A Week at Lake Winnipesaukee: Squam Lake

On Wednesday we drove up to Holderness, New Hampshire to visit the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center which was really fun and interesting for my science and animal lovers.  It's basically a half-mile nature walk with wild animal exhibits and opportunities to learn more about nature.  The kids thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and though the ticket price is pretty expensive, we were able to get a great discount because we have a membership to our local zoo that is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  This membership is also how we go to the Boston Museum of Science on the cheap.  We sunscreened and bugsprayed and headed out to explore:

Geez I wish seventh children had some personality ;)

This outdoor play area at the end was fun!

My brother who lives in New Hampshire told us that one of the trails near the science center was worth hiking because of the view of the lake at the top, so away we went!

It was a one mile STEEP hike (well at least for this inexperienced hiker and the little guys) and I definitely get anxious being in the middle of the woods.  Every little sound makes me fear a bear is waiting to devour us, and I constantly pray that nobody gets hurt and has to be carried down the mountain.  Hiking is not for me.  But what doesn't kill us makes us stronger, and I am glad I did it because the view was beautiful as promised:

I was especially proud of Declan (age 8) who led the way on the trail, following the red marks on the trees and never complained once.  This kid is destined for an outdoor career someday.  

We had heard that Squam Lake was the cleanest lake to swim in, so we took the kids to a little public beach, called Ashland Town Beach.  Interestingly enough, I have been listening to Drew Barrymore's book, Wildflower, and she mentioned that her co-star, Adam Sandler, and her business partner, Nancy Juvonen (Jimmy Fallon's wife) had both grown up spending summers in the Lake Winnipesaukee region, and that their favorite lake in the whole world was Squam Lake.  What a small world.  I definitely kept my eyes opened for any celebrities, but we were there completely by ourselves, which was honestly better as I am so not cool when meeting anyone even slightly famous.  After eating our packed lunch, Phil and I relaxed/lifeguarded on the shore while the kids swam and jumped off the floating dock:

We drove back to the condo and we swam in the pool for another hour or so.  It was a great day spent exploring nature, and we all slept very well that night indeed.