table’s cuisine features Shaker-inspired cooking using fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown on the Village grounds. Beautifully prepared and presented, each day's featured fare is a feast for the eyes as well as the palette. Every detail, even the menus, carries the distinct Shaker style of simple elegance. The Shaker Table is located within Canterbury Shaker Village, an internationally-known museum and National Historic Landmark that preserves the heritage of the Canterbury Shakers. Phone: 603-568-1127.

I, Whirlygig

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Here’s a chance to get the fun of flying without the fear of flying. SkyVenture, located on Poisson Road in Nashua, is a vertical wind tunnel where visitors can experience the freedom of flight. There is no falling sensation. You just float above the trampoline floor with ease. The indoor vertical wind tunnel is not only used by the world’s best skydivers to train in but it was also designed for the general public to experience the sport of body flight. No experience necessary! Almost anyone can do it. Reservations are recommended whenever possible. Open daily. Phone: 1-888-SKYVENTURE.

Meet the Llamas (and a Ffew Aalpacas Ttoo)

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The owners of Cicely Farm, on Flaghole Road in Concord started to get stuck on llamas in 1999, when two llamas joined the farm as a 50th birthday present. Now, the farm is home to 31 llamas and some alpacas, and the public is welcome to visit the barn, and meet and pet these lovely creatures. The farm also offers Guided hikes on the property. Hikes offer hands on experience with a focus on Llama 101, on packing theory and etiquette or on family fun and range from very easy to moderately strenuous. Come on by! Who doesn’t llove a llama? Phone: 603-783-9982.

Pamper That Mailman

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A wonderful opportunity to see a dynamic example of modernist design -- via the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright -- is available through the Currier Museum for the Arts in Manchester, where people can tour Wright’s 1950 Zimmerman House. Enjoy the built-in and freestanding furniture, its textiles, and gardens. Dig this: Wright even designed the mailbox. The Currier offers a variety of public walk-on tours for visitors of the house and its gardens from April through December each year, and private group tours are also available by reservation. Phone: 603-669-6144. (Photo from Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, NH. Bequest of Isadore J. and Lucille Zimmerman)

Pirates, Tree Houses, and Room to Crawl

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Moms and Dads of very young children, be advised that a new children’s museum opened in July 2009 at the old Waumbec Mill in Manchester. Kaleidoscope Children’s Museum, on Commercial Street, is designed for children age 1 to 5, though older children are welcome as well. Many of the special events are great for all ages. Kaleidoscope is designed specifically to encourage creative play and thinking. Among the exhibits is Mini-Main Street, Crawlers Corner, ZOOM!, Let the Show Begin, Read to Me!, Jammin' Tree House, Dino Discovery, You're the Star, Movin' N Groovin', Ahoy Me Mateys!, and Arts Alive! Art classes and workshops, music classes, sign language and more are offered on a rotating basis. Even the big kids will be tempted to get down on the floor and play. Phone: 603-606-3381.

Wholesome Living

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A fascinating day of history and fine dining awaits the curious visitor at the Canterbury Shaker Village and Shaker Table Restaurant in Canterbury. This National Historic Landmark preserves 200 years of Shaker life on 694 acres, 25 original buildings, gardens, and trails. Known for its tranquil beauty, the village offers tours, exhibits, workshops, family programs, hiking trails, unique shopping and delicious food. There is a great museum store, and the Shaker Table Restaurant features Shaker-inspired cooking using fresh ingredients from area producers as well as many fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown on the Village grounds. The Village is open daily, May through October and weekends November, December and April. Phone: 603-783-9511

MONADNOCK top of listings

A Tisket, a Tasket

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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

Brand-Name Labels Find a Second Life With You

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Particularly if you are in the company of a like-minded friend, browsing and shopping at a great consignment shop is as much safari as shopping. Consign of the Times Clothing Boutique at 800 Turnpike Road in New Ipswich is place where you are very likely to find just what you need to clothe the women, children, infants, teens and even the dogs in your world. The shop carries only brand-name and designer clothing currently in style for women and children such as J. Jill, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Chiccos, Limited, BCBG, Coach, Tahari, American Eagle, Old Navy, Gap, and more. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday. Phone: 603-878-4500.

Chocolates in Monadnock

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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

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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. Phone: 603-878-1151.

Hannah’s Here to Help With Creative Shopping

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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

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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

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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

Pull Up a Book and a Toadstool

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The three Toadstool Bookshops at The Colony Mill Marketplace in Keene, (603-352-8815), Lorden Plaza on Nashua Street in Milford (603-673-1734), and 112 Depot Square in Peterborough (603-924-3543) are a haven for book lovers. Browsing is encouraged, rewarded, and addictive. The stores are sociable too: the Peterborough store hosts live music and the Milford store is the home of a classics reading group.

