My favorite campground in New Hampshire! This is the place to get away from RVs and trailers and…read moreloud noises. OK there are a few spots for groups and you could probably get an RV and trailer up there, but I have yet to see it. The campsites here all have the basics for tent camping: picnic table, fire pit/grill, peace and quiet. Most of the sites are spaced far apart so that you don't turn your head and make eye contact with a neighbor. Some of them are almost completely isolated, and a few have lean-tos (you're near the Appalachian Trail after all). The fire pits are kind of annoying though, they're basically three-sided iron boxes with sliding grates on top. You'll stay warm and can easily cook on them, but not everyone is going to have a great view of the fire. There is garbage on site, pit toilets, potable water, and lots of hiking nearby. In fact, the hiking is probably one of the biggest draws. You could get a spot here and then hike to one of the other campgrounds in the national forest (those are obviously hike-in only), or just spend a few hours in the forest. We saw lots of moose droppings, but no moose. Maybe your luck will be better than mine. The river is nearby and there are several parks and access points to get to it. I saw quite a few people fly fishing last time I was here. You've got to drive to Maine to get here, and then head about 5 miles along a dirt road to cross back into NH. Stock up in nearby Gorham and bring plenty of firewood. You'll want to stay at least two nights, and you'll definitely want to come back.

This is a good place to take your family or your friends. Or a school trip…read more If you're older and have problems moving, I would not recommend this for them. As it is a long walk up and down stairs and won't be able to go into some caves and out . Whole track of caves takes about an hours length if you go into all the caves. When you first walk in, there's the gift shop. Then you walk out towards what I think are Turkish Llamas and a duck pond pass it and walk through the. Bridge towards the ticket counter to pay for admission.

It was really fun going thru the caves. Kids will really enjoy it plus they will like feeding the…read moreanimals on site. The store and bathrooms were clean and it was an enjoyable day being there.

One of the best summer state parks in the huge collection of state parks in the State of New…read moreHampshire. This place has it all. Monumental scenery, a large sandy beach, one of the cleanest lakes in the nation, easy access, a boat ramp, an events pavilion, and close to restaurants and the near town of Bristol. When we got here, it was quite busy, Still, the size of the beach made it possible to find a nice spot and relax. Water temperature was actually quite enjoyable. One of the nicest things about this park is the people. It is a diverse, multilingual, multi age bunch of folks. Couples, parents with kids, elderly, just a wonderful community. Everyone was peacefully having fun. I got to practice both my Spanish and Portuguese talking to beach goers. Overall, a wonderful time in an absolutely idyllic location.

Excellent Beach, water is crystal clear, lifeguards on duty and boat rentals available. Small snack…read morebar and bath house that is clean. The have plenty of picnic tables with charcoal grills available to use. Admission is $5.00 pp and the park fills quickly on hots days, online reservations are available.

What can I say... At…read morefirst I was afraid, I was petrified, kept thinking I could never live with all that water underneath me and by my side... BUT THEN... I got on that boat, (no life jacket either!!), and then jumped into the water in the middle of the lake after being egged on by friends and lo and behold... I REALLY COULD STAND IN THE WATER!! Are you kidding me? I am in the middle of the lake and the water is only up to my chest, this is AMAZING, can I stay in here all day? I love water but am afraid of getting on boats, and much less JUMPING in the water...but this lake was amazing! Did I also mention that another it met my other large body of water criteria?? You could actually see down to the bottom of the lake where we were standing...um hmm...that's right...so clear, but of course it is! It's one of the 10 cleanest natural lakes in the WHOLE world! Imagine that, in tiny New Hampshire to boot! All this beauty surrounded by large trees, and cute lake houses. Even the islands in the lake looked like mini forests! P.S. Hate to harp on about how shallow some parts of the lake were, but I will because it was pretty amazing to see people standing in the water and playing catch in the middle of the lake, or a man pulling a nice sized boat with his fam on it with the water only up to his waist...it was practically like seeing Jesus walking on water or something!! I had to rub my eyes to make sure I wasn't making this up!!. I've never seen anything like it!!

The cleanest lake I have ever seen! Where else can you stand in water up to your hips and still…read moresee your feet?! It is great. Small enough to kayak around and not get run down yet large enough to support major boating, jet skiing, and tubing. A great free launch is located at the state park and people tend to use that most frequently. Its my fave place in the summer!

