Manchester Off The Beaten Path

In Ireland one looks at doors for quaint variety. In Manchester (and northern NE in general), the variety of porches in the city can be a focus of a nice stroll. Try the areas north and east of Beech and Bridge St.

Just east of Central High are several odd-angled streets which don’t fit the city grid well. This was the village of Janesville, where the Swedes lived in the early 1900’s. It used to extend farther west. There are still a few buildings shaped to fit the streets.

Manchester Firing Line, a full service Gun range and dealer in Manchester New Hampshire offers loads of fun for the Gun Aficionado.

You can rent any number of Machine Guns and they also have an excellent selection of Handguns and Rifles.

On our visit, We rented an MP5 Sub Machine gun, M-16, Glock 20 (10MM), H&K Mk23 (With Silencer) and the Smith and Wesson 500!

The people are friendly and the place is clean! It's a great "guys trip" to blow off some steam!

Built in 1887 as a gift to the citizens of Manchester(the Queen City had money, then), the Weston Observatory is somewhat of an unknown local monument.

This is mainly due to the fact that the tower is open only a few weeks a year, either for city celebrations or a set two weeks of leaf-peeping each October.

Still as you can see in the picture, the view is pretty good. Not amazing, but good(enlarge the pic to see the City Hall office tower on the left, and the PSNH tower on the right, New Hampshire's tallest buildings). The observatory is currently under consideration for National Historic Site status.

The tower is within city limits, but I listed it as "off the beaten track" b/c this site is so off the radar. Reach the observatory via Interstate 93, exit 8 "Wellington Rd./Bridge St., or follow Bridge St. East/uphill from Downtown. Enter Derryfield Park to Oak Hill.

One note: This spot was/is a popular cruising area for gay men. So, if somebody invites you for a "walk in the woods", be absolutely sure that is what you want to do.

New Hampshire's Monadnock Region is universally considered one of New England's overlooked gems. This Southwest corner of the state is not easily accessible from New York City & Boston, and is passed over for the interstate accessed White Mountains, and Green Mountains of Vermont. However, this mountainous, lake-dotted countryside, rife with history, is easily reached via Manchester and it's airport,. Peterborough, a stately local hub, was the inspiration for Wilder's "Our Town", and Keene, the region's largest town, was the bucolic setting for the film "Jumanji". And, my favorite, picture-perfect Harrisville - the entire village is on the National Historic Register. Route 101W takes travelers on a one hour drive from Manchester to Keene. This road, though wide and direct, is heavily travelled and less than scenic. A better route is through Goffstown and New Boston(top 10 site for UFO sightings!). Wind West into Fitzwilliam and Hancock. Take your time. Spend a day. Then, return to Manchester and you feel like you've driven back into a bustling metropolis on the edge of colonial America.

The town of Amherst is a short drive from Downtown Manchester and, apparently, prides itself on it's anonymity. However, this picturesque New England village contains a classic town green and charm to spare. Amherst simply oozes colonial America and...money. Follow route 101 West from Manchester, through Bedford. Exit "Amherst".