This is a fun and time-worthy 1-hour drive daytrip from the Merrimack Valley and only 20 minutes from Portsmouth. Their "craftery" and mega factory store are under the same rustic roof, so you can both see the creative action and shop. They always have factory seconds which are priced at discounts … [Read more...]
Daytrip: The Kittery Trading Post in the Seacoast
For Merrimack Valley visitors, this is another place to add to your list if you are considering making a daytrip to the Seacoast. In addition to bumming around historic Portsmouth, just over the state line is the town of Kittery, ME which is a factory outlet shopping Mecca, and at the southern end … [Read more...]
Prescott Park (Portsmouth)
This is a really lovely 10-acre park in downtown Portsmouth with beautiful flower gardens, walkways, grass areas, and it's right on the Piscataqua River with docking. It's a worthy time out where you can walk the paths, smell the flowers and sit with a good book. Prescott Park is also home to … [Read more...]
Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest (near Nashua)
At the junction where three Mass. towns meet, just over the NH/Mass. state line, this pocket of forest land spans about 1100 acres of walking/hiking paths, granite outcroppings, ponds and wetlands. It was likely the site of a Native American village before colonial settlement. There are 6 miles of … [Read more...]
The Kittery Trading Post (next to Portsmouth)
A big store that's become a landmark, where you can find all sorts of really good outdoor clothing, footwear, travel accessories, gadgets, cooking things, camping or hiking gear and whatever else could fascinate certain people for hours. It's fun to browse through, and usually you find something you … [Read more...]
Luca’s Mediterranean Cafe (Keene)
Very well regarded upscale-but-not-pretentious Italian dining for lunch or dinner. Not a huge place so dinner reservations would be a good idea, particularly on prime dining out nights. Very comfortable, nice atmosphere with excellent food, and they will work around dietary restrictions. Notable … [Read more...]
JimEddie’s Family Restaurant (Keene)
Very popular family-owned casual restaurant with a really good salad bar, gluten free choices and Sunday Breakfast Buffet. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner 7 days with drop-dead reasonable prices and home cooking. Hours: Tues.-Fri. 6am-8pm, Sat. 11:30am-8pm and Sunday 7am-noon. 429 … [Read more...]
Water Country (Portsmouth)
All sorts of water activities in the form of rides and slides, chutes and tubes, wave pools and anything else you can imagine to wear yourself out and work up a huge appetite, be knocking water out of your ears for hours after, and probably sleep like a log. Hours: Another case where it would be … [Read more...]
Indoor Skydiving in Nashua
This is really fun, and a totally unique experience, enjoyable by anyone from kids on up to grandparents. Here's how it works. After a short but good lesson with your instructor, s/he accompanies you into the wind tunnel. The grid floor lets the wind through which supports your body, much like … [Read more...]
Monkey Trunks Ziplining (Weirs Beach)
A 1¼-hour drive from either Nashua or Portsmouth, 1 hour from Manchester and 45 minutes from Concord, adults have 4 zipline courses up to 650 ft. long with a smaller one for kids. Giant 35-ft. swing, tightropes, rolling logs, hanging tires, swinging beams, cargo nets and other stuff for a "let's … [Read more...]
York’s Wild Kingdom (York, ME, near Portsmouth)
Wild animal exhibits, petting zoo, duck and other feeding dispensers, some rides, butterfly area, concession stands, gift shop. Camel and Pony rides at an additional cost, available up to Sept. 2. Note: We've seen mixed reviews ranging from "loved it" to "less than" but these seem to be more to … [Read more...]
Water Country (Portsmouth)
All sorts of water activities in the form of rides and slides, chutes and tubes, wave pools and anything else you can imagine to wear yourself out and work up a huge appetite, be knocking water out of your ears for hours after, and probably sleep like a log. Hours: Another case where it would be … [Read more...]