Find fun and interesting Great Things to Do in Merrimack Valley

Time to PLAY! Fun World resembles a castle outside, but inside it’s a gigantic play space with tons of games and activities for kids from tots to the teens. More than 250 video and redemption games range in style from classic arcade favorites up to newer multiple-player games. Your kids are sure to end up happily tired after rumbling about in the three-story play space with lots of climbing structures and really long slides. Whew! Elsewhere, the Himalaya, roller coaster, and elegant Italian-built carousel will keep them fascinated and engaged. Games for older kids include Aliens, Terminator, Fast & Furious, Transformers, Ghost Squad, old-school air hockey tables and pinball games, and dance and sports games. The staff members are helpful; the cost is very reasonable.

There’s a great day (and evening) waiting for you at Chuckster’s in Hooksett, where you can choose one of two challenging and fun 18-hole miniature golf courses to test your skills. The Fire Tower Course features multiple levels and you tee off onto the country’s longest mini-golf hole (tied with the course at Chuckster’s in Chichester) from inside a New Hampshire-style fire tower. The Cave Course is ADA-accessible and includes creative, challenging obstacles. Head over to the ice cream barn for a double-scoop of our 36 different flavors (including the popular Upchuck and Chuckster Chunk), or enjoy a nice thick milkshake. Sit outside at a table under a colorful umbrella and ponder how to improve that score.

The Shaker religious sect is considered by many historians to be the most successful communitarian society in American history. Throughout the 1800s some 300 members of the Shaker sect lived at the Canterbury Shaker Village site in Canterbury, NH growing their own food and supporting the community through their crafts and trades. Come see how the community thrived. Step inside 25 restored original Shaker buildings. Discover Shaker artifacts and photographs amidst 700 beautiful acres of forest, fields, gardens and mill ponds. The site offers workshops on woodworking, letterpress printing, broom making and more. Enjoy a simple lunch at the Horse Barn Cafe and shop for products made by local artisans at the Museum Store.

In fourteen hundred and ninety-two Columbus sailed the ocean blue. But was he really the first European to reach North America? At America's Stonehenge in Salem, New Hampshire, some say there's evidence others got here first, perhaps by a thousand years. The pine woods here are full of stone megaliths like those built throughout Great Britain by Druid priests. Were they the first arrivals? Or maybe some other group with knowledge of astronomy and stone construction? Wander our woodland trails with your family, and let your kids see for themselves. We're near the New Hampshire seacoast, which makes America's Stonehenge a great destination for days when clouds keep you off the beach. We're got a picnic area, a museum, and a herd of friendly alpacas to greet you.

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.

A fascinating day of history, exploration, outdoor walks and fun shopping awaits the curious visitor at the Canterbury Shaker Village at 288 Shaker Road 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 live music in the summer. There is a great museum store. Open daily, May-October; weekends in November for guided tours only. Phone: 603-783-9511.

Lake Massabesic Trail, Auburn [Merrimack region] -- This trail network passes through and by woods, fields, and wetlands, with views of Lake Massabesic. Distance is 3 miles and trail is easy. Surface is dirt, grass, meadow, road, and unpaved. Dogs allowed on leash. No admission cost. This is an Audubon sanctuary and there is an Audubon center nearby. Map.
Mount Major and Brook Trail Loop, Alton Bay [Lakes Region] -- Enjoy views of Lake Winnipesaukee while walking this moderate-difficulty trail. Length is almost four miles. Leashed dogs are welcome, and many of them enjoy a dip in a nice stream by the trailside. Map
Arethusa Falls and Frankenstein Cliffs, Bartlett [White Mountains region] -- This 5-mile round-trip walk, which passes a glorious waterfall, is considered difficult. There is a 1,400-foot elevation gain. This is a very popular hike because of the beauty of the water falls and pools. Dogs allowed on leash. Map.

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! Also: indoor rock climbing, indoor surfing. and water slides. Open Wednesdays through Sundays. 603-897-0002.

Mead is a wine made from honey, water and yeast. The sweetness ranges from dry to sweet, it can be still, lightly carbonated, or sparkling. Michael Fairbrother, founder and mead maker at Moonlight Meadery, 23 Londonderry Road in Londonderry, has a passion for mead, and he wants to convert you. "Everyone knows beer, wine, but mention mead and watch the blank looks. However once they try one of our special meads, they usually start to smile and ask, 'Why haven't I ever tried this before?' " Fairbrother says. Visitors are welcome and tastings are offered at the Londonderry location and at a sister site at 1253 Upper City Road, Pittsfield, NH.

Notice to Dixie: You don’t own NASCAR. The New Hampshire Motor Speedway at 1122 Route 106 North in Loudon welcomes about 500,000 visitors every season, most of them for two NASCAR weekends in July and September. Also, every month, the Loudon Road Race Series and Granite State Legends Cars arrive for a race weekend. The two series provide some of the premier racing at NHMS outside of NASCAR weekends. The pinnacle of their season is the Loudon Classic, which runs in June as a wrap-up for Laconia Motorcycle Week. Phone: 603-783-4931

New Hampshire Heritage Trail is a 230-mile walking trail across New Hampshire from Massachusetts to Canada. Plymouth’s portion of the Heritage Trail, a 5.6-mile loop with 16 points of interest, begins at the Railroad Depot, constructed in 1909 for the Boston and Maine Railroad. Other highlights are a cottage where Robert Frost lived while teaching at Plymouth Normal School and Silver Cultural Arts Center, once a stop on the underground railroad. Park at the Plymouth Regional Senior Center on Green Street. The trail begins north of the Senior Center, past the District Courthouse. Follow the brown Heritage Trail directional signs. 603- 536-1001.