When it comes to nature trails, this is a goal-incentive hiking op that's beatable only by the likes of cute little elves in pointy hats popping out from behind trees to reward one's huffing and puffing with surprise ice cream cones. Andreas Institute of Art in Brookline is a collaboration … [Read more...]
Walking / Hiking Trails
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...]
Stratham Hill Park (inland Seacoast)
A big place with lots of trails, some stroller friendly (small wheels about 1/4 mile; jogging strollers way more). Trails are wooded and field terrain, both paths and paved, one with exercise stations spaced along it. Trail maps at entrance. Quite dog friendly, they can be off leash in wooded … [Read more...]
Greeley Park (Nashua)
A big, very nice 125-acre park with lots of trees and plantings on the north end of Nashua with trails, an excellent playground, wading pool, gazebo, park benches, tennis courts, softball field, horse shoes, picnic tables and bbq pits, skateboard area, sledding area. And restrooms. Often a hot dog … [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...]
Fuller Gardens (North Hampton)
One of the last remaining American "Estate Gardens" that were popular from 1890-1940, Fuller Gardens continues to thrive, with over 1,700 rose bushes, huge perennial borders, English Garden, flowering trees, an outstanding dahlia collection, a Japanese garden and more, separated into four main … [Read more...]
Urban Forestry Center (Portsmouth)
See, sniff and touch hundreds of different plants, herbs, and shrubs, get helpful information re planning your own gardens and landscaping and self-guided walking/hiking trails include their Tree Identification Trail (Mixed Deciduous Forest, Northern Hardwood Forest, Saltmarsh Wetland, Red Pine … [Read more...]
Massabesic Audubon Center (Auburn)
Trails include forest, woodland wetlands, pond, streams and marshes serving as a wildlife sanctuary, attracting bluebirds, loons, ospreys in the spring and bald eagles in the winter. The Audubon Center hosts year-round nature, recreation and environmental education and has live animal … [Read more...]
Lake Massabesic (Manchester)
A leaf peeper's delight during Fall Foliage but for other times, this is a great place to stroll, bike ride, jog, swim and bring a picnic spread. Wildlife you may see include deer, raccoon, fox and for birders, loons, hawks and many other species who are attracted by the watershed. Game fish … [Read more...]
Horatio Colony House Museum & Nature Preserve (Keene)
The Horatio Colony House Museum is a stately 1806 Federal house that was the home of Horatio Colony II, descendent of one of Keene's prominent industrialist families. The house features original furnishings and decorative arts exactly in place, just as when the family lived here. The Horatio … [Read more...]
Bear Brook State Park (Allentown)
28 minutes from Manchester or 23 from Concord, with over 10,000 acres, this is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. 40 miles of heavily forested trails include marshes, bogs, summits, and ponds. The park offers a variety of options for hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians. Boat … [Read more...]
Great Bay Discovery Center (Greenland)
Inside is the Discovery Center and outside are trails/boardwalk with stream, etc. First, the inside: Discovery center has interpretive exhibits about the Great Bay Estuary and the amazing creatures that call it home. Hands-on estuarine touch tank as they learn about lobsters, horseshoe crabs, mud … [Read more...]