New Hampshire
Jagged mountains, serene valleys and island-dotted lakes lurk in every corner of New Hampshire. The whole rugged state begs for exploration, whether kayaking the hidden coves of the Lakes Region or trekking the upper peaks surrounding Mt Washington. Each season yields a bounty of adrenaline and activity: skiing and snowshoeing in winter, with many slopes open into spring; magnificent walks and drives through fall's fiery colors; and swimming in crisp mountain streams and berry-picking in summer.
Jewel-box colonial settlements such as Portsmouth set a sophisticated tone, while historical allure and small-town culture live on in pristine villages like Keene and Peterborough. Manchester and Concord are two urban strongholds sprucing up their main drags with indie shops and innovative eats. There's a relaxing whiff in the air, too – you're encouraged to gaze out at a loon-filled lake, recline on a scenic railway trip or chug across a waterway on a sunset cruise.
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Top attractions
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout New Hampshire.
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Strawbery Banke Museum
Spread across a 10-acre site, the Strawbery Banke Museum is an eclectic blend of period homes that date back to the 1690s. Costumed guides recount tales that took place among the 40 buildings (10 furnished). Strawbery Banke includes Pitt Tavern (1766), a hotbed of American revolutionary sentiment, Goodwin Mansion (a grand 19th-century house from Portsmouth's most prosperous time) and Abbott's Little Corner Store (1943). The admission ticket is good for two consecutive days.
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Frost Place
Robert Frost (1874–1963) was America's most renowned and best-loved poet in the mid-20th century. For several years he lived with his family on a farm near Franconia, now known as Frost Place. Many of his best and most famous poems describe life on this farm and the scenery surrounding it, including 'The Road Not Taken' and 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.' The years spent here were some of the most productive and inspired of his life. The farmhouse has been kept as faithful to the period as possible, with numerous exhibits of Frost memorabilia. In the forest behind the house there is a 0.5-mile nature trail. Frost's poems are mounted on plaques in sites appropriate to the things the poems describe, and in several places the plaques have been erected at the exact spots where Frost was inspired to compose the poems. To find Frost's farm, follow NH 116 south from Franconia. After exactly a mile, turn right onto Bickford Hill Rd, then left onto unpaved Ridge Rd. It's a short distance along on the right.
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Crawford Notch State Park
This pretty park maintains an extensive system of hiking trails. From the Willey House visitor center, you can walk the easy 0.5-mile Pond Loop Trail, the 1-mile Sam Willey Trail and the Ripley Falls Trail, a 1-mile round-trip hike from US 302 via the Ethan Pond Trail. The trailhead for Arethusa Falls, a 1.5-mile one-way hike, is 0.5 miles south of the Dry River Campground on US 302. Serious hikers can also tackle the much longer trek up Mt Washington.
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Mount Washington Observatory Weather Discovery Center
If you don't have time to drive to the summit of Mt Washington, but you think wild weather is cool, take an hour to explore this small but fascinating weather museum instead. Shoot an air cannon, interrupt a mini-tornado and learn why temperatures are so extremely cold atop Mt Washington. What happens when you push the red button inside the mock observatory shack? All we'll say is, hold on tight.
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Wentworth Gardner House
This 1760 structure is one of the finest Georgian houses in the US. Elizabeth and Mark Hunking Wentworth were among Portsmouth's wealthiest and most prominent citizens, so no expense was spared in building this home, which was a wedding gift for their son. Access is by guided tour. The adjacent Tobias Lear House (not open to the public) is a hip-roofed Colonial residence that was home to the family of George Washington’s private secretary.
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Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
To get up close and personal with the wildlife in the Lakes Region, visit the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. Four nature paths weave through the woods and around the marsh. The highlight is the Gephart Trail, leading past trailside enclosures that are home to various creatures, including bobcats, fishers (a kind of marten), mountain lions and a bald eagle. Note that last admission to the trail is at 3:30pm. The best boat tours of Squam Lake are run by the center; among other tours, it offers pontoon-boat cruises that observe the loons and eagles, visit sites from On Golden Pond or watch the sun set over the lake. Combination tickets for the center and tour are available. Children will love the Gordon Interactive Playscape, which invites kids to assume the role of red squirrels as they climb, crawl, swing, balance and slide through a series of structures, learning about predator-prey relationships as they go. The nearby Kirkwood Gardens (free), featuring many species of New England native shrubs and flowers, are specially designed to attract birds and butterflies.
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Mt Washington Observatory
Perched atop New England's highest summit, this observatory is staffed year-round by scientists who measure the mountaintop's extreme weather conditions; the world's second-highest wind speed (231mph) was famously recorded here in 1934. Tours of the observatory, allowing visitors to meet and observe the scientists who work here, can be arranged with advance reservation and purchase of an observatory membership. It also runs a program of exclusive summit adventures, including summer and winter day trips and overnight stays at the observatory. Overnight educational stays with the observatory – even in winter – are quite popular, so plan ahead if you're itching to be a student of extreme weather. There are two separate groups of scientists who live on-site and record the weather, and they rotate on and off the mountain every seven days. Check out the observatory's Facebook feed (https://www.facebook.com/MWObs) for fun and informative updates about the wild weather on the summit. These folks are passionate about clouds – and it's fascinating!
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Miller State Park
New Hampshire's oldest state park, Miller revolves around Pack Monadnock, a 2290ft peak not to be confused with its better-known neighbor, Mt Monadnock. The park has three easy-to-moderate paths to the summit; you can also access the 21-mile Wapack Trail here. A 1.3-mile scenic auto road also ends at the summit, where you can climb the fire tower for magnificent views of surrounding peaks. Miller State Park is about 4.5 miles east of Peterborough along NH 101. In early September through fall you can scan the skies for raptors from the summit during the Audubon Hawk Watch. A self-service pay box (where you can pay the park fee by putting money in the slot) exists for days and times outside the standard hours. In the off season (mid-November to mid-April) the park is open for recreation but is unstaffed and the gates may be closed.
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Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway
This tram shoots up the side of Cannon Mountain, offering a breathtaking view of Franconia Notch. You can also hike up the mountain and take the tramway down (adult/child $13/10). At the summit, take the 1500ft walk along the Rim Trail to the observatory deck for gorgeous 360-degree views – on clear days you can see as far as Maine and Canada. There's a snack bar and picnic tables at the tram building. Located off I-93, exit 34B. In 1938 the first passenger aerial tramway in North America was installed on this slope. It was replaced in 1980 by the current larger cable car, capable of carrying 80 passengers up to the summit of Cannon Mountain – a 1-mile ride with 2022ft vertical gain – in less than 10 minutes.
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