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Looking for the best things to do in Nashua NH? We’ve got you covered! This southern New Hampshire city has plenty of things to do, both inside and outside, for visitors of all ages. Forget being a sleepy commuter town — that may have been the Nashua of 20 years ago, but it’s certainly not the case today.
Nashua is the second largest city in New Hampshire after Manchester, and it’s been growing like a weed. With a fairly easy commute to Boston, lots of people are making the move to Nashua for a lower cost of living and lots of fun amenities.
Take a stroll in downtown Nashua and you can visit a few different breweries, a chic cocktail bar, and a “Rage Cage” where you can smash up glass or cover yourself in glow-in-the-dark paint. Newcomers like these have breathed life into this city.
In fact, Nashua has been named the best place to live in America by Money Magazine — twice! Nashua is definitely worth visiting with so much to do and experience in the city.
Let’s take a look at the best things to do in Nashua, NH!
This post was most recently updated in May 2023.
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Things to Do in Nashua NH
A few of the best things to do in Nashua include smashing glass to smithereens, at Rage Cage, indoor skydiving at SkyVenture, and visiting some of the local breweries.
Nashua works well as a day trip — you can see quite a bit of Nashua in a single day. Two days will be enough to cover most of the sights.
Kids will absolutely love SkyVenture NH and kids as young as three can go indoor skydiving. Greeley Park has a few fun playgrounds for kids.
Nashua is a great place to live with lots of amenities, fun things to do, and easy access to two major airports.
Smash Things Up at the Rage Cage NH
Have you heard of the Rage Cage? This Nashua hotspot is one of the most fun things to do in Nashua. The Rage Cage is a place where you can smash glass to smithereens in a safe, protected environment. It’s an amazing way to reduce stress and get your emotions out.
You can choose any kind of music you’d like. (And don’t think it has to be death metal! When our went, we chose “My Heart Will Go On.” Somehow, it worked!)
The Rage Cage’s smash room is open to age 16 and up (under 18s must be supervised by a parent). Closed toe shoes must be worn.
But there’s an option for younger people and kids, too — the paint splatter room! Here you can throw around paint and have a great time! This makes it a great place for birthday parties in Nashua. You can also enjoy a glow paint room underneath a black light.
The Rage Cage team recommends the paint splatter room for kids age five and up.
Smash room rates start at $40 per person for up to eight people. Paint splatter room rates start at $20 per person for regular paint and $25 per person for glow paint.
Indoor Skydiving with SkyVenture NH
SkyVenture is where you go for a day of extreme sports in Nashua! This fun spot put indoor skydiving on the map in the Granite State. But that’s not all they have — they also have indoor surfing and rock climbing.
Indoor skydiving involves a wind tunnel that allows you to be suspended in midair, feeling the sensation of skydiving. It works just like actual skydiving: you can flatten yourself out to fall slower (or get lower, in this case), and turn vertical to fly up high. An instructor is in the tunnel with you. And kids as young as three years old can join in the fun!
SkyVenture’s indoor surf park is the largest in North America with a 32-inch surf stream. The surf stream offers seven different waves to appeal to all surf levels, and riders can surf an endless wave on an actual surfboard, gaining real experience. We consider SkyVenture one of New Hampshire’s indoor water parks.
(There’s also the Fishpipe, a barrel roll, which is not currently operating. We hope they bring it back.)
On top of that, there’s a rock climbing gym to test your scrambling skills.
You can book all three activities for $105. Otherwise, indoor skydiving prices start at $55 for a two-minute flight, surfing from $45 for 15 minutes, and rock climbing from $15 per person.
Explore Nashua’s Parks and Green Spaces
If you’re ready to get out into nature, Nashua has plenty of green spaces within the city limits. Located in the heart of Nashua, Mine Falls Park consists of 325 acres of forest, wetlands, and fields surrounded by the Nashua River.
Visitors can partake in activities including walking, running, cross-country skiing, and biking. There is also the option to boat and fish on the river. In addition, the park has sports fields and various hiking trails of all distances throughout the public park.
