Top Things to do in New Hampshire
Top Hotels in New Hampshire
- 1. The Glen House
- 2. Hampton Inn & Suites Portsmouth Downtown
- 3. White Mountain Hotel and Resort
- 4. Comfort Inn & Suites
- 5. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Manchester
- 6. Ashworth by the Sea
- 7. Hampton Inn & Suites North Conway
- 8. Hampton Inn & Suites Tilton
- 9. Port Inn And Suites Portsmouth, Ascend Hotel Collection
- 10. Top Notch Inn
What to do and see in New Hampshire, United States: The Best Things to do Good for a Rainy Day
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. Wright Museum of WWII
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 310 reviews
This Museum's purpose is to educate, entertain and inspire visitors with the story of WWII-era Americans often called "the greatest generation". The Wright Museum is open seasonally from May 1st to October 31st.
Reviewed By Maurene_K - Dover, United States
The Wright Museum of WW II always has wonderful exhibits that keep me returning at least once, if not twice, each year. This year’s primary opening exhibit was “Memories of World War II – Photographs from the Associated Press Archives.” There were about 50 black and white photos. Several photos caught my attention. One photo showed German Army soldiers marching into Paris under the Champs-Elysees. Others showed the liberation of German concentration camps and the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Copies of two famous photos were in the collection --- raising the American flag at Iwo Jima and a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square in NYC. Once again, the museum had more works by Private Charles J. Miller in the exhibit “WW II Paintings from the South Pacific.” Several of his watercolor paintings portrayed combat scenes from the Battle of Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in January 1944. Others showed scenes of American soldiers engaged in activities such as laundry, watching a movie, and playing a sport. This exhibit was scheduled to end on June 17th; but, due to popular demand, it is being held over until August 12th. I also enjoy revisiting the Time Tunnel, the displays of military vehicles and tanks - especially the Sherman tank named Alice, and the vignettes of WW II life on the homefront with an ice cream parlor, a kitchen, a living room, and a gas station, plus many cases of period jewelry, old cameras telephones, plus other objects. This year, the victory garden near the back of the parking lot was more developed. I rate both exhibits and the museum’s permanent exhibits at 5.0. I highly recommend visiting this museum. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below.
2. Smoky Quartz Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 41 reviews
Smoky Quartz is a veteran owned and operated craft distillery. Distilllery produces The award winning V5 bourbon and Granite Coast Rum. The distillery also produces premium craft spirits Granite Lightning Moonshine and Solid Granite Vodka. .
Reviewed By Jileon508
Place was cool. Tour was awesome. Kevin was super knowledgeable. We got some bourbon and hot sauce so no complaints here!!!
3. Explore the Ocean World Oceanarium
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 38 reviews
The Oceanarium is a small, unique hands-on natural history museum with a touch tank and deep water tank. Admission includes a personal tour with a biologist including handling the deep-water crabs, stars and other live sea animals and a short talk on whales, sharks and lobstering. There is unlimited time at the touch tank and to explore the exhibits on your own. The biologist is available for questions during your entire visit. Everything in the museum is brought in by local commercial fishermen and can be found in the Gulf of Maine.
Reviewed By 743heidil
We discovered this place by accident on our walk down the boulevard one day While on vacation last week. Ellen was great. She followed Covid guidelines so we felt safe while in the building. She was great with all the kids and let them touch so many different ocean animals. She had a great variety of sea creatures like Blue lobsters, horseshoe crabs, starfish etc that the kids got to handle. We learned all about whales before we went on our whale watch trip scheduled for a few days later! She was so willing to answer all our questions. Would highly recommend this!!!
4. Seven Birches Winery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 247 reviews
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.
5. Portsmouth Historical Society
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 28 reviews
Founded in 1917, the Portsmouth Historical Society is a nonprofit devoted to the history, arts, and culture of the Portsmouth region, through acquisitions, preservation, museum exhibitions, programs, and publications. It operates the Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center and the 1758 John Paul Jones Historic House Museum and Garden, a national historic landmark. The Society also serves as the home of the Portsmouth Advocates for Historic Preservation, and the Portsmouth Marine Society Press.
