Nashua's downtown is the focal point of all that is great about this small city. As part of the "American Downtowns" program, the last decades have seen the city transform a multi-block cherry-picking destination into a downtown strolling hotspot. Cool coffee shops (check out Riverwalk Roasters Coffee House), award-winning restaurants, not-to-be-missed wine bars and Irish pubs, fashion and gift boutiques, and everything in between makes for some amazing window shopping and people watching. This downtown holds as much activity as it does charm.
The familiar adage regarding "location" applies to Nashua. Historically, once a part of the state of Massachusetts, Nashua is a bedroom community of Boston boasting a reasonable 45-minute commute to that city. Moreover, Nashua is only half an hour from New Hampshire's seacoast and beaches, and an hour from the region's glorious lakes and mountains. Cities, lakes, mountains, and beaches all within an hour radius; talk about the three rules of real estate realized!
Yup, anywhere there's a thriving downtown, there's sure to be scores of culinary delights. Nashua welcomes the hungry with open arms. Grills (Martha's Exchange), tapas (Stella Blu), Italian restaurants (Villa Banca), sports bars (Nashua Garden), and Irish pubs (The Peddler's Daughter), throw a napkin and you're sure to hit a fabulous place to eat.
The city and green acres (or country) are mutually exclusive, and never the twain shall meet, but Nashua is the exception to this rule. Just off Nashua's Main Street you'll find green acres in a number of very popular city parks, used for exercise, recreation, and city events in every season. Mine Falls Park is a 325-acre park that offers residents an intricate and breathtaking maze of well-kept trails for hiking, biking, running, kayaking and fishing. "Land stretching out so far and wide," but only a quick stroll to your favorite latte shop.
The Riverwalk: This pristine pedestrian walkway was constructed as a part of the downtown betterment program, and has been a welcome benefit to residents ever since. The Riverwalk is a 1.6-mile-long loop canvassing a well-maintained and tree-lined expose of the Merrimack River. It is a favorite for runners, strollers, and late-night amblers.
Built in 1937 with the sole purpose of providing community youth a place to play, Holman Stadium is more than just the blood, sweat, tears, and frosty beers that you expect and love from a hometown stadium. Mandated by the city as "multi-use", Holman Stadium can hold more than 4,000 revelers, provides community use from little League to big league, and has hosted concerts for the likes of Bob Dylan, Tina Turner, and Elvis Costello.
The Surfing and skydiving season too short for you? SkyVenture can help you hang ten or hang loose during those arguably frigid 10 months of the year. SkyVenture New Hampshire provides "freedom of flight" in a state-of-the-art skydiving simulator (open for thrill seekers age 3 and up). Less of a free bird and more of a sea bird? This multi-fun, all-ages Nashua facility also provides indoor surfing for introduction or training on waves up to 32-feet high. There's also rock climbing and a fishpipe waterslide.
Though it would never be considered a college town because of its size, Nashua is home to not one or two higher education hotspots, but seven colleges serving over 13,000 students. These higher education institutions include Daniel Webster College, Nashua Community College, Rivier University, Mount Washington College (Nashua campus), Southern New Hampshire University (Nashua campus), Franklin Pierce University (Nashua campus), and Granite State College.
Can you party here? Heck, yes! And there are so many options for a happening nightlife that you don't have to choose just one. Prefer a relaxing cocktail or glass of your favorite red wine? Stop by M.T's Local Kitchen and Wine Bar. Want to grab a jumbo margarita and party like every day is Cinco-De-Mayo? Salsa over to Margaritas. Looking for a more chill vibe where you can curse and enjoy an Irish pint? Head over to Nashua's most famous Irish pub, The Peddler's Daughter.
Bars will be bars, but maybe you've got an itch that can only be scratched by shaking your groove thing. Nashua has a couple hot clubs that always play the freshest beats. The Junkyard is designed to look like - you guessed it - a junkyard! This club has live music, theme nights, and even serves food for late night recovery. The Old Amsterdam Bar and Lounge is another favorite for dancing and drinking, and it boasts a full bar, DJs, live music, happy hour and karaoke. What more could a dance party need?
