Concord

Concord, New Hampshire’s capital, centers around its gold-domed State House, where lawmakers have met since 1819. Walk the updated Main Street to find shops selling handmade goods, catch a play at the Capitol Center for the Arts, or experiment with flight simulators at the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center. The city’s past connects to New England’s political history through preserved landmarks like President Franklin Pierce’s former home. Over 7,200 acres of protected forests and riverside trails sit just outside downtown, including paths along the Merrimack River. Annual events like the SNOB Film Festival and winter holiday markets highlight the city’s focus on creativity and community.

State House and Nearby Historical Sites

The New Hampshire State House, built from local granite, is the oldest U.S. capitol where original legislative rooms still operate. Free tours explain how the building’s design reflects early 19th-century governance. A short walk away, the Pierce Manse displays personal items from Franklin Pierce’s time as a lawyer before his presidency. Fifteen miles north, Canterbury Shaker Village includes 24 restored buildings where guides explain the sect’s daily routines and craftsmanship. These locations highlight Concord’s importance in shaping state laws and 19th-century social experiments.

Museums and Learning Centers

At the Capitol Center for the Arts, you can watch touring Broadway shows or local dance troupes in a renovated 1927 theater. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center focuses on space exploration, with a planetarium and exhibits about Christa McAuliffe, the local teacher selected for NASA’s Challenger mission. The University of New Hampshire School of Law hosts public lectures on current legal topics, while NHTI community college opens its robotics lab to visitors every third Saturday. Downtown, the New Hampshire Historical Society runs two museums with artifacts like Abenaki tools, 1800s factory machinery, and campaign materials from early state elections.

Trails, Rivers, and Seasonal Sports

Oak Hill’s 600-acre forest has seven miles of trails used for hiking in summer and snowshoeing after winter storms. Rent a kayak at Contoocook River Canoe Company to paddle calm sections of the Merrimack River’s tributaries, spotting herons and turtles. Everett Arena, a 10-minute walk from downtown, converts its concrete floor for roller skating from May to September and ice skating from November to March. In February 2025, the city plans guided nighttime snowshoe hikes under the full moon. Winant Park’s groomed cross-country ski trails loop past views of the State House’s golden dome.

Festivals and City Improvements

The SNOB Film Festival takes over Red River Theatres each October, screening documentaries and indie films followed by Q&A sessions. During December, Main Street glows with strings of white lights and temporary stalls selling knitted scarves and wooden toys. Recent upgrades like wider sidewalks and protected bike lanes make it easier to explore areas like South Main Street’s cluster of bookstores and cafes. Starting in 2026, automated trash trucks will replace manual collection in some neighborhoods as part of a citywide push to reduce litter. Local artists can apply for grants to fund public installations or music events in parks.

Getting to Concord and Day Trips

Interstate 93 cuts through Concord, linking it to Boston’s museums in 90 minutes and White Mountain hiking trails in under two hours. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, 35 minutes south, has daily flights to Chicago and Orlando. For train travel, take Amtrak’s Downeaster line from nearby Durham to Portland’s waterfront or Boston’s North Station. Downtown’s small size means you can walk from the State House to most restaurants and museums in 15 minutes. Drive 45 minutes east to swim at Portsmouth’s beaches or 50 minutes north to rent a boat on Lake Winnipesaukee.

Local Architecture and Influential Figures

Mary Baker Eddy, who founded the Christian Science movement, grew up in nearby Bow, and her early letters are displayed at the Museum of New Hampshire History. Granite from Concord’s quarries built landmarks like the State House and parts of the Library of Congress. St. Paul’s School, a private academy established in 1856, sits on 2,000 wooded acres west of downtown and occasionally opens its Gothic-style chapel for public tours. Self-guided walking routes past Pleasant Street’s Victorian homes and the art deco Concord Theatre building reveal how the city’s architecture shifted between the 1880s and 1930s.