This picturesque New England destination has a lesser-known fifth season that comes right in between winter and spring – maple sugar season.

This sweet pre-spring treat draws visitors to the Lakes Region from all over the world. As the snow melts and the weather warms up, maple trees start to produce sap, which is then collected and boiled down to make smooth and delicious liquid gold.

The region boasts a plethora of maple sugar houses, offering tours and tastings for visitors to indulge in this sweet tradition. From pancakes drizzled with fresh maple syrup to maple candies and fudges, the Lakes Region’s maple sugar season is a true culinary delight. Don’t miss out on this quintessential New England experience, and plan your visit to the Lakes Region during the height of maple sugar season. Be sure to bring your appetite. Here are six ways you can celebrate the sweetness of the season with us!

1. Maple events at PRESCOTT FARM ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER 

Every Saturday in March, you can experience the old-fashioned New England maple syrup-making tradition at Prescott Farm in Laconia. Get ready to get down to work – guests will participate in the process of making maple syrup, from tapping trees to taste testing. The farm’s environmental educators help guests identify the correct trees to tap, teach about the history of maple sugaring, share historical and modern tree-tapping tools, and educate on the chemical process and physical science that goes on during the boiling process. This 90-minute program starts off with a quick 20-minute walk to the farm’s Sugar House and ends with a hike back after, so pack proper footwear or borrow snowshoes or traction cleats from the farm. All ages are welcome. Preregistration is highly encouraged. Register here.

On March 30, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., visit Prescott Farm for their Maple Candy Making event! Participants will work together to turn maple syrup into two styles of maple candy to enjoy and you will get a chance to taste test various maple saps and the different grades of syrup. Purchase tickets online.

Stick around from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on March 30, for the farm’s Cooking & Baking with Maple event where you will use Prescott Farm’s own real maple syrup to make a salad dressing, a side dish, and a sweet treat. You will also learn about the various forms of maple products and how you can substitute maple syrup into your favorite recipes. Register online.

2. Maple Cocktails with The Remedy Cocktail Co. at The Tamworth Lyceum

Join The Remedy Cocktail Co. at The Tamworth Lyceum on March 16 from 4-6 p.m. to learn how to concoct delicious drinks with sugary sweet maple syrup. Build three unique cocktails using maple products from Tamworth Distilling, learn about maple syrup and the products Tamworth Distilling offers, and enjoy house-made lite bites. Must be 21+, purchase tickets and get more information online.

3. Maple Day at Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum

On Saturday March 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., visit Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum for a day of maple syrup-making demonstrations, historical displays, a maple bake sale, storytelling, acorn pancake samples, and more. Outdoor events at the museum are free, but regular admission applies to tour the museum. Learn more about the museum online.

4. Sugar’ N Shamrock Weekend at Purity Springs Resort

Purity Springs Resort is offering a sweet deal with a special package that includes a two-night stay at Purity Spring Resort, with maple-inspired breakfast daily, and complimentary Brooks Family Sugar House pure maple syrup upon arrival. During your stay, explore Brooks Family Sugar House, just a few miles away, and see where the magic happens. On St. Patrick’s Day, take advantage of $17 half-day lift tickets at King Pine, and then head down to Traditions Restaurant for a special St. Patrick’s Day chef-inspired dinner and drinks menu! Learn more online.

Sweet Eats & Treats

Other than learning the ropes yourself, one of the best ways to celebrate Maple Season is by indulging in it. From stacks of pancakes to candied brews, here are some delicacies you can’t pass up.

5. Heritage Farm Pancake House

Since 2003, Heritage Farm Pancake House has been making, selling, and serving authentic wood-fired maple syrup and pairing it with their decadent pancake breakfasts. It’s one of the few major maple syrup producers in New Hampshire that still use a wood-fired evaporator, and you can taste the difference. See for yourself on Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Order “The Adult,” which comes with two pancakes, two eggs, and two strips of bacon, all slathered in their remarkable artisanal maple syrup. Before leaving, stop by the petting zoo and pick up some local goods at the gift shop, like honey, soaps, candles, fresh eggs and produce –  and, of course, maple syrup.

6. Woodstock Inn Brewery

What better way to end a day of sampling the flavors of New England than with a fresh brew infused with sweetness? The Woodstock Inn Brewery’s own Kanc Country Maple Porter contains maple syrup produced by Fadden Maple Syrup and General Store, located right in North Woodstock. Cheers!