March is when maple producers make most of their product. Warming temperatures during the day with below-freezing temperatures at night make the sap flow. Area “sugar shacks” are boiling sap and producing the maple syrup we all love. Now is the time to buy syrup, which comes in different grades—lighter to darker—to accommodate all tastes.
Lakes and streams are losing their icy exteriors, and the water is flowing. Waterfalls in the nearby White Mountains and just across the Connecticut River in Vermont are particularly dramatic this time of year.
Of course, many year-round activities continue to be available. Northern Stage is showing Waitress through mid-April. The Lebanon Opera House has several scheduled shows over the next two months. Many area restaurants, including Lyme’s own Stella’s Italian Kitchen & Café, feature local musicians on weekend evenings. And, of course, area favorite, Ariana’s Restaurant, housed in the Lyme Inn, offers exceptional dining with sustainable ingredients from local providers.
The Lyme Inn is a great home base for a spring visit to New England. Our nine guest rooms, five suites, and cottage are each uniquely decorated and the Inn and its staff are welcoming and can offer more ideas of things to do and places to visit.