Here in Littleton, NH, we humbly consider our Main Street shopping and attractions one of the best small-town Main Street districts in the country. (We did say ‘humbly,’ didn’t we?)

Maybe it’s all those awards and “Best Of” lists our Main Street has appeared on, including Fodor’s Travel, Travel & Leisure, The Huffington Post, and National Geographic.

Being a part of one of the best Main Streets in the country- and in one of the most beautiful places in the world, no less- means that, no matter your age, abilities, dispensation, or preferences, there is sure to be something here to pique your interest and provide a few hours of diversion.

This is true in all weather, too! If the sun is shining, take the opportunity to go on a hike or stroll across the Covered Bridge along the Ammonoosuc River-

-but if it’s raining? Never fear! Check out this list of shops and activities to try while you wait for the clouds to part and the sun to reappear.

Chutters

Well, this can come as no surprise to you! Visit us here at the world’s longest candy counter, a staple of Main Street, Littleton. We are an old-fashioned candy store, with over 500 kinds of candy, including truffles, chocolate confections, jelly beans, gummy bears and sugar candies of all sizes, shapes and flavors.

If your trip lines up, consider making a day of it on Friday, November 24 to enjoy the 31^st Annual Littleton Holiday Parade. The parade begins at noon, starting at Hitchiner’s and making its way down Main Street. Kick off the holiday season with the restaurants and businesses of Littleton, and meet the big guy himself, Old Saint Nick!

Little Village Toy and Book Shop

This is a community toy and book shop with the mission of providing educational and healthy book and toy options for local and regional families.

Checkout their Book Lists online and stop by to peruse the stacks at this indie book shop, located at 81B Main Street, Littleton.

Enjoy a coffee or tea with your new book at Blue Jay Coffee and Tea Bar.

Littleton Fine Craft Gallery

The Littleton Fine Craft Gallery opened in 2004 as one of eight retail galleries of the League of NH Craftsmen.

The mission of the League of NH Craftsmen is “to encourage, nurture and promote the creation, use and preservation of fine contemporary and traditional craft through the inspiration and education of artists and the broader community.”

The Littleton Fine Craft Gallery pursues this mission by showcasing for sale the work of local craftspeople in jewelry, clay, glass, fibers, wood, metal, photography, baskets, printmaking and mixed media.

Interested locals should check out the class offerings of the Littleton Studio School, which is operated in support of the League of NH Craftsmen’s mission. The Littleton Studio School is located across the street from Schilling Beer Company.

The Littleton Fine Craft Gallery is located at 81 Main Street, Littleton.

Northern Lights Music

Music aficionados will want to check out Northern Lights Music, a family-owned music shop offering a variety of instruments, accessories and lessons. There’s something for everyone – from beginner to experience musicians and collectors.

Northern Lights Music is located at 57 Main Street, Littleton.

Consignment and thrift shopping

Consignment shopping is always fun on a rainy day; luckily, Littleton hosts three consignment stores on or nearby Main Street!

Emma & Co. Consignments is an affordable thrift shop of upscale women’s boutique ware. Emma & Co. is located at 47 Main Street and is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM.

Little City Thrift Store is a small community consignment shop located on the back side of Little Village Toy and Book Shop and the Littleton Fine Craft Gallery. Little City Thrift Store is open daily from 10:30 AM to 4 PM.

Just Tools Consignment is located a block down from Main Street at 30 Cottage Street, Littleton. This is a great place to get good deals on tools or sell your unused ones. Hours are non-standard and sometimes variable.

Time Quest NH

Time Quest NH is a live-action escape room game for families and teams to puzzle over riddles, solve clues, and complete tasks, all with the end goal of escaping the room within the hour time limit.

Live action escape games are a new trend of real life video games in which small groups of people work together to search for clues and find keys to making their escape! Time Quest NH, however, is not designed to be scary, and participants are never truly locked in a room.

Time Quest NH is currently offering two room games with different difficulty levels to choose from. Tickets are $25 per person and should be booked online in advance. Time Quest NH is located on the top floor at 16 Mill Street behind Main Street, Littleton.

Also Nearby: Take a ten minute drive outside Littleton and check out…

New England Ski Museum

The New England Ski Museum is a non-profit organization offering permanent and rotating exhibits exploring and educating audiences about the history of alpine skiing in New England. The Ski Museum is located at Exit 34B on I-93, adjacent to the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway Base. The museum is open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM with free admission for all.

Check out the website for information about current exhibits.

Jax Jr. Cinemas

Kick up your feet, grab some popcorn and candy and enjoy a movie at Jax Jr. on Main St. in Littleton. View their show times and movies on their website.

