New Hampshire is the best place to go on a family trip! The state is brimming with forests, lakes, and rivers that will leave you wanting to come back for more. If you are lucky enough to live in New Hampshire, don’t miss any of these great things to do with your kids in your free time! Nowhere else can you go to the mountains and the beach on the same day. From museums to nature adventures and theme parks, discover 12 fun things to do with kids in New Hampshire!

Theme and water parks

1. Experience the enchantment at Story Land

This great amusement park is not only for kids—it is fun for the entire family! Rides for ages 2 to 12 and activities for toddlers that parents can also enjoy are available. Rides like the Bamboo Chutes, Flying Fish, and Polar Coaster are great options for older kids who want a little bit more action. For younger ones, Cinderella’s Castle, and the Little Dreamers Play Area are perfect if you have toddlers who love story time. Story Land will surely create memories to treasure for a lifetime!

Playing all day can be exhausting, that’s why Story Land has restaurants in almost every corner for you to stop and have a quick bite before continuing your fun day. There is even a Dunkin’ Donuts if that’s what you’re craving! If you need to freshen up before jumping on the next coaster it is no problem—Story Land has plenty of restrooms for you and your children's comfort as well.

Roller coaster

Story Land is located in Glen, a beautiful town with easy access and beautiful scenery; imagine enjoying a coaster ride while taking in the view of the Mount Washington Valley! To get directions to Story Land, you can click here. You can also get a Season Pass if you plan on returning to Story Land more than once in a season. The park offers a variety of ticket options for you to choose from so you don’t miss out on visiting the land of fun!

2. Dive into fun at Water Country

With tickets starting at just $35, Water Country has the perfect slides for you! You don’t like the one you tried? No problem—there are so many others to try! The park is open every day during the summer, but you need to buy your tickets in advance if you don’t want to miss out on this experience, as tickets can sell out quickly.

They offer a variety of ticket options, and more than one season pass in case you want to go more than one day (who wouldn’t?). Water Country is located at 2300 Lafayette Rd, in Portsmouth, a beautiful town in New Hampshire that your kids will love, as well. 

If you are a fan of amusement parks, you can always get your Platinum Season Pass at Story Land and have free access to Water Country and more than 15 other amusement and water parks throughout the US!

Playing mini golf

Adventure parks and playgrounds

3. Play and climb at Alpine Adventures

Kids love to be adventurous. Maybe adults need to learn from them and jump to adventure as well! Alpine Adventures is a great place for you to set aside your fears and enjoy playful moments with your kids. You can enjoy zipline tours, aerial challenge games, slow-speed roller coaster rides, and much more.

If you are interested in aerial adventures, you can go to the Thrillsville course, which includes rope ladders, a treehouse, bridges, and more. Be mindful of the safety restrictions: participants should be 45’’ tall and reach 70’’ to play without an adult, and the weight restriction for this adventure is 50 lbs to 250 lbs. However, the Tree Top Zipline Tour is perfect for beginners and families! It’s quite easy to complete, and it’s great for kids who want to zipline for the first time. If the treetop tour is not enough, you can move on to the other two tours (Timberline and Skyrider), which are more physically challenging. Don’t forget to bring your camera! To get there, you can drive to 45 Main St, Lincoln, NH 03251.

Playing mini golf

4. Jump into excitement at Altitude Trampoline Park

From foam pits to trampolines and a soft dodgeball court, Altitude Trampoline Park is the perfect place to engage in friendly competition with kids. 

You can buy tickets depending on how much time you plan to spend jumping on the trampolines. Also, you can opt for a pass if you plan on visiting the park more than once. Altitude Trampoline Park is open every day, and the good news is that there are three branches in New Hampshire! You can choose between Pelham, Concord, and Merrimack.

Kayaking

Aquariums, farms, and educational experiences

5. Discover sea wildlife at Living Shores Aquarium

Right next to Story Land, you will find the amazing Living Shores Aquarium. Get the family ready for a fun day of educational learning! The aquarium allows you to learn all about the animals that live in our ocean, such as stingrays, sharks, reptiles, and all sorts of fish. And, yes—you can even feed some of the animals!

