Liquid Planet, Candia, NH

Submitted by: Ami D, GSA Programs Manager

My family purchased season passes to Liquid Planet in Candia, NH this year, and were excited to find that there was a lot to offer for such a great price. My daughters both qualified for the adult price since they are over 48" and/or wanted to ride the big water slides.
on their own.

The adult season pass for unlimited visits during regular business hours was just $60.00 for the 2010 season - this essentially pays for itself after two full day and one half-day visits. Children under two and military personnel are free.

Although the park is only finishing its second season, Liquid Planet has a lot to offer families.
looking for affordable entertainment (and they .
seem to add another attraction each year!).

The park offers a great spray park with over 5,000 square feet of fun for the little guys. The water is shallow enough for my 18-month old to wander through and even handle the slides and a few other toys on his own. Beyond the geysers and zero entry areas, there is at least one attraction suitable for babies around 6 months.

There are also two large water slides and a swimming pool for those ready for a real thrill. We were excited to learn about their riding policies for little ones. First, if a child is over two but under 48", they can ride with a parent on the open air slide. Second, if any child over two would like to ride alone, a parent or a lifeguard can catch them at the slide bottom. This was great to build my daughter's confidence on the slide throughout the season. And spring $3.00 for a mat ($2.00 for season ticket holders) - it makes all the difference - believe it!

Finally, there is Crater Lake which is a fresh water, spring-fed lake that offers plenty of beach, free swimming and blow-up platform with another large slide.

And if your group is looking for a little non-water action, Liquid Planet offers a 9-hole mini golf course for just $4.00 ($3.00 for season ticket holders).

Other things to note: Parking and life vests are available for free. Outside food and drinks are not permitted, but a cafe with reasonably priced refreshments is on-site and re-entry after a picnic in the parking lot is also allowed. A gift shop, ATM and locker rentals are also available on-site.

Round and Round We Go! Manchester's New Downtown Circulator

Submitted by Dick C, GSA [Canterbury Shaker Village Class 2002]

Hey GSAs, residents, and visitors alike, have you heard about the new “Free Downtown Circulator”?  It runs every day in downtown Manchester from 7:00 am until 7:10 pm.  Leaving from Veteran’s Park bus stop (a few steps from our Welcome Center at the corner of Merrimack & Elm Streets), it continues north along Elm Street to Spring Street then west on Spring Street into the Millyard’s Commercial Street, then north to West Brook Street, east on West Brook Street to Elm Street and then south on Elm Street back to Spring Street where it again enters the Millyard but heads South this time to Granite Street.  It then heads east on Granite Street to Elm Street where is turns north and stops at Veteran’s Park where it then begins another loop.

It runs every 20 minutes and stops at the regular bus stops on Elm Street and anywhere “you” want to get on or off on Commercial Street, West Brook Street and Granite Street.  What an excellent way to see downtown Manchester and the Millyard.  One can access the Millyard Museum, SEE Science Center, Fisher Cats’ Stadium, Fratello’s Restaurant, the City’s art gallery at the Rines Center, restaurants in the vicinity of Bridge and Elm Streets or maybe just a way to cool off on a hot day in downtown (or warm up in the Winter months). 

Segway Tours of Manchester NH

Submitted by: Sue G, GSA [Currier Museum Class 2010]

The draw of both trying a Segway for the first time and doing a tour of historic Manchester NH took my husband, Dave, and I to the new Segway office on Hanover Street. We parked around the corner on Amherst Street and for $3 total, it wasn't bad, plus our car wasn't in the hot sun.

What a fabulous experience we had! The office was very pleasant and the folks we met were welcoming and competent. They were also pleased to hear I was a Granite State Ambassador (GSA) and had a positive opinion about our group.

There was an option of 2 tours (90 minutes or 150 minutes).We opted for the shorter one and had made reservations for the one at 10am. I was glad we did the shorter one, as there was 45 minutes of training first, so it was quite a while on our feet. The training included a short video and then hands on.

When I first got on the machine, it felt awkward, but I was amazed at how quickly it began to feel comfortable. Our instructors/guides, Aaron and Kathleen, were excellent at guiding us through the training. We also had to do some drills to make sure we could maneuver the Segway easily and stop when we needed to. By the time we headed out, we both felt quite comfortable.

The tour itself was very well done. Aaron has a masters in history, and obviously has done a lot of studying of the Manchester area. We had little sound boxes we wore with earbuds, so we could easily hear all of Aarons commentary. And before we started he did ask what we were interested in so he could tailor his talk to us. We were interested in all of it, history and the current sites, and he accomodated us quite nicely. We also stopped along the way for pictures and to view specific areas more closely.


In the 90 minutes we passed City Hall, the Amoskeag Falls, UNH of Manchester, the Verizon Center, and much more. Afterwards they mentioned they are putting together a special evening tour in October which will have a focus on the haunted areas of Manchester. That sounds intriguing as well.
By the time we returned, we were pretty tired and hungry. Dave and I decided to walk back to one of the places that was pointed out on the tour, a restaurant called "XO on Elm". We enjoyed a delicious lunch while sitting under an umbrella on the sidewalk. It was the perfect way to end such an enjoyable morning.

Whether you just want an opportunity to try a Segway, or you want to learn more about Manchester, or both, this is a great way to spend a few hours. Just be prepared to spend a over 2 hours on your feet, have your camera, and you should be good to go. They do take walk-ins, but its best to make a reservation ahead of time.