Additionally, Greeley Park is a 125-acre park in the heart of Nashua’s North End, up against the Merrimack River. Here you have playgrounds, tennis courts, ball fields, hiking trails, picnic areas, and more. This is also the spot for Nashua’s proms each spring.
If you’re visiting during the winter months, Roby Park hosts ice skating and has a killer sledding hill. They also have a playground for the warmer months. (Want to go skating in the summer? Conway Arena offers year-round ice skating.)
Lovewell Pond Yudicky Farm is a conservation area worth visiting, with lots of hiking trails taking you past swamps and even a cool beaver dam. The Yudicky Farm Trail is a 5.5-mile moderate trail that makes a great day hike.
Finally, Nashua residents enjoy the Nashua River Rail Trail, a 12.5-mile trail that begins in Nashua and heads southward into Massachusetts, finishing in the town of Ayer.
Tax-Free Shopping In and Near Nashua
Thanks to zero sales tax in the state of New Hampshire, and Nashua’s location right on the Massachusetts, Nashua is a major hub for shopping. You can find plenty of big box stores here, from Home Depot to Best Buy to Dick’s Sporting Goods, as well as some nice malls and nearby outlets.
The Pheasant Lane Mall is a shopping center in Nashua that has 129 stores and 19 different food and drink options. You’ll find a two-story Target, an Apple store, and other great stores to indulge.
The Merrimack Premium Outlets are located in Merrimack, just outside of Nashua. There are 104 outlet stores and an indoor food court to grab a bite to eat from 9 different restaurants. The outlet has a large, central area and tons of maps that make it easy to navigate. We love the variety here, and think that the Merrimack Outlets have the best selection of designer shops out of all the outlets in New Hampshire.
Read More: The Best Malls in New Hampshire
New Hampshire Holocaust Memorial
The New Hampshire Holocaust Memorial is located in Rotary Park in Nashua. It’s the first of its kind in New Hampshire (the New England Holocaust Memorial is located in downtown Boston), and Fred Teeboom, a Holocaust survivor, raised all the money for the memorial.
The memorial includes a set of train tracks and monuments honoring the six million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust, as well as other groups from Roma to homosexuals.
The memorial implores you to NEVER FORGET — because we can’t let anything like this happen again.
After visiting the memorial, we recommend taking a few minutes to collect yourself at the Reflection Garden and Labyrinth in the park.
Nashua National Fish Hatchery
One of 11 National Fish Hatcheries in the Northeast, and one of 70 in the nation, the Nashua National Fish Hatchery helps conserve rare species and common game fish to strengthen the ecosystem.
The hatchery focuses its efforts on the Merrimack River and other New England waters. Its main focuses are on the Atlantic salmon and the Americanshad. The eggs of these fish are incubated at the Hatchery, and once they hatch, the babies are released into the river.
The hatchery invites students, troops, and other organizations to visit for educational tours and programs. Also, free guided tours take place Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. You can also schedule tours ahead of time.
Visit Nashua’s Breweries
We love the excellent breweries in New Hampshire — and Nashua is home to one of the strongest brewing scenes in the Granite State. It will take you awhile to enjoy all the craft beers Nashua has on tap!
Additionally, because Nashua has Uber, this is one of few places in New Hampshire where you can go on a brewery crawl without having to bring a designated driver.
Martha’s Exchange Restaurant and Brewing Co is a brewery and restaurant, which makes it a good spot to bring kids or non-drinkers. The beer is hand-crafted in-house with both year-round and seasonal brews. Keep a lookout for new beers that come out quite frequently.
Millyard Brewery is more than just a taproom. It hosts live musicians and trivia night and was voted one of New Hampshire’s coziest bars. With indoor and outdoor seating and free popcorn, this nano-brewery is ideal for grabbing a drink.
Located in the original firehouse of Nashua, Liquid Therapy has a historic taproom. All of the beer and food are created in-house. There are IPAs, sours, stouts, and other great options. And if you like your hops with a side of hops, they even have a triple IPA!
More than just a brewery, Odd Fellows Brewing Co serves brunch, lunch, and dinner along with their drinks. The food menu is extensive, and the beer menu is just as great with its options of IPAs, sours, ales, stouts, and more.
