Nashua (New Hampshire)

Nashua is a city in the southern part of New Hampshire. It is the state's second largest city behind Manchester with a population of about 88,000 (2016).

Understand

Climate

Nashua (New Hampshire)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       3.4     33 12       3.4     37 15       4.3     45 23       4.4     58 34       4.1     69 44       4.4     77 54       3.9     82 59       3.9     81 58       3.7     73 49       4.4     62 37       4.3     50 29       3.9     39 19 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches    Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       86     1 −11       86     3 −9       109     7 −5       112     14 1       104     21 7       112     25 12       99     28 15       99     27 14       94     23 9       112     17 3       109     10 −2       99     4 −7 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Get in

By air

• Manchester - Boston Regional Airport, Brown Av., Manchester, ☎ [phone]. 30 minutes by car from Nashua. 
• Logan International Airport, Boston. Approximately one hour by car from Nashua. 

By car

No interstate highway runs through Nashua; though it is easily accessible from both I-93 and I-495. The main expressway through Nashua is the north-south U.S. 3, which connects to I-93 in Manchester to the north (via the F.E. Everett Turnpike/I-293) and I-495 in Lowell, Massachusetts to the south.

• From Manchester, Concord and points north: Take I-93 south to I-293/Everett Turnpike. Stay with the Everett Turnpike through Merrimack. Nashua can be accessed via exits 7-1 along U.S. 3/Everett Turnpike.
• From Boston and points southeast: Take I-93 north to I-495 south (exit 44). Once on I-495, take U.S. 3 North (exit 35). The South Nashua shopping district can be accessed via U.S. 3 exit 36 (Middlesex Road), the last exit in Massachusetts. The rest of Nashua can be accessed via exits 3-7 on U.S. 3/Everett Turnpike.
• From New York City and points southwest: Take I-95 north to I-91 north (exit 48). Take I-91 to Hartford, and get off on CT-15/I-84 east (Exit 29). Take I-84 east to its terminus at I-90/Massachusetts Turnpike. Follow directions as below "From points west".
• From points west: Take I-90 east to I-495 north (exit 11A). Take I-495 north to U.S. 3 North (exit 35). The South Nashua shopping district can be accessed via U.S. 3 exit 36 (Middlesex Road), the last exit in Massachusetts. The rest of Nashua can be accessed via exits 3-7.
• From the New Hampshire Seacoast, Maine and points northeast: Take I-95 south to NH-101 west (exit 2). Outside of Manchester, NH-101 west will merge with I-93 south. Follow signs for NH-101 west/I-293 north. From I-293 north, take exit 3 (Everett Turnpike south). Nashua can be accessed via exits 7-1 along U.S. 3/Everett Turnpike.

By bus

• Boston Express, 110 Broad Street, ☎ [phone]. Service to Boston and Logan Airport. 

By train

A proposed extension from the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail Lowell Line to Nashua has been repeatedly discussed, but for various reasons has not moved forward. The nearest train station is 20-minute drive away in Lowell, the Charles A. Gallagher Transit Terminal at 101 Thorndike Street, Lowell, phone: [phone]. It is part of the MBTA commuter rail network; connections to the MBTA are available from Amtrak at Boston's North Station.

Get around

• Nashua Transit System, 30 Elm St, ☎ [phone] ext 203. 

See

Nashua City Hall

• 🌍 Abbot-Spalding House Museum, 5 Abbot St, ☎ [phone]. An historic 18th-century federal-style home just north of downtown, the home also houses a museum featuring artifacts and furnishings from the 17th and 18th centuries. (updated Jul 2017)
• Holman Stadium, 67 Amherst St, ☎ [phone]. Historic Holman Stadium is where racially integrated professional baseball was first played (Nashua Dodgers). Until 2010, the stadium was used by a minor league team (Nashua Defenders, and before that Nashua Pride). 
• Nashua Cemetery. Opened in 1835, this historic burial ground lies at the foot of French Hill at the corner of Canal Street and Lowell Street. 
• 🌍 Nashua City Hall, 229 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A large, federal-style structure that features a white spire adorned by a large golden eagle and occupies a prominent place in the center of Nashua's historic downtown district, at the corner of Main Street and Hollis Street. Nearby is a monument to the 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, who announced his candidacy for the U.S. Presidency on the front steps of the City Hall. (updated Jul 2017)

Do

• SkyVenture, New Hampshire, 3 Poisson Av, ☎ [phone]. Indoor vertical windtunnel skydiving in Southern Nashua near the big box shopping stores (behind CVS). 
• 🌍 Mine Falls Park, 8 Riverside St (and 6 other access points). This park, commonly called "The Jewel of Nashua", has miles of biking and jogging trails that follow the old canal and the Nashua river. It stretches over 325 acres from the western side of Route 3 to the old mills on the edge of downtown. It is not unlikely you will see beavers, otters or muscrat in the canal or river, as well as ducks and other waterfowl. It is a favorite fishing spot for the locals as well. At the western entrance there is a hydroelectric plant next to an old brick gatehouse from which you can see far down the river. On the other side of the plant is a waterfall that is very dramatic in spring after the snow melts. A boat ramp offers access to the west side of the Nashua river that leads to Hollis.  

Buy

Nashua is famous for its many shopping outlets, especially in the southern part of the city where you can find every single store chain in New England. Many Massachusetts residents come here to take advantage of the lack of sales tax in New Hampshire. The commercial area spans from exit 36 in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts to exit 3 in Nashua on U.S. Route 3.

• Pheasant Lane Mall. This 1,000,000-square-foot mall at the Nashua/Tyngsboro border is one of the biggest shopping centers. 

Eat

Many restaurants, cafes, and pubs line the picturesque Main Street in northern Nashua. In addition, there are an ever-growing number of ethnic restaurants throughout the city, including Indian, Mediterranean, Columbian, Mexican, and others. The downtown Main Street area has become a minor destination for its restaurants and bars.

• 🌍 Martha's Exchange, 185 Main St, ☎ [phone]. Brewpub serving the usual pub favorites. There is a large bar that primarily serves their own beers and outdoor seating in the summer (updated Jul 2017)

Drink

Main Street has been revitalized and has recently become a bar-hopping hot spot: Irish pubs, sports bars, dance clubs (though nothing spectacular), and sidewalk cafes.

Sleep

• 🌍 Courtyard Nashua (formerly Nashua Marriott), 2200 Southwood Dr, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. All 245 hotel rooms feature a large work desk & free hi-speed Internet. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Crowne Plaza Hotel, 2 Somerset Parkway, ☎ [phone]. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Nashua, 9 Northeastern Blvd, ☎ [phone]. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Motel 6, 2 Progress Ave, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Radisson Hotel Nashua, 11 Tara Blvd, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. (updated Jul 2017)

Go next

Routes through Nashua

Manchester ← Merrimack ←	N  S	→ END
Manchester ← Merrimack ←	N  S	→ Chelmsford → Lowell via
Milford ← Merrimack ←	W  E	→ END
Harvard ← Pepperell ← becomes ←	W  E	→ Hudson → Exeter