As winter loosens its icy grip, all thoughts turn to the great outdoors. You’re in luck if you’re moving to the Lowell, Massachusetts, or Portsmouth, New Hampshire, area in the spring. This New England region has parks that make it easy to get outside. Here are a few favorite parks where you can return to nature this spring.
Jack Kerouac Park
Jack Kerouac Park honors the homegrown poet who hails from Lowell, MA. It’s also the perfect place to spend a sunny spring afternoon.
In this acre of green space along the Merrimack River, you can stroll along peaceful paths and admire the spring flowers in bloom. Read the commemorative plaques emblazoned with Kerouac’s words along the trail.
Stop for a game of table tennis, chess, or checkers, or bring a picnic lunch and relax on the grass. Starting in late spring, the Kerouac Park Concert Series brings live music and food trucks to the park on select weekends.
Strawberry Banke Museum
History comes to life at the Strawberry Banke Museum in Portsmouth, NH. With more than 40 historic houses and buildings dating back to the 17th century, it’s an excellent place for an educational stroll.
In spring, the museum’s Heirloom Gardens burst back into life. Explore more than 10 acres of thoughtfully maintained landscapes, including a formal Victorian garden, a colonial kitchen garden, an herb garden, and three apple orchards. Don’t miss the Abenaki Heritage Teaching Garden, which highlights crops that were—and remain—important to indigenous peoples of the region.
Lowell National Historical Park
There’s always something going on at Lowell National Historical Park, no matter the time of year. But spring is a charming time to visit, thanks to budding greenery and freshly blooming flowers along the canal walkways.
It’s also a perfect setting to explore the region’s rich past. The park has historic buildings, exhibits, and interactive displays, from the Boott Cotton Mills Museum to an 1840s Boarding House.
Start your day at the Visitor Center, where you can learn about the local industries that shaped the region’s past and present. Keep your camera ready for glimpses of local wildlife, from great blue herons and double-crested cormorants to muskrats and squirrels.
Pierce Island
On a sunny spring day, head to Pierce Island. This Portsmouth, NH, park encompasses 27 acres in the Piscataqua River and offers unbeatable water and city views.
Bike or walk through the winding trail network that crisscrosses the island. Bring lunch and stop for a picnic at one of the park’s many picnic areas. Starting in April, the public boat launch makes going on an angling adventure easy. After Memorial Day, the public pool opens for the season.
Walk or bike across the Pierce Island Causeway to Four Tree Island for even more fun. This green space offers picnic tables, grills, and scenic water views.
If you’re planning a move in the area, you’ll love the beautiful parks and open spaces that blend history and nature. And when it’s time to make your move, McLaughlin Transportation Systems is here to do the heavy lifting. Contact us for a free quote.