The Mt. Washington Auto Road (Courtesy of the Mt. Washington Auto Road)
The state welcomed more than 4 million visitors in summer 2021, breaking records set pre-pandemic in summer 2019, and it looks like this summer will at least keep pace, according to NH Travel and Tourism Director Lori Harnois.
During summer of 2021, in addition to drawing from its core markets of New England and New York, the state expanded its tourism promotion radius to include Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio.
“Our research shows the advertising generated a positive return on investment in those markets,” says Harnois. “This summer’s strategy includes continued investment in the expanded markets to build on the momentum.”
The top trip activities include scenic drives, shopping, dining, hiking and visiting state parks. A well-planned road trip can combine all of the above, with options to splurge on fine dining or plan a budget-friendly picnic at a state park. The itinerary can closely follow an established corridor such as the Kancamagus Highway or one of the more niche drives focused on wine and cheese, history or ice cream. (The state’s Division of Travel and Tourism offers maps for these specific tours as well as others at visitnh.gov.)
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White Mountains Region
When it comes to scenic drives, the granddaddy of them all has to be the Mt. Washington Auto Road. The 7.6-mile drive is considered the oldest man-made tourist attraction in the state, says Lisa McCoy, events and marketing director for the Mt. Washington Auto Road.
“Opened in 1861, the road was built by hand before they even had dynamite. They would drill a small hole and use black powder. The first passengers traveled in a six-horse carriage built by Abbot Downing, the maker of the Concord Coach. Sometimes because of the wind, people would have to get out and fill their pockets with rocks,” McKoy says.
At the turn of century, the inventor of the Stanley Steamer drove his locomobile from Newton, Mass. to the top of Mt. Washington to prove automobiles were the wave of the future, McCoy says. “The Auto Road has experienced the entire history of automobiles; we welcome electric cars and have charging stations powered by hydroelectric,” she says.
This road is privately owned and operated, and there is a fee that goes to maintain the road as it receives no state or federal funding.
The climb to the summit passes through four distinct ecological zones and offers several vistas along the way. “Everybody wants to get to the summit, but it is much more interesting to stop along the way. There are short hikes and an intersection with the Appalachian Trail. If you feel nervous about the drive, stopping along the way can help,” McCoy says. The summit, which is operated by NH State Parks, has plenty to offer visitors as well, with a gift shop, the Mount Washington Observatory, a museum and a cafe.
The valley offers three iconic scenic drives: Pinkham Notch, Crawford Notch and the Kancamagus Highway.
“Driving Pinkham Notch via Route 16 takes you through a stunning mountain pass with views of the Presidential Range and brings you to the eastern side of Mount Washington,” says Janice Crawford, president of the Mt. Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce. For a day long scenic ride, Crawford Notch connects with Pinkham Notch via routes 2 and 115.
The region also offers a brewery and distillery “highway” starting on Route 16 with Tuckerman Brewing Company, following a 10-mile stretch on routes 16/302 to visit four breweries, two wineries and a distillery. The route takes you from Conway to Bartlett. At the end of the tour is Alpine Garden Camping & Winery, a convenient stopping point offering boutique cabin and treehouse rentals.
The Kancamagus Highway, an official National Scenic Byway, runs between Lincoln and North Conway with views of some of the state’s best-known mountains, including Mount Kancamagus and Mount Chocorua. Popular with motorcyclists for all the twists and turns it offers, the “Kanc” is dotted with seasonal activities, campgrounds, scenic overlooks and picnic areas.
The Kancamagus Highway map. (Courtesy of White Mountains Attractions)
“The Kanc has a lot of nice hikes, not as popular, such as Mt. Potash and Hedgehog Mountain, and a lot of smaller walks such as Rocky Gorge and Sabbaday Falls,” says Charyl Reardon, president of White Mountain Attractions, a collection of tourism businesses that hosts a website with travel guides, trip planning resources and tips. Reardon says there are picnic areas at all the state parks as well as plenty of local eateries, breweries and wineries along the Kanc.
“We are so lucky here in New Hampshire to have such a wide variety of things to do,” she adds. “This is such a unique state. You could start your day in the mountains and be in Portsmouth for dinner.”
The Franconia Notch region offers history, outdoor adventure, fine dining and some stops where the grownups can have just as much fun as the kids picking out vintage candy at Foster’s Crossroads Old Fashion General Store in Twin Mountain or Chutters in Littleton, home of the world’s longest candy counter at an impressive 112 feet of gleaming glass jars filled with brightly colored candy.
Chutters in Littleton, home to the world’s longest candy counter. (Courtesy photo)
And many of these routes will bring families to some of the state’s most popular amusement parks, including Story Land and Clark’s Bears. (Families looking for rides and attractions can head to the state’s website and find more than a dozen amusement and water parks of various sizes and themes starting south in Salem at Canobie Lake Park and heading north to Santa’s Village in Jefferson.)
