Best Attractions in New Hampshire | 2015 Editors’ Choice Awards

Looking for fun in the Granite State? You won’t have to look far! Read our picks for the best attractions in New Hampshire for 2015. Best Lake Cruising for Families M/V Mount Sunapee II, Sunapee Harbor History floats on this classic 90-minute narrated tour of Lake Sunapee—a painless way to learn about the charming harbor and the spiritualists who camped out at Blodgett Landing in the 1800s. Kids often get to steer the ship as it cruises the 10-mile-long mountain lake, past eight islands and three lighthouses, with plenty of leeway if they should take a wrong turn. Town Dock. 603-938-6465; sunapeecruises.com Best Covered Bridge Photo-Op North Star Canoe & Kayak Rentals, Cornish A knockout when viewed from dry land, just imagine what the 449-foot Cornish–Windsor Bridge looks like from the water. Drift or paddle down the Connecticut River, courtesy of the oldest private outfitter on the waterway, to admire the longest 19th-century wooden covered bridge in the U.S., linking New Hampshire and Vermont. 1356A Route 12A. 603-542-6929; kayak-canoe.com Best Curio Shop Ravenwood Curio Shoppe, Jackson “Curio” is defined as an interesting and unusual object. You’ll f ind plenty of fodder for your curiosity inside this handmade hobbit house, stuffed to the rafters with sparkly gifts, but it’s the backyard that truly dazzles, with a maze of fencing, plants, statues, and fountains, winding into secret nooks. 60 Main St. 603-383-8026; ravenwoodcurio.com Best Geology Lesson Ruggles Mine, Grafton An endless back road digs deep into the landscape, but nothing prepares you for this “mine in the sky,” with its towering cliffs, canyons, mysterious holes, and dramatic overlooks to Mount Cardigan. Sam Ruggles kept his 1803 discovery a secret, but the ground still glitters with leftover mica, quartz, and 150 other intriguing minerals, while everywhere the tap-tap-tap of hopeful hammers rings out. Underhill Road. 603-523-4275; rugglesmine.com Best Country Decorating Twin Elm Farm, Peterborough Thirty handpicked dealers fill Louise York’s carefully curated antiques shop, where country chic meets garden vintage, with a nod to mid century. The pretty farmhouse and barn are strewn with airy white linens, shabby-chic cupboards, and metal garden furniture—enough to inspire a serious case of cottage envy. 133 Wilton Road (Route 101). 603-784-5341; twinelmfarm.com Best Crafts Fair Annual League of NH Craftsmen Fair, Newbury Craftspeople overrun the foothills of Mount Sunapee for this annual crafts-fair blowout, oldest and best in the country. For nine days in August, 350 of the country’s best artisans pitch a tent city and show us everything they’ve got. 1398 Route 103. 603-763-3500; nhcrafts.org Best Restored Theatre The Colonial Theatre, Keene Just cruising past its 90th anniversary, the historic 1924 stage has embraced performers and celebrities of every stripe, from vaudevillians to Amelia Earhart. A dedicated restoration brought this grande dame back to life, and since 1995 it’s hosted more than 350 live performances, entertaining us with the likes of Lyle Lovett, NPR royalty, dance ensembles, and first-rate films. 95 Main St. 603-357-1233; thecolonial.org