In Concord, NH there is a great place that is a tribute to 2 New Hampshire space pioneers: Alan Shepard, America’s first astronaut to travel into space, and NASA’s teacher-in-space, Christa McAuliffe. This small discovery center is filled with many hands-on activities that teach families about space. It is a fun place to spend a few hours. A few of our favorite experiences included:
Southern New Hampshire residents have a gem of a museum right in our backyard. The Currier Museum, located in Manchester, is the perfect way to spend an afternoon filled with culture. The museum has a large collection of American and European art. They even have a Picasso as well as a Monet. The paintings are well labeled and at times there are even detailed place cards displayed that you can use to better understand what you are looking at.
The SEE Science Center is located in one of the beautiful old mill buildings in Manchester, NH. It consists of 2 floors of hands-on exhibits that cater to toddlers as well as older kids. I loved that each activity explains the science behind it, as well as encourages kids to make a hypothesis or align the activity to a part of their lives.
Kids will have so much fun exploring topics such as force, light, sound, electricity, simple machines, and much more. My girls were entertained for 2 hours and could have kept going. It is a fun place to use your creativity (pretending the submarine is under attack) while also getting out some energy (pulling yourself up with a pulley). It is a great place that will hold the attention of both kids and parents and is filled with activities you can enjoy together.
One of my Travel Bucket List activities was dog sledding but I always thought I’d have to go to Alaska for the experience. That’s when I discovered Muddy Paw. Located in Jefferson, NH, this amazing experience will make you want to sign up for the Iditarod. Ok…that may be pushing it… but you will definitely fall in love with sled dogs and be in awe at how intelligent, hardworking, and snuggly they can be. There was not one dog that was not friendly. My girls still talk about Blue and Jack!