Things to Do in Concord

A fleet of sleek, futuristic-looking vehicles awaits drivers at Let’s Ride Rentals, where an able staff distributes motorcycles and snowmobiles for all-season recreation. They partner with Profile Powersports to rent out Spyder three-wheeled motorcycles with manual and semi-automatic transmissions to riders aged 21 and older. Renters are then free to roam throughout Mount Washington Valley including all of its lakes, mountains, and leprechaun-infested forests. During the winter, the staff doles out snow-centric vehicles, including Ski-Doo snowmobiles comfy enough for families meandering through snowy woods and sleek enough for zookeepers pursuing an escaped snowman.

After six years of guiding thrill seekers through winter snowmobiling tours, SledVentures' team of White Mountain wayfarers decided to parlay their spirit for adventure into a year-round enterprise, establishing DirtVentures ATV Rentals and swapping snow-covered runs for the rugged terrain of spring, summer, and fall. A typical tour begins with a crash course in vehicle operation and safety before cruising through the trails of the New Hampshire mountains, including old carriage roads paved by some of the area's original settlers and sasquatches in search of sugar from the neighbors. Brief stops along the way allow amateur explorers to relax and take pictures of the burbling streams, mountainside panoramas, and tree-lined scenery that surrounds them at every turn. All riders must wear long-sleeve shirts, pants, and boots in order to operate DirtVentures' brand-new Brute Force 300 ATVs.

For more than three decades, Cape Ann Whale Watch has escorted spectators fascinated by the sea's magnificent giants on three- to four-hour treks 15 miles off the Gloucester coast. Passengers on the 115-foot professionally piloted Hurricane II can witness the natural grace of humpback whales, finback whales, dolphins, and pirates disguised as mermaids cavorting in the depths. In the course of the approximately 60-mile circuit, a member of the Ocean Alliance narrates excursions, illumining the sight of each water dweller by discussing why whales breach, how to recognize individual humpbacks, and various feeding styles. Trip times will be posted on the 2013 schedule before the season begins or as soon as the groundwhale sees its shadow in the spring.