Fun things to do / places to see in Southern NH and North-central MA
April 13, 2022 11:34 AM Subscribe
Planning a trip.
What are some things to see or do, or nice/quaint/historic places to stay, in southern New Hampshire or northern/central Massachusetts? Will be staying in the area for a bit on vacation (party size of 2).
(What I had in mind was places other than Boston, but any recommendations for things to do in/near the city itself are also welcome.)
What are some things to see or do, or nice/quaint/historic places to stay, in southern New Hampshire or northern/central Massachusetts? Will be staying in the area for a bit on vacation (party size of 2).
(What I had in mind was places other than Boston, but any recommendations for things to do in/near the city itself are also welcome.)
I live in southern New Hampshire. There is literally nothing interesting here.
Haha, I'm kind of joking. I don't like it here, but there are things to do. Depending on when you'll be here, and whether or not you like baseball, there's an historic baseball stadium in Nashua (which, incidentally, I can see from my window right now): Holman Stadium. It's home to a college summer league team, the Nashua Silver Knights. They're nothing special, but it's a really nice stadium, and it was home to a Dodgers affiliate in the 40s when Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe broke the minor league color barrier.
While you're in Nashua, Hayward's ice cream is generally regarded as some of the best in NH.
There are a handful of places to hike in and around Nashua, but they're more like recreational hikes for people who live here. If you want Hiking with a capital H, go further west and/or north.
There are a lot of u-pick farms and farm markets around, especially in Hollis. Lull Farm is probably the biggest. They have a lot of Jamaican immigrant employees, and on Saturdays they make and sell Jamaican jerk chicken from a big pit in the parking lot. Brookford Farm is down the street, and I think their u-pick fruit is better.
A little further west, in Mason, is Parker's Maple Barn, which is a restaurant and gift shop for a maple sugaring operation.
The Common Man is a famous local chain of sit-down restaurants. I like their food, and the one in Merrimack (just north of Nashua) is in an historic old house.
Exeter is a fun town closer to the Seacoast that has some nice shopping downtown. Water Street Books is my favorite bookstore.
I generally don't find much to like in Massachusetts, but if you're near Andover, there's a fun little place called Mr. Takeout where I used to eat lunch all the time. It's pretty standard pizza/subs/fried stuff, but the people are friendly, and it's across the street from a little park with a "fairy garden" where you can picnic. It's probably not worth making a special trip for, but I like it. They also serve a "chicken barb", which is a local thing that only like four restaurants in the world have ever heard of: slow-cooked shredded chicken on a hamburger bun with mayo and lettuce. Again, not really special, but it's some fun local flavor.
Nashua is pretty much at the western end of the North Shore roast beef sandwich, which is another local thing that doesn't sound all that special but is actually good. My favorites are Bentley's in Amherst, NH and Harrison's in North Andover.
Most of my stuff is about food, sorry. That's my day-to-day experience of NH. If you comment with some specifics, I can answer more.
posted by kevinbelt at 12:24 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Haha, I'm kind of joking. I don't like it here, but there are things to do. Depending on when you'll be here, and whether or not you like baseball, there's an historic baseball stadium in Nashua (which, incidentally, I can see from my window right now): Holman Stadium. It's home to a college summer league team, the Nashua Silver Knights. They're nothing special, but it's a really nice stadium, and it was home to a Dodgers affiliate in the 40s when Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe broke the minor league color barrier.
While you're in Nashua, Hayward's ice cream is generally regarded as some of the best in NH.
There are a handful of places to hike in and around Nashua, but they're more like recreational hikes for people who live here. If you want Hiking with a capital H, go further west and/or north.
There are a lot of u-pick farms and farm markets around, especially in Hollis. Lull Farm is probably the biggest. They have a lot of Jamaican immigrant employees, and on Saturdays they make and sell Jamaican jerk chicken from a big pit in the parking lot. Brookford Farm is down the street, and I think their u-pick fruit is better.
A little further west, in Mason, is Parker's Maple Barn, which is a restaurant and gift shop for a maple sugaring operation.
The Common Man is a famous local chain of sit-down restaurants. I like their food, and the one in Merrimack (just north of Nashua) is in an historic old house.
Exeter is a fun town closer to the Seacoast that has some nice shopping downtown. Water Street Books is my favorite bookstore.
I generally don't find much to like in Massachusetts, but if you're near Andover, there's a fun little place called Mr. Takeout where I used to eat lunch all the time. It's pretty standard pizza/subs/fried stuff, but the people are friendly, and it's across the street from a little park with a "fairy garden" where you can picnic. It's probably not worth making a special trip for, but I like it. They also serve a "chicken barb", which is a local thing that only like four restaurants in the world have ever heard of: slow-cooked shredded chicken on a hamburger bun with mayo and lettuce. Again, not really special, but it's some fun local flavor.
