Why I Love Winter in Manchester, NH
From sipping warm beverages in a cozy café to flying down the slopes at McIntyre Ski Area, winter in Manchester, NH, isn’t just something to love, it’s something to be savored.
Local musician and entrepreneur Alli Seney is originally from the area, moved away for several years and then came back to settle in the city with her husband, Bill, and daughters, Alton and River.
“I like having Boston nearby, but I prefer the coziness of Manchester,” she says. “Growing up with this gorgeous, idyllic landscape in my backyard made such an imprint on me. It has been so powerful in helping me decide where to settle and raise my own family.”
Seney owns Manchvegas Brew Bus, a craft beer tour bus, with Bill. They also have Lil’ Sunny the Camper, a vintage camping trailer that they converted into a mobile coffee shop.
Why do you love living in Manchester, NH, particularly during the winter?
Embracing winter is part of loving living somewhere that experiences all the seasons. I embrace winter and choose to be here in the forest and mountains. There’s so much more than snow. We have a spectacular arts scene, so we always have events and shows illuminating the city with arts and culture. Manchester is so beautifully centrally located in New Hampshire that we kind of have it all. I love my city so much. It continues to change and adapt. I love seeing such a positive, beautiful light continuing to transcend and grow here.
Where do you go for a meal, drink or snack when you need to warm up?
The Crown Tavern, hands down. Their Crown Cheeseburger is out of this world. Everything is locally sourced. It’s wonderful – a gin martini and a Crown Cheeseburger or meatballs, and I’m in heaven.
Thanks to the consistency and beauty that Hometown Coffee Roasters creates, you’re never going to go wrong ordering from there. They’re really creative with their cold foams and flavor profiles.
For sweet treats, I like Lighthouse Local in nearby Bedford for the most insane doughnuts and scones, or Bearded Baking Co., which serves little slices of heaven, from its cupcakes and cakes to its lemon bars. If you’re needing an espresso martini and a slice of cheesecake in your life, Firefly Bistro & Bar is the spot.
What’s your favorite winter event in Manchester, NH?
I really enjoy all the artisan markets in the winter. I love the one at Great North Aleworks, which is a 20-barrel production brewery. It’s a great chance to be able to connect with a bunch of different artisans. People here really embrace small businesses and want to make sure they survive and thrive.
What are your favorite places to explore in Manchester, NH, during the winter?
I love going to Joppa Hill Educational Farm in Bedford. It’s gorgeous, has a lot of trails, and they do a lot of different events. It’s a small drive out of Manchester, but you really feel like you’re alone in nature. You go there, and you’re lifted. Anything that could have been on your plate seems to just kind of melt away. If the weather gets bad and the kids start to get antsy, we’ll take a trip to Steele Hill Resort in Sanbornton, which is a little over 40 minutes from Manchester, to take advantage of their indoor waterpark and stop at Kettlehead Brewing Co. in Tilton. My oldest has fallen in love with skiing with her dad, so we go to Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury. I like to watch them ski, but I stay quite cozy under a blanket by the outdoor fire pit, just taking in the mountain. It’s beautiful. We love having McIntyre Ski Area right here in town. My daughter can walk there after school and get a bunch of runs in.
What does your perfect winter day in Manchester, NH, look like?
It’s just going out and playing in the snow with our daughters – maybe at Livingston Park, where we can meet up with friends. When Dorrs Pond, which is located in the park, freezes over, it becomes a massive ice-skating rink, and there’s a warming house. There are snowshoe trails, and it becomes like a winter wonderland. Even when the park is busy, you can veer off the loop and kind of feel like you have the entire trail to yourself. Those trails have my heart. It’s beautiful; it’s quiet; it’s calm; it’s serene. You can get into a very New England headspace just half a mile from home. It’s New Hampshire to me.
From there, we’d probably go to lunch at a brewery. Candia Road Brewing Co. is an idyllic little spot. You walk in, and the fire is roaring. It’s this tiny house that makes some of the best beverages and food, and you’re warmed from your top to your bottom while there. It just has this gorgeous energy that surrounds it. After that, we’d head home to snuggle in front of the fire. That’s an idyllic winter day – we can decompress and unwind while hanging with friends, a warm beverage in hand while our kids are playing together.
This article was sponsored by the Manchester Economic Development Office.