2023 Update: A previous version of this post recommended White Birch Brewing, which has since closed.
Read More: The Best New Hampshire Breweries
See a Nashua Silver Knights game
The Nashua Silver Knights is a collegiate summer baseball team and a member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League. There are eight teams from New Hampshire to Connecticut, and they play a total of 64 regular season games using wooden bats.
The Silver Knights play at Holman Stadium, the baseball stadium in Nashua. Watching a game is one of the best outdoor activities in Nashua — especially if you don’t want the hassle and cost of driving into Boston for a Red Sox game!
Individual tickets cost $7 the day of or $6 in advance. Tickets for children under 10 cost $3, and children under 3 are free.
Djinn Spirits
Djinn Spirits Craft Distillery crafts interesting whiskeys, gins, and other spirits. You can visit the distillery in person, where they offer free samples of whatever they have available.
Djinn Spirits also offers virtual and in-person tours of the distillery where you’ll learn about the fermentation and distillation process and the packaging of products. Tours cost $15 and include a glass from Djinn. Another option is to take one of their whiskey classes offered once a month to learn about the liqueur’s history.
There are plenty of delicious spirits to try at Djinn, from the Henry Knox Botanical Dry Gin to the Krupnik Spiced Honey Liqueur. A local Nashua favorite is the Beachday, an “adult lemonade” with just a bit of booze mixed in.
Boston Billiard Club & Casino
The name is a bit deceiving, but the Boston Billiard Club & Casino is actually located in Nashua, not the city to the southeast. Here you’ll find poker, pool tables, shuffleboard, and many other tournaments and games.
There is also a beer garden, an extensive food menu, and many drink options. Check out their calendar for more information on food and drink deals that occur and events and games taking place.
Enjoy the Speakeasy Vibe at CodeX
If you’re looking for the coolest bar in Nashua, that would be CodeX — a speakeasy-style bar surrounded by books, antiques, and other unique items. Step behind a secret door into an eclectic wonderland, and get ready to enjoy some excellent cocktails.
Sip on a Sazerac or a Corpse Reviver while enjoying the vintage vibe! There is now a food menu at Codex these days, dishing up tasty appetizers and desserts brought in from Nashua bakeries.
The bar also hosts events. Tuesdays are industry night, where restaurant workers receive 30% off the last two hours of the night; Wednesdays are silent movie night, and you can enjoy piano on the weekends.
CodeX doesn’t do reservations, and we recommend getting there a bit on the early side on Friday and Saturday nights, or else you’ll have to wait awhile.
Wine Tasting at Fulchino Vineyard
Vineyards in New Hampshire? You bet! Fulchino Vineyard is the perfect place for an afternoon of wine tasting. The winery is located in Hollis, NH, just outside of Nashua, and feels like it’s straight out of Tuscany.
We love visiting Fulchino in the summer months, when you can sit outside underneath the trellis and enjoy the gorgeous flowers.
The family-run vineyard offers Italian-style wines, which can be paired with cheese, meat, and chocolate. Tastings cost anywhere from $15 to $57 a person, depending on the wine and food pairings you choose.
Fright Kingdom
Fright Kingdom, located right in Nashua, isn’t just one of the best haunted houses in New Hampshire — it’s one of the largest haunted theme parks in New England. If you love the adrenaline rush about being chased by a dude with a chainsaw, this is the Nashua activity for you!
And it’s not just in the month of October. Fright Kingdom offers The Fright Before Christmas celebrations in December, Forever Mine in February, and Halfway to Halloween in April.
Tickets start at $35 online and $39 at the door.
Andres Institute of Art
Located in Brookline just outside Nashua and only about a 20-minute drive, Andres Institute of Art is a hidden gem in New Hampshire absolutely worth the trip. Located in uphill in a forest, you’ll find this outdoor public sculpture park — the largest in New England! There are over 10 miles of trails that cover 140 acres, with over 100 sculptures to discover in the park.
The hikes through the park are self-guided and are wonderful places to spend the day. It’s fun to walk down what looks like a nondescript wooded path and suddenly see an enormous sculpture in front of you! There are more than 100 sculptures representing 40 countries.
