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Merrimack Valley Region
Explore the Merrimack Valley region of New Hampshire which encompasses the southern portion of the state and includes the cities of Manchester, Nashua, Salem and Concord. This area is also the most populated. It is defined by the Merrimack River that runs through it.
The Merrimack Valley is named and defined by the river that runs through it. The Merrimack River was an essential element of early life here and to the development of many surrounding towns. Today, the river provides a home to countless species of wildlife, a recreation area for kayakers and boaters and an arena for fisherman to try their sport.
This southern part of the state is unquestionably the "hub" of New Hampshire, where the largest portion of the population lives and works. The largest city, Manchester, which has a population of over 100,000 residents, is an old "mill town" that has seen a rebirth in recent years. It's where you'll find the Verizon Wireless Arena, home to the Manchester Monarchs hockey team, and the premiere concert venue in the state. It's also home to the State Capital, Concord, where you'll see the golden domed capitol building, circa 1819, towering over the city.
The city of Nashua, which has been named one of the top 5 places to live by Money Magazine, is a border town, popular with shoppers who come from Massachusetts to enjoy tax-free shopping. In nearby Merrimack you'll find the famous Budweiser Clydesdales residing at the Anheuser-Busch Brewery. In Salem, the largest amusement park in the state, Canobie Lake Park, attracts visitors who enjoy roller coasters, water rides and cotton candy. In smaller towns, like Londonderry and Deerfield, only a few steps away from the larger cities, you'll find apple orchards, roadside farm stands, and all of the trappings of country life.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon is home to several NASCAR races each year, making it a beloved destination for motor sports fans across the country. Popular swimming spots include the 9,600-acre Bear Brook State Park in Allenstown and Pawtuckaway State Park in Nottingham.
Wherever you happen to be in the Merrimack Valley, you are never far from the city or the country. You are a short drive away from the big city life of Boston, lakes, mountains and the sounds of the Atlantic Ocean lapping the shore. Whatever your interests, from sports to art to hiking or biking, you are bound to find something here that you'll love. More than any other part of the state, what you'll find here, is diversity.
Top 10
Explore the top 10 things to do in the Merrimack Valley region!News & Happenings
Waterfalls
Merrimack Valley
READER COMMENTS: 0The Tucker Brook Town Forest is 285 acres of mostly forested, rolling terrain, and provides excellent hikes in all seasons. The...
Attractions by Region
Browse By Region: Click on a region of interest on the map or from the dropdown menu below.
Beaches
Silver Lake State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Silver Lake State Park spans 80 acres and its sandy 1,000-foot beach curves along 34-acre Silver Lake. Popular activities in the...
Pawtuckaway State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone. There are many opportunities...
Northwood Meadows State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0This wooded park with pond and wetlands is excellent for nature walks. Universally accessible trails and fishing.
Clough State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Located about five miles east of the town of Weare, Clough State Park is located on the shore of Everett Lake, a 150-acre lake...
Bear Brook State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Bear Brook, with nearly 10,000 acres, is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Located in the southeast region of...
Covered Bridges
Brookline Covered Bridge
READER COMMENTS: 0A part of this bridge was originally part of the entrance to the Covered Bridge Craft Store in Nashua, NH. When the store...
Henniker Bridge #63
READER COMMENTS: 0The Henniker bridge was built by Milton Graton and his son Arnold in 1972 using traditional methods. For example, the framed...
Railroad Bridge - #10
READER COMMENTS: 0The structure was originally built when the Concord and Claremont Railroad laid its first 33 miles of track from Concord to...
Rowell's Bridge #9
READER COMMENTS: 0The bridge was built by Horace Childs of Henniker with the help of his brothers Enoch and Warren. The Burr type construction is...
Stowell Road Bridge
READER COMMENTS: 0This little known bridge is one of the few located in the Merrimack Valley Region.
Historic Markers
Franklin Pierce
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 80
First Church and Meetinghouse
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 144
NH Historical Markers - East Weare Village
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 143
NH Historical Markers - Early American Clocks
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 14
NH Historical Markers - Deerfield Parade
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 145
NH Historical Markers - Concord Coach
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 128
NH Historical Markers - Chester Village Cemetery
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 139
NH Historical Markers - Captain Josiah Crosby & Lt. Thompson Maxwell
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 133
NH Historical Markers - Bridges House Governor's Residence
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 67
NH Historical Markers - Birthplace of Horace Greeley
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 3
NH Historical Markers - Andrew Jackson Visit
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 36
NH Historical Markers - Amoskeag Mills
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 124
NH Historic Sites - Taylor Mill
READER COMMENTS: 0The Taylor Sawmill is situated on the 71-acre Ballard State Forest in Derry, New Hampshire.
NH Historical Markers - General John Stark
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 48
NH Historical Markers - Hannah Dustin
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 49
NH Historical Markers - John Goffe
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 102
NH Historical Markers - Lafayette's Tour
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 24
NH Historical Markers - Londonderry Town Pound
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 166
NH Historical Markers - Major John Simpson
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 25
NH Historical Markers - Mary Baker Eddy
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 105
NH Historical Markers - Matthew Thornton
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 79
NH Historical Markers - Molly Stark House
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 111
NH Historical Markers - Mystery Hill at America's Stonehenge
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 72
NH Historical Markers - NH Canal System
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 132
NH Historical Markers - NH Presidential Primary
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 175
NH Historical Markers - Nottingham Chartered 1722
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 85
NH Historical Markers - Old Dunstable
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 29
NH Historical Markers - Pierce Manse
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 125
NH Historical Markers - Ratification of the Federal Constitution
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 110
NH Historical Markers - Robert Frost
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 126
NH Historical Markers - Sam Walter Foss
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 141
NH Historical Markers - Scotch-Irish Settlement
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 58
NH Historical Markers - Shaker Village
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 15
NH Historical Markers - State Capitol
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 66
NH Historical Markers - Sunset Baseball
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 148
NH Historical Markers - White Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Marker Number: 147
Attractions
Lawrence L. Lee Scouting Museum
READER COMMENTS: 0The Lawrence L. Lee Scouting Museum is home to one of the finest displays of Scouting memorabilia in the world! Located at Camp...
