From the mountains to the waterfront, New Hampshire sports a lot of amazing opportunities to get outside and explore its natural beauty. With summer coming up, and many students planning on staying in the area, it's important to get informed about the variety of fun activities available right outside your front door! Here are a few ideas of what to do to get outside as the weather begins to warm up.

1. Rattlesnake Mountain in Rumney, NH.

Rattlesnake Mountain is a small, mile long hike about a fifteen minute drive from campus. The view from the top encompasses islands speckled across Squam Lake. The local flora in this area include an herb that is rare to New Hampshire known as Douglas' knotweed, as well as ground jupiter and bearberry. The area also contains a community of red oak trees known as the "rich red oak rocky woods". Bring some snacks and have a picnic at the top! (but don't forget to take your trash with you).

2. The Flume Basin in Franconia Notch, NH ($16)

The Flume in Franconia Notch is a leisurely hike uphill on a boardwalk located at the base of Mount Liberty. The trail allows you to look closely at the variety of flora and fauna that live in the area.The Flume was discovered in 1808 by "Aunt Jess" Guernsey when she accidentally found the now coveted spot while fishing. This trail is open May 6- October 23.

3. Jennings Peak in Sandwich, NH

Jennings Peak has a hiking trail that is located in Sandwich, NH, near Sandwich Mountain. This hike is a bit longer, with a round trip distance of about 6 miles. The elevation at the peak is 2,055 ft. However, the distance is worth it to see the beautiful views at the peak.

4. Welch and Dickey Trail in Thornton, NH ($3)

The parking at the trail head is $3, used by the White Mountain Conservation efforts. This trail is about 4 miles long, with an average allotted time of 5 hours for the whole trip. The difficulty of this trail is moderate, with only a few steep spots along the way. This is a mostly hardwood forest area, with occasional blueberry bushes along the trail as well.

5. Livermore Falls in Holderness, NH

Livermore Falls is a public beach that extends off of the Pemigewasset River in Campton, Holderness, and Plymouth, NH. There isn't much parking, so if you can walk there, it is highly recommended. This area is often heavily populated by other residents, but is a great place to relax by the river or enjoy the views of the falls.

6. Newfound Lake in and around Bristol, NH

Newfound Lake is another great place to relax on one of its public beaches. Whether you're going for a day trip or an entire vacation, Newfound lake is a great choice. The area also has great restaurants and local shops to explore. From the sandy beach you can see Tenney Mountain among many other surrounding mountains. Not only is Newfound Lake a good choice for a day at the beach, but it also has a good fishing reputation, sporting 22 different species of fish in its waters. It is also stocked with salmon and trout in the spring.

7. Rainbow Falls in Plymouth, NH

Rainbow Falls is a natural horsetail waterfall made from broad granite located in Plymouth, NH. The hike to this site is only about a half an hour and there are benches located around the falls. Unfortunately, swimming is prohibited at this location but is still well worth the view of this area's natural preserve.