Nashua is pretty much at the western end of the North Shore roast beef sandwich, which is another local thing that doesn't sound all that special but is actually good. My favorites are Bentley's in Amherst, NH and Harrison's in North Andover.
Most of my stuff is about food, sorry. That's my day-to-day experience of NH. If you comment with some specifics, I can answer more.
posted by kevinbelt at 12:24 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Franconia Notch State Park
Dinosaur Footprints in Holyoke, Mass
posted by soelo at 12:26 PM on April 13, 2022 [3 favorites]
Dinosaur Footprints in Holyoke, Mass
posted by soelo at 12:26 PM on April 13, 2022 [3 favorites]
If you've got kids (or don't mind being surrounded by other people's) then you could go hiking with goats. We did it recently and had a surprisingly good time.
There's a lot of good ice cream. Like, that's not a big deal now that every grocery store in the universe has Ben and Jerry's. But wherever you're staying, there's probably an ice cream place in town that's better than it really needs to be.
There are lots of antique stores along Route 2 in central/western MA. Maybe other places too?
posted by nebulawindphone at 12:57 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
There's a lot of good ice cream. Like, that's not a big deal now that every grocery store in the universe has Ben and Jerry's. But wherever you're staying, there's probably an ice cream place in town that's better than it really needs to be.
There are lots of antique stores along Route 2 in central/western MA. Maybe other places too?
posted by nebulawindphone at 12:57 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
When! And are there things you like to do? Food, history, hiking?
posted by ReluctantViking at 1:46 PM on April 13, 2022
posted by ReluctantViking at 1:46 PM on April 13, 2022
Here's a bunch of answers on a thread about museums. There are several in NYS near the Taconic Parkway, Western MA, and southern NH. And check out the threads at the bottom of that page for even more suggestions. I personally think you can't go wrong seeing MASS MOCA in North Adams, staying at Porches there, visiting the Clark Museum in Williamstown, and taking a hike up Mt. Greylock.
posted by Elsie at 1:53 PM on April 13, 2022
posted by Elsie at 1:53 PM on April 13, 2022
Oh yeah, if Mass MOCA isn't too far west for you, I'd strongly recommend it, it is a trip. The huge dilapidated buildings and massive sculptures are fun even if you're not normally An Art Gallery Person.
posted by nebulawindphone at 2:37 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by nebulawindphone at 2:37 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Top of the list for me is a short little hike down down along side a water fall. Should be a bit spectacular with the rain we've got/it being spring. At the bottom it feels a bit magical. You might want to bring a picnic lunch. Royalston Falls. Back when we use jump off the cliffs to swim there we called it Rootbeer river.
If you want more Massachusetts nature stuff the Trustees of the Reservations one good group to check out. You can download a map here (they make you put in your email, but their cool). Their Wachusett Meadow is Princeton. Pretty great spot. You could combine it with a drive up Mount Wachusett (or a hike up if you prefer). You could stop at Mountainside bakery and Cafe.
Are you going to have bikes? Rutland rail trail is just beautiful. I sort of "collect" rail trails and this is a fav.
Peterborough, NH is a great town to wander though for an hour or so. Bookstore, food, market, a few shops. Mount Monadnock is a great mountain to hike. It's the first "legit" hike we take as kids around here.
posted by ReluctantViking at 2:38 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you want more Massachusetts nature stuff the Trustees of the Reservations one good group to check out. You can download a map here (they make you put in your email, but their cool). Their Wachusett Meadow is Princeton. Pretty great spot. You could combine it with a drive up Mount Wachusett (or a hike up if you prefer). You could stop at Mountainside bakery and Cafe.
Are you going to have bikes? Rutland rail trail is just beautiful. I sort of "collect" rail trails and this is a fav.
Peterborough, NH is a great town to wander though for an hour or so. Bookstore, food, market, a few shops. Mount Monadnock is a great mountain to hike. It's the first "legit" hike we take as kids around here.
posted by ReluctantViking at 2:38 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Hancock Inn in Hancock, NH is one of the oldest Inns in the United States. The pot roast is legendary.
In central MA is an 800 foot abandoned railroad tunnel that you can walk through. It's just off the road and also near the scenic Wachusett reservoir. It's fun and kind of spooky when you're in the middle of it.
