Manchester sits on the banks of the Merrimack River in south central New Hampshire. Once a depressed mill town, it has gained new strength from a recent facelift. The new Manchester is an attractive, upscale community.

Dining out here is an ethnic affair with a variety of choices from Chinese to Middle Eastern. There's a heap of culture, too. For live entertainment, the Palace Theater has been a favorite for decades. The Currier Museum of Art is a renown institution featuring great American and European sculptures and artwork. And for fine-tuned musical appreciation, there's The New Hampshire Philharmonic.

The Massabesic Audubon Center is a museum offering educational hands-on experiences for children and adults. Hiking through its five miles of nature trails is a pleasurable trek through numerous environmental habitats. On the Merrimack River, The Amoskeag Fishways Learning and Visitors Center thrills anglers with exhibits, workshops and field trips.

Sports are part of what makes Manchester special. Whether it's cheering for the Manchester Monarch's hockey team at the newly-constructed Verizon Wireless Arena or going out to the ball game at the Fisher Cats Baseball Stadium, spectator sports are alive and well in Manchester.

It's not only about watching sports ... the Manchester lifestyle is about participating in active sports, as well. Fishing in the Lake Messabesic Watershed for small mouth bass and yellow perch is a satisfying pastime. The watershed is also a haven for wildlife and a favorite spot among naturalists.

Hiking trails are available at Lake Messabesic. For a round of golf, the Derryfield Country Club is open to the public. And, downhill skiing can be found at McIntyre Ski Area in North Manchester. Many inns and motels in the area also offer snowmobile and snowshoeing trails, as well as sleigh rides.

Manchester, the largest city in northern New England, is mid-way between Nashua and Concord in the Merrimack Valley Region of New Hampshire.