The 10 Best Things to do Good for Big Groups in New Hampshire, United States

October 24, 2021 Claudia Navarrete

If you are looking for diversity, you will certainly find it in New Hampshire. From lakes to beaches, waterfalls to woods and mountains to sea coast, the state has huge potential for outdoor vacations, including downhill or cross-country skiing in winter. With no less than seventy-five state parks that offer natural areas, hiking trails, beaches and historic sites, New Hampshire caters for a variety of tastes. Crawford Notch State Park in Harts Location has picturesque waterfalls, wonderful mountain views and opportunities for viewing wildlife. You can go hiking and fishing there as well as pay a visit to the historic Willey House. Monadnock State Park, unlike some other state parks, is open all year round for hiking. Want to go swimming? You will find five state park beaches along the coast of New Hampshire, such as Wallis Sands with its view of the rocky Isles of Shoals. On North Hampton State Beach and Jenness Beach you can have a picnic as well as a swim. When you've finally had your fill of fresh air, head for the Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord with exhibits focusing on heritage and traditions; children should enjoy them just as much as adults.
Restaurants in New Hampshire

1. Franconia Notch State Park

260 Tramway Dr, Franconia, NH 03580-4402 +1 603-823-8800 http://www.nhstateparks.org/explore/state-parks/franconia-notch-state-park.aspx
Excellent
82%
Good
15%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 639 reviews

Franconia Notch State Park

Named one of the 12 best state parks in America.

Reviewed By MT1 - Aurora, United States

I lived in NH for many years and have passed through Franconia Notch many times, back when the actual Old Man of the Mountain actually existed. This is a beautiful drive, especially in the Fall, and there are lots of places to stop and things to do - the Old Man of the Mountain "hologram" if you will, the Flume Gorge, the Basin, Profile Lake, hiking trails, etc. If you are visiting NH you should definitely make a visit here, and you can also check out the nice little town of Littleton on the north side of "the Notch".

2. Glen Ellis Falls

Jackson, NH
Excellent
80%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 343 reviews

Glen Ellis Falls

Reviewed By TNKaz

When we visited in October, 64 ft high Glen Ellis Falls was quite impressive with a great amount of water flow. The Falls are reached by just a very short walk (0.3-mile) from the parking lot. There is a pit toilet available near the parking area. You start the walk by going through a tunnel which goes under NH Route 16. Over 100 stone steps will lead you down to the base of the falls for the best viewing of the entire falls. When we visited, these stone steps were still wet from a rain the night before, so we had to use extra caution. The round trip walk took us 20 minutes. The location and description of the walk to this Falls was listed in the book, “AMC's Best Day Hikes in the White Mountain's” which we purchased prior to our trip. The book mentions that this is a very popular walk, so we are glad that we visited early in the morning. At that time of day it was not crowded at all. We were told by the White Mountains Visitor Center to display our Senior National Park Pass so that it could be seen through our car window. Otherwise, in the parking lots, there is usually a box for a fee for day use of White Mountains National Forest areas.

3. Seven Birches Winery

22 South Mountain Drive RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain, Lincoln, NH 03251-4302 +1 603-745-7550 [email protected] http://www.sevenbirches.com
Excellent
85%
Good
12%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 247 reviews

Seven Birches Winery

Handcrafting classic European grapes and locally sourced fruits into wines of distinction, Seven Birches offers wine tasting daily and "Meet the Winemaker" tours weekly. The fruit may be from around the world, but the wine in our bottles embraces the spirit of NH. Live Free!

Reviewed By T2871TVbobr

Highly recommend the Meet the Winemaker tour. I am not a huge wine lover so just a tasting would not interest me. Really enjoyed learning about the wine making process. Nathan made sure everyone had fin and was very accommodating in answering questions.

4. Kancamagus Highway

Route 112, North Conway, Conway, NH https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/whitemountain/recreation/scenicdrivinginfo
Excellent
79%
Good
17%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 3,459 reviews

Kancamagus Highway

Highway 112 runs from Center Conway to North Woodstock, just south of Franconia Notch. Passing through the White Mountain National Forest, it is considered one of the most scenic highways in the U.S. and offers a number of interesting stopping off points.

