New Hampshire

TAKEN FOR GRANITE – Take a short walk through part of Franconia Notch State Park to “The Basin,” where a massive chunk of granite has been carved into a large granite bowl by a waterfall, which generates a cool spray over the basin. The easy hiking trail includes plenty of picturesque spots for a picnic.

THE CALL OF SERVICE – The Civilian Conservation Corps Museum in Allenstown tells the history of the CCC, which employed hundreds of thousands of young men during the 1930s to plant trees and build roads, campgrounds, and hiking trails. Many of their solidly-constructed buildings remain, here and across the country. Learn more at www.nhstateparks.com/bearbrook.html.

DON’T FREE WILLY – The star of the Science and Nature Center in Seabrook is Chilly Willy, a rare blue lobster (the pigmentation occurs only once in every two million lobsters). The center also features a marine touch tank and the mile-long Owascoag Nature Trail, which winds through the nearby salt marsh. Call 1-800-338-7482 for information.

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