Best Location for Family Photos in Haverhill, Massachusetts
Twice this past year I was asked by families to pick a place in the Merrimack Valley area for outdoor family photos. And twice I picked Winnekenni Park. Living in Plaistow, New Hampshire, Winnekenni is just a short drive away from me and I became familiar with it by taking my dogs for walks there. This park offers SO much which has made it not only one of my favorite places to visit, but also one of my favorite places to shoot in!
What makes for the perfect location for outdoor family photos? For me there are three things that I look for. Ease of access is important, especially if you have young children included in the mix. You want plenty of space to avoid having other people or unattractive building structures in the background. And you want a place that can offer up a wide variety of backdrops so that your photos don’t end up all looking the same.
Winnekenni Park meets all of these requirements easily. Let’s break it down.
Ease of access
Okay, so this park isn’t exactly right off of the highway. A 10 minute drive from exit 109B off of 495 and you are there. An added bonus? You’ll pass a Dunks along the way and can treat yourself to either a pre- or post- shoot iced coffee (and maybe a donut to bribe the kids with?). However, once you make it to the park it’s an absolute breeze to access. There is plenty of parking at the park entrance as well as additional lots up by the castle (oh yes, there is a castle). Also, in the summer time there is a bathroom and water fountain available for public use. In addition there is a small playground set if your littles need to burn off some steam.
I think my favorite accessibility feature of all is how stroller/wheelchair friendly photographing at this location is. The trails leading away from the parking area are all relatively flat, hard packed dirt. Although they are occasionally prone to ruts from rain washout they are usually very easy to get a stroller down. The castle area has a flat, grassy lawn feet away from the parking area as well. All of this means that no matter what equipment you need to bring with you- we can easily make it work.
Space
This park is huge. Like, 700-acres huge. But we only need to explore a teeny tiny fraction of that to have the park all to ourselves for a photoshoot. There are plenty of small fields, hidden trails, and scenic lakeshore spots to tuck away in for a distraction free backdrop. The only spot that can sometimes get a little busy is by the castle itself but with a little patience it’s a breeze to get shots with it in the background without strangers present.
Variety
I think I’ve already made it pretty clear that this park offers a TON of variety. But let’s recap anyways, just for fun. When you arrive at the park you are met with a grassy lawn in front of Kenoza lake complete with benches, a water fountain feature, and a playground. Within three minutes of the parking lot you can find yourself in an open field with the woods behind you, on a trail with tree foliage hanging overhead, or standing along the lakeshore. Drive up to the castle parking lot and you have opened yourself up to even more options. The castle itself can be your setting, the grassy lawn surrounding it, or any of the many wooded trails leading away from it.
I have loved shooting at Winnekenni Park and hope to have the opportunity to do so many more times. Even if you aren’t in the market for a photoshoot- I still encourage you to check it out. Bring the dogs and the kids, maybe some snacks. I promise you’ll love it.
What’s a favorite location in the Haverhill area for you? Let me know!
