Welcome to Concord, the host city for the Concord Flyer NER Convention in 2025. Concord’s population is about 45,000 and it is the capital city of New Hampshire. You will find many attractions in New Hampshire by doing some research on your own but the following are some of our recommended attractions for you to consider.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center—From the Grappone Center follow Commercial Street as it winds north and east for about one half mile and turn right taking the bridge over I-93. The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center is straight ahead. The Redstone rocket with Mercury capsule stands in front of the entrance. The Center has space and science themed exhibits and a planetarium.
The Pierce Mance—From the Grappone Center follow Commercial Street to the west. Follow the sidewalk about two blocks past the closed vehicle gate and the Pierce Manse is on the right. The Manse was the home of the 14th US President, Franklin Pierce, the only president from New Hampshire. The Manse is open for tours.
Downtown Concord—Downtown Concord (Main St.) is within walking distance, but it’s a long walk. Driving into the town and parking is probably the better option for most. Numerous restaurants are located in the Main St. area.
State Capitol—Self-guided tours are available. New Hampshire is unique due to its 400 member House of Representatives.
Museum of New Hampshire History – Located at 6 Eagle Square off of Main St., (entrance adjacent to the clock tower on Main St), the Museum of New Hampshire History is operated by the New Hampshire Historical Society.
Red River Theaters – Located on Main St., Red River Theaters may be one of the last “traditional seating” theaters in the state. Though it offers some mainstream movies, it is known for showcasing a variety of films, from independent to foreign.
Currier Museum of Art – (33 min. from Concord) Head south on I-93 into Manchester, the largest city in New Hampshire, to find the Currier Museum of Art. This gem of a museum has works of the masters such as Picasso, Monet, Hopper, and Wyeth in its 15,000 piece collection. Check the website for the current exhibitions. The museum also owns the only two Frank Lloyd Wright designed homes in Manchester. Tours of the homes are available.
Canterbury Shaker Village – (18 min. from Concord) North of Concord in the town of Canterbury is Shaker Village. The last of the Shakers may be gone, but the original 23 building village on 694 acres lives on as a museum. Tours are available as well as an on-site restaurant.
Winnipesaukee Railroad – (40 min. from Concord) The Winnipesaukee Railroad is one of the railroads owned by the Granite State Scenic Railway. You can board the train at Meredith Station for a 2 hr. ride or at the Wiers Beach Station for a 1 hr. ride along the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. You can also acquire tickets at a discount for a ride on this train when you register for the convention. The convention ride will be on Saturday afternoon.
Mt Washington Cruises – (46 min. from Concord) Ride the M/S Mt. Washington on a 2.5 hr. cruise of Lake Winnipesaukee. Evening and dinner cruises are also available. A 2 hr. cruise is available on the M/V Sophie C which delivers mail to several islands. You can also acquire tickets at a discount for a ride on this cruise when you register for the convention. The convention cruise will be on Friday afternoon.
The city of Portsmouth is a little over an hour east of Concord. It is a picturesque city at the mouth of the Piscataqua River with many restaurants and shops. Street parking is limited but there is a centrally located parking garage.
Strawberry Banke Museum – (1 hr. 2 min. from Concord) Located in Portsmouth, the Strawberry Banke Museum preserves a complete waterfront neighborhood’s evolution over 350 years, with most of the historic houses on their original sites. Explore the historic houses, meet costumed role players, and watch traditional craft demonstrations.
USS Albacore Submarine – (1 hr. 2 min. min. from Concord) The USS Albacore is a research submarine that pioneered the use of the cylindrical hull designed for operations underwater. Its hull design is the prototype for today’s nuclear submarines. The Albacore was moved ashore in Portsmouth and is open for tours.
Seashore Trolley Museum – (1hr. 28 min. from Concord)
The Seashore Trolley Museum is off of I-95 in Kennebunkport, ME. The museum has an extensive collection of trolleys from around the country and offers 40 minute trolley rides. A new purpose-built building at the Seashore Trolley Museum houses a model of the Maine Central Model Railroad.
There are many restaurants in the area to consider. The Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce lists a wide range of restaurants for your consideration. Places to Eat in Concord.
Tax-free New Hampshire has several outlet malls. Two are within 45 minutes of Concord. If you are only going to one of the malls, one resident shopper recommends the Merrimack Premium Outlet.
Tanger Mall, Tilton NH – Tanger Mall is 21 minutes north of Concord off of I-93. The mall has 100+ stores.
Merrimack Premium Outlets, Merrimack NH – Merrimack Premium Outlets is 32 minutes south of Concord (tolls). The mall has 100+ stores.
Conway Scenic Railroad
The Conway Scenic Railway, located in North Conway, offers three different train rides through scenic New Hampshire. The rides vary in length from 1 hr. to 5.5 hrs. While Google maps lists the drive time as 1 hr. 48 min from Concord, that assumes no traffic. Add about an hour if you follow Google’s route up RT 16 through Conway to North Conway in September. Local congestion can mostly be avoided by taking West Side Drive as you enter Conway from the south. Pre-buying tickets is highly recommended.
The convention offers a special excursion on this railroad on Saturday. If you schedule permits, sign up for the convention excursion and enjoy a bus ride from the hotel to visit the Yankee Flyer trainset in Conway, NH, first, then ride over to North Conway to visit the iconic train station, the rail yard, and a model railroad layout before jumping on a special private car on the Mountaineer Train which will take you up to Fabyans. The bus will pick you up there and have you back at the convention site around 4:00 pm.
Cog Railroad
The Cog Railroad offers a breathtaking 3.5 mile ride up to the top of Mt. Washington, the highest peak in the northeast. The railroad has a fleet of 2 steam engines and 7 bio-diesel engines. The first trip of the day usually rates a steam engine. Pre-buying tickets is highly recommended. The ride to the Cog Railroad Base Station is 1 hr. 31 min. from Concord, however the website warns that the local area is poorly mapped by GPS services. Follow directions on the website.
Warning about Mt. Washington Weather – The weather at the peak is different from that of the cog railroad base station. The following data is for the month of September at the top of Mount Washington:
If you decide to take the Cog to the top, be prepared. Pack extra warm clothing.
