Here’s a list of the locals’ secret day trips for visiting family and friends in the Dartmouth Sunapee Region. Enjoy!

Currier and Ives - Rt 127

Thirty miles of scenic New England country side from Henniker to Salisbury via Contoocook on Route 127. Enjoy the Blackwater Dam for great fishing, hiking and picnicking, or brave the Blackwater River, used for world-class white water kayaking competitions. At The Wooden Bowl Outlet, stop for local information and a visit to one of the only woodenware stores in New England. The outlet has been a retail site since the 1700’s. Town of Webster website

Wooden Bowl Outlet

The wooden Bowl Outlet on scenic highway 127 now known as the Currier and Ives highway. Discounts in this Yankee wooden ware outlet begin at 50 percent. More Information

Quick Hike = Unbelievable Scenery

Take a ride to the top of Mount Kearsarge. The 3½ mile scenic auto road at Rollins State Park in Warner takes you to a picnic area near the top of the 2,937-foot mountain. From there, a ½-mile hike to the summit brings you to a lookout tower where you can see New Hampshire’s coastal plain to the east, the Boston skyline to the south and “les monts verts” (the Green Mountains) of Vermont to the west. Rollins State Park

Dig for Gold…

Or over 150 other minerals in the oldest Mica, Feldspar, Beryl, and Uranium mine in the United States. Ruggles Mine is an open pit mine with gleaming walls of white quartz and feldspar dating back more than 200 years. With tunnels to explore, visitors are encouraged to collect minerals at this site including amethyst and garnet, rose and smoky quartz, beryl and gummite. Ruggles Mine can be found off Route 4 at the Village Green in Grafton. Ruggles Mine

Sweet Sunapee

Spend an afternoon watching the boats load and unload at Sunapee Harbor. The harbor is far from bustling, but there is a fair amount of quiet activity, especially in the late afternoon as boaters head out from a day on the lake. Just be careful; you might catch fiberglass "fever." Lake Sunapee is a gem, with its 18 miles of shoreline, 3 lighthouses (two visible from the road) and peaceful, family-friendly atmosphere. Bring a picnic and have lunch harbor side, or take a cruise on the M.V. Mount Sunapee. On weekends, hang around and watch the local bands who entertain visitors on late afternoons during the summer months. Lake Sunapee dinner cruises

History in the Hood

Dartmouth College's Hood Museum has a permanent collection of more than 65,000 works of art and artifacts from all over the world, including important works by Picasso and several prints by artists like Rembrandt and Goya. Their collection of historical artifacts includes a mid-19th century Concord Coach, and a rather large assortment of scientific instruments that date back to 1769, the year the college was founded. The Museum is also home to many exhibits, and at one time or another has showcased objects from Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia as they passed through Hanover on their way to other museums. Spend an afternoon at the Hood; you won't be disappointed. Dartmouth College Hood Museum

Ski the East

Mount Sunapee in Newbury is the premier ski resort in the region. It has been rated #2 for snow quality and grooming in the east by the readers of Ski Magazine. The mountain features 65 trails, 10 lifts and a snowboard park with a super pipe and terrain park. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate or advanced skier, Mount Sunapee has trails for all abilities. Views from the top include Lake Sunapee and Mount Cardigan in the distance. Mount Sunapee Resort

Covered Bridges

Six within a few miles of our front door (click here for the list and historical description)

Colby Sawyer College

A classic New England College Campus in New Hampshire's beautiful Lake Sunapee Region with 360-degree views of mountains, forests and lakes. It's a great place for outdoor recreation and only a 90-minute drive to Boston. Come drench yourself in academia while visiting the beautiful town of New London. Colby Sawyer College

Mount Kearsarge Indian Museum

Check out the Indian Museum, Education and Cultural Center, which is dedicated to connecting people of today with 20,000 years of ongoing Native American cultural expression. The Museum embraces cultural diversity and encourages responsible environmental action based on respect for nature. Through exhibitions and programs, the Museum seeks to challenge and inspire all of us to improve the quality of our lives and our world. It’s the perfect stop on your way to Rollins State Park. In the summer and fall months, take the walking tour where your children (and you) can play in life-sized teepees! Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum

Canterbury Shaker Village

A national historic landmark and museum in Canterbury, New Hampshire, with 25 restored and 4 reconstructed Shaker buildings. Its 694 acre site includes gardens, fields, ponds and forests. Known for its tranquil beauty, the village offers tours, exhibits, workshops, family programs, hiking trails, unique shopping and delicious food.Canterbury Shaker Village

The New Hampshire Historical Society

The Society's museum, located at 6 Eagle Square in Concord, offers exhibitions on the state's heritage and traditions as well as a variety of programs for children and adults. The museum store features an extensive selection of New Hampshire's books, gifts, and custom products. The museum is fully accessible.The New Hampshire Historical Society

The Fells

A beautifully maintained example of a New England 20th-century summer estate. Stroll the length of the 100-foot Perennial Border, discover the Old Garden, hidden behind masses of rhododendron, and admire the view of Lake Sunapee from the formal Rose Terrace and renowned hillside Rock Garden where a brook trickles to a Japanese water lily pool.The Fells

Enfield Shaker Museum

The Shakers established their Chosen Vale here in 1793, with majestic buildings and gardens. Walking tours of the historic district, exhibits, craft demonstrations, a restaurant and hotel rooms located in a historic Shaker building. Plan a visit to the Enfield Shaker Museum, where you can view eight Shaker buildings (including the Great Stone Dwelling, the largest Shaker dwelling ever built) on a self-guided or guided tour. Also, take in the sights and smells of our Shaker Gardens, watch skilled artisans demonstrate their traditional crafts, learn the story of the Enfield Shakers through exhibits of their furniture, tools, clothing, and historic photographs, and browse through the Shaker Store.Enfield Shaker Museum

New London Barn Playhouse

The Barn Playhouse, founded in 1933, is a prominent summer-stock theater that provides nightly entertainment throughout the summer months. The playhouse produces dramas and musicals as well as special productions for children. It is New Hampshire's longest operating summer theater.New London Barn Playhouse

The Birthplace of Daniel Webster

Daniel Webster was born here January 18, 1782. Statesman and lawyer, he served as a U.S. Congressman from New Hampshire and Massachusetts, Senator from Massachusetts, and Secretary of State under Presidents Harrison, Tyler, and Fillmore. A noted orator, he achieved national recognition in the landmark Dartmouth College case. He died in Marshfield, Massachusetts on October 24, 1852 and is buried there. He was one of the first men elected to the U.S. Senate Hall of Fame in 1957.The Birthplace of Daniel Webster