Warm and Colorful Artwork

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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.

SEACOAST top of listings

A Hidden Jewell

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You don’t need to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate a visit to Jewell Towne Vineyards in South Hampton, NH. You just need a map to find this small, family-owned vineyard. Guests of the winery can enjoy a guided tour through the vines before heading back to the estate’s rustic style post-and-beam barn for a complimentary wine tasting and a stroll through the art gallery, featuring works by local artists and artisans. Here you can learn about the wine-making process from the vine to the bottle, and sample some, too. Open for tastings and tours Wednesday–Friday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Phone: 603-394-0600.

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

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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

A Taste of Tuscany on the New Hampshire Seacoast

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Zorvino Vineyards at 226 Main Street in Sandown is a small piece of Tuscany. This picturesque winery is located on 80 acres in the middle of a New England hardwood forest. The company produces wines from local New England grapes carefully tended on the property, as well as interesting varietals from grapes grown in premier winemaking regions of the world, including Tuscany, Chile and Northern California. Fruit wines also are made here. Open daily, noon to 5 p.m. Phone: 603-887-8463

Behind the Scenes <br>of a Beaux Arts Beauty Behind the Scenes
of a Beaux Arts Beauty

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The Music Hall, the landmark Victorian theater and arts center on Chestnut Street in Portsmouth, invites the public to behind-the-scenes tours of the historic theater, designated an American Treasure by the U.S. Senate. Tours, on a regular schedule, include the backstage areas, the antique front of house dating back to 1878, and the enchanting lobby renovated in 2008. 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; vaudeville acts with elephants to violinist Joshua Bell. 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. Phone: 603-436-2400.

Brewery Hounds Alert

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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.

Fall for Beautiful Stoneware

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Simple, elegant stoneware says “New England” better than anything else you can use to dress your table (Ok, maybe pewter, too). Salmon Falls Stoneware on Oak Street in Dover is one of the nation's most popular makers of traditional New England salt-glazed pottery. Each pot is handmade and decorated in the Oak Street Engine House in Dover. The production studio and factory store are among New England's most popular tourist destinations. Phone: 800- 621-2030.

Forest on the Edge of the City

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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

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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

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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.

Lollipop Tree: More Than Just a Candy Store

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A visit to the historical seaside town of Portsmouth is always worthwhile, but a visit that includes a stop at the Lollipop Tree is just a little more worthwhile. The Lollipop Tree and its Factory Store at 319 Vaughan Street offer all kinds of delicious things to munch while you’re on the road or to take home for cooking, baking, and gifts. Among them: pepper jellies, artisan bread and cookie mixes, grilling & glazing sauces, jams, monkey bread mixes, pancake and scone mixes, trimmings & cookware, and gift collections. If you’re not sure how to cope with these products in the kitchen, the staff offers recipes for many products. Phone: 800-842-6691.

Portsmouth Harbour Trail Displays
400 Years of Colorful History

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Portsmouth boasts 400 years of history, culture, architecture, and scenic beauty. All are on display Portsmouth Harbour Trail tours. Join a guided walking tour and see the historic homes, tugboats and working waterfront, vibrant Market Square, Prescott Park, and more. Depending on which tour you take, you'll hear stories about the rich and famous to the humble merchants and madams who had thriving businesses here. You may also hear about the brewers and politicians, fishermen and boat builders, writers, editors, and publishers that made Portsmouth the talk of the nation in their day. Portsmouth was and is a town full of characters. Season: Memorial Day-Columbus Day. Call for schedule Phone: 603-610-5510.

Stop to Shop

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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.

WHITE MOUNTAINS top of listings

America’s Oldest Continuously Operated General Store

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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

Call of the Moose

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Cherry Pond Designs Makes <br>Artwork of Furniture Cherry Pond Designs Makes
Artwork of Furniture

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Beautiful, artfully designed, high-quality furniture is something you shop for, but it also something to enjoy for its artistry. On a trip in the White Mountains, people who love furniture should visit Cherry Pond Designs on Meadows Road in Jefferson. Since 1990 Cherry Pond has been manufacturing solid wood bedroom, dining room, and occasional furniture that is designed and built to last for generations. Pay a visit; see and enjoy for yourself. Phone: 603-586-7795.

Craftsmen in the White Mountains

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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 Galler, Main Street/Route 16, North Conway, 603-356-2441.

