Things to do & places to visit in Rochester, New Hampshire, United States

Rochester city in New Hampshire, United States. Timezone: America/New_York, current date and time: Sunday, May 05, 2024, 1:59.

Top things to do (16)

Top places to visit (24 attractions)

5.0 Jetpack Comics (4 reviews)
- Gotta check it out!
Spent 1-2 hours Speciality & Gift Shops

Jetpack Comics and Games is New Hampshire's largest comic book and gaming shop. In our almost 3000 square feet of space you will find all your favorite pop-culture themes and a vast array of Comic Books, Graphic Novels, Board and Card Games along with Role-Playing Games, New & Used Video Games, Statues, Toys, Trinkets, Baubles and a HUGE All Ages Section. Our 100 person game room is always avail See more..
5.0 New England Porch Rockers (2 reviews)
- outstanding artistry
Sunday: Antique Shops

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY New England Porch Rockers is an owner-operated business run by Jeanne Howe Compton, professional weaver and craftswoman. An interior designer with training in architecture, Jeanne learned the art of chair caning from an antique craftsman in the 1990s, and, inspired by the unique rigor of the traditional art, started her own caning and rocking chair business in 2000. She has been producing her trademark rockers for nearly two decades, and continues to add new inventory and designs. Jeanne is also proud to be able to serve her customers’ caning replacement and repair needs. See more..
5.0 Walnut Grove Baptist Church (1 review)
- HISTORIC CHURCH IN A SCENIC SETTING
Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Churches & Cathedrals

Returning to NH from weekend time in Vacationland, I decided to go home via Salmon Falls Road. Along that road, I came upon Walnut Grove Baptist Church. I’d passed this church a few times before. This time, the way the sunlight was falling on it, coupled with the blue sky background, made was such a pretty sight that I stopped to admire it for longer than ever before. It was the perfect small church in a New England country setting with lots of vacant land beside and behind it. There was even vacant land across the road. Walnut Grove Baptist Church is the classic, pretty small white church with a tall steeple. It is an example of simple architecture that has a strong visual impact. The church was founded in 1864 so it’s a historic building as well. During my visit, hundreds of migrating birds came to rest in the trees near the far side of the church parking lot. And, what a noisy flock they were! I rate Walnut Grove Baptist Church at 5.0 and recommend stopping by to admire it for its simple architecture when in the area of Salmon Falls Road. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
5.0 Shop Alpaca and Things (1 review)
- NEW STORE FEATURING ITEMS MADE WITH ALPACA FIBER
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality & Gift Shops

Shopping at several stores at The Ridge Marketplace, I visited the recently-opened Shop Alpaca and Things. After reading a newspaper article about it, I was curious. As expected, the store carried lots of nice things that included mittens, gloves, scarves, capes, wraps, throws, blankets, small animals with a variety of uses, and more. There was something for everyone in the family. There were also skeins of alpaca yarn for sale to crafters. Before going there, I knew that alpaca fiber was softer and warmer than wool. At the store, I learned from one of the owners that alpaca fiber is at least four times warmer than wool. And, the reason is that the alpaca fiber is hollow. The dead air space insulates. I also learned that alpaca fiber stays dry and that it is hypoallergenic as it has no lanolin in it. Those were important facts for me because lanolin and scratchy wool bother my sensitive skin. A couple of pairs of gloves interested me. I hope to get a pair as a holiday gift. Everything in the store was of excellent quality and well-made. I rate Shop Alpaca and Things at 5.0 and highly recommend a visit. It's a very nice shop. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
5.0 Scrubbing Board Laundromatt (1 review)
- Laundry service
Sunday: 7:00 AM - 9:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks

Great place to do laundry. or Even do drop off service . Fast and efficient. everyone is very polite and eager to help They have AC and Cable Tv, Vending Machines.. They keep it very clean. And very affordable See more..
4.5 Rochester Opera House (62 reviews)
- Beautiful space. Excellent talent.
Operas

Have never been disapointed. The building is beautiful. The sound is perfection. The ushers and staff pleasant and helpful. Diverse talent. Somethng for everyone. Refreshing to be able to see great talent without having to travel. See more..
4.5 Stonewall Kitchen (55 reviews)
- Who wants to pay $8 for jams or marinades? Not me. A MUST visit.
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Speciality & Gift Shops

