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10 Must Do Things in Littleton NH
The first time that we visited Littleton, we were drawn to the area because we wanted to explore the Northern part of the state and Littleton seemed like such a charming little town. The World’s Longest Candy Counter being located on Main Street also drew us in. We didn’t really know what else to do in town though, and although we had an amazing trip, we missed out on a lot of the great things that Littleton has to offer. People travel from all over to visit Littleton. To see the quaint mountain town with a bustling Main Street. Right now it is leaf peeper season, and coach buses drop…
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Wallace Horse Cemetery – Littleton, NH
Who spends a beautiful weekend day visiting a horse cemetery? Apparently I do. The Wallace Horse Cemetery is one of those quirky small town things that I knew about, but had never bothered to stop and look at. I had seen it mentioned in a book about bizarre New England attractions. I see the sign all the time. Yet, it was just one of those things that you don’t really make the time to check out. Until we were going for a drive after getting some ice cream at Bishop’s and Ryan started asking questions about the horse cemetery. Then it seemed like the perfect time to stop and check…
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Halloween in Littleton NH and the Gathering of the Jack o Lanterns
It isn’t even Halloween yet, but there has already been plenty of Halloween celebration in the town of Littleton. The search for Golden Pumpkins was a great lead up to the Halloween season, and the big town celebrations happened this past Saturday with the Gathering of the Jack o Lanterns. Saturday was packed with activities. We started off the day at Halloween Fest at the High School where there were games, bounce houses, face painting, pumpkin carving and lots of treats for the kids. The high school was packed and lots of kids were clearly having a great time. After checking out the activity at the high school, Cal hurried…
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The Search for the Golden Pumpkin
The vivid colors have dropped from the trees. The temperatures have dropped along with the leaves. It is cold enough that fewer kids are running around, but not cold enough for frolicking in snow. Littleton may have found a perfect solution for getting kids running around outside – a good old-fashioned treasure hunt! One by one, the Littleton Police Department has been hiding golden pumpkins around town. Each pumpkin has a golden ticket attached with a prize worth up to $250. Each afternoon they release a clue, and kids all around town scramble to try to find the golden pumpkin. It has been a really fun way to explore around…
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The Basin – Tuesday Tour Guide
Henry David Thoreau described the Basin in Franconia Notch as “perhaps the most remarkable curiosity of its kind in New England”. Samuel Eastman said it was “one of the beautiful haunts of Nature, a luxurious and delicious bath fit for the ablutions of a goddess.” I have lived in New England for most of my life and had never heard of it until moving up here. The first time we heard the Basin mentioned was when Ryan’s class couldn’t make it to their field trip due to a road closure, so they picnicked at the Basin. I didn’t give the place much thought until some friends mentioned how beautiful it…
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Apple (and Pumpkin) Picking at Windy Ridge Orchard
This past weekend, we finally had an opportunity to check out Windy Ridge Orchard in North Haverhill, NH. Windy Ridge was the closest orchard that I could really find information about online and is about 40 minutes away from our house in Littleton. I asked around a bit, because a lot of local businesses and orchards do not have an online presence, but Windy Ridge Orchard was highly recommended to me by everyone I talked to. As it turns out, Windy Ridge is much more than just an apple orchard. They also have blueberry picking, a pumpkin patch, and Christmas trees depending on the season. There were animals that kids…
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Music in the Glad Town – Tour Guide Tuesday
Littleton, NH prides itself on being “the Glad Town”. It is the birthplace of the author of Pollyanna, and the town has really embraced the Pollyanna attitude. One of the many ways this can be seen around town is through music. The first time I ever visited Littleton, we didn’t really explore Main Street, but we did go into Chutter’s (the candy store with the World’s Longest Candy Counter). On the way out of the store, I noticed a piano painted with vibrant colors and patterns. I wasn’t sure if it was parked there by a street musician or if it was owned by the store. I never even realized…
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Devil’s Hopyard – Tuesday Tour Guide
The Devil’s Hopyard is a site in the White Mountain National Forest. When my friends first asked if we wanted to hike to the Devil’s Hopyard with them, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. The name sounds intimidating, but the Appalachian Mountain Club’s White Mountain Guide classifies it as an easy hike that is relatively short and flat (only 2.6 miles round trip and 250 feet of elevation gain). The trailhead begins at South Pond Recreation Area in Stark, New Hampshire. The Day Use Area there features a beach, picnic tables and grills. There is a $7/car fee to access the Day Use Area, but since we were…
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Littleton Farmer’s Market – Tuesday Tour Guide
Farmer’s markets are a great local asset and Littleton is lucky to have a wonderful one right here in town (in addition to other farmer’s markets all over the local area). The Littleton Farmer’s Market is impressive. It is now in its 20th season – far longer running than most Farmer’s Markets I am familiar with – and has 43 different vendors this year. They are located in a great spot just over the covered bridge that runs behind Main Street, and are open on Sundays from June through October between 10 am and 1 pm. Living in DC when Ryan was little, one of my favorite things to do…
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Pine Hill Trail – Tuesday Tour Guide
The Pine Hill Trail is one of my favorite places in Littleton. Located only a few blocks above Main Street, the trail allows residents (and visitors) to have the best of both worlds. Here it is possible to live in the heart of a walkable and vibrant town, but also walk down the street and spend the day hiking and exploring the woods. Pine Hill Trail is not the most impressive trail in the area. We are after all, in the White Mountains with hundreds if not thousands of amazing trails right at our doorstep. Yet, it is still a really great trail, and it is so nice to not…
