New Hampshire has sugar houses, buildings where they boil sap from the maple trees in giant vats, that you can visit during "Open House Weekend," which usually takes place in mid-March. During this time, sugar houses all over the state schedule events for the whole family to enjoy. In the Fuller Sugarhouse (fullerssugarhouse.com) in Lancaster, sample thick maple syrup that's poured on snow. See how maple syrup is made at the 1,400-acre The Rocks Estate (therocks.org) or try maple cream, candy and lollipops at Cormier's Sugar House (cormierssugarhouse.com) in Belmont.
You'll find different kinds of outdoor activities during winter throughout New Hampshire. Downhill ski, slide down a snow tube run or snowboard in one of 19 alpine ski areas in different regions, including Attitash (attitash.com) in the Eastern White Mountains, Waterville Valley (waterville.com) in the Western White Mountains and Ragged Mountain (raggedmountainresort.com) in the Lakes Region.
From November through April, take the kids for a snowmobile ride on nearly 7,000 miles of interconnecting trails that link New Hampshire to adjacent states and Canada. Trails are in Jericho Mountain State Park (nhstateparks.org) in Berlin, the Warren Recreational Rail Trail (nhstateparks.org) in Warren and the Arrowhead Ski Area (arrowheadnh.com) in Claremont.
Attend the "Fall Family Farm Day" in November, which is hosted by The Inn at East Hill Farm (east-hill-farm.com). Event activities include milking cows and goats, hay jumping, creating arts and crafts and roasting marshmallows.
Great Glen Trails (greatglentrails.com) in Gorham, celebrates "Family Snow Days" in January. The entire family can sip hot chocolate and take cross-country ski lessons as well as try snowshoeing, snow tubing, a scavenger hunt and animal tracking.
In December, Santa visits families and gives away gifts to each child aboard a train in "Santa Trains on the Hobo RR Lincoln" (hoborr.com) in Conway Scenic Railroad's (conwayscenic.com) "Santa's Holiday Express." Additionally, hot chocolate and cookies are served by Santa's elves.
At nearly 200 Christmas tree farms located throughout New Hampshire, you can pick and cut your own tree. Choose from Balsam and Fraser firs to Korean fir or hybrid Fralsams in places such as Cree's Trees (creestrees.com) in Colebrook, Mountain Star Farms (mtnstarfarms.com) in Woodsville and Glove Hollow Christmas Tree Farm (glovehollow.com) in Plymouth. Other Christmas tree farms are Donaghey Tree Farm (donagheytreefarm.com) in Pembroke and Neva Dun Farm Christmas Trees (no website; 77 Peacham Road; Center Barnstead; 603-776-7000).