There are plenty of dining options on Main Street and within a 10 minute drive for enjoying anything from something to nibble on, a casual drink or a nice dinner! See our recent post on some of our favorite places for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We look forward to welcoming you soon- RAIN OR SHINE- to Main Street, Littleton, one of the best, most picturesque small-town Main Streets in the country!

Whether you’re visiting Littleton, NH for a day or a week, at some point you’re going to need to find a place to eat. Fortunately, Littleton is home to great dining and drinking establishments for couples, families, friends and other get-togethers. Planning your next trip to northern New Hampshire? Be sure to stop in and visit us at Chutters Candy Counter (you won’t find better – or more – candy offerings anywhere else), then check out this list of restaurants to plan your meals.

Breakfast

The Coffee Pot

The Coffee Pot Restaurant is located at the eastern end of Main Street in Littleton, near the intersection with Cottage Street.

This diner’s website states, “Our prices are so reasonable, that even on the last day of your visit to the White Mountains, you can still afford to eat here.” With the renowned McKenna Special (Two eggs any style, golden home fries or hash browns, toast and your choice of bacon, ham or sausage) clocking in at $6.50, you can rest assured that this is not just lip service.

The Coffee Pot Restaurant has been a family-owned diner serving the Littleton community since 1980. Seating is limited, but the wait is worth it if you have the time to spare.

Littleton Diner

The Littleton Diner is a longtime repeat winner of the “Best of New Hampshire” award. This breakfast-lunch-and-dinner restaurant is a parlor car diner that first opened in 1930.

The Littleton Diner’s website lists daily specials as well as its full menu for your perusal. Prices are very reasonable, with the classic breakfast Diner Combo (2 eggs, lightly seasoned potatoes, toast, choice of bacon, sausage or ham) for $6.99, a Burger with Fries for $9.49 and a Roast Turkey Dinner for $11.99.

The diner is located halfway down Main Street in Littleton and is open seven days a week from 6 am to 8 pm.

Lunch

Chang Thai Café

Chang Thai Café is located at 77 Main Street in Littleton, just a block down from Chutters Candy Counter. This authentic Thai restaurant opened in 2008 by a chef from Bangkok, and was included in WMUR’s “Top 3 Thai Restaurants in NH” list for 2015.

Chang Thai is open daily for lunch and dinner, and seeks to provide traditional Thai meals with a contemporary style.

In addition to a long and eclectic list of sushi (including Yellowtail Jalapeno, Sweet Potato, Christmas, Littleton and OMG), the lunch menu offers reasonable lunch specials at $9 a plate, such as Pad Thai, Drunken Noodle and Massamun Curry with choice of vegetable, tofu, chicken or beef.

Those looking to get an early start on the drinking hours might be interested in a Happy Elephant (Light and dark rum, coconut rum, apricot, peach, grenadine and fruit juice) or a Spice Sangria (LaBelle Granite State Red, peach schnapps, triple sec, pineapple juice and mango juice, garnished with a fresh orange slice).

Additionally, Chang Thai Café’s website explains that “Chang” means “Elephant” in the Thai language, a symbol for long-term friendship and good fortune.

Alburrito’s Mexican Restaurant

Alburrito’s is your local stop for tacos, burritos, chimichangas, fajitas, and all cuisine styled “South of the Border.”  Run by a local Littleton family, Alburrito’s is open daily for lunch and dinner.

Every item on the menu can be cooked to order, meaning those with daintier taste buds who perhaps don’t do as much spice as others can order their meal sin especias (Google translate says that means “without spice”).

There are also vegetarian and vegan options to choose from. Alburrito’s Mexican Restaurant is located at 406 Union Street in Littleton, a few blocks down from the intersection of Main and Cottage Streets. Provecho!

Dinner

Schilling Beer Company

Schilling Beer Company is a family-owned and -operated microbrewery and restaurant located at 18 Mill Street, behind Main Street in Littleton and right along the banks of the Ammonoosuc River. The Schilling family purchased and renovated a three-story gristmill originally built in 1797 into a brewery and taproom with a wood-fired pizza oven and comfortable seating for patrons.

Schilling is first and foremost a brewery of European-inspired beers, many of which will only ever be offered in the Schilling taproom. There you will find the Erastus, a dry, spicy, Belgian-style ale with hints of peppery spice, citrus and pear. Also popular is the Foy, a Belgo Pale Ale with notes of citrus and grass with a dry finish.

Beer enthusiasts will enjoy perusing their website, which lists all their beer offerings broken down by type and country of inspiration, including Belgian-Inspired Ales, Russo- and Scandinavian-Inspired Ales, and Czech-Inspired Lagers.