Who wants to pay $8 for jams or marinades? Not me. This is a great outlet with always some fantastic bargains. Some are 100% perfect just maybe overstocks, expiring soon. Some are oopsies (ie, product too thin, too thick, etc) but bottomline, pricing on both can't be beat compared to retail stores. Since moving from industrial park location to now Ridge Marketplace, much more foot traffic as there's a Mega Market Basket, Hobby Lobby, Petsmart among other stores here...and a Walmart supercenter next door. A+....worth a visit regularly for as inventory is always changing. See more..
4.5 The Ridge (24 reviews)
- Ridge Shopping Rocks!
Spent 2-3 hours Shopping Malls

All you need in one place--Market Basket, Marshalls, Old Navy, N.H. Liquor & Wine Outlet, Stonewall Kitchen, Hobby Lobby, The Paper Store, AT&T, T Mobile, Petco, Famous Footwear, Mattress Firm, CBD American Shaman, Sally Beauty, Supercuts, Tiare Nail Spa, Ulta Beauty. Food, Drinks & Dining--Starbucks, 110 Grill, Eastern Paradise, Mooyah Burgers, Pepper's Landing, Tropical Smoothie and more. See more..
4.5 Collec-tiques (5 reviews)
- Top Priority for anyone visiting Rochester!
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Game & Entertainment Centers

I’m a resident of Rochester and I LOVE this place! The people who run it are AMAZING ! The lego lounge is a great place to leave your kids while you look at some of the collectibles in the store! Prices are amazing! A top priority for anyone visiting our town! I got a great deal of 25 dollars for Star Wars micro machines AT ST, Endor and some figures! I would recommend checking out the custom made mini figures, you enter the store and there will be a bunch of them to your right! I’m a regular customer going there about 2 times every 2 weeks! It’s great just to even look at the stuff they have! See more..
4.5 Rochester Common (2 reviews)
- Home!
Parks

Rochester Common is the lovely center of the community, where all Memorial Day Parades and ceremonies concluded, and where families gather to walk and stay active. Go smell the heavenly lilacs in Spring. See more..
4.0 Rochester Crossing (6 reviews)
- Easy In-and-Out
Spent 1-2 hours Shopping Malls
Great group of shops and restaurants with a spacious and practical parking lot...plenty of spaces and wide lanes. A traffic light makes left hand turns in and out of the area easy. See more..
4.0 Under The Moon Shoppe (3 reviews)
- Educational
Spent < 1 hour Speciality & Gift Shops

Pagan, Wicca, Tarot, Crystals, Herbs, Reiki, Gifts, Books, Supplies, Classes. Under The Moon Shoppe has two reiki masters, tarot readings, offers many classes as well as weekly meditations. We have organic/wild crafted loose herbs for tea/magick use. Precious stones, books, animal fur and much more. See more..
4.0 The Castle on Charles (2 reviews)
- The most fun wedding ever!
Spent 2-3 hours Bars & Clubs
So we had a family wedding here and it was a blast. Everyone, even the caterers said it was the most fun wedding they've been to. The castle atmosphere was perfect for the artistic couple and the all black attire, which was way cool! They also had a Halloween band to open the event and they were so much fun. Everyone from the caterers, band, and especially the venue were great. The only caution is that their liquor selection is very limited, but that's due to a state limitation not the venue. The staff manning the event were very accommodating and helpful. I highly recommend Castle on the Charles for your next event. See more..
4.0 First United Methodist Church (1 review)
- HISTORIC METHODIST CHURCH
Churches & Cathedrals