Liquid Planet
READER COMMENTS: 0Liquid Planet is a locally-owned and family-run business inspired by New Hampshire's great outdoors.
Massabesic Audubon Center
READER COMMENTS: 0The Massabesic Audubon Center sponsors many programs throughout the year.
McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
READER COMMENTS: 0Come where day magically becomes night.
McLane Center at Silk Farm
READER COMMENTS: 0The Susan N. McLane Center is Audubon's longest established center. In addition to being a program center, the building is also...
Museum of Family Camping
READER COMMENTS: 0The Museum of Family Camping is dedicated to Roy B. Heise (1910-1991), whose dream it was to open a museum to display his...
New Hampshire Aviation Museum
READER COMMENTS: 0The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire is the home of the New Hampshire Aviation Historical Society.
New Hampshire State House and Visitor's Center
READER COMMENTS: 0Located in Concord, the State House, made of Concord granite, was completed in 1819, with additions in 1866 and 1910.
SEE Science Center
READER COMMENTS: 0Hands-on discovery science center. More than 80 exhibits, including exhibits on sound, light, motion and simple machines.
Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests Conservation Center
READER COMMENTS: 0The headquarters for the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests is located in East Concord on a bluff overlooking...
The Millyard Museum
READER COMMENTS: 0Inside of one of the brick Amoskeag Mill buildings in Manchester, NH is a museum that takes visitors back in time through 11,000...
Frank Lloyd Wright Zimmerman House
READER COMMENTS: 0The Currier Museum of Art offers you a unique opportunity to explore the world of Frank Lloyd Wright. The Zimmerman House is the...
Discovery Room
READER COMMENTS: 0The Discovery Room at Fish and Game's Concord headquarters is a window on New Hampshire's great outdoors... complete with a...
Currier Museum of Art
READER COMMENTS: 0The Currier Museum of Art is an internationally renowned art museum featuring European and American paintings, decorative arts,...
Charmingfare Farm
READER COMMENTS: 0Visit the largest collection of agricultural animals and North American wildlife in New Hampshire.
Canterbury Shaker Village
READER COMMENTS: 0The National Historic Landmark has 25 original buildings situated on a rolling hilltop surrounded by open fields, woodlots, and...
Canobie Lake Park
READER COMMENTS: 0First opened as a street railway amusement facility, Canobie Lake Park was immediately heralded as the finest pleasure resort in...
Beaver Brook Association
READER COMMENTS: 0Year round programs for adults and children.
Anheuser-Busch Brewery
READER COMMENTS: 0Quality, tradition and a century-old reputation for brewing the world's finest beers have made the Anheuser-Busch Brewery Tour a...
Amoskeag Fishways
READER COMMENTS: 0The Amoskeag Fishways offers award winning school programs, public programs for all ages, family nights, pre-school programs,...
America's Stonehenge
READER COMMENTS: 0Built by a Native American Culture or a migrant European population? No one knows for sure.
America's Credit Union Museum
READER COMMENTS: 0The mission of America's Credit Union Museum is to tell the human side of the credit union story.
Little Nature Museum
READER COMMENTS: 0Small nature center featuring collections, interpretive exhibits, library, trails, and natural science classes for children and...
Museum of New Hampshire History
READER COMMENTS: 0The Museum of New Hampshire History offers exhibitions on the state's heritage and traditions as well as a variety of programs...
Stonyfield Farm
READER COMMENTS: 0At their Visitors Center, you can sample their scrumptious yogurt and buy it at discount prices.
Forests
Merrimack Valley Region
READER COMMENTS: 0These forests are located along the meandering banks of the Merrimack River as it flows south through the heart of New Hampshire.
State Parks
Silver Lake State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Silver Lake State Park spans 80 acres and its sandy 1,000-foot beach curves along 34-acre Silver Lake. Popular activities in the...
Pawtuckaway State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Pawtuckaway State Park offers a variety of landscapes, with something to do and see for everyone. There are many opportunities...
Northwood Meadows State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0This wooded park with pond and wetlands is excellent for nature walks. Universally accessible trails and fishing.
Clough State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Located about five miles east of the town of Weare, Clough State Park is located on the shore of Everett Lake, a 150-acre lake...
Bear Brook State Park
READER COMMENTS: 0Bear Brook, with nearly 10,000 acres, is the largest developed state park in New Hampshire. Located in the southeast region of...
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NHIAA Div. I Track Championships, May 24
High School Sports
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Hesser College Commencement, May 20
Education
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FPU wins NCAA Div. II Baseball Regional
College Sports
Merrimack Valley
- Flags should be half-staff Monday, Thursday for holiday - 0
- Two seriously injured in head-on crash in Bedford - 0
- Concert to aid Nashua man with rare disease - 0
- Stacey Cole's Nature Talks: Nongame, Endangered Wildlife Program turns 25 - 0
- North Country open for business - 0
- To get away, they come to NH - 0
- Win tickets to see American Idol Live! - 0
- Bach's Lunch Series Concludes in June with Music of Night and Nature - 0
- Open House at Owl Brook Hunter Education Center on June 1 - 0
