Webster New HampshireATTRACTIONS & THINGS TO DO
Listed below are the best attractions and things to do near Webster, New Hampshire.
1. Hannah Duston Memorial Historic Site
HISTORIC MONUMENT AND PARK
Hannah Duston Memorial Historic Site commemorates the controversial colonial-era figure known for her escape from Native American captors. The site features a statue and informational displays that tell the story of this historical event from 1697. Visitors can learn about early New England colonial history while enjoying the peaceful grounds along the Merrimack River.
2. Brookford Farm
ORGANIC FARM EXPERIENCE
Brookford Farm offers visitors an authentic organic farming experience with opportunities to see sustainable agriculture practices firsthand. The farm produces a variety of organic vegetables, dairy products, and pasture-raised meats available for purchase. Visitors can take self-guided tours of the property to learn about organic farming methods and interact with farm animals.
3. Black Bear Vineyard
LOCAL WINE TASTING
Black Bear Vineyard welcomes wine enthusiasts to sample their locally produced varieties in a picturesque New Hampshire setting. The vineyard offers regular tastings where visitors can learn about the winemaking process and the unique grape varieties grown in the region. Their rustic tasting room provides a cozy atmosphere to enjoy wines while taking in views of the surrounding countryside.
4. Rollins State Park
MOUNTAIN VIEWS AND RECREATION
Rollins State Park provides access to the south slope of Mount Kearsarge with spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding region. Visitors can drive most of the way up the mountain on the auto road before hiking a short trail to reach the summit. The park offers picnicking areas, hiking trails of varying difficulty, and opportunities for wildlife viewing throughout the seasons.
5. Yankee Farmer's Market
LOCAL MEATS AND PRODUCTS
Yankee Farmer's Market specializes in locally raised bison, venison, and other specialty meats not commonly found in traditional supermarkets. The market prides itself on offering high-quality, sustainably raised products from their own farm and other local producers. Visitors can browse a selection of New Hampshire-made food products, gifts, and seasonal items in addition to their extensive meat offerings.
6. Daniel Webster Birthplace State Historic Site
STATESMAN'S EARLY HOME
The Daniel Webster Birthplace State Historic Site preserves the modest farmhouse where the famous statesman, orator, and diplomat was born in 1782. The restored two-room cabin offers visitors a glimpse into early New Hampshire frontier life and the humble beginnings of one of America's most influential 19th-century political figures. The site includes interpretive displays about Webster's life and accomplishments along with picnic areas and walking trails on the grounds.
7. Ice Castles
WINTER WONDERLAND EXPERIENCE
Ice Castles transforms acres of land into an enchanting winter wonderland featuring hand-crafted ice formations, tunnels, slides, and fountains. Each castle is built using hundreds of thousands of icicles hand-placed by professional ice artists and illuminated with color-changing LED lights. Visitors can explore frozen thrones, ice-carved tunnels, and even enjoy hot chocolate while experiencing this magical seasonal attraction.
8. Clark's Bears
FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT PARK
Clark's Bears (formerly Clark's Trading Post) features trained bear shows that have entertained visitors for generations with their playful antics and impressive stunts. Beyond the famous bear performances, the park offers a variety of attractions including a steam train ride, climbing towers, water blaster boats, and museums filled with Americana collections. Families can spend a full day enjoying the mix of entertainment, historical exhibits, and interactive experiences throughout the park.
9. Canterbury Shaker Village
LIVING HISTORY MUSEUM
Canterbury Shaker Village is a living history museum and National Historic Landmark that preserves the legacy of the Shaker religious community that once thrived there. Visitors can tour 25 original and reconstructed Shaker buildings while learning about the innovative and industrious religious sect known for their craftsmanship, communal lifestyle, and progressive values. The village offers guided tours, craft demonstrations, special events, and educational programs that bring Shaker history to life throughout the year.
10. Strawbery Banke Museum
COASTAL COLONIAL SETTLEMENT
Strawbery Banke Museum is an outdoor history museum featuring more than 37 restored buildings from the 17th to 19th centuries in Portsmouth's oldest neighborhood. Costumed interpreters demonstrate traditional crafts, cooking methods, and daily life activities that span multiple periods of American history. The museum's gardens, including heirloom varieties and a World War II Victory Garden, add living historical context to the architectural treasures throughout the 10-acre site.
11. New Hampshire Telephone Museum
COMMUNICATIONS HISTORY COLLECTION
The New Hampshire Telephone Museum houses an impressive collection of telephones and communication devices that trace the evolution of this world-changing technology. Exhibits feature over 1,000 artifacts including switchboards, insulators, tools, and telephones ranging from early wooden models to modern smartphones. Visitors can experience interactive displays where they can operate an old-fashioned crank telephone or listen to recordings explaining how telephone technology transformed American society.
12. Anheuser-Busch Brewery
BEER TOUR AND CLYDESDALES
The Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Merrimack offers visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the brewing process of America's famous beers. Tours include visits to the brewhouse, packaging facility, and finishing with samples for guests of legal drinking age. One of the highlights is the chance to meet the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales at their stables and take photos with these magnificent draft horses when they're in residence.
13. Robert Frost Farm Historic Site
POET'S RURAL INSPIRATION
The Robert Frost Farm Historic Site preserves the farmhouse where the famous American poet lived with his family from 1900 to 1911, a period that greatly influenced his early work. Visitors can tour the simple white clapboard house where Frost penned many of his early poems and walk the grounds that inspired works like 'Mending Wall' and 'Hyla Brook.' The site offers guided tours, poetry readings, educational programs, and nature trails where guests can experience the rural New England landscape that shaped Frost's distinctive voice.
14. League of NH Craftsmen Gallery
FINE HANDCRAFTED GOODS
The League of NH Craftsmen Gallery showcases exceptional handmade crafts created by juried members of this prestigious organization established in 1932. The gallery features rotating exhibits of functional and decorative items including pottery, jewelry, wood, glass, textiles, and mixed media works. Visitors can purchase one-of-a-kind pieces directly from the gallery while supporting New Hampshire's vibrant craft tradition and contemporary artisans.
15. Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion Historic Site
COLONIAL GOVERNOR'S RESIDENCE
The Wentworth-Coolidge Mansion Historic Site preserves the rambling 40-room residence that served as New Hampshire's first royal governor's home and the colony's seat of government. Built in stages between 1695 and 1750, this yellow clapboard structure sits on a picturesque point overlooking Little Harbor and features period furnishings that reflect upper-class colonial life. Visitors can tour the mansion's unique architecture, explore the grounds with gardens and walking paths, and learn about the political and social history of colonial New Hampshire.