A lovely park located right along Meredith Bay. It spans across Route 25 and Pleasant St. It's…read morelocated right around the corner from Hesky Park. Park benches along the water and beautiful views of the water. In this park you can find many of the sculptures that are part of the Meredith Sculpture Walk. Recommend checking this park out.

Nice little beach at the south end of Newfound Lake…read more This beach is maybe 500 yards long, and anywhere from 2 to 20 feet wide. It's got nice white sand, especially for a fresh water lake. There are parallel parking spots along the left side of (one way) Shore Drive. No bathrooms or lifeguard, but it's free - unlike the state park at the north end. There is one decent restaurant across the street, named The Big Catch, and they do have bathrooms. The water is crystal clear, as Newfound is one of the ten cleanest bodies of fresh water in the world. And you can't beat the views of the mountains.

Found this gem by chance…read more Super friendly volunteer at the nature center. Nature center was fairly accessible l-short walk along a moderately decline. Very interactive at the trail board. Internet was spotty on the trail so I was glad I picked up a paper wildflowers guide. Folks along the trail were pleasant--lots of locals and out of state visitors. Saw casual family walkers from NY, hardcore borders complete with gear and binoculars and regular empty nesters/townies doing the loop with ease. Great trail markings and they even label the plants--and not just the trees!! Love love love that! The trail itself is definitely a more challenging "easy" trail. Winding along the "bog", most parts are raised with rough cut planks. Some parts were sturdier. Others were experiencing the watery effects. It was an old school experience. During the wetter season, I imagine this to be a fowl paradise while being a mud -fest for all two legged beings. In the darker months, leave enough time to make it around the pond without losing daylight. The unsure footing and dense trees Dogs and puppers must be on leash now. Completely understandable as the trail is mostly one-person wide. A jumpy pup could easily send you into the mucky bracken. If you want to go off leash hiking, try Quincy Forest Pasture a short drive up the mountainside.

Great nature walk. A good hour/hour and a half at a normal pace. Wear suitable shoes! End of…read moreSeptember/early October is the time to go.

The only reason I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is because you have to be a resident to park here to…read moreenjoy the beach. There is no parking along the road leading to the beach, and there are no other roads. So unless you know someone who lives by the beach and can park at their house, you have to have pass--the same one used for the transfer station. This beach is perfect for little kids! It's kind of a hidden jewel and I'm sure the town wants it to stay that way. I have been here twice. The water only ever gets to just above my waist-I am 5'3-within the boundaries. There are two bathrooms and slides/swings for when the kids need to switch it up. There are picnic tables and some shaded areas. It's a small beach but it's my favorite and I wish non-residents could purchase a pass because I would in a heart beat. My kids and I love this beach.

Tucked away behind a neighborhood, this free public beach is a gem. The water is so clear and the…read moreright temperature. There are amazing views of mountains. There is ample shade provided by tall pines. The bottom of the lake is mostly clay not mud, which provides comfortable footing and cleaner water than many other lakes. The parking lot can be somewhat limited, particularly when two impromptu Saturday birthday parties are going on. There is one whole bathroom. Unfortunately, this beach has a 'smoking friendly "section"' which is "adjacent to handicapped parking." A few disgusting smokers were taking advantage of lax rules by not disposing of their filters properly, and not adhering to personal space boundaries. There was substantial litter from children's juice boxes, as well. Gross! Fortunately, there is a long enough beach to carve out a small space away from these ash holes. Many people arrived at the beach via boat or jet ski instead of driving. The beach was great fun for families and I would return.

My pup Winni and I cannot say enough good things about Four Paws Inn, Meredith. The staff are pet…read morefocused. They take independent approach to each dog, meaning if my pup loves her belly rubbed she gets her belly rubbed. But if she loves to be just left alone, she is left alone. Having two separate areas for the dogs, big and small size, helps too so that pups stay in their weight class. The fenced in outdoor play areas are great and on the icky days, they have inside areas as well ready for all the Mother Nature's antics. Winni loved going to Four Paws, and each time came home and crashed from all the fun. Four Paws was also very accommodating with a Pup Bus when I could not get her to daycare or home. And the extra services of grooming, Winni loved her spa days. Highly recommend!

Our dog Harper had a great time at the Four Paws Inn daycare! She loved the pool and the hose on a…read morehot day and came home happy and tired. It was easy and flexible to schedule daycare while we were on vacation in NH for the week of 4th of July and look forward to coming back next year!