Andres Art Institute is free to visit, though donations are greatly appreciated, and open every day, dawn to dusk. Dogs are welcome and must be on leashes.
Where to Stay in Nashua
So, if you’re staying in Nashua overnight, where’s the best place to stay? While we at New Hampshire Way prefer staying in independent hotels when possible, Nashua is a city dominated by chain hotels.
Below are some of the best hotels in Nashua NH at various price ranges.
Best Upscale Hotel in Nashua: DoubleTree by Hilton — Has a modern and cozy atmosphere. Amenities include wifi, a gym, an indoor heated pool, a hot tub, massage, and hair salon services. There is also an onsite restaurant and cafe. You’re a short drive from most places in Nashua.
Best Mid-Range Hotel in Nashua: Hampton Inn — Solid and comfortable, if not special. Amenities include complimentary breakfast, wifi, an indoor pool, and a gym. Rooms are spacious and clean.
Best Budget Hotel in Nashua: Clarion Inn — Your best choice for a low-cost stay in Nashua. Rooms are basic, but your stay comes with complimentary breakfast, wifi, an outdoor swimming pool, a gym, free parking, and an on-site restaurant and bar. Not bad at all.
How Much Time to Spend in Nashua
Nashua has never been marketed as a travel destination, and it’s not a weekend getaway hotspot like Portsmouth or North Conway — but there are a lot of fun things to do here.
You can see most of Nashua’s sites in a single day — perhaps two days if you really want to do everything. (Of course, if you want to be a completionist and visit every brewery, every mall, every park, that could take a little longer!)
But if you’re basing in Nashua for a few days or longer, we recommend taking day trips around southern New Hampshire. Many Nashua locals enjoy day tripping to Manchester, home to the Currier Museum and some great shops and restaurants. But if you love pretty college towns with a rural spirit, especially love the town of Keene, an hour and 15 minutes from Nashua.
How to Get to Nashua
Many Nashua transplants chose to relocate here for its easy access to Boston without paying Massachusetts taxes. You can take Route 3 direct to Boston, crossing through I-495 and I-95 along the way.
Like most of New Hampshire, you’re best off having a car here, as public transit is limited.
If you’re flying to Nashua, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in Manchester, NH, is just a 20-minute drive away, while Logan Airport in Boston is just under an hour’s drive away.
For public transportation, Nashua Transit has public buses that circle several routes around the city. Boston Express buses can bring you directly to Boston.
Best Time to Visit Nashua
Just like anywhere else in New England, fall is the most beautiful time of year in Nashua. New Hampshire fall foliage tends to hit at different times depending on the latitude and altitude. Nashua and the Merrimack Valley tend to have some of the latest foliage, peaking around October 20-25, whereas you can expect peak foliage in the White Mountains closer to early October.
Summer is another great time to enjoy New Hampshire, and Nashua puts on several summer festivals and special events, including outdoor classical music concerts, live music showcases, and more. Late July brings FairyTale Fest to Greeley Park, while late August brings Gate City Brewfest to Holmun Stadium.
If you’re visiting in the winter, be ready to have lots of things to do (these are some of our favorites) because it’s cold, cold, cold!
Is Nashua Worth It?
Nashua might not be your first choice for a place to visit in New Hampshire — but we urge you to take a closer look. Nashua has changed so much in the last 20 years, and has gone from a quiet bedroom community to a fun, hip city with lots to do.
So start planning a day trip to New Hampshire’s second-largest city! We bet you’ll find a lot of fun things to do.
More on the Merrimack Valley:
- 33 Cool Things to Do in Manchester, NH
- 12 Best Manchester NH Restaurants
- Where to Get Breakfast in Manchester NH
- Best Restaurants in Concord NH
- Where to Get Breakfast in Concord NH
- 24 Cool Things To Do in Concord NH
Best of New Hampshire:
- 50+ Best Things to Do in New Hampshire
- 13 Best Beaches in New Hampshire
- New Hampshire’s Best Breweries
- New Hampshire Fall Foliage Guide
- 30 Unforgettable Things To Do In The White Mountains, NH
Have you been to Nashua NH? What are your favorite things to do?