The date stone on the historic First United Methodist Church in Rochester shows that it was constructed in 1868. This building replaced the original church built in 1825. The Methodist church was one of the earliest churches in Rochester. Red brick was a common building material in New England in the 1800's. And, the Federal architectural style was popular long after the Federal Period. . One day, when passing by, some interesting architectural elements of this church caught my attention. As I was studying the details on the façade of the church, I noticed some very unusual features about the clock. First, the clock is set very high up on the belfry. It almost looks like an afterthought worked into the overall design of the tower. Second, the clock is very small compared to clocks on other churches and city/town halls. This appeared to be an E. Howard & Co. tower clock. The detailed carpentry work on the base of the tower and the fancy brickwork around the windows and the below the roofline add to the eye-appeal of the façade. The center window has a tracery window look. The round section at the top resembles a rose window. The center entrance door is one of the tallest church doors I’ve ever seen. Overall, I admired the numerous curved and arched features in the design. Inside, the church also has a large organ by the Faucher Organ Company. At the time of my visit, I did notice some peeling paint on the tower which detracted from the aesthetics. For the attractiveness of the architectural design, I rate the First United Methodist Church at 4.50 and recommend stopping by to admire the church’s architectural lines when in or near the downtown area of Rochester. The reason for the delay in submitting this review was due to a months-long loss of my ability to post photos with my reviews. If you found this review helpful, please click HELPFUL below. See more..
4.0 Dominicus Hanson Pines (1 review)
- SCENIC RIVER VIEWS, A PRETTY FOOTBRIDGE, A PAVED PATH, & A DIRT TRAIL
Biking Trails • Hiking Trails

The Dominicus Hanson Pines complex has many areas that include outdoor basketball courts, a playground, paved and unpaved walking and bicycling trails, and a scenic footbridge over the Cocheco River. In season, there is also an outdoor pool. There is plenty of free parking at the lot. My most-recent visit focused on the Hanson Pines Trail which has two main sections. The first is a paved path that goes straight from Hillsdale Road through to the parking lot on Yeagley Way near Rochester High School. This is an easy walk on pretty level ground. There is a footbridge over the Cocheco River near the Hillsdale Road end that is in a scenic setting. There is also a dirt trail off to the right of the Yeagley Way entrance. A lot of people with mountain bikes go that way. The trail is well-traveled so there are a lot of exposed tree roots, making for uneven terrain. I’ve taken both the path and the trail. On my most-recent visit, I did the easier trek on the paved path and paused for the scenic views of the Cocheco River and the footbridge. There are three info boards near the Yeagley Way access. One tells about Mr. Hanson and the trail. Another is an interpretative board about the woodlands. The third lists the park rules. Admission to the Hanson Pines Trail is free. The views of the river and attractive footbridge added points my rating of Dominicus Hanson Pines at 4.50; and, I can recommend a visit. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
4.0 Rochester Riverwalk (1 review)
- ROCHESTER’S RIVERWALK ~ A WORK IN PROGRESS
Hiking Trails
During the COVID-19 time, with many attractions closed, one of the few permitted activities in New Hampshire was taking a walk outdoors. In Rochester, I visited some historic places in the downtown area. Then, I walked along the Cocheco River to Duval Park, one of the developed areas of the Rochester Riverwalk. Duval Park is a small pocket park that is a great place for a perfect straight-on view of the historic Old Stone Bridge, also called the Main Street Bridge, built in the 1880’s. Duval Park was named for Dr. Ernest Duval, the first French-Canadian physician to settle in the Rochester in the early 1900s. The park has a small unusual fountain that was cast of aluminum. I thought that this part of the Rochester Riverwalk is particularly scenic. The part of the trail here is level and mostly paved. The benches provide places to sit and enjoy the views and the sounds of the river’s rushing water as it cascades over the nearby dam. I enjoyed my visit to that section. I got some nice photos of the bridge from Duval Park. Sections in the Hillsdale Road and Dominicus Hanson Pines Park areas are developed. I’ve also trekked on The Hanson Pines Trail which has a footbridge over the Cocheco River. There is paved path that goes straight from Hillsdale Road through to a parking lot on Yeagley Way near Rochester High School. I rate these finished sections of the Rochester Riverwalk with scenic views of the Cocheco River at 4.50 and can recommend a visit. When the project is finished, it will be really nice. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
4.0 The Spaulding Brothers (1 review)
- THE SPAULDING BROTHERS ~ BUSINESSMEN & GOVERNORS OF NH
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks
During the time of COVID-19, with many attractions closed, visiting some of the New Hampshire Historical Markers provided some outdoor activity and educational opportunities. This marker was originally out on the turnpike. Now, it is on the lawn in front of The Garage which is The Governor's Inn’s casual dining room and music venue. The Spaulding brothers joined their father’s business and expended the products the mill operations made from just leatherboard to shoe counters. They were wealthy philanthropists. They also got into politics. Rolland Spaulding served as Governor of New Hampshire from 1915 – 1917. Huntley Spaulding served as Governor of New Hampshire from 1927 – 1929. Spaulding High School is named for them as are a dining room at the Governor’s Inn and The Spaulding Turnpike – NH Route 16 which was built in 1956. As a historian, my primary interests are the Colonial and Early American periods; however, some local historical figures from different periods also appeal to me. And, The Spaulding Brothers do. I rate the marker for The Spaulding Brothers at 4.0. With my interest in history, I really like these roadside historical markers. Stopping to read them is a fun and easy way to learn about the history of an area, especially for the youngsters. Visiting the marker is free. There is on-street parking there. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
4.0 The Old Stone Bridge (1 review)
- STONE BRIDGE FROM THE 1800’S STILL IN USE
Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Bridges

