Things to do in Strafford County: rivers, mill towns and Great Bay

Strafford County is the river side of the Seacoast: historic mill downtowns, conservation land along Great Bay and a lot more going on than people expect.

Strafford County stretches from Great Bay up through the old mill cities along the Cocheco River. Here's what I'd put on the list.

Dover

Settled in 1623, Dover is the oldest permanent settlement in New Hampshire, according to the City of Dover. Its brick mills along the Cocheco now hold restaurants, offices and apartments.

• Henry Law Park and the Riverwalk: a riverfront playground and stage where the Cochecho Arts Festival hosts free summer concerts, per Wisermap.
• Children's Museum of New Hampshire: two floors of hands-on exhibits at Henry Law Park, per the City of Dover.
• Woodman Museum, Dover Community Trail and Garrison Hill Tower: a quirky museum campus, a 4.2-mile trail and a lookout tower with views across the Seacoast, according to Visit NH.
• Jenny Thompson Outdoor Pool: New Hampshire's only Olympic-sized pool, per the Greater Dover Chamber.

Durham and Great Bay

Wagon Hill Farm is a 139-acre town-owned property on the Oyster River, known for the wooden wagon on its hilltop. It has more than 3 miles of trails, a small beach on Little Bay and a sledding hill. Dogs can go off leash from dawn to 10 a.m., according to the Town of Durham. Nearby, Adams Point is a favorite launch for paddling Great Bay.

Durham is also home to the University of New Hampshire, and Main Street has restaurants and shops.

Rochester

The Rochester Opera House, built inside City Hall in 1908, is the only remaining theater in the world with a floor that tilts for theater seating and levels flat for dancing, according to the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Downtown also has a Cocheco Riverwalk, a public art trail and free community events nearly every month, per Rochester Main Street. Each September, the Granite State Fair comes to the Rochester Fairgrounds.

Curious about living in Strafford County? Let's talk.