The menu is simple and locally-sourced, emphasizing the specialty pizzas cooked right in the middle of the restaurant on a wood-fired oven. Meat and cheese plates, a German-style bratwurst, a maple-flavored ham-and-cheese Stromboli, and more fill out the offerings.

Beal House Inn & Tavern

The Beal House Inn & Tavern is located at the very western end of Main Street in Littleton. It is a very cozy and rustic New England-style dining room open for dinner 5-9 PM on Thursdays through Mondays (closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

The menu features gourmet American-style comfort food with ingredients sourced from local farms. One of our favorite dishes is the Prospect Farm Pork, with potato wedges, cabbage slaw, cornbread, and (of course) BBQ sauce, at the price of $21. Those in the mood for pasta made want to try the Meadowstone Farms Goat Cheese Gnocchi with romanesco broccoli, tomatoes, mushrooms and chive for $18.

The shiny copper-top bar serves a full menu of beer, wine and cocktails. If you’re on a budget and in town on a Thursday night, check out the Beal House’s Thursday “Burger Night” special: A craft draft beer and a burger for $11!

We look forward to welcoming you soon to Littleton, NH and Chutters Candy Counter – the longest candy counter in the world! Grab a bite at one of the establishments listed above and come visit us to see why we are a destination in the White Mountains that is not to be missed!

Be honest now: have you ever put your headphones in, set your I-Pod to some uplifting, adrenaline-pumping song, and power-walked down the road like a hero in an action flick? (Complete with cars exploding behind you, not that you deign to look back.)

Or perhaps you found yourself in a melancholy mood, and chose instead a bluesy ballad to turn the trees gray and mute the blue sky to better reflect your internal despondency (pro-tip: check out The Cranberries for endless hours of that).

Music has a unique and unparalleled ability to influence our attitudes and internal reflections, often near-instantaneously. Some active citizens of Littleton, NH have recognized this and chosen to use it to enhance the experience of walking down their hometown’s Main Street.

Two musical installations have been creating memories in downtown Littleton in the past few years: the Piano Project on Main Street and Harmony Park on Mill Street along the Ammonoosuc Riverwalk.

Tickle the Ol’ Ivories for Passersby on a Piano on Main Street, Littleton

The street piano project was started by an artist in London named Luke Jerram who painted and installed a used piano in front of a laundromat and pub. Due to its intense popularity, Jerram was asked by the city to coordinate a piano park in London. Within two years, 26 cities around the world had pianos installed on their streets. Jerram titled this project, “Play Me, I’m Yours.”

Multiple pianos were donated by area citizens and redecorated by local artists for Littleton’s Main Street Piano Project. The very first street piano was painted by artists from the Littleton Studio School. Today, these pianos can be found stationed downtown in front of The Nest, Little Village Toy & Book Shop, and (yours truly) Chutters Candy Counter. And the motto of Littleton’s Piano Project?

“Be Glad… Play Music.”

The pianos are often incorporated into Main Street events, such as the annual Glad Fest in June, when buskers bring their guitars and ukuleles and gather around the pianos to perform downtown, the free mid-summer music festival “Music on the ‘Noosuc” on Saturday, July 8^th,  and the upcoming “Art in the Mountains” 48th Annual Art Fest on Saturday, September 23^rd, when musicians are scheduled to play throughout the day.

Music on Main Street creates a unique experience for the Littleton visitor – a welcoming and harmonious atmosphere that sticks in the mind and will be remembered fondly for years to come.

The Piano Project was recently emulated in the downtown of Nashua, NH, all because a Nashua resident stopped in Littleton with a friend for lunch one day. They were eating outside, when a handful of passersby on the opposite side of the street stopped at one of the pianos. One member of the group happened to play, and the rest were jovial enough to sing along. What could be more delightful on a beautiful summer day than enjoying the sun while people play music and sing along with friends and strangers alike?

Music brings people together. Perhaps one person doesn’t play piano, but sings, or raps, or has great rhythm. Those who find themselves with the opportunity to sing or make music with other people usually find the temptation too great to pass up. Music on Main Street provides not just a soundtrack to the downtown – but a meeting place for community to flourish.

“If visitors come to town and they have a talent (or otherwise), they stop and play at the piano,” says Dave Ernsberger, owner of The Nest and an active member of the Littleton River District Redevelopment Commission. “This gets other people to stop and listen and adds a positive energy to the downtown of Littleton.”

