4 New Hampshire Nature Centers That Make Excellent Family Day Trip Destinations

If you have ever wondered where to find some of the best nature centers in New Hampshire, wonder no more. New Hampshire, in fact, has quite a few nature centers that make excellent family day trip destinations.

The Susan N. McLane Audubon Center is located in Concord, New Hampshire, and features exhibits, and resident animals - a bald eagle, a red-tailed hawk, and barn and barred owls.

The center is generally open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and includes a gift shop. Admission is free, and donations are appreciated.

There are three miles of hiking trails on the grounds of the Audubon Center, open every day from dawn to dusk.

Trails circle the pond and include boardwalks and bridges. Binocular and snowshoe rentals are sometimes available. For more information, visit the Audubon website or Facebook page. Here is a trail map.

The Nature Discovery Center is in Warner, New Hampshire. Inside you will find interactive hands-on activities for the family, and kids can even win prizes.

The center is open seasonally on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and there is a gift shop too.

During your visit, be sure to admire the pollinator garden, with its bees and butterflies, and explore the Medicine Woods Trail.

Trail maps, and nature packs filled with family-friendly activity ideas for your hike, are available at the center. Request a nature pack prior to your visit. For more information, go to the Nature Discovery Center website or Facebook page. Learn more about the Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum across the street.

The Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center can be found in Laconia on 160 acres of fields, forest, and gardens.

Inside find displays on conservation topics. The grounds are open 365 days a year from dawn until dusk. Hike over three miles of nature trails, or search for the geocache. Request an Adventure Pack online, filled with ideas to enhance your family's hike.

Prescott Farm also features a vegetable garden, chickens in the yard, beehives, a large barn, and a natural outdoor play space that includes a forest kitchen and fairy area.

Participate in one of the programs such as soap and syrup making, guided moonlight hikes, cooking classes, yoga, or summer camp – there is something for everyone. For more information, visit the Prescott Farm website or Facebook page.

The Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock was built in 1905 as a private residence. Almost 100 years later it was renovated to become the facility it is today, incorporating compostable toilets and other green solutions.

There are no exhibits inside. There is a pollinator garden outside, for bees and butterflies. Several hiking trails, for varying skill levels, originate from the parking lot, or nearby, including the Bailey Brook Trail.

Thousands of protected acres are yours for exploring, or sign up for one of the many programs offered.

Programs could include looking for amphibian eggs, counting salamanders, building a fort in the woods, stargazing, and more. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trails. For more information, visit the Harris Center website or Facebook page.

For a fun family day trip, plan an outing to one of the welcoming nature centers waiting to be discovered by you, in New Hampshire.

Read our other article, to learn about the Seacoast Science Center in Rye.

Tell us about your favorite nature centers in New Hampshire!