Craving mountain views, charming villages, and four-season fun? These top places to visit in New Hampshire showcase the best of the Granite State’s natural beauty and local character.
Highlights:
Unique Places to Visit in New Hampshire:
1. Concord
Rating: ★★★★★
Concord is the capital of New Hampshire and offers visitors a variety of interesting, fun, and educational attractions. You can start your visit in the revitalized downtown, which forms the hub of the city and serves as the starting point for a tour of the impressive New New Hampshire State House. Concord has a thriving arts scene you can uncover at the Capitol Center for the Arts. Families can have some educational fun at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. You can spend time outdoors along some of the 30 hiking trails.
2. Portsmouth
Portsmouth was settled in 1623, making it the third-oldest town in the USA. Consequently, history buffs will find plenty of interesting museums and historic sites to explore, starting with the Strawbery Banke Historic District. Here you can visit a few historic homesteads that date back to around 1760 and then move on to tour some museums, including the American Independence Museum and the Discover Portsmouth Center. For a break from history you can visit Hampton Beach, go on a whale watching boat tour or an Adventure Lobster Tour, hit the Lighthouse trail, or visit a few local breweries. Families should make time to visit the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire, York Wild Kingdom, Water Country, and the Seacoast Science Center.
3. Nashua
Nashua is New Hampshire’s second largest city and has a good mix of historic, cultural, and outdoor activities on offer. There is a well-preserved collection of historic buildings that you can tour on foot in the Nashville Historic District just north of Downtown. Be sure to include a visit to the Abbott-Spalding Building (one of the oldest dating back to 1804 that now operates as a museum). While you are in the area you can take a detour to Greeley Park, which is a large green space offering ball-fields, gardens, hiking trails, and a boat ramp. For more hiking choices, you should head to Mine Falls Park, which is also good for cycling, picnics, and kayaking on the river. Art lovers should visit in October to enjoy the annual Art Walk Weekend.
4. Manchester
Manchester has many fun activities for visitors here. You can choose from two Historic Walking Tours, both of which showcase historic architecture and include interesting museums and landmarks. The arts are very much alive and well in Manchester, and you can feast your eyes on the great collection at the Currier Museum of Art or catch a live performance at the Majestic Theatre or Palace Theater. The city has a large selection of parks and recreation areas where you can go hiking and biking, and in winter the McIntyre Ski Area beckons skiers and snowboarders. The interactive SEE Science Center is a must-do attraction for families.
Romantic Places to Visit in New Hampshire:
5. Hanover
Hanover ticks all the boxes for a great New England style holiday along the scenic Connecticut River. There are excellent indoor and outdoor attractions for all ages and seasons, and you will never have a dull moment. You could start your visit at the hands-on Montshire Museum of Science, or learn about history at Old Constitution House and the Enfield Shaker Museum.
Outdoor enthusiasts can try canoeing with the Ledyard Canoe Company, hike along a portion of the Appalachian Trail, or head to the Dartmouth Skiway and Saskadena Six Ski Areas for winter fun. To admire the stunning fall colors you can hop aboard the Fall Foliage Train Ride. Foodies head to the Sugarbush Cheese and Maple Farm for local produce.
6. Keene
The City of Keene exudes small town charm and offers visitors an interesting and relaxing getaway destination. Absorb the atmosphere as you stroll through the picturesque downtown, which contains a mix of historic and modern buildings housing restaurants and shops and a colorful Central Square.
You can introduce the children to a real working farm at Stonewall Farm, go on a scenic drive to find Covered Bridges, or go hiking in Mount Monadnock area. You can learn about the town’s history at the Wyman Tavern Museum and the Horatio Colony Museum, which is housed in a historic building dating back to 1806. Round off your day with a great New Hampshire dinner and then catch a show at the Colonial Theatre or the Peterborough Community Theatre.
7. Salem
Salem is situated at the southern gateway to New Hampshire and offers easy access to Boston, which makes this little rural town an ideal base for exploring the area. For a day of family fun you can head to Canobie Lake Park to enjoy over 40 rides, including some specially suited to children; if you visit in summer you may catch an open-air concert. Astronomy enthusiasts will enjoy America’s Stonehenge where you will learn about the mysterious astronomic rock calendar. The kids can enjoy the petting zoo, and you can hike some of the trails. You can also go hiking in Salem Town Forests where the trails are particularly scenic in fall. The Mall at Rockingham Park beckons shoppers with over 150 stores and more than ten eateries.
Family-friendly Places to Visit in New Hampshire:
8. Dove
Originally settled in 1623, Dover is New Hampshire’s oldest town, and wherever you look there are historic buildings and sites to delight history buffs. You can take a walking tour along the streets around downtown where you can see the old restored cotton mills, now home to interesting modern shops, art galleries, and restaurants. The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire is a must-visit attraction for families, and those wanting to see a really unusual and whacky museum should not miss the Woodman Institute Museum. Outdoor enthusiasts can follow the Riverwalk from Downtown to the Cocheco River where canoeing and kayaking are popular summer activities. There are also many hiking trails to explore and several annual festivals and events to attend.
9. Rochester
Rochester is nestled in the picturesque Lakes Region of New Hampshire and offers visitors a blend of small-town charm combined with city attractions. Lovers of the arts will be delighted to visit one of the revolving venues of the Rochester Museum of Fine Arts or attend the opera at the Rochester Opera House. You can learn about local history at the Historical Society’s Museum on Hanson Street or get outdoors and be active in the Mount Isinglass Recreational Area or at Pickering Ponds, where there are a choice of hiking trails. You can also go hiking, camping, and boating at Baxter Lake and Sunrise Lake or take a scenic drive in the surrounding countryside to see the fall foliage.
10. Plymouth
The town of Plymouth is perfectly positioned between the White Mountains and the Lakes region of New Hampshire, offering visitors a great choice of outdoor activities. Starting close to town, you can go hiking, biking, or cross-country skiing in Langdon Park, which also has a children’s playground and a small river beach.
A little farther out you will find Tenney Mountain, where you can go rock climbing, kayaking, biking, and fishing in summer and skiing in winter – guides and lessons are available. Adventure seekers will particularly enjoy Adventure Gorge, which combines a chairlift ride with a thrilling 3,000-foot zip-line descent. Back in town you can enjoy a great New Hampshire dinner and catch a show at the Silver Center for the Arts.
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