Tinkle the Chimes and Play the Drums at Harmony Park along the Ammonoosuc River

A harmony park is a nationwide trend where durable musical instruments are installed on a main street or in a park for residents and visitors passing by to play and enjoy. The structures are attractive and weather-resistant, and intended to last 25-30 years while stationed outside year-round with minimal upkeep.

Freenotes Harmony Park in Durango, CO is the industry leader of outdoor musical sculptures, with installations now in five continents and all fifty states! “Designed with acoustic precision and perfect tone by a Grammy Award winning musician,” their website proudly proclaims, “Freenotes Harmony Park instruments are built to maintain pure and soothing tones through years of rigorous play and exposure to the elements of nature.”

Dave Ernsberger was instrumental (pun quite definitely intended) in coordinating with Freenotes Harmony Park and raising the funds from local businesses to bring these musical instruments to downtown Littleton. After a vacation to Sedona, AZ, where he witnessed tourists playing at their own harmony park, Dave made the suggestion to the Redevelopment Commission, and, incredibly, the park was up within 2 weeks!

Littleton’s Harmony Park officially opened in June 2015 with the annual Pollyanna Glad Day celebration. Six working percussion sculptures – the Piper, Swirl Chimes, Imbarimba, Tuned Drums, Pegasus Chimes, and Contrabass Chimes – were installed along the Mill Street walkway, overlooking the Ammonoosuc River. The instruments are located across from Tree Harp Park that abuts the river, so passersby can sit, watch the water flow by, and listen to the notes and rhythms floating down from Harmony Park.

Harmony Park is open every day from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and is free to the public. Attached rubber mallets are used to play the xylophone-type structures, while the big, colorful drums are played by hand. The instruments at Harmony Park are intended for all ages and abilities, so people from all walks of life can enjoy them. No matter your musical skill and talent (or lack thereof), these working sculptures are designed to sound pleasant, so even if you consider yourself tone-deaf, you may as well stop by and give it a chance!

The Piano Project and Harmony Park are reflections of the diverse musical and artistic talents of the residents of Littleton, NH. Perhaps on your next trip to Chutters, you may come across an aspiring young Beethoven or Chopin playing at our door – or perhaps you may wander down the road and join an impromptu jam session with no-longer-strangers at Harmony Park.

“If music be the food of love, play on.” –William Shakespeare

Mountain biking doesn’t get much better than in and around Littleton, NH. There are serious mountain biking trail networks just ten minutes south in Franconia, NH as well as a bit north at Bretton Woods. But the town of Littleton itself is home to the PRKR MTN trail network, comprising 24 miles of single- and double-track bike trails on Parker Mountain.

Mountain biking enthusiasts – experts and beginners alike – can turbo-charge the experience by demo-ing so-called “FAT BIKES” in place of bikes with standard 1- to 1.5” tires. Littleton Bike and Fitness, a HUGE bike and education shop just off Main Street in Littleton, rents fat bikes at $50 per day.

What are Fat Bikes?

Picture a Monster Truck Rally… for bikes!

Fat bikes have enormous tires to go over snow, slop, dirt, rocks and sand – and still deliver a smooth ride. These tires are between 4-5” wide and provide unbeatable biking stability on snow and loose surfaces. Full suspension is the new trend in fat bikes, so even steep trails are possible!

Where can I rent a Fat Bike?

Littleton Bike & Fitness is located in a renovated Ford garage on 28 Cottage Street in Littleton, NH. The store sells and rents bikes for all ages, experience levels and conditions. Littleton Bike & Fitness also coordinates the Littleton Landsharks, a biking group that rides every Tuesday at 6 pm. Special classes and events are scheduled throughout the year, so if you are interested, definitely check out their calendar!

Where can I ride?

PRKR MTN

The PRKR MTN trail network is a privately-owned network of maintained single- and double-track bike paths on 2,000-foot Parker Mountain, the highest point in Littleton, NH. More than 24 miles are professionally maintained, with a design that points all trails back to Littleton’s downtown region.

Bikers can park at Remick Park. Littleton Bike & Fitness also opens their parking lot to mountain bikers. Trails start at the top of School Street. A great loop to really get your blood flowing is Rock and Roll to Gardner’s Trail to Linda’s Lookout. The lookout provides awesome views of the northern Presidential Range of the White Mountains. Beginners can get back to town on I95 (in this case, the name of a bike path, not an interstate!).

After a great trip, bikers should check out the establishments along Littleton Main Street for food, drinks, entertainment and lodging!

• Schilling Beer Company
• Miller’s Café and Bakery
• Chang Thai
• Beal House Inn & Tavern
• Thayer’s Inn
• Hampton Inn
• Chutter’s Candy Counter

Moore Dam Trail

This 3.5-mile trail follows the Moore Dam reservoir. This path is mostly flat, with bridges and flats requiring some technical biking. Day-trippers should consider packing a lunch to enjoy at a clearing alongside the water.