Dogtown near Gloucester is a cool place to walk through. It's kind of eerie and has these big boulders with virtues carved in them. Things like "Help Mother" and "Stay Out Of Debt." Sort of like a great depression era version of They Live. There's plenty of other things to do around Gloucester as well.
posted by bondcliff at 3:24 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
In central MA is an 800 foot abandoned railroad tunnel that you can walk through. It's just off the road and also near the scenic Wachusett reservoir. It's fun and kind of spooky when you're in the middle of it.
Dogtown near Gloucester is a cool place to walk through. It's kind of eerie and has these big boulders with virtues carved in them. Things like "Help Mother" and "Stay Out Of Debt." Sort of like a great depression era version of They Live. There's plenty of other things to do around Gloucester as well.
posted by bondcliff at 3:24 PM on April 13, 2022 [1 favorite]
The Currier Museum of Art in Manchester is small, but nice with a wider collection than you might expect from its size. Concord NH has a great independent cinema. If you're up for a drive, there's great hiking up in the White Mountains; take the tourist cog railway up one of them or stay in a Sierra Club hut. You can make a day trip driving the Kancamagus highway around them too. Mt Kearsarge and Mt. Monadnock are closer for hiking; Henniker and Hillsboro are cute small towns.
Portsmouth is a classically-Yankee charming small city, and if you're up there you may as well drive the hour to see Portland Maine. Beaches and historic lighthouses on the way if you stick to the coast on US 1. Salem MA has its own touristy history and the Peabody Essex art museum.
posted by Theiform at 3:36 PM on April 13, 2022
Portsmouth is a classically-Yankee charming small city, and if you're up there you may as well drive the hour to see Portland Maine. Beaches and historic lighthouses on the way if you stick to the coast on US 1. Salem MA has its own touristy history and the Peabody Essex art museum.
posted by Theiform at 3:36 PM on April 13, 2022
Worcester, MA, stole the AAA Red Sox club last season from Pawtucket, RI. In general, Worcester is more fun than it used to be.
Yes, a Woo Sox game is likely to be a good time. "North Central MA" is a pretty wide ranging area (I am from an area that could be considered in there) so I'll toss out a few things in the general area
- Lowell MA has a lot of cool stuff going on in the summer time and there's an interesting National Park there.
- The Quabbin has some great nature areas and it's a neat place for walking around and exploring, lots of funky little towns.
- During COVID times me and my SO did a lot of socially-distant hiking and there are some cool trails in Petersham MA
- Montague book mill "Books you don't need in a place you can't find" and Montague MA has a lot going on.
- If you're near Concord there is Walden Pond and all the Revolutionary War history.
I also have loved Mass MOCA. Depending how into history you are, places like Fruitlands or one of the Shaker Villages might be up your alley.
posted by jessamyn at 3:48 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Yes, a Woo Sox game is likely to be a good time. "North Central MA" is a pretty wide ranging area (I am from an area that could be considered in there) so I'll toss out a few things in the general area
- Lowell MA has a lot of cool stuff going on in the summer time and there's an interesting National Park there.
- The Quabbin has some great nature areas and it's a neat place for walking around and exploring, lots of funky little towns.
- During COVID times me and my SO did a lot of socially-distant hiking and there are some cool trails in Petersham MA
- Montague book mill "Books you don't need in a place you can't find" and Montague MA has a lot going on.
- If you're near Concord there is Walden Pond and all the Revolutionary War history.
I also have loved Mass MOCA. Depending how into history you are, places like Fruitlands or one of the Shaker Villages might be up your alley.
posted by jessamyn at 3:48 PM on April 13, 2022 [2 favorites]
Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston, Mass!
For quaint/historic, Portsmouth, NH, Salem, MA, and Concord, MA are the biggest concentrated destinations, but there are a bunch of other towns where you can wander or drive around looking at nice old houses, town commons, etc. Newburyport is nice too and has Maudslay State Park, which is beautiful.
posted by songs about trains at 8:34 AM on April 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
For quaint/historic, Portsmouth, NH, Salem, MA, and Concord, MA are the biggest concentrated destinations, but there are a bunch of other towns where you can wander or drive around looking at nice old houses, town commons, etc. Newburyport is nice too and has Maudslay State Park, which is beautiful.
posted by songs about trains at 8:34 AM on April 14, 2022 [1 favorite]
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West-central Mass. has Amherst and Northampton, which I hear are nice.
In central Mass., Worcester, MA, stole the AAA Red Sox club last season from Pawtucket, RI. In general, Worcester is more fun than it used to be.
New Hampshire has mountains! Mount Monadnock is one of the most heavily-climbed in New England, I have heard. Come in from the crummy dirt road on the north side, and you can be up top in an hour!
posted by wenestvedt at 11:59 AM on April 13, 2022