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! Read the rest of this entry »

Celebrate Winter in the Lakes Region this Weekend

The ice rink at Bay Point is ready!

With snow finally covering the terrain and ice thickening on the lakes, it definitely feels like winter New Hampshire! And with special events happening throughout the Lakes Region, this weekend is the perfect time to get out and celebrate the beauty of the season…

Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center in Laconia has a couple of fun outdoor events this Saturday, January 19^th. The Snowshoe Fitness Walk, which takes place from 10 – 11 am, takes hikers on a trail that winds through the majestic farm forest with stunning winter scenery. Snowshoes are available for those who don’t have their own. Prescott Farm will also be open in the afternoon for a free Family Sledding Party from 12:30 – 3:00. Bring your own sled and Prescott Farm will provide the snow-covered hill and a toasty campfire! Folks are welcome to bring a lunch to enjoy in the farm’s “green” building, where hot cocoa, s’mores, and other light snacks will be available to purchase. Read the rest of this entry »

Fun Lakes Region Activities for the Holiday Break

The feasting is finished and the snow is finally piling up—time to get outside and soak up the remainder of the holiday break! Here in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, we’ve got quite a few options for winter activities to enjoy with family and friends (while getting a little exercise, too!) …

Gunstock Mountain Resort has some great events lined up for the week. In addition to their fabulous skiing, snowboarding, and tubing, families might want to check out the schedule of special activities for vacation week. There will be crafting and music in the main lodge on Friday and Saturday, and on Sunday from 1:30 – 2:30pm, an instructor from the W.I.L.D. Center will be on hand, featuring a presentation with live animals and a chance for questions and answers. Thanks to yesterday’s storm, Nordic skiing begins this weekend with 5 kilometers of rolled trails and soft snow, and all of the resort’s snowshoe trails are ready, too! Gunstock is planning a spectacular New Year’s Eve, with special tours, sleigh rides, s’mores by the fire, a torch light parade at 11:45pm, and fireworks at midnight! Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Maple Sugar Time in NH!

Collecting the sap in NH

Even though the snow is falling, the sap is beginning to rise in maple trees across New Hampshire, and maple sugar producers are tapping these rich sources in preparation for the big harvest that marks the start of spring!

If you’d like to see the process up close in the Lakes Region of NH, you can get in on all the maple sugaring action at Prescott Farm in Laconia. Every Saturday throughout March, Prescott Farm welcomes the public to its Maple Sugar Madness program, where visitors can learn everything about the techniques of sugaring, from tapping to tasting!

The program runs three times each Saturday: from 10:00 – 11:30, 12:00 – 1:30, and 2:00 – 3:30.  Guests will have an opportunity for hands-on participation in every step of the syrup-making process. The farm’s environmental educators help visitors build tree identification skills, learn the parts of a tree, and discover how each part functions. Then visitors use measuring tools to find an appropriate maple tree to tap, and try their hands at historical as well as modern tree tapping tools.  The experience is enhanced with presentations of the history of maple sugaring, including Native American legends, woven into the program. Guests also learn the math and science involved in the boiling process. Then it’s time to taste the results! Read the rest of this entry »

NH Celebrates Maple Sugar Season

As the snow melts, sap begins to rise in maple trees across New Hampshire, making March prime time for tapping the trees and collecting the clear liquid that will soon become one of the region’s most famous products:  pure NH Maple Syrup.  Sugarhouses and producers all over the state are celebrating the season this weekend, with open houses and festivals that feature this sweet treat in all its glory—fresh and warm!

The NH Maple Producers Open House Weekend takes place March 19^th and 20^th, and more than 60 sugarhouses in New Hampshire will be participating.  At many of the sugarhouses, visitors can learn how maple syrup is made, taste free samples, and enjoy pancake breakfasts.  If there is fresh snow on the ground, some lucky folks will be able to try an old New England tradition, maple sugar on snow.

North Woodstock, NH is going all out with a town-wide celebration.  NH Maple Fest kicks off Friday evening, March 18^th, with several local restaurants featuring maple products on their menus.  On Saturday, maple lovers of all ages can join in on some fun activities, including a Maple Sugar Obstacle Course in Cascade Park, and demonstrations at nearby sugarhouses.  The Lincoln Woodstock Rotary will then host a Maple Dinner Ball Saturday night, with live entertainment and the crowning of the King and Queen of Sap.  The fun continues on Sunday with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, the New Hampshire Maple Festival Parade, and a Maple Festival Bed Race.

If you don’t get your fill of maple syrup this weekend, next weekend is shaping up with more fun activities as well.  On Saturday, March 26^th, The Remick Museum and Farm in Tamworth is hosting their Annual Maple Sugar Event, where visitors can experience the historic maple sugar encampment, enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride, and view exhibits on the history of maple sugaring, from Native American traditions to modern techniques.  And in Laconia, Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center will be celebrating Maple Sugar Madness!

With skiing and snowshoeing still happening up north, flowers starting to sprout in the southern areas, and so many special maple sugar events happening all over the state, there are plenty of reasons to visit New Hampshire in the spring!  Cheers!

Carrie Reed
The Mill Falls Blogging Team

Image credit: anolobb at flickr.com