To reach the Moore Dam trail, take I-93 Exit 43 and then take a left off the exit ramp onto RT-135 North. Take a left onto Old Waterford Road. Continue to the end of road for parking. You will see signs for the trail on the left side of the lot.

Franconia Village X-C Ski and Outdoor Rec Trails

The Franconia Village X-C Ski Center has some trails open to fat bikes in the winter. This is a professionally maintained network of trails totaling over 40 miles. Most of the trails are intimate single tracks through the woods, over brooks and across meadows. Check out the White Mountain Bike Shop next door to the Franconia Inn for information and tips about where to go.

Kingdom Trails

This nationally recognized mountain biking trail network is located on Burke Mountain in Vermont, only 40 minutes northwest of Littleton. Over 110 miles of professionally maintained trails offer a variety of terrain, adventure and difficulty levels for all experience levels. More information online at http://kingdomtrails.org.

Whether you are an experienced mountain biker or just an outdoors enthusiast, consider planning a day of fat biking around Littleton, NH. Cheers to your adrenaline adventure!

Summer is fast approaching and with sunshine and warmer weather comes the reopening of the Littleton Farmers’ Market this Sunday, June 4 from 10 am to 1 pm.

Farmers and interested parties from Littleton came together just a few years ago to breathe new life into a weekly farmers’ market. Now farmers, bakers, craftspeople and other local vendors come together every Sunday from June through mid-October to display and sell their products to residents and visitors of Littleton.

Nearly 40 vendors have signed up for the 2017 season.

Local fruits and vegetables, pork, eggs, chicken, cheese, lamb, and other meats and produce will be offered by Meadowstone Farm in Bethlehem, Pinestead Farm in Franconia, and Cross Farm in Barnet, VT, as well as others.

Tipsy Treats in Thornton will be back with their unique alcohol-infused dessert party toppings. This family-owned business blends just the right amount of premium liqueurs and spirits into fruit and chocolate dessert toppings to go on ice cream, cheesecake and other desserts!

The newly opened Crum Bum Bakery in Littleton will be providing unique confections and tasty treats inspired by the big city. Try a Chocolate Chip and Sea Salt Cookie! Not to your taste? Perhaps a Roasted Broccolini and Asiago Croissant will suit!

Yeeyee’s Vermont Specialty Products include Horseradish Mustard, Pickles, Pumpkin Butter, Salsa and a variety of dessert toppings. Many years of canning experience and a love for healthy living has inspired this family-owned business to provide specialty small-batch products inspired by grandmother’s kitchen.

Lance and Ginny Roberts from Lunenburg, VT will be back again this year with woodcrafts including cutting boards, spoons, bowls and necklaces as well as veggies and baked goods.

Farm Girl Flowers and Finds from Sanbornton will be joining the market for the first time this year. They produce fresh and dried flower bouquets and wreaths as well as a collection of beautifully refurbished antiques.

Other crafts to be found include custom birdhouses, leather belts, wooden boxes and picture frames, jewelry, scarves and books by local mystery author Marilinne Cooper.

Enjoy music in the sunshine while you shop.

Local musicians plug in and play next to the river every Sunday during the Farmers’ Market!

Music is primarily acoustic folk and classic New England country. First up this Sunday is Bobbie and Me, an acoustic folk duo, with performances planned throughout the summer and fall by:

• The Old Gold Band
• Joe Keenan
• Wendy and the Lost Boys
• Alan Greenleaf
• Paul Aiken
• Katie Rose
• Pipe and Slippers
• Brookside
• Kate Davis “Fifth Business”
• Comfort Country
• David Van Houten

Enjoy your Sunday morning in Littleton as a visitor or well-trod local at the Farmers’ Market!

The Littleton Farmers’ Market is set up and ready to go each Sunday morning by 10 am on Riverglen Lane in the Littleton Senior Center parking lot next to the Covered Bridge on the Ammonoosuc River.

“This vendor-owned event is a fantastic addition to life in Littleton. It’s owned and arranged by the farmers themselves in a beautiful location with easy access to downtown from the covered bridge,” says Littleton local Tony J. Ilacqua.

With fresh local fruits and vegetables, pasture-raised meats and cheeses, gluten-free goodies, NH and VT maple products, and more, we guarantee you’ll find something for your home or kitchen!

And once your shopping is done, head across the Covered Bridge to Main Street, where you will find Chutters, Home of the World’s Longest Candy Counter!