Best Western in Hampton Convenient and Hospitable

Submitted by Kelly Bryer
Granite State Ambassador, Museum of NH History Class of 2003

I recently visited the Best Western Inn at Hampton with a group of families. We were in town for a school competition and I was charged with locating the ideal hotel. Being a GSA, the first thing I did was call a seacoast GSA for a recommendation. Thank you, Paul L!! The hotel was great and everyone in our group was very pleased (phew). From the first phone call I knew all was going to be perfect. The desk staff were incredibly friendly and helpful.

Once we checked in and dropped our gear in our room the kids changed and we headed off to the pool. The indoor pool went from 3 feet to 9 feet and had plenty of comfortable seats for the parents to unwind while the kids played and wore themselves out.

Even dinner was relaxing. The local Dominoes delivered right to our door. Perfect ending to the long day -- eating pizza (that I didn't have to make), sprawled on a comfy bed, watching HBO… ahhh.

In the morning we were excited to see that the complimentary hot breakfast was filled with yummy choices. They had it all from eggs & sausage to waffles & pastries to yogurt & cereal. The staff was again very accommodating and friendly, especially important since all of the competing teams swamped the dining room when they opened at 6:30am.

The Best Western Inn at Hampton had exceptional hospitality. Our room was clean, elegant, quiet and just the right size. The beds had down comforters and loads of pillows. The TV was big and I especially loved the high, wood ceilings the second floor rooms had. It was appointed with air conditioning, free Wireless Internet, cable television, complimentary HBO, MicroFridge and individual heat control. They have 72 rooms total that included 51 double queen/king rooms, 20 executive suites with efficiency kitchenettes and 1 suite with a large kitchenette. There was even a gym if I thought chasing around a team of kids wasn't enough of a workout.

The Hampton Inn was located right on Route 1 in downtown Hampton. It was easy to find and get to and was near everything. The main beach was just a couple miles up the road. Being early spring, it was empty and had just the right amount of wind for a morning of serious kite flying before heading home again. I can't wait to go back again and visit. When I do, I will definitely be calling the Inn at Hampton!

A Visit to Planet Marshmallow is Both Sweet and Savory

Submitted by Lorry Young, Granite State Ambassador
Radisson Hotel Class of 2006

Planet Marshmallow Dessert Cafe is an out-of-the-box creation by Heather Cox. It is located across the street from our historic Palace Theater on 81 Hanover Street. I recently had the pleasure of enjoying hand-crafted marshmallows sandwiched between homemade gourmet grahams and Hershey's chocolate known as s'mores. The cafe' provides a mini toaster so you can make your own at the table. It only takes seconds. Planet Marshmallow has a vast variety of specialty marshmallow flavors, quite unique and irresistable. They can be purchased at other speciality stores throughout the U.S. and on their website at www.planetmarshmallow.com.

An array of other delectable desserts are offered as well at the cafe. To go along with your dessert are a variety of coffees, loose leaf teas, hot chocolate, and pop. Savory items can be enjoyed as well. Winter time sausage and spinach soup. Quiche of the day or maybe baked brie and assorted crackers paired with a glass of wine. Yes, they offer a nice selection of wines. What a great place to go after the theater for a snack.

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center Designed for Children to Adults

By Jan Moe, Granite State Ambassador, Comfort Inn Airport, Class of 2011

The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is a wonderful destination! I assumed before my visit that this was designed for elementary school children; I was only partially correct. It is designed for all of us...children, young adults, adults, and NHGSAs!

The Discovery Center has added a Navy plane; a real test plane that traveled to NH by flatbed and was brought into the Center by taking out the nine large windows at the end of the building. Alan Shepard flew a similar plane before heading to space.

I was a bit concerned when our tour took us into the planetarium at 2 pm. Could I stay awake in a dark room with comfy chairs? No problem. The program, Tonight's Sky, displayed the night sky for THAT evening in NH. The knowledgeable presenter made it was fascinating. It was doubly fascinating when I took the dog out for a walk that evening & sure enough, the moon, Orion, The Big Dipper, planets were all waiting for me to just look up!

Thanks again to NHGSA and The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center for an enjoyable afternoon. It will be a pleasure to recommend this delightful Center to our NH guests!

