So Many Things to Do in Lebanon, NH, and the Upper Valley

downtown-lebanon
6.15.2023

Nestled near the Vermont border on the Connecticut River, the city of Lebanon, NH, and the surrounding Upper Valley region offer plenty of options for all-season outdoors activities, arts and entertainment, history, family fun and, of course, great food.

The area is known for its scenic beauty, nature trails and covered bridges (including the scenic Packard Hill Covered Bridge in Lebanon and one of America’s longest covered bridges, the 460-foot Cornish-Windsor Covered Bridge in nearby Cornish).

Top attractions include the beautiful and historic 800-seat Lebanon Opera House (built in 1924), the 57-mile Northern Rail Trail, Patch Orchards and an L.L. Bean store that offers a wide range of guided outdoor activities (see details below). Lebanon is also a short drive from Dartmouth College, Vermont’s Quechee Gorge and scenic train rides aboard the Green Mountain Railroad.

Lebanon, NH: Welcome to the Neighborhood

Let’s start with a quick Lebanon history lesson: Lebanon was one of 16 towns on the Connecticut River to receive a charter from NH Governor Benning Wentworth in 1761. Early settlers constructed a sawmill on the Mascoma River in 1763 and later used local logs to build the city’s first schoolhouse in 1768. The local historical society shares a detailed timeline (1700–present), as well as a Guide to Historic Landmarks and tips for a Historic Walking Tour.

For a small city (population 14,282, according to the 2020 census), Lebanon has a robust collection of arts and cultural institutions, sightseeing and recreational opportunities. In addition to the nearly century-old Lebanon Opera House, the city also is home to:

  • The AVA Gallery and Art Center (Alliance for the Visual Arts) – a nonprofit dedicated to “promoting the visual arts through exhibitions and educational programs” and hosting “special events that foster interaction among artists, patrons of the arts and the community.”
  • The Upper Valley Music Center – a nonprofit community music school that serves more than 1,200 students from across the Upper Valley region each year and hosts concerts and special events.
  • Opera North – a cornerstone of the region’s arts community since 1982, it is dedicated to “delivering artistic excellence to northern New England as the only full-time, professional opera company in New Hampshire.”
  • Storrs Hill Ski Area – owned by the City of Lebanon and operated by the Lebanon Outing Club, Storrs Hill is a 20-acre ski area that hosts three ski trails with a 300-foot drop, two ski jumps, a surface lift and ski lodge.

The City of Lebanon website also offers such resources as a directory of local businesses, as well as information about:

Visit the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Programs

The legendary outdoors retailer L.L. Bean has a prominent presence in West Lebanon. In addition to shopping at the retail store, outdoors enthusiasts will want to explore its comprehensive array of recreational programs, which the L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Programs website describes as follows:

“Hosting dozens of exciting courses, tours and multiday adventures in select locations — as well as a schedule full of free guided outings — our highly trained instructors inspire participants to learn new skills, connect with their natural surroundings, and embrace the powerful physical and emotional benefits of spending time outside.”

L.L. Bean Outdoor Discovery Programs include:

  • All-inclusive adventure trips
  • Kids’ camps
  • Fly casting and fishing
  • Kayaking
  • Stand-up paddleboarding
  • Archery
  • Cross-country skiing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Hiking
  • Women’s-only adventures
  • Shooting sports
  • Bird watching
  • Biking
  • First aid and certifications
  • Team building and custom programs

Other NH Attractions Near Lebanon

Straddling the Connecticut River between New Hampshire and Vermont, the Upper Valley region is anchored by Lebanon; Hanover, NH; and White River Junction, VT. It also includes numerous other nearby towns, as well as numerous attractions.

In fact, the Upper Valley Business Alliance (the chamber of commerce serving Lebanon and the surrounding region) features a list of “Over 100 Things in the Upper Valley to Go, See and Do.”

Here are just a few of our favorites:

  • The Enfield Shaker Museum – an outdoor history museum and historic district in nearby Enfield, NH, dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the Shakers, who lived on the site from 1793 to 1923. Features exhibitions, artifacts, eight Shaker buildings and restored gardens, the site also offers overnight stays.
  • Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum Education and Cultural Center – a museum in nearby Warner, NH, featuring exhibitions and programs dedicated to connecting people of today with 20,000 years of ongoing Native American cultural expression.
  • Saint-Gaudens National Park – a national historical park in Cornish, NH, preserving the home, gardens and studios and featuring the original bronze sculptures of Augustus Saint-Gaudens (1848–1907), one of the nation’s most notable sculptors.
  • Polar Caves Park – a popular tourist destination in Rumney, NH, featuring nine granite boulder caves connected by a series of boardwalks, a giant boulder maze, nature trails and an animal park.

Dartmouth College, the Ivy League institution founded in Hanover, NH, in 1769, is also the site of such cultural attractions as the Hood Museum of Art and the Hopkins Center for the Arts (aka “The Hop”), described as “a hub of performing arts and film for Dartmouth and the region, a laboratory for creative exploration and an instigator of connections between various arts [that] … brings world-class artists to the region, presents timeless works and incubates new performances.”

Nearby Vermont Attractions

A destination stop for most visitors to the area is “Vermont’s Little Grand Canyon.” Formed some 13,000 years ago during the Ice Age, Quechee Gorge is located about 15 minutes from Lebanon in Quechee State Park.

The 165-foot-deep, glacier-cut gorge can be from the U.S. Route 4 bridge above the Ottauquechee River and from trails on both sides of the gorge. It is a popular site for picnics, hiking and more.

Kids and grownups alike will love to explore the Vermont Toy Museum, located above an old-fashioned general store near Quechee Gorge in Hartford, VT, and featuring an collection of some 100,000 toys including games, dolls, action figures, lunchboxes, yo-yos, matchbox cars, intricate model train exhibit and more.

The Montshire Museum of Science, located on a 110-acre site in Norwich, VT, is a nationally recognized, “hands-on” museum featuring over 150 exhibits on nature, technology, astronomy and the physical sciences and interactive programming for all ages.

Other Area Resources

Here are some resources to discover additional things to do near Lebanon and the Upper Valley region:

Of course, with all this activity you are bound to work up a healthy appetite. We’ve got the perfect suggestion for that too.

Simply stop by Weathervane Seafood Restaurants. You’ll find our conveniently located West Lebanon restaurant right here on the appropriately named Weathervane Drive.

The Weathervane family of restaurants was started by our founders, Ray and Bea Gagner, back in 1969 and is operated today by their grandson, Jeremy. So, if you ever have a craving for fresh-caught lobster, shrimp, clams and scallops, or other savory treats from the sea — always served with a smile — check out our menu and plan to stop by for a visit!



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