FAMILY FRIENDLY
Alyson’s Orchard has over 50 acres of fruitbearing trees. From midsummer to late fall, there is always fresh fruit ready for harvest.
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Don’t miss a cool place to cool off. Vilas Pool Park in Alstead features a spring-fed swimming area and some nifty historical touches, like a stone bridge and an old tower. Free and open to anyone. Have a family member who loves animals? One of the more unique offerings in our region is a chance to cuddle a cow at Granite Oak Farm. Sessions are 30 minutes for up to three people, and the cows are more than happy to snuggle up and maybe even sneak in a kiss! ALL FUN AND GAMES Cheer for the home team at a Keene SwampBats game. Head to Alumni Field to see one of the top teams in the New England Collegiate Baseball League in action, honoring the proud tradition of baseball in Keene all summer long. (Be sure to say hi to team mascot Ribby!)
DAVID WHITE
EXPEND SOME ENERGY The brand-new GraniteWorks Gym in Keene invites climbers to try indoor bouldering. The gym features approximately 1,200 square feet of climbing, consisting entirely of adjustable walls and boards in addition to hangboards, peg boards and fitness equipment. Also in Keene is Climb Monadnock, which offers many routes for wall climbing and has a kids’ climbing club. Kids under 3 are free at both. Hit the slopes at Granite Gorge Mountain Park. Roxbury’s classic ski area has downhill winter fun for all ages. (Its snowtubing hill is a particular hit with wee ones.) During the warm season, take on the mountain with lift-service mountain biking. Explore the fields and forests at Stonewall Farm. Known for its award-winning children’s camps year-round, this 120-acre learning center and working farm in Keene invites visitors to hike and bike across its beautiful property, as well as visit the farm animals, picnic and shop at the farm store. In Chesterfield, the Chesterfield Gorge Natural Area offers a nearly one-mile, out-and-back trek highlighted by a stunning gorge and several waterfalls. Leashed, well-behaved pets are also allowed on the trail. Distant Hill Nature Trail on the Alstead–Walpole line has a nature play area plus a StoryWalk where you can read as you wander. The paths are stroller-friendly, too.
