Some Outdoor Activities for Vacation Week in the Lakes Region

Visitors might see a mountain lion at Squam Lakes Natural Science Center!

School vacation is just around the corner, and whether your family has this coming week or the following week off for some downtime, the Lakes Region of New Hampshire has some great activities going on that will reconnect you and your loved ones with nature and with each other. In addition to the usual skiing, snowboarding, skating, and tubing activities that are abundant in New England, there are some wonderful programs near Lake Winnipesaukee that offer something a little more…

Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness is offering several programs for kids and adults. Their Wild Winter Walks lead explorers ages 6 and up on a trek that uncovers some answers about what happens to animals during winter. A staff naturalist guides your walk and discusses how native animals are well adapted for winter in New Hampshire. During school vacation weeks, the Science Center is also hosting a couple of bird banding events, an ice fishing workshop, and other winter explorations!

An old-fashioned sleigh ride at Prescott Farm

At Prescott Farm in Laconia, everyone is invited to the Third Annual Winter Fest on Saturday, February 16^th from 11am – 3pm. There will be snowshoe hiking, sleigh rides, sledding, cross-country skiing, face painting, crafts, a snow sculpture contest, and lots of other fun winter activities. Guests can then enjoy s’mores and hot cocoa by the bonfire! On February 25^th, the farm is hosting a Full Moon Snowshoe Walk from 7 – 8:30, and for the kids, there will be WildQuest Winter Camp during the week of February 25^th – March 1^st, where students spend most of the day outdoors participating in nature activities, building ice sculptures and snow shelters, maple sugaring, animal and plant identification, arts and crafts, quests, games, and hands-on learning.

Harvesting ice at Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm

Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm is also holding their Ice Harvest & Winter Carnival on Saturday, February 16^th from 11am – 3pm. Folks can walk out on the ice and try the long lost tradition of ice harvesting, or just watch the 4-H Yankee Teamsters Oxen Club fill the ice house with cakes of ice cut from the pond. The mushers & their dogs from Chinooks New England will be demonstrating dog-sledding, and everyone can enjoy homemade hot food, kids crafts, horse-drawn wagon rides, Tamworth’s own antique snow roller, and ice sculpting with Brian Stackman. Remick Farm will also have a Fun February Vacation Camp for both weeks of school vacation, February 18 – 22 and February 25 – March 1. At this old-time camp, kids will participate in many hands-on activities, including weaving, making wooden toys, historic games, animal tracking, candle dipping, tin-smithing, and much more!

Forget about cabin fever—with so many wonderful programs lined up for February vacation week, the Lakes Region is the place to be this winter!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

photos courtesy of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, Prescott Farm, and Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm