Laconia, NH Outdoor Activities

Back Country Excursions founder Cliff Krolick set up his mountain-biking base camp in 1991 with the aim of guiding adventurists on low-environmental-impact tours along the 26-mile network of trails spread across the White Mountains' foothills. The trails, accessible with one-day or annual passes, traverse terrain suitable for both novice and advanced riders, from a gently rolling double track to harrowing technical descents peppered with slaloms and tree spring noose traps set by territorial squirrels. Cliff and his crew of savvy cyclists guide multi-day biking tours through the wilderness and set up camp for overnight trips in their mountain lodge or screened-in backcountry yurt. To ensure that the environment stays pristine for future generations, Cliff donates a portion of annual profits to a variety of local environmental causes.

Since its inception as a restaurant and mini-golf course in 1960, Funtown Splashtown USA has steadily expanded to include manifold family-friendly theme-park attractions and water-park slides. The park invites thrill-seekers to rush down the slopes of the wooden Excalibur rollercoaster or free-fall 220 feet from the zenith of the Dragon's Descent tower. At the Splashtown waterpark, guests combat the summer sun aboard two-person slide tubes or circular family rafts. And at the Portland Pirates Paradise attraction, visitors fire water cannons and slip through eight water slides. Between slips and slides, families can unwind on the 1,200 lounge chairs or grab a snack at the picnic areas, so long as they make sure to wait at least 30 minutes before swimming or picnicking again.

Within both MetroRock locations, visitors ascend via bouldering walls and rope-climbing walls or take to aerobic exercise machines and fitness equipment to build strength. With this setup available to climbers of all skill levels, the founders of the climbing arenas achieved their goal of creating a community where scalers can congregate, share their passions, and hone their climbing skills.

During indoor and outdoor classes, instructors create lessons that help each climber reach their goals. Indoor courses help instill students with basic climbing skills, rescue techniques, or the brute strength needed for bouldering or to intimidate mountains out of their lunch money. Outdoors, American Mountain Guide Association and Single Pitch–certified instructors teach alpinists skills that include how to secure top-rope anchors and how to climb ice or scale for sport. The centers' founders and their teams also organize climbing-centric programming that includes youth climbing teams and team-building events that challenge groups while forming bonds.

Paramotor Tours sends adventurers skyward on the wings of motor-powered paragliders. Nationally certified pilots adhere strictly to FAA safety regulations as they strap in for tandem flights, lifting thrill seekers to heights of up to 8,000 feet. To help ensure smooth takeoffs and landings, each glider boasts several safety features, including reserve parachutes, GPS navigation, and a pause button. Adventurers who wish to pilot their own glider can sign up for a solo-flying course, available on select days.

A stream of yellow and black buzzes by. It's not a swarm of bumblebees, but friends and family racing each other in yellow and black go-karts around Checkered Flag Indoor Karting's 23,000-square-foot speedway. Strapping on helmets and sliding in behind the wheel of 15HP electric karts, up to 10 drivers jockey for position while whipping around eight snaky turns and sling-shooting past opponents on the wide lanes along the 100-foot front stretch. The facility's electronic timing system lets speedsters check out their best lap times from each 20-lap race. Racers must be at least 54" tall or born with tires instead of feet to traverse that track, but during birthday parties kids aged 4–9 and at least 36" tall zip across the 100-foot Mini Cup track. With a snack bar slicing pizza and pouring soda and an arcade, the facility can play host to parties for older kids and adults, as well as corporate team-building events. And for kids and adults seeking serious competition, Checkered Flag organizes leagues lead by indoor karting champion, Tom Prioli.

With five distinct courses etched into the New England countryside, Sterling Golf Management promotes pin-hunting recreation for Boston-area golfers of all abilities. The longest and most difficult of the four, The Shattuck Golf Club's 18-hole course kicks off with a 409-yard par 4 where players hack their way toward a green that is visually wreathed by the rising red rocks of Mount Monadnock, setting the tone for a scenic, 6,764-yard round. Groves of trees ensconce the fairways and barter over carbon dioxide at Norwood Country Club's recently renovated course, a relatively flat layout characterized by smallish greens and flanked by a lighted driving range. Designed in 1921 in the Donald Ross tradition is Maynard Golf Course, a picturesque par 70, 9-hole course with a full-service clubhouse. The same sylvan makeup returns at Newton Commonwealth's course, where lush tree lines cast shadows over a creek as it snakes across the fairways of seven holes. Rounding out the grassy quartet, Chelmsford's nine-hole course takes golfers careening across 2,467 yards of narrow fairways, placing straight drives or skilled golf ball pilots at a premium.