Like to shop until you drop? Nashua and its immediate neighbor Merrimack have got you covered. From the two-story, 135-store Pheasant Lane Mall just minutes outside of downtown, to the fabulous, one-of-a-kind boutiques in the center of town, to the deep discounts on high-end outlet shopping at nearby Merrimack Premium Outlets (think Saks, Bloomies, Coach). If you're ready to drop your credit card like its hot, Nashua will help you do it.
More than just comfort food, art-deco style and snarky service, The Midfield Cafe at the Nashua Airport also has an extraordinary view. The cafe's window seats are a prime location for watching plane traffic, and the cafe also has outdoor tables for those not afraid of a little air traffic noise. What's on the menu? Well, delicious American diner food, of course!
Nashua has been ranked the #1 "Best Place to Live in America" by Money Magazine (in 1987 and 1997), and to date, is the only city to be given the #1 honor not once, but twice.
Did we mention how close Nashua is to Boston? Where do people commute to if they want the big bucks, the big jobs and opportunities? Baah-ston (pronounced in Boston). Living somewhere that has all the safety, community, and affordability of a city like Nashua, within a 45-minute commute of a plethora of jobs is every suburbanite's dream.
The per-capita stardom of a place as small as the state of New Hampshire is impressive. Here's just the short list of Nashua-born celebrities: Mandy Moore, Ray LaMontagne, Greg Landry, and Mike O'Malley. Jack Kerouac also spent his childhood summers at his grandparents' Nashua home. Not bad for a small New England city.
So, we did mention that there's at least one well-known stadium in the city, but let's talk a bit more about how sports is inextricably woven into the Nashua fabric. You've got the well-known baseball team, the Nashua Silver Knights, collegiate sports, and a the City's Department of Recreation provides everything from Cal Ripken youth baseball to competitive golf and snowshoeing.
Of course, baseball is the meat of the city's ra-ra community, and the city's team is the Nashua Silver Knights, a collegiate affiliate of none other than the Lowell Spinners.
No matter how you feel about the magic of the holidays, one of the best events the city puts on is The Holiday Stroll to Railroad Square. Even if you're not into community candlelit strolls to light Christmas trees, visits with Santa, or downtown holiday shopping, you're sure to love the live entertainment, indulgent street vendor food and pink-cheeked revelry of the community.
From its very beginning, Nashua has won acclaim as a haven for theatrical arts. In 1830, the only Lyceum in New England was chartered for the sole purpose of theater art and poetic exposition. The Edmund Keefe Auditorium, The Court Street Theater, and The Nashua Theatre Guild host and carry on the legacy of a thriving thespian community.
Sure every locale has a history, but few retain it as well as Nashua. A stop at the city's visitor booth will provide you with a handy Google Map of the most compelling historical landmarks within a one-mile radius of Nashua's downtown. Cue it up on the smartphone and take a walk down history lane.
Nashua is a serious biking city. The Nashua River Rail Trail lets cyclists cruise right along the water along a 17-mile long bike path from Ayer to Nashua.
Nashua has its own municipal airport used primarily for on-demand charter flights and pilot flight training. But if you don't have the cash or inclination to do it yourself, take the quick spin over to Manchester International Airport which is only a mere 20-minute drive away.
Chunky's Cinema has every convenience you need for watching feature films in comfort, including leather recliners and a menu that includes "Mission-Impossible Nachos", "First-Run Burgers" and "Chamber of Sweets".
If you're looking for indoor fun in Nashua, you have to go to either Bobo's Indoor Playground or FunWorld! Bobo's is the place to bring kids looking for plenty of room to bounce. FunWorld is interactive for all ages and features a three-story indoor playground, bowling, indoor amusement rides, and more than 250 arcade games.
The locals will all tell you their favorite neighborhood park is Greeley Park. Beautifully landscaped and maintained, and offering 125 acres of green space, Greeley features a bandstand for movies, concerts and plays, along with hiking trails, ball fields, tennis courts, and even a community gardening section.
If you drive by this Nashua favorite during any day of the summer and during any time of day, there will be a line stretching all the way out to the street. But everyone in line will tell you this ice cream is well worth the wait.
In the state of New Hampshire, the tech hub is located in Nashua. Dell, Intel, Oracle, EMC and BAE all have locations here, and these are just the big names. Also, if you are a techie, there are plenty of job opportunities for you. Nashua has more than three times the number of tech jobs as nearby Manchester.
You betcha. Buy anything other than food or beverages and you will pay the price tag and nothing more.