Loon Mountain Offers Something for Every Snow Sport Enthusiast

By: Nathan Pasquale NHGSA Intern and PSU Student

I know a lot ofpeople may have forgotten about it, but along with winter generally comes snow.This season Mother Nature has been holding out on us, but we have managed tomake do with what we’ve got. This happens to be a whole lot of snowmachines.  Being a student from PlymouthState University, there are a variety of mountains that are close by, includingone of my favorites, Loon Mountain. I have the privilege to ride two or threedays a week at Loon, and over the past four years, I have learned a lot aboutthe mountain and the area surrounding it. 

Between the Kancamagus Highway and exit 32 on Route 95 liesLincoln and Woodstock NH.  This area is aclassic ski town. As you drive in from 93 you are bombarded with ski shops andlocal restaurants. All of which I drive by without a glance in anticipation ofgoing snowboarding.  However, if you’relooking for a new board, skis, or you’re new to the sport and are looking forrentals, make a quick stop at Lahout’s. Their customer service is great, andthey have an amazing selection of gear, and knowledgable people who love thesport. Don’t let their multiple locations fool you, look for the one with theold gondola outside, that’s where their skis and snowboards are located.

Moving on down the road and keeping your speed under thelimit (strictly in forced), Loon’s entrance comes into view. Once across theriver, make sure to check the main lot for spots. Although on a busy day theymay have a sign saying the lot is closed, take a spin through anyways, you maybe surprised of how close a parking spot you can find.

Once situated, it’s time to hit the slopes. I usually startwith a quick Gondola ride to the summit. Iif you don’t mind meeting new people,hop in the singles line with your friends and you can skip the whole wait.Loon’s peak provides the most trail options with all difficulties. If you’relike me and want to head to the terrain park, trails like Flying Fox and BearClaw provide a fun easy ride down to the main park.  If you are more of an all mountain rider andall you want to do is find some soft open trails, South Peak is a great escapefrom both lines and tracked out trails. South Peak, a new addition to Loon, hasintermediate and advanced trails.  Forthose up to the task, you can take Rip Saw, a double black diamond, which willkeep you coming back for more.  I reallyenjoy a few runs on South Peak but when it really snows, and it’s time for someglade and tree skiing, I bear right at the top and head over to North Peak.

NorthPeak, in my opinion contains some of the most exciting and fun trails atLoon. Can’t Dog and Bucksaw, both woodstrails, contain some great lines.  Staying to the center of Bucksaw has never leadme wrong - you can usually always find some deep snow in there. On a busy day,the solitude of the woods, along with the wind protection, can turn a cold busyday around. Hopefully with a little luck, we will have enough snow to enjoythis trail this season.

After a long day of fun in the snow, I like to relax on theporch of the Bunyan Room, grab the special of the day, and watch people comedown the mountain. If you’re looking to take advantage of some après specials,head to Gordi’s.  Here you can helpyourself to some complimentary popcorn, crackers and cheese. Gordi’s offers specialsfrom 4-5:30 every day.  I stopped in theother day, and they had 25¢ Buffalo wings!  Ofcourse if you’re looking for a refreshing beverage, there is an accompanyingbeer special as well.

I have been going to Loon now for 4 years, and each year Iseem to find something else interesting and fun. The Mountain is a great placeto ski and ride, and the town of Lincoln is a friendly environment whereeveryone is welcome. Next time you’re looking for a place to ski or ride, headto Loon, you won’t be disappointed.

All Aboard for the Polar Express!

By Ami D'Amelio, NHGSA Programs Manager, Granite State Ambassador, PSU Ice Arena Class of 2011

The holidays are a magical time of year and what better way to kick off the season but to take the beloved ride to the North Pole on the Polar Express! This year, my sister-in-law Bridget and I hatched a plan to score some tickets for our families on the Polar Express Event of New England, and it all started in September .... which made for a very early start to the holiday season...

For the Polar Express Event of New England, which leaves from either North Conway or Lincoln, your entry and donation must be postmarked by October 1st. (For those of you that are just thinking of the Polar Express now, there are a few tickets which recently became available from the Lincoln location you can click here to see the available dates and purchase online) So we both sent in our entries with donations - hers to Lincoln, mine to North Conway - hoping we could hedge our bets. On the scheduled call days, volunteers for the Polar Express Event work their way through all the entries, calling each person and offering whatever seats are still available. When you receive the call, you have to make your decision on the spot and provide payment. If you don't answer, you lose your tickets. We were lucky enough that Bridget's call day was first and she was able to get tickets for all of us on the same Saturday night. (Consequently, I did get a call the next day but it was quite late in the afternoon and no Friday or Saturday tickets were available) Thank goodness we divided and conquered!