During the time of COVID-19, with many attractions closed, visiting some of the New Hampshire Historical Markers and landmarks provided some outdoor activity and educational opportunities. In Rochester, I visited some places in the heart of downtown. Then, I went to see The Old Stone Bridge which is also known as the North Main Street Bridge. It carries traffic over the Cocheco River. This is a three-arch stone bridge built in the 1880’s. Most people driving over it have no idea what it really looks like. One has to park in the municipal parking lot beside it, get out of the car, and walk over near the edge of the river to see it. An off-the beaten-path place for the best view is Duval Park at the Rochester Riverwalk on River Street. Nearby is a dam with a spillway that creates a waterfall-like cascade. The view from here is quite scenic. This bridge is similar to the famous five stone arch bridges of Hillsborough County. I rate The Old Stone Bridge at 4.50 and recommend a visit. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
3.5 The Garage at the Governor's Inn (32 reviews)
- Good time when staying at the inn.
Bars & Clubs

We stopped here before our murder mystery show. We had some nachos, flat bread pizzas and drinks. No one was there it was nice and quiet. The drinks were good and a lot of choices. I liked the decorations as well. The food was very good for the price. We also stopped back in after the show for some drinks, it was a lot busier but fast service. See more..
3.5 Skele-Tone Records (2 reviews)
- Huge store, ridiculous prices
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality & Gift Shops

On daytrip to Rochester during a week-long staycation, I shopped the downtown. Located right near Collec-tiques and Mel Flanagan’s in downtown Rochester, Skele-Tone Records is a great retailer of new and used records and rock ‘n roll clothing and memorabilia in two adjacent storefronts. The store carries a wide selection of rock, punk, alt, metal, and blues CD’s, vinyl records, 8 track tapes, 45’s, and cassettes. I even spotted some VHS tapes. The store is very organized. It is divided into sections based on genre of music. I found the CD’s sorted alphabetically. It was easy to find specific artists. On the day of my visit, there was a Buy Two, Get One Free deal running. I got: ● USED - Greatest Hits – The Jeff Healey Band ● NEW – Love Songs - Elton John ● USED – Greatest Hits – Billy Idol ● NEW – The Essential Clash – The Clash ● USED – Number Ones - Abba ● USED – 70th Birthday Concert – John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers and Friends Todd, the owner, was very knowledgeable. So was his assistant. There was plenty free on-street parking out front. This store and Pitchfork Records Stereo in Concord are two of just a handful of stores of this kind and caliber in New Hampshire. I rate Skele-Tone Records at 4.50. I highly recommend a visit of an hour or more. If you found this review helpful, please click THANK below. See more..
2.5 Lilac Mall (26 reviews)
- They even took the Lilac Mall name off the building
Spent 1-2 hours Shopping Malls

It's rapidly failing, sadly. It once had a bookstore, record shop, food court, movie theater, Sears, electronics, two magnet stores. Now that the other end of town is sporting two huge malls, side by side, I don't see much there, except Hannaford's, which is it's own store, further up the concourse. I think the Mall has outlived its sell-by date. See more..
My Ride NH (0 review)
Sunday: 6:00 AM - 11:30 PM Taxis & Shuttles

Reliable Taxi – Servicing Rochester NH and Surrounding Areas My Ride NH offers Regular Taxi and pre-scheduled rides for your convenience. Weather it’s work rides, Dr visits, Airport or whatever.. We are here for you. See more..
Rochester Public Library (0 review)
Sunday: Libraries
See more..
Parson Main Statue (0 review)
Monuments & Statues
See more..