Worth the drive! Especially in the fall the leaves are amazing. Lots of places to hike and cool…read moreviews. It's an amazing drive through the Kancamagus highway as well!

This is the most eastern national forest in the US. I really enjoyed hiking the trails of this…read morelovely national forest. Trails are of various difficulty which was perfect since during the time of my visit, I was nursing a sprained ankle. Looking forward to my next visit!

Gorgeous trail! Beautiful views of the lake and very well maintained. A regular walking spot for…read moremorning walks with my dog. Getting good use from cyclists and walkers/joggers.

Despite an amazing amalgam of July 4th happiness seekers, we found quiet respite on the Sunday…read more(6th) following the 4th at Ellacoya. I think my 11yo son and I may have been the only two kayakers on the lake (cove), but damn is it beautiful and clear. Definitely loads of boaters and beach goers that weekend

Easy access once you are in the park. Lots of sand with cool summer water and amazing views. If…read moreyou want to be sure you can park, you need to make a reservation. That took me 20 minutes! Guard shake manned by young guy. I think he needed a nap and we interrupted him with this question, "how do we get to the beach from the parking lot"

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.

I went here on off season so there was plenty of parking but not much open on the pier. Not much of…read morebeach but a long boardwalk. The views are great though! There is lots of restaurants and bars during peak season. We took a boat ride off the pier and it was super fun!

We visited this past week and really enjoyed our stay there. Although we did not necessarily go…read moreswimming at the beach because it was a bit too cold for it. We did enjoy walking on the beach and enjoying the sites. Because the day was a bit overcast it was not too packed but it still was a nice area to spend some time in.

We had a fun day on Lake Winnesquam! Although still busy on a beautiful summer day, it's calmer…read morethan it's more famous, much larger, similarly named lake neighbor. NH fish and wild life have two boat launches onto a short river, right near the mouth of the lake. The ramps and a staging area to wait your turn are down a short drive, past parking. On the weekend, a 'lake host' is on hand to see that everything runs smoothly. There is no large sign telling you where the ramp is. On our visit, a small, wooden, hand painted 'Boat launch' sign had been nailed to a fence post. The entrance is two way traffic. A large NH Fish and Wildlife information board is in the staging area of the parking lot. If you are fishing, be sure to go onto the NH fish and wildlife website to get your license. Parking is for trailered vehicles only. A couple of spot, nearest the ramp are reserved for handicapped vehicles towing a trailer plus one for a handicapped van without trailer. Parking over flow for vehicles with trailers and all of those without, is on either side of Water Street. When we departed around 4pm, there were parking spots available in the lot. If you want to be sure you can park in the lot I recommend either an early arrival or after the early birds leave, later in the day. There are three porta-a-johns in the parking area, nearby the ramps, including one handicapped accessible model. On either side of the ramps is a dock where you can load and unload passengers and supplies. Head east (south?) on the river to access the lake. This is a 'no wake' area. Once out on the lake there are a couple of sandbars where boaters had anchored and were playing games. There are shallow area of the lake and a couple of public beaches where you can anchor and swim in. A few boaters had floating mats and were anchored out in the lake. Besides boats, there are a number of personal watercraft. Many boaters were waterskiing and tubing, so keep an eye out for fallen swimmers! There are also a fair number of fishermen (fisherpeople?) all around the lake in 'no wake' areas or close to shore. Definitely large enough to enjoy a day on the lake. The boats here are smaller than on other, larger lakes, so a smaller wake to deal with. There are rental properties around the lake if you want to stay nearby and watercraft rentals are available in the area. There is one marina on the lake for your fuel needs.

A lovely covered footbridge established in 1995. It's quaint and quiet and a lovely representation…read moreof New England. As you walk across it, stop and listen to natures music...bustling leaves, roaring streams, singing birds. It's really quite peaceful. If you put the Town Hall on your GPS, it's right at the end of their parking lot to the right. I recommend this picturesque stop while in Gilford!

This is a must stop when you come to Gifford NH. It's so beautiful with the trees, flowers, water,…read moreand walking in a covered bridge. You park at the town hall lot and see it on the right side. It's just peaceful and lovely to stop and look and relax here for a bit.

Tera has visited this park a few times. She LOVES it! Lots of friendly dog and people and clean.read more

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.

Our friend group went kayaking during the long weekend and everything went smoothly…read more They have different kind of rentals and a large number - we did not have rental bookings in advance. Life jackets are provided of course and we have to sign waivers. The river route is so long and scenic and will definitely take hours. The staff are really helpful as well. My only complaint is that they only have fixed full day rental rate. I wish they also have half day rate for people who only wanna spend a short time. - 7.5/10

Spent the day on the river with some friends and had the best time! With more than five rentals you…read morereceive a discount if you call - they made that super easy! Check in was smooth, gear was great and everyone was super friendly. We had a beautiful day!