Things to do / Travel Guide
Whale Watching in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has definitely taken advantage of its short shoreline. At Rye Harbor you can arrange a half-day whale watching tour in the Atlantic Ocean. Humpback and finback whales that migrate north off the coast are the most popular whales seen in the area. Many tours have marine biologists on-board who can answer your questions. The best time of year to see whales frolicking in the Atlantic is during the late summer-early fall or in late spring-early summer. Whale watching cruises also depart from Hampton State Pier on Route 1A in Hampton or from the Portsmouth Fish Pier located on Pierce Island in Portsmouth Beach.
Moose and Wildlife Watching in New Hampshire and Vermont
While each hotel, motel, and inn in the region offers brochures for moose watching tours, most people are more inclined to simply get in their cars and drive to the nearest bog either late at night or just before dawn and wait quietly (in the car) for moose and other animals to appear. Many of the tours guarantee moose sightings, but the regular moose watchers insist that this is an impossible claim to make and certainly no one has informed the moose of their obligations.
Moose watching is a year-round activity that draws many tourists to the region. There are several excellent locations for moose watching in the New Hampshire and Vermont region, such as Clarksville Pond, Colebrook, Columbia, Dixville Notch, Gorham, Errol, Stratford, Pittsburg, and Stewartstown in New Hampshire, and Averill, Beecher Falls, Canaan, Island Pond, and Norton in Vermont. In general, the further north you are, the better your chances of seeing moose.
Horseback Riding in New Hampshire and Vermont
Small horseback riding outlets operate throughout the region, but in the Green Mountains area of Vermont and in the White Mountains area in New Hampshire the scenery that can be taken in on horseback is truly stunning and worth saddling up for. Galloping around on horseback, on a pony or, in a horse-drawn hay wagon, or (during the winter) in a horse-drawn sleigh is a great way to get a good feel for the wilderness of this region. Horses can take you along the secluded trails up the mountains and forests of New Hampshire and Vermont. Because of the rural terrain in some places, it is recommended that those who wish to go horseback riding in the region be physically fit.
Scenic Train Rides in Vermont
Three different scenic train rides are open in the summer and fall taking you from Bellows Falls to Chester, White River Junction to Norwich, or Burlington to Shelburne. While on your morning or afternoon journey through the area, the Connecticut River, Williams River, Brockway Gorge, and a couple of historic covered bridges are among the sites you'll most likely see.
Maple Syrup-Making in New Hampshire and Vermont
The phenomenal fall foliage this region has to offer is also famous for bringing one of America's favorite delectable delicacies to breakfast tables around the country: maple syrup! The sugaring season lasts from early February until late April, when sap from the maples flows into waiting buckets and webs of plastic tubing. Dozens of New Hampshire sugarhouses and Vermont sugarhouses hold special events, sap-gathering contests, and syrup-producing demonstrations throughout the year, and especially during the sugaring season. Visitors are welcome to participate in collecting sap and play a part in the syrup making process, but are encouraged to call in advance to confirm that a particular sugarhouse will be open on the day of the visit.
Fun Attractions in Burlington, Stowe, Rutland and the New Hampshire and Vermont mountains
Cool-Things-to-Do
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