Nuthin' But Good Times a Great Place for Kids of All Ages

by Sharon Ebol, Granite State Ambassador

No,I had no clue, but what a wonderful surprise to see an indoor,innovative play area for kids, carefully divided for specific age groups toenjoy freedom with representation! 


Nuthin' But Good Times is a safe, clean, and healthy environmentfor families to enjoy; yes, families, as children may not be leftunattended. There are designated areasto accommodate crawlers and early walkers with tiny slides, under three have aSoft-Play Structure, and older kids have large indoor play equipment, completewith mazes and obstacle courses to pique - and hold - their interests. Cleanliness is BIG at Nuthin' But Good Times as no one is allowed to enter with shoes from outdoors - socks are IN!  While parents hang out, they can have their'Cup-o-Jo', and even have nutritious snacks with their kids beforeleaving. 

Did I mention specialevents? You name it, and they will hostit! Everything from a ceramic night,movie night, costume party, and yes, Nuthin' But Good Times will alsohost your kid's birthday party in a private room and assist you with allyour needs.  Nuthin' But Good Times isreasonably priced for one time, monthly, and even group rates, based on age,with separate pricing for private parties.

So,if you have children who love to interact (or need to interact) withothers, Nuthin' But Good Times in Merrimack, NH is a fun place to go; and you parents canhave a great time, too! 

Bretton Woods Canopy Tour Great Way to Tour Mount Washington

Submitted by Dennis Roux, Granite State Ambassador Best Western Class of 2005

A very nice Sunday November 13, 2011 found Mariette and I traveling to Bretton Woods. We had reservations at noontime to take-in the Bretton Woods Canopy Tour of tree-top zip lines. Now the decision to do the Tour did not come easy. Both Mari and I have our issues with heights and motion sickness. But this Tour was to celebrate my 65th. So “issues” went out the window.

Our tour included five “young” riders all from Portland, Me. In total our group numbered seven. After signing the requisite paperwork, our guides Carl and Zake set us into harnesses, moved us to a van, and we arrived near the mountaintop for a few minutes of instruction and a practice zip.The keys to Zip Lining are the body curling and the hand braking. If you are bad at either or both your run may come up short or long, A slow run may cause you not to reach the arriving platform. If you fail to brake you may come up too long (read over shooting the arriving platform). Not good!

I came up short of the approaching platform on 6 of 9 zips. However, I mastered the last 3 zips. A short zip means you have to manually pull yourself along the cable up to the arriving platform, or the guide has to extend himself out from the platform to pull you in. An overshoot of the platform means the guide has the challenge of catching and stopping you from hitting the tree that is holding up the arriving platform. It is somewhat embarrassing when you don’t meet the “platform” goal.

This is a wonderful way to spend 3-4 hours. The crew is experienced and safety is the name of the game. Being outdoors with the Presidential Range as your neighbor is just the best. Bretton Woods Canopy Tour consists of 9-10 Zip Lines (depending on the season), 2 Sky Bridges, and 3 Rappels down trees. Zip lines range from 120 to 830 feet with the maximum height from the ground of 150 feet. The views were wonderful and much appreciated especially since as “youngsters” we have hiked much of the Presidential Range. Mt Washington was crusted in snow. The Mount Washington Cog Railway stands out and on our day at Bretton Woods there were two train runs to the top of the Mount. A glass of wine at the Mt. Washington Hotel followed by dinner at the Common Man Italian Farmhouse in Plymouth finished a wonderful day.

While working MHT I have only had a couple of inquiries about Zipping in NH. A Zip Line Tour is a great recommendation to our guests. My understanding is that there are 3 Zip Line Tours in N.H. Mari and I will be buying tour gift certificates for our adult kids for Christmas. And certainly Zip time at Bretton/Mt Washington is on my GSA recommendation list.

A Visit to Swan Chocolates in Merrimack NH

By Judi Window, GSA Inaugural Class 1996

Swan Chocolates, a family name (Swan, not chocolates), is a wonderful stop if you are looking for a special New Hampshire made gift before heading home via the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. It is conveniently located on Route 3 in Merrimack near the new, soon-to-be opened, airport access road. The retail shop is a cozy building with beautiful lighting and comfy seating for coffee and chocolate tasting.

Abbotts Market was located on this spot for many, many years. As Granite State Ambassadors we are used to getting the history and details about buildings and business locations, this tour did not disappoint! I am sure if you asked (especially if you called ahead) they would be glad to tell you about the rich history of the building, the Abbotts and even the ghost sightings (and phone calls) in the building.

Now, down to the real reason we are all interested.... the CHOCOLATE! As someone with a restricted diet I was pleased to see many gluten-free items and the staff was quick to point out the dairy free options as well! All great news... BUT did you know that chocolate is actually a fruit!?! So 5 serving a day will keep the doctor away? Yummy!

Swan Chocolates 
436 Daniel Webster Highway
Merrimack New Hampshire
603-423-5950
www.swanchocolates.com
NOTE: This is their new location

Inn at Pleasant Lake Treats You Like Royalty

Submitted by Bernie Dann, Granite State Ambassador

We arrived at the Inn at Pleasant Lake on a perfectly early summer day. It was only a short distance out of New London, NH, 1.5 miles down a quite paved road. As we arrived the owner and his crew were just finishing the final touches to a beautiful rock wall with a patio and sidewalk to the entry. I couldn't stop myself from walking over and complementing them on their artistic work.

Then into the lobby. We were shown the downstairs where there was a living room, another room with computer with Internet access and TV, the dining room, and indoor patio. We were told dinner would be served at 6:30, but tea was going on now. We then went upstairs to our rooms. I felt like I was queen for a day, the room was picture perfect! As I entered the suite with a couch and chair in the living area, then onto the bedroom. The bed was beautifully made with white linens, so puffy and just waiting for me later that evening. The bathroom was sparkling and roomy with all the goodies to make you feel special.

I next met with my group at the indoor patio for tea. The table was set with a gorgeous big bouquet and linens, special tea, nuts, cheese, crackers and homemade cookies. All delicious! As we had our tea we overlooked Pleasant Lake with Mt. Kearsage in the backround. The sandy beach was private, with chairs, and kayaks and canoes on the side just waiting to be used.

The Inn is a perfect place to relax and unwind, forget the hustle and bussle of our busy lives. Later when dinner was about to be served we were greeted by Brian and Linda the owners, who told us about the area, the history of the Inn, and then Brian, the chef, explained our full five course dinner. The dinner was delicoius with flavors that melted in your mouth, and presented beautifully. Service was excellent and the best treat of all was Brian coming out later and talking to all diners.

After watching the Bruins win the Stanley Cup I went to bed. I got up early the next morning to explore the trails around the area. I was given a trail map and followed the easily marked trails for my early morning hike. When I got back a continental breakfast awaited me with a wonderful selection of fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, great coffee and I'm sure I'm forgetting what else. Then the waitress came and explained the full breakfast. Yummy! Like I said, if you want to be queen for a day just go to the Inn on Pleasant Lake, a great place!!!!!