Craggy Beauty, 90 Feet Tall

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The Flume Gorge at Franconia Notch State Park in the White Mountains National Forest is a natural granite gorge extending 800 feet at the base of Mount Liberty. The towering granite walls on each side of the gorge rise to a spectacular height of about 90 feet. Footpaths and bridges allow walkers to move among towering moss-covered granite walls, past cascading waterfalls, historic covered bridges, glacial boulders and much more. This is a beautiful nature wonder of the Granite State that you just should not miss.

General Store Celebrates Inspired Nonsense

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Zeb’s General Store in the mountain village of North Conway is the place to find New England products of all imaginable kinds – and some you might not easily imagine, like Nantucket Sea Clay Soap, Maine Maple Champagne Mustard, or Out on a Limb Blueberry Pie Filling. Some products are eccentric and all are worth a ride home in your shopping satchel. There are plenty of New England specialty foods and classic favorites like penny candy. You can even design your own gift basket from crates, baskets, or boxes (one of them a replica of the store itself), which you then fill with Zeb’s goodies. Phone: 800-676-9294.

Gifts From the Hands of Artists

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The beautiful Franconia Notch area offers opportunities to shop for art-inspired gifts to be found nowhere else. For example, the Pine Needle Card and Gift Company in Franconia (603-823-5907) presents greeting cards with photos of surrounding vistas; Plough Wind Antiques on Main Street in Franconia (603-823-9571) is filled with vintage treasures as well as beeswax candles and wonderful Woodstock Chimes; and P.C. Anderson Handmade Furniture in Sugar Hill (603-823-5209) creates furniture (including custom designs) as an art form. ‎

Great Waterfalls: Arethusa Fall Near Bartlett

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Arethusa Falls , near Bartlett, is regarded as the highest single drop in New Hampshire and it is by far the most spectacular. Bemis Brook makes a leap of 176 feet down an orange ledge of granite, capping a 1.5 mile hike along Bemis Brook. As you approach the falls, you'll see tantalizing glimpses of white falling water high through the treetops. To find it: Arethusa Falls is a well-signed side road off of Route 302 about halfway between Bartlett and the Gates of the Notch. Park in the lot and the falls are about two miles and 900 vertical feet away. Shortly after you leave the parking log, you'll see a trail junction leading towards Bemis Brook. The Arethusa Falls trail is a very steep climb over root ladders and erosion.

Great Waterfalls: Sabbaday Falls

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Sabbaday Brook , on the Kancamagus Pass, drops 40 feet in an unusual and scenic form. The water drops eight feet into a small emerald green pothole. The outlet of the pothole is a slide resulting in a 20-foot horsetail into a tight gorge where it makes a ninety degree turn to the right. The final drop is a 12-foot slide into a deep teal trough that opens into a pale jade green pool below. Walkways, bridges, and stairs make this an easy and safe place to explore. To find it: Sabbaday Falls is the focal point of the Sabbaday Falls Picnic Area, a well marked locale on Route 112, about 11 miles east of Kancamagus Pass, about 3.4 miles west of the Jigger Johnson Campground and about 17 miles west of Conway.

Great Waterfalls: Thompson Fall in Pinkham Notch

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Thompson Falls in Pinkham Notch in the White Mountains is a series of slides and falls along Thompson Brook. The lowest drop is the first you will encounter. The falls drop over a wide granite ledge that is shaped like a giant clam. Above this, you'll encounter a series of granite slides and dips, the segmented 20-foot middle falls, then finally the cascading upper falls. To find it: Take Route 16 into Pinkham Notch to the Wildcat Mountain Ski Area. Walk around the base lodge on the left side, cross the small stream and follow the interpretive trail that goes off to the left. Follow this trail for about half a mile, cross the service road, and continue along the trail into the woods. You'll reach the lower drop in a few hundred feet.

Indoor Comfort; Outdoor Adventure

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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.

Moose Crossing

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Breath taking views, sweet mountain air, and a 95 percent chance of seeing a moose are three great reasons to head to Gorham and out on the Moose Tours. This 3-hour guided bus tour allows visitors to New Hampshire to gaze upon deer, osprey, and the majestic moose. Tours run daily from May to October 3, and depart at dusk. While people are settling down after a day with their nose to the grind, this scenic nature tour offers the opportunity to see animals in their most active time. Located on Route 16, Moose Tours is a great way to explore the North Country, with out all that pesky walking. Phone: 603-466-3103.

Polly Want a Pancake?

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All people who hold an appropriate reverence for pancakes need to trek to Polly’s Pancake Parlor on Route 117 in Sugar Hill, a third-generation family business that has been making and serving pancakes since 1938. All day long, Polly's serves whole wheat, buckwheat, and cornmeal pancakes, sausage or bacon, and maple toppings. Visit the gift shop and take home the pancake mixes and maple syrup to hold you over until your next visit. Phone: 800-432-8972.

Pollyanna Was Here

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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.