Now, the D'Amelios are a rowdy bunch so we took the feedback from other families who had attended in the pajamas and decided to all dress in matching PJs - I am sure we were quite the sight! But the kids were excited (the adults, too!) so we headed off in our matching outfits for the 7pm departure from the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH on December 3rd. We arrived early to get to the head of the boarding line, the two little boys were in heaven playing with trains in the gift shop!


Promptly at 6:30, the doors opened and we rushed to board the actual train. True to the book, the train staff came by with hot chocolate for everyone and we enjoyed the yummy treat all the way to the North Pole.

Upon arrival at the North Pole, Santa's elves were standing along the path to help guide us to the theater and played along well with the kids. Our elf "Icecube" was very playful and asked the kids about their Santa lists - delighting each and every one with his attention.

We settled into the theater and enjoyed a reading from The Polar Express. Then the Big Man came out to greet the sea of excited kids and took the time to walk around and greet each one. This was definitely the highlight for our crew! (We had no idea Santa had this kind of time on his hands during this time of year!) After selecting a child to receive the first gift of Christmas, we all made our way back to the train and started the long trek back to NH from the North Pole. During our ride, the train staff came around again, this time to give each child a sleigh bell to take home. My girls were so excited to exclaim that they could still hear it ring!

It was a very delightful evening, and fun to see so much of the book come to life before our very eyes. It was definitely a memory that will stay with us for a long time - hopefully our matching PJs will last as long! :-)

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! 

Exploring New Hampshire's Capitol

Betty's Travel Planning Tips

Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999; Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

If your idea of traveling through Concord, New Hampshire is flying by the exits on Interstate 93, then you’ve never really been to Concord. Probably best known throughout the world as the birthplace of the Concord Coach, Concord became the state capitol in 1808, and is an exciting city that’s rich in history, culture, education, and heritage. Downtown Concord is a hub of unique shops, restaurants, and historic sites. When you do visit Concord, plan to spend a day or two and don’t miss these interesting stops:

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The State House: Located in the center of town on North Main Street, the capitol building is the oldest one in the country where the legislature still meets in its original chambers. Take a tour and see the legislative body in session. As you walk the hallways, note the portraits of past Governors on the walls.



The Museum of NH History: Contained within Eagle Square, the museum is a must-see for anyone interested in exploring how the state was born. Exhibitions include a birch bark canoe, a simulated fire tower, and of course an authentic Concord Coach. Take time to browse through the extensive gift shop; you’ll find plenty of books, maps, and historically significant items.

McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center: Named for Alan Shepard, who was the first man in space, and Christa McAuliffe, the first private citizen in space, the center is New England’s largest air

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and space museum. Families love the planetarium shows and other events. The center is located at 2 Institute Drive.

The State Library: Situated at 20 Park Street, the library is an attraction in itself. Resources and services include catalogs, online databases, a Family Resource Connection, and even an ‘Ask a Librarian’ service for research questions.

For more information about what there is to see and do in Concord, please visit the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce website.

Kaleidoscope Museum: Charming Place for Creative Play

Submitted by Judy Greer
Church Landing / Lakehouse Grille Class of 2004





One of the stops on our recent Manchester tour was the Kaleidoscope Museum, housed in the Millyard Buildings at 250 Commercial Street, Suite 1004.

What an absolute delight! I find myself thinking of everyone who has kids between the ages of 9 months and 6 to 7 years that I could kidnap for a day to take there.
We walked in to this huge bright space with all these wonderful areas to play, including a pirate ship, a climbing wall, a pizza kitchen, a puppet theatre and many more.

Here the children can play and be as creative as they wish, with no TV or video games. Mothers can bring their own food to this facility and stay all day with their little ones if they wish. The best part is that Mom’s are free.



The owner, Michelle Carignan, is a dedicated, creative person to come up with this unique idea. She will provide birthday parties if you wish along with other parties. Often there are special events going on that are just all part of the admission.

If you have little ones, you owe to them to visit this charming place.