We recommend you buy tickets to Living shores online for the best savings and availability. Best part? Living Shores Aquarium is open year-round and completely indoors which makes it perfect for all types of weather and seasons. To review and purchase tickets, go here.

Kayaking

6. Interact with animals at Charmingfare Farm

Charmingfare is a real working farm where you and your kids can visit, pet farm animals, feed them, and respectfully learn about them all. You can find alpacas, cattle, donkeys, pigs, peacocks, and even black bears (don’t worry, you won’t get too close to the bears!). 

Located at 774 High Street, Candia, NH 03034, the farm is surrounded by beautiful scenery which will complement your day full of fun and interesting animals! This petting zoo is open every day except Mondays and is free for children under 5. 

Snow covered mountain

7. Learn about marine life at Seacoast Science Center

Located at 570 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH, this marine science center offers an educational experience that complements your visit to the Living Shores Aquarium and Story Land. Opened every day except Tuesdays, the Seacoast Science Center offers interactive exhibits, information on marine life, kayak tours, and island excursions for visitors. 

Kayaking

Museums

8. Play and learn at the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire

Located in Dover, the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire welcomes children of all ages and offers all kinds of activities. The exhibits include nature, world cultures, pretend and messy play, a teddy bear clinic, and more.

Getting there is incredibly easy, and once you arrive, you won’t want to leave the museum! The Museum is located at 6 Washington St, Dover, NH, and tickets cost $12.50.

Living Shores Aquarium

9. Explore aviation’s world at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire

If you want to learn more about the exciting history of aviation, then this is the right place for you! Kids can find fun in everything here, and you won’t be disappointed.

You can buy your tickets at the museum, located at 27 Navigator Rd, Londonderry, NH. Open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, you’ll even be able to see real projects from students and ask all sorts of questions about these incredible aircraft!

Family enjoying outdoors

10. Discover scientific fun at SEE Science Center

Are your kids deeply interested in science? Whether they are or not, the SEE Science Center will make them love it even more! While science museums typically involve walking through exhibits while listening to information from tour guides, the SEE Science Center is an innovative alternative. Kids of all ages can engage in hands-on experiments and activities to experience science in action. Sun, Earth, and Universe teaches kids about our solar system, while Physics Fun teaches the laws of physics in the funniest ways. Other activities include learning about the science of cooking, dinosaurs, and the ocean!

Admission tickets cost $12 for all visitors above 3 and several promotions are available for membership holders, military personnel, and school groups.

 

Family enjoying outdoors

Nature Adventures

11. Embrace outdoor fun at Cranmore Mountain Resort

There are rides amid the gorgeous nature for you to take your children to enjoy, giant swings, summer tubing, climbing walls, and even bounce houses. Feel like being even more adventurous, try a downhill mountain biking lesson on their beginner terrain that will make learning fun. 

Cranmore Mountain Resort is also open during the winter as well, offering ski lessons for kids. Tickets are $39 for two-hour admissions and $49 for half-day admission in the summer.

Family enjoying outdoors

12. Marvel through the stunning Flume Gorge

For something more relaxed, you can opt to walk Flume Gorge, located at 852, Daniel Webster Hwy, Lincoln, NH. Tickets are $21 for adults and $19 for children. The walk can take as much time as you want, but we recommend that you take the whole day because the views are breathtaking, and your kids will experience nature first-hand. No matter the season, Flume Gorge welcomes visitors for an enjoyable experience.

Family enjoying outdoors

FAQs

Is New Hampshire good for kids?

New Hampshire is a one-of-a-kind experience for kids since it’s full of family attractions, museums, activities, and great natural landscapes and environments.

What is the best month to visit New Hampshire with kids?

The best months to visit New Hampshire with kids are June-July and September - October when the weather is not too hot or too cold. However, New Hampshire offers all kinds of activities for all sorts of weather.

What fun things are there to do in northern New Hampshire?

You can visit Story Land, the Living Shores Aquarium, Cranmore Mountain Resort, and a lot more. From roller coasters to trails, northern New Hampshire is full of fun.

What fun things are there to do in New Hampshire with toddlers?

Story Land has endless areas for toddlers to play, and all the museums have family activities for toddlers as well. The beautiful views and trails are another perfect way for them to explore nature.