Reviewed By harpazhadar - Haifa, Israel

We had only 4 hours to experience this amazing road so had to focus on few specific spots. Made some research online beforehand and decided on these 4 stops which did not disappoint! Started from the North Conway eastern entrance we stopped at the Saco Ranger Station and paid 5$ for a parking daily pass. (You have to pay only if you plan on stopping and parking on the way). There were also self service - pay your fee on site stations but you had to have the exact amount in cash to use them. Our Top stops were: 1. Albany Covered Bridge 2. Lower Falls Scenic Area 3. Rocky Gorge Scenic Area 4. Sabbaday Falls We were traveling on the beginning of the Foliage season and the colors and ambiance were perfect! Not much to eat on the way so it is best to make some sandwiches and stock on some snacks and water before entering. On the other side near Lincoln we had a terrific dinner at Black Mt. Burger Co – highly recommended!!!

5. The Mount Washington Cog Railway

Excellent
64%
Good
24%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
3%
Terrible
3%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 2,028 reviews

The Mount Washington Cog Railway

Climb to the top of Mount Washington on the world's first mountain-climbing Cog Railway trains!

6. Flume Gorge

852 Daniel Webster Highway, Franconia, NH 03251 +1 603-745-8391 http://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/park-sites/flume-gorge
Excellent
70%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,644 reviews

Flume Gorge

Flume Gorge trail is temporarily closed for hiking until May 10, 2019 An 800-foot gorge that extends from the base of Mount Liberty. It is open from May 8 - October 25.

Reviewed By ddaltamura - Stamford, United States

5 of us did the flume gorge hike which includes the "pool", "avalanche falls", "liberty gorge" and "flume gorge" all along about a 2 or 2.5 mile hike. You can take a bus to bypass parts of it on the way up. It's a lot of uphill walking and the flume gorge part has a lot up stairs going up. The sights are really magnificent and worth seeing.

7. Mount Washington

Sargent's Purchase, NH 03846 +1 603-356-2137 http://www.mountwashington.org
Excellent
71%
Good
21%
Satisfactory
5%
Poor
2%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 241 reviews

Mount Washington

Part of the White Mountains, this is the highest peak in the Northeast.

Reviewed By 53ANNW - North Olmsted, United States

Historical cog train ride to summit. Drastic weather change from base to summit. Dress appropriately - sturdy shoes, hat, gloves, and jacket. Majestic views on a clear day.

8. Strawbery Banke Museum

14 Hancock St, Portsmouth, NH 03801-4669 +1 603-433-1102 [email protected] http://www.strawberybanke.org
Excellent
65%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,103 reviews

Strawbery Banke Museum

Museum houses open in December only for Candlelight Stroll: Saturdays Dec 12 and 19, 5-9 pm and Sundays, December 13 and 20, 4-8 pm. Guided Holiday House Tours offered Dec 26-31, 10 am to 2 pm with last tour starting at 2 pm. Labrie Family Skate outdoor ice rink at the museum is open daily 9 am to 9 pm (except for occasional private rentals).

Reviewed By aneczypor - Seattle, United States

This historic park is fabulous. From the first video to all the various houses, it is non stop entertaining and beautiful. The structures range from very old homes, to stores and churches transporting you back to another world and time. The buildings are often staffed by volunteers dressed in vintage clothing who act out the person who lived or worked there. The gardens are beautiful and the garden tour is worth taking if you are a Gardner. Do not go to Portsmouth and miss this magical place.

9. Cathedral Ledge

Cathedral ledge, North Conway, Conway, NH +1 603-356-6335 http://www.nhstateparks.org/visit/state-parks/cathedral-ledge-state-park
Excellent
74%
Good
23%
Satisfactory
4%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,003 reviews

Cathedral Ledge

A rock cliff that is popular with climbers.

Reviewed By kafiagirl - Woonsocket, United States

After viewing the ledge from Echo lake we took the short drive up to the ledge. It was a beautiful clear day - views were beautiful, mountains in the distance, Echo lake from the top, rock climbers making their way up.

10. Isles of Shoals

Portsmouth, NH +1 603-431-5500 http://www.islesofshoals.com
Excellent
70%
Good
26%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 207 reviews

Isles of Shoals

Nine isolated, barren islands off the coast of New Hampshire.

Reviewed By PartyTheNightAway - New Jersey, United States

Great trip! We arrived at approximately 10:30 am and made our way towards the front of the boat. We handed our tickets to the employee and headed to the top floor of the boat. We bought the Isles of Shoals & Portsmouth Harbor Tour, and the entire trip lasted roughly 2 and a half hours. The tour guide was very good and told us about the history of the Portsmouth harbor, as well as pointing out important landmarks as we passed them, including an old abandoned prison. The weather was a little rough- as it was cloudy and windy- but we had a nice trip regardless. Tip: I recommend spending 2.5 hours here if you truly want to see everything

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