Reviewed By Maurene_K - Dover, United States
After visiting the Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center, I went into the attached Portsmouth Historical Society building to see the 2021 art exhibits. The one on the first floor was titled: Twilight of American Impressionism. The featured artists were Alice Ruggles Sohier and Frederick A. Bosley. Alice Ruggles Sohier was born in Massachusetts. She had an extensive education in art. Among her instructors for advanced studies at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston were Edmund C. Tarbell and Frank Weston Benson. I liked most of her work shown in the exhibit. The oil painting titled Dahlias was my favorite. The yellow dahlias looked so delicate. I also liked the painting titled Yellow Day Lilies. Frederick A. Bosley was from Lebanon, New Hampshire. He also studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts with Edmund C. Tarbell and Frank Weston Benson. Works in this exhibit included portraits and landscapes. Most of his palette was in subdued darker shades, except for the portrait of a woman in a red kimono titled “Elizabeth in Red” which I liked. Bosley's palette was on display in a case. The exhibit upstairs was titled: Don Gorvett: Working Waterfronts. He is a contemporary artist. He does woodcuts and then makes colorized prints from them. The waterfronts were mostly Portsmouth and Ogunquit. There was also a video in which Don Gorvett demonstrated how he does the woodcuts and made his prints. He combines the traditional process with a few procedures he created. I found both exhibits worthwhile. I really liked the Impressionist exhibit. I always find every exhibit that the Portsmouth Historical Society displays to be first-rate. I rate the Portsmouth Historical Society, its John Paul Jones House, its tours, its publications, and these exhibits at 5.0. I highly recommend anything the Society does. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below.
6. USS Albacore Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 594 reviews
The USS Albacore is a research submarine, designed by the U.S. Navy to test experimental features used in modern submarines. The Navy tested top-secret features that led to the high-speed silent operation used on modern U.S. submarines. Today, Albacore has been preserved and is opened to the public Every visitor can go inside and explore this remarkable submarine. You will be able to look through the periscope, explore the control room, engineering spaces, and bunkrooms, and hear crew members tell of things that happened when they were at sea. Tours through Albacore are self-guided. As you walk through the ship, a series of audio stations highlight Albacore's unique features. Recordings by former crew members tell about daily life and some hair-raising incidents aboard the sub. The Visitor Center is your starting point for the tour. The Gift Shop offers souvenirs of your visit. The Memorial Garden preserves the memory of those who have served on Albacore and other U.S. submarines.
Reviewed By PartyTheNightAway - New Jersey, United States
Excellent trip! We arrived at approximately 1 pm and made our way inside to buy our tickets. There were several docents positioned outside that provided useful information about the submarine and its history. There were also several informational plaques located throughout the outside museum and inside the submarine that contained buttons with the actual voices of crew members that worked on the submarine. These voices gave us detailed information about what we were seeing and how life was like on the submarine. We actually got to go inside of the submarine, and we saw the bunks that the crew members slept on, the kitchen, the dining area, the bathrooms and showers, the control room and the engineering aspect. I gained a lot of knowledge doing this tour and thought it was pretty neat that we got to step inside of an actual submarine. The self guided tour was very detailed and I left without having any additional questions. TIP: I recommend spending 1 hour here if you truly want to see everything.
7. New Hampshire State House
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 251 reviews
NH's State House - with the oldest continuously used legislative chambers! Opened in June 1819! Home of the General Court of NH!
Reviewed By filmg
Full of nooks and crannies, this very old building exudes Yankee thrift and durability. Set amid the town, and not walled off from the flow of life, the capitol building screams New Hampshire. Live free or die!
8. Settlers Green
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 436 reviews
Located in tax-free North Conway, New Hampshire, a year-round New England tourist destination, Settlers Green features a solid mix of 60-plus national retailers including J. Crew Factory, New Balance Factory, American Eagle Outfitters and Brooks Brothers Factory. Save 30-60% every day! More shopping at Settlers Crossing, located 1/4-mile south of the Settlers Green. Stores include Clarks Bostonian, Eastern Mountain Sports and L. L. Bean Outlet. New Hampshire is a tax-free sales state and North Conway is within a few hours drive of all five New England states as well as the Canadian province of Quebec.
Reviewed By NBGROWN - Fredericton, Canada
We have visited Conway many times on family vacations. Settlers Green is always an important part of the trip. Great bargains always - kids love to get outfitted for back to school and tax free! Don’t hesitate to plan a trip to Conway and be treated to a great shopping experience! ????????
9. Millyard Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 104 reviews
Museum dedicated to history and influence of the mills in Manchester.
Reviewed By mousebooks - Brookline, United States
Excellent museum covering Manchester's industrial history, located in an historic mill building. Well worth a visit -- great for kids as well as adults.
10. Currier Museum of Art
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 612 reviews
Reviewed By lindasF4866JP - Branford, United States
Our visit to the Currier Museum of Art was much too brief, and I can’t wait to go back. It is a beautiful gem in Manchester, with a wonderful permanent collection, fascinating temporary exhibits, and access to a great tour of the Zimmerman house by Frank Lloyd Wright (reservations highly recommended, separate fee for the tour). There is also an excellent café for light meals, a great gift shop, nicer than many museum shops I have visited, and free parking in the museum lot. Don’t miss this fantastic spot while visiting Manchester!
