Find fun and interesting Great Things to Do in Great North Woods

New Hampshire > Great North Woods > Things to Do and See > 70 Great Things to Do in New Hampshire

The Great North Woods region takes the outdoors and wilderness experience to a new level for visitors. Families, school and club groups, and folks of all ages will discover activities and attractions everywhere you look. There are on and off road trails for hiking, biking and ATV ing. Lakes, ponds and rivers offer rafting, kayaking and canoing, swimming, fishing and birding. Swing through the treetops on high ropes and ziplines. You might even see a moose or two. Santa’s Village is HQ for the Big Guy and his reindeer.

New Hampshire Campground Owners Association

Enjoy endless activities from New Hampshire’s campgrounds

Get away from the everyday with a visit to a New Hampshire campground. Stay in a tent, RV, cabin, cottage, lodge – even a yurt! – and enjoy activities from horseshoes and fishing to snowmobiling and snowshoeing. Hike, bike or take a cog railroad up a pine-scented mountain or kayak a pristine pond, river or lake. From your camping site in the woods, near the ocean or in a meadow, check out the Granite State’s historic sites, quintessential New England towns and acres upon acres of natural splendor. Visit our website for a handbook with all the details for individual parks, from whether they are pet-friendly to which ones have cottage rentals, pools, fireplaces, tennis courts, live music – or cable TV.

Summer Dog Sled Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel & Raft Jefferson New Hampshire

Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel & Raft NH

32 Valley Road Jefferson, NH, 03583 Phone: 603-545-4533

The seasons change the fun remains

Enjoy rolling dog sleds and exciting raft trips on Class II to Class 4 rapids. Muddy Paw sled tours allow you to meet the sled dogs, help the musher harness and hitch the team, enjoy the dog sled ride, and reward the sled dogs for a job well done. You’ll soak in the views and have plenty of photo opportunities. Raft NH is a family-friendly, rafting outfitter offering whitewater trips for ages 6 and up with or without experience. Trips from mild to wild offer an unforgettable adventure for everyone. The “Paws & Paddles” package combines daytime whitewater rafting and evening rolling dog sledding for a great day outdoors.

Santa's Village

528 Presidential Highway Jefferson, NH, 03583 Phone: 603-586-4445

Pure Joy. Family Style. Every Summer & Christmastime, too.

Enjoy the only New England park named one of the Top 25 Amusement Parks in the USA by TripAdvisor 2014 Travelers’ Choice Awards: Santa’s Village in Jefferson, NH. It’s home to Santa and his reindeer, and dozens of amusement rides and shows and other attractions for families with young children. It’s the joy and excitement of Christmas morning, and every bit as memorable for the entire family. One low admission price covers an entire day of memory-making. For over 60 years and three generations, from our family to yours – oh, what fun it is! Seasons: Open Memorial Day weekend to Christmas.

Bear Rock Adventures

545 Beach Road Pittsburg, NH, 03592 Phone: Toll-Free: 866-663-9777

Pick your own ATV adventure in the Great North Woods with Bear Rock Adventures

Embrace your inner trailblazer with New Hampshire’s premium Polaris outfitter, Bear Rock Adventures. As “Your Guide to the Wilds,” Bear Rock Adventures offers fully-equipped top-of-the-line ATVs and side-by-sides (2, 4 and 6-seat options) with electric start, reverse, 4-wheel drive, automatic transmissions and power steering. Get ready to experience over 1,000 miles of Ride the Wilds interconnected trails throughout Northern New Hampshire where you are free to explore the Great North Woods on half, full, or multi-day excursions. Pick your own adventure with customized itineraries, perfect for families and thrill-seekers alike. Bear Rock Adventures is open now through September 30, 2018.

ELC Outdoor Adventure Outpost

983 Upton Road Errol, NH, 03579 Phone: 603-215-0002

Outdoor center has enough adventures to keep you and yours active all day

If you love adventures (and who doesn’t), you can take your pick from the offerings ELC Outdoors. Beginners to pros can experience the thrill of rafting down rapids on the Androscoggin, Megalloway, Rapid and Kennebec rivers. Or rent a canoe or kayak and paddle down the Northern Forest Canoe Trail or through the Lake Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge (you might even see a moose). Want something a little ... higher in altitude? Check out the center’s two ziplines or the new 10-obstacle ropes course, suspended 12 to 40 feet above the ground. (Yes, that’s the White Mountains in the distance.) Knowledgeable and experienced guides are there to help you all the way, whether your chosen adventure is mild ... or wild.

Lopstick Lodge

45 Stewart Young Road Pittsburg, NH, 03592 Phone: 603-538-6659 Toll-Free: 800-538-6659

Activities almost endless in this Great North Woods lodge resort

Great things to do in the Great North Woods? Of course! At Lopstick, you can enjoy them from the comfort of your cozy cabin or cottage. Ride the wilds on your ATV (there are 1,000 miles of trails over all types of terrain) or snowmobile (over groomed trails). Or take advantage of the lakes, river and secluded ponds to fish for brown, rainbow and brook trout, salmon or bass. Bring your kayak, canoe or motorboat or rent one at Lopstick. Hike up a mountain and gaze out over majestic forests (don’t forget to bring a picnic – you might want to eat by a waterfall). From hunting and ice fishing to hikes into quaint villages, this area has it all. Launch Video

Antiques From the Potato Barn

Yes, the 7,500-square-foot Potato Barn Antiques at 960 Lancaster Road in Lancaster was, indeed, a barn for potato farming back in the day. Now it houses antique glassware, tools, quilts and textiles, books, furniture, jewelry, prints and pictures, and vintage lamps and shades. An adjunct of the shop, Ladies Slipper Vintage, sells clothing and accessories. Voted Best Rural Antiques Shop in 2009 by New Hampshire Magazine, the shop has a wide collection of friends and fans. Owners Mark and Kellyann are happy to search out special requests. Phone: 603-636-2611

Snowmobiling in the Great North Woods

The towns of Pittsburgh, Colebrook, Lisbon and others in the Great North Woods come alive with snowmobilers in the winter, offering lodges, shops, and hundreds of groomed trails to explore. In the northernmost town in NH, the snow begins to fly around mid-December, blanketing the trails and offering beautiful expansive vistas. Find guidance and expertise from the New Hampshire Snowmobile Association . The Lisbon Stump Jumpers host a vintage snowmobile race every February.

State

Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee

Lakes

Merrimack Valley

Monadnock

Seacoast

White Mountains