"Does Nashua have anything to offer besides malls?" asked a skeptical friend when I mentioned I'd be visiting New Hampshire's second-largest city. The answer to that question is a resounding " yes, " although anyone who's seen Nashua only from a car window on Route 3 might think otherwise. So let it be known: Nashua has both a historic past and thoroughly modern present, including high-end dining, luxury riverside condos carved out of former mills, a walkable downtown with boutique shops, and a cultural life that ranges from jazz to symphony. There's also precious green space amid the urban landscape: Mine Falls Park, a 325-acre network of forest, fields, and wetlands, offers city dwellers a chance to boat, fish, hike, and cross-country ski without leaving town. And during baseball season, the Nashua Pride play at Holman Stadium, a diminutive ballpark with minor-league charm and major-league amenities.
A charming blend
From dining to plenty of open space, N.H. city is more than just malls
Do
When the weather gets pretty, cheer on the Nashua Pride, a member of the Canadian American Association of Professional Baseball, whose season opener is May 24 at Holman Stadium (67 Amherst St., 603-883-2255, nashuapride.com). The recently renovated, 4,000-capacity ballpark boasts luxury skyboxes and a picnic pavilion behind left field.To learn more about Nashua's mill history, visit the Nashua Historical Society (5 Abbott St., 603-883-0015, nashuahistoricalsociety.org) and, next door, Abbot-Spalding House, the former home of Daniel Abbot, who as founder of the Nashua Manufacturing Co. (the city's first cotton mill) earned the moniker "father of Nashua."
Nearby is Nashua's North End, a historic residential neighborhood filled with massive, handsome Victorian houses.
To tap into the city's cultural life, contact the Nashua Area Artists' Association (naaasite.com, 603-883-0603), a clearinghouse for the arts that sponsors Gallery One (5 Pine St. Extension, naaasite.com/galleryone.htm, 603-883-0603) , the largest gallery in southern New Hampshire. Or catch a performance by the Nashua Symphony Orchestra (603-595-9156, nashuasymphony.org), which performs at several local venues.
Fuel
Nashua has become a bit of a foodie heaven. Two of its finest eating establishments are run by Michael Buckley, the chef/owner of Michael Timothy's (212 Main St., 603-595-9334, michaeltimothys.com), an "urban bistro" with a wine-and-jazz bar, and Surf (207 Main St., 603-595-9293, surfseafood.com), a sleek seafood restaurant and raw bar.Manhattan on Pearl (70 E. Pearl St., 603-578-5557, manhattanonpearl.com) offers upscale tapas dining, and a 28-ounce prime rib will set you back nearly 40 bucks at the potentially budget-busting Black Orchid Grille (8 Temple St., 603-577-8910, blackorchidgrille.com) .