What to Do in the Lakes Region This March
When the sap flows and the region takes a breath between winter and spring
We’re writing this from that strange in-between place March always occupies here. The snow is still deep in the woods, but the light has that different quality now; longer days, sun hitting the lake ice at angles that weren’t possible in January. The ground is just starting to think about thawing. Mud season is approaching, which means we’re past the worst of winter but not quite ready to call it spring.
March is when the maple sap starts to flow. When sugarhouse steam rises from the trees. When you can taste something sweet that wouldn’t exist without the particular weather pattern of below-freezing nights and warmer days we get right now, in this place.
Maple Sugaring
NH Maple Weekend falls on March 14-15 this year, when over 90 sugarhouses across the state open their doors. Several are right here in the Lakes Region, and if you’ve never watched sap become syrup, it’s worth the trip into the woods.
Big Lake Maple in Wolfeboro does tours throughout the season. The whole operation is family-run, and they’ll walk you through the entire process, from tapping to bottling.
Smith Farm Stand in Gilford combines maple sugaring with their regular farm operations. You can pick up syrup and watch the boil on Maple Weekend.
Abbott Farm in Moultonborough has been sugaring for generations. They do pancake breakfasts on Maple Weekend with their own syrup, which is the only proper way to taste it, in our opinion.
Shepherd’s Hut Market at Ramblin’ Vewe Sheep Farm in Gilford offers a more intimate experience. It’s a seasonal operation on a working sheep farm, so you might encounter more than just maple while you’re there.
Maple Grove Farm in Rumney is worth the drive if you want to see a slightly larger operation. They’re open for visits during the season.
Young Maple Ridge Sugarhouse in North Sandwich, Eldridge Family Sugar House in Tamworth, and Seabrisket Sugarbush in Brookfield (where baker DJ also sells pies, bread, and pastries every Saturday) all open for Maple Weekend. Check the NH Maple Producers website for specific hours, as they vary by location and weather.
The thing about sugaring tours is that they’re entirely weather-dependent. The sap flows when it wants to. Call ahead before you go.
Community Events
Town meeting season is in full swing. Most Lakes Region towns hold their annual meetings in early to mid-March. If you’re considering a move here, or you already live here and haven’t been yet, town meetings are where you see local government in its most direct form. People stand up and debate the warrant articles. The school budget gets discussed at length. Make like Lorelai Gilmore and bring popcorn.
Squam Lakes Natural Science Center continues their Wild Winter Walks through mid-March (call to confirm weather-dependent schedule: 603-968-7194). These are guided snowshoe walks for ages 6 and up, and they run morning and afternoon sessions.
Prescott Farm in Laconia hosts Winter Birding programs on select Saturdays. Pre-registration required; call 603-366-5695.
Several libraries are hosting programs this month. Moultonborough Public Library has Revolutionary Crafts: German Paper Cutting on March 17 (pre-registration required, with a snow date of March 10). They’re also hosting “Redcoats and Rebels” on March 3, covering New Hampshire’s role in the Revolutionary War.
(Psst, and we’re continuing our series at the Meredith Public Library on March 19. This month’s topic is real estate horror stories - and how not to become one. Details on the library website. )
The Laconia Winter Farmers Market continues through March on the third Tuesday of each month. You can find fresh local food when the ground is still frozen, which feels like a small miracle.
Outdoor Activities
This is late-season skiing territory. Gunstock is open through March with alpine and cross country skiing, tubing, and their year-round zipline. They’re hosting Retro Day on March 1 and Shamrock Shenanigans on March 17. The Francis Piche Invitational Race runs March 14-16.
Ice fishing is still possible on the bigger lakes, but you need to check ice conditions daily as March warms up. The local tackle shops will have current reports; don’t trust ice thickness based on what worked last week.
Snowshoeing remains excellent in the woods where the snow stays longer. Squam Lakes Association runs guided hikes; Whitten Woods is particularly beautiful this time of year.
Some years, you can still cross-country ski in March. Other years, you’re hiking in mud. That’s March.
Dining
Local restaurants shift into their between-season rhythm in March. Some places that closed for winter reopen and start to work out the pre-season kinks; others have been taking care of us locals all winter and are now shifting into preparing for the summer rush.
Local Eatery in Laconia continues their farm-to-table approach year-round. They work with nearby farms and nothing on their menu has traveled more than 138 miles. Reservations recommended.
Walter’s Basin in Holderness is one of the few spots where you can eat right on the water. Their menu includes some unexpected items (elk meatloaf) alongside more traditional fare.
The Lake Estate has been running special introductory rates this March. They source seasonally and their menu shifts to reflect what’s actually available now, not what you might want in July.
Giuseppe’s at Mill Falls in Meredith continues nightly live music along with their Italian menu. It’s been family-owned since 1989, which means something in a region where restaurants come and go.
Arts & Culture
Flying Monkey in Plymouth continues their film series and live performances. Check their schedule; March programming varies year to year.
Several art exhibits run through the month. Lakes Region Art Association at Tanger Outlets in Tilton has “Art in the Garden – Carved and Cultivated” through March 15. Laconia Public Library is showing “The Road Not Taken” in their Upper Exhibit Gallery through March 31, three artists interpreting the Robert Frost poem.
Canterbury Shaker Village offers guided snowshoe hikes on select dates; call 603-783-9511 to confirm schedule and register.
The cultural calendar slows a bit in March. This is the time when the region takes a breath between winter tourism and summer season. Which means it’s quieter, less crowded, easier to have an actual conversation with the person serving your coffee or showing you around.
March is mud and melt and maple steam. The promise of spring without its arrival. The last hard freeze before things start growing again.
If you’re thinking about what life looks like here, March is honest about it. We’re not hiding behind perfect summer days or picturesque snow. This is the in-between. The waiting. The slow turn toward longer light.
Save this if you’re planning to visit, or if you live here and want to know what’s happening as the snow recedes.
Here’s to life between the lakes and mountains.
🏔️Jenn & Andrea, Keys to the Lakes
