HolidayLandmark

Story Land

Story Land is one of the featured travel destinations in New Hampshire. This guide is being expanded with practical visitor information, travel tips, nearby places, maps, FAQs, and more.

Photo of Story Land coming soon

Quick Facts

State: New Hampshire. Type: 35-acre family theme park in Glen, Carroll County. Opened in 1954 as "Story Town." Approximately 30 attractions including two roller coasters and two water rides. Owned by Herschend Family Entertainment as of 2025.

About This Destination

Story Land is a small, fairy-tale-themed amusement park in Glen, New Hampshire, built around storybook characters and aimed squarely at children through pre-teens, with the slogan "Where Fantasy Lives." It opened in 1954 as "Story Town" with a single ride, Freddie the Fire Engine, and was renamed within its first year after a naming conflict with a similarly named park in New York. Founders Bob and Ruth Morrell assembled German dolls depicting fairy-tale characters and hired local artist Arlene "Topsy" Samuelson to design the park's storybook look. The Morrell family ran the park until 2007, after which it passed through Kennywood Entertainment and Palace Entertainment (part of Parques Reunidos) before Herschend Family Entertainment took ownership in 2025. Today the 35-acre park has grown to roughly 30 attractions, including two roller coasters (notably the wooden Roar-O-Saurus, opened 2014) and two water rides, alongside interactive fairy-tale scenes, animatronic shows and themed playgrounds, plus a newer Moo Lagoon water area added in 2024.

Location

Story Land is located at 850 NH Route 16, Glen, NH 03838, in Carroll County within New Hampshire's White Mountains region, near the resort town of North Conway.

Climate & Weather

Glen sits in the White Mountains foothills and has a four-season New England climate with warm, humid summers and cold winters; the park operates during the warmer months only, so winter conditions are not relevant to a visit. Summer days are typically warm, making sun protection and hydration worthwhile for a full day outdoors. Specific seasonal temperature data was not confirmed in the sources used.

Best Time to Visit

Story Land operates seasonally, with 2025 daily operation running through September 7; specific opening-day dates and off-season weekend schedules should be checked on the park's Calendar & Hours page before planning a visit. Weekdays and the shoulder parts of the season (late spring, early September) are generally less crowded than midsummer weekends, based on typical family-theme-park patterns, though this was not separately confirmed in sources used.

History & Background

Story Land opened in 1954 as "Story Town," founded by Bob and Ruth Morrell, who built the park around German dolls depicting storybook characters and enlisted local artist Arlene "Topsy" Samuelson to design its fairy-tale aesthetic. The park's sole original ride was Freddie the Fire Engine. It was renamed Story Land within its first year of operation after a naming conflict with Storytoon USA in upstate New York. The Morrell family and their corporation ran the park for over five decades, until Kennywood Entertainment Company acquired it in 2007; ownership later passed to Palace Entertainment under Spain's Parques Reunidos group, and then to Herschend Family Entertainment in 2025. Over the decades the park expanded from its single original ride to around 30 attractions, adding rides such as the wooden Roar-O-Saurus coaster in 2014 and the Moo Lagoon water area in 2024.

Things to Do

Younger children and families can ride roughly 30 attractions, including two roller coasters (the wooden Roar-O-Saurus among them) and two water rides, plus the narrow-gauge Huff Puff and Whistle Railroad. Interactive fairy-tale scenes and animatronic shows built around classic storybook characters are a signature feature, along with themed playgrounds. The newer Moo Lagoon water play area, added in 2024, gives younger visitors a splash-focused option. A Living Shores Aquarium is also part of the property, ticketed separately from general park admission.

Things to Visit / Highlights

The park's storybook-themed attraction areas (built around classic fairy-tale characters), the Roar-O-Saurus wooden coaster, the Huff Puff and Whistle Railroad miniature train, and the Moo Lagoon water area are the main on-site draws, alongside the separately ticketed Living Shores Aquarium.

How to Reach

Story Land sits directly on NH Route 16 in Glen, close to North Conway, in New Hampshire's Mount Washington Valley. There is no commercial airport in the immediate area; visitors typically drive in via Route 16 or I-93/Route 302, with Manchester-Boston Regional Airport being the nearest larger commercial airport, several hours south, and a rental car needed for the trip north.

Timings / Opening Hours

As of the 2025 season, the park stated it was open daily through September 7; exact daily opening and closing times were not listed on the pages fetched and should be checked on the park's own Calendar & Hours page before visiting, since hours can vary by date within the season.

Entry Fee / Ticket Price

As of research, single-day tickets were listed at $39.99, with a promotional offer for parties of four or more; 2026 season passes started at $99.99, and Living Shores Aquarium tickets started at $19.99. Confirm current pricing on storylandnh.com before booking, since theme park pricing changes seasonally.

Duration Needed

Most families plan a full day at the park to make use of the roughly 30 attractions, shows and the aquarium, though the park's small, family-focused scale means a half-day visit is feasible for those with only young children or limited time.

Hotels & Accommodation Nearby

Glen sits within the greater North Conway/Mount Washington Valley area, which has a large concentration of motels, family-oriented resorts and vacation rentals catering to the region's year-round tourist traffic; specific properties were not confirmed in the sources used.

Food & Restaurants Nearby

The park has on-site dining as part of a typical family-theme-park visit, and the nearby North Conway area offers a wide range of casual family dining, reflecting its status as a major White Mountains tourist hub. Specific restaurant names were not confirmed in sources used and are intentionally omitted here.

Nearby Visiting Places

North Conway, a few miles away, is a major regional shopping and dining hub with outlet stores and additional family attractions. The wider White Mountains region, including Mount Washington and Franconia Notch State Park, is within driving distance for visitors extending their stay.

Nearest Transport (Airport / Rail / Bus)

There is no direct rail or commercial air service to Glen; Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in southern New Hampshire is the nearest larger airport, with a rental car or private vehicle needed for the drive north on I-93 and Route 16.

Safety Tips

As with any theme park, follow posted height and safety requirements for individual rides, particularly the roller coasters and water rides. Keep young children within sight in crowded areas and at designated meeting points. For any emergency, dial 911.

Things to Carry

Sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, and a change of clothes for water-ride areas like Moo Lagoon are practical for a full day at the park. A stroller for very young children and a phone charger for a long day of photos are also worth packing.

Travel Tips & Suggestions

Check the park's Calendar & Hours page in advance, since Story Land operates seasonally and daily hours can vary within the season. Buying tickets or season passes online ahead of a visit is common practice at similarly sized family parks and may save time at the gate; confirm current options on storylandnh.com.

Help Line / Emergency Contact

Dial 911 for any emergency. A direct general-inquiry phone number for Story Land was not found on the pages fetched; visitors should use the park's official Contact Us page for current contact details.

Official Website / Visitor Info

Story Land - https://www.storylandnh.com

Map

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

Frequently Asked Questions

How old was Story Land when it opened?

It opened in 1954 as "Story Town" with a single ride and was renamed Story Land within its first year.

Who owns Story Land now?

Herschend Family Entertainment took ownership in 2025, after the park previously operated under Kennywood Entertainment and Palace Entertainment/Parques Reunidos.

What are the ticket prices?

As of research, single-day tickets were listed at $39.99 and 2026 season passes started at $99.99; confirm current pricing on storylandnh.com.

Is there an aquarium at Story Land?

Yes, the Living Shores Aquarium is on-site and ticketed separately, starting at $19.99 as of research.

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