Seacoast Region
While a drive along the shore, from Seabrook in the south to Rye in the north, is less than 20 miles, NH’s coastline is packed with all the things seaside communities are known for: sandy beaches, state parks, seafood and saltwater taffy.
At the southern end, just over the Massachusetts border, iconic seafood restaurants Markey’s Lobster Pool and Brown’s Lobster Pound perch over the marshes, offering scenic views and attracting as many seabirds as tourists. Beware as the seagulls have been known to swoop in and steal food right off the tables.
Hampton Beach has a vast array of entertainment options including a bandshell, a bustling boardwalk with arcades, water sport rentals, cafes and music venues. Just driving past some of these historic structures is an adventure in itself.
Continuing up the coast, there are rugged piles of rocks along the Rye shoreline, a great place to explore the tidal pools and take a quick break. You can also check out the mansions on the other side, from the historic to contemporary.
As the coastline turns inland toward Portsmouth Harbor, visitors can explore Odiorne Point State Park and the Seacoast Science Center, along with the former site of Fort Dearborn.
On those hot summer days, many families not only flock to the beaches but to Water Country, a 26-acre water park on the outskirts of Portsmouth.
Portsmouth, which is more of walking city, is another great place to stop. There are plenty of historic homes to see, including Strawbery Banke Museum, a 10-acre campus with historic buildings and historical gardens.
Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth is included in the NH Heritage Museum Trail passport program. (Courtesy of the NH Heritage Museum Trail)
Visitors can also follow the NH Heritage Museum Trail, which claims to offer 300 years of history, 100,000 historical artifacts and attracts 200,000 visitors annually. A passport program allows visitors to experience 21 different museums, including the Woodman Museum in Dover, for only $25. Passports are available at the Portsmouth Historical Society’s Discover Portsmouth Welcome Center. Families will also want to check out the Children’s Museum of NH in Dover.
The NH Heritage Museum Trail passport program brochure. (Courtesy of the NH Heritage Museum Trail)
Portsmouth is also home to the Black Heritage Trail of NH, an organization that raises awareness about the state’s Black history. Offering guided and self-guided tours within the city of Portsmouth, the organization is also working to install markers at other sites of historic importance around the state.
Members of the Black Heritage Trail team at the Pomp and Candace Spring house and bakery site marker. (Courtesy of the Black Heritage Trail)
And Portsmouth is known for its rich nightlife, from restaurants and bars (this is the city that has more restaurant seats than it does residents) to venues offering plays, comedians and all types of music, including The Music Hall, The Player’s Ring, Seacoast Repertory Theatre, outdoor plays and concerts at Prescott Park and Jimmy’s Jazz and Blues Club, a hub for the nation’s top jazz talent.
Merrimack Valley
Traveling from the Seacoast to Concord along Route 4 takes you down Antique Alley, a collection of more than a dozen shops in Lee, Northwood, Epsom, Chichester and Concord. As the reputation of the drive has grown, additional services have cropped up, including ATMs, cafes and gas stations.
R.S. Butler’s Trading Company is one of the stops along Antique Alley. (Courtesy of R.S. Butler)
Tim Sink, president and CEO of the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce, also recommends heading west on Hopkinton Road/Route 103 toward Warner. Traveling through Hopkinton, the village of Contoocook is the definition of quaint and is home to the Contoocook Railroad Museum with a restored depot dating back to 1849 and a covered railroad bridge on site.
The NH Telephone Museum in Warner offers a unique view into moments in telephone history, such as the race to the patent office and the undertaker who invented the dial system.
Lakes Region
Lake Winnipesaukee has more than 200 miles of shoreline; following Route 11 north from Alton Bay affords plenty of lake views with a great family stop at Weirs Beach.
Nearby, the Winnipesaukee Pier has all the nostalgia of a traditional old beach pier and the star attraction, the M/S Mount Washington, which is celebrating the 150th anniversary of cruising the big lake in style.
There are train rides and plenty of smaller boats offering tours, including the U.S. Mailboat Sophie C, whose daily visits brought letters and packages from the mainland to generations of families and campers.
Among the other big lakes are Squam Lake, Lake Winnisquam, Ossipee Lake and Newfound Lake.
Amy Landers, executive director of the Lakes Region Tourism Association, which represents close to 100 communities, 273 lakes and ponds, and more than 430 businesses, suggests a scenic ride around Newfound Lake and then head south for a fun stop in Bristol.
“TwinDesigns in Bristol is a great family-owned business (owned by twins) that is also home to Diane the Turtle,” says Landers. “They have a wonderful store and have written books about their turtle and cats.”
Top: Brad and Jim Tonner, owners of TwinDesigns in Bristol. Bottom: Diane the turtle, who has been in the Tonner family since 1968 and currently lives in the shop. (Courtesy photo)
To the north, Meredith offers several restaurants, shops and hotels and a chance to stretch the legs and follow the Sculpture Walk that includes a life-sized bronze statue of the comic book character Archie. The statue was placed in memory of Bob Montana, the artist who first drew Archie over 65 years ago and was a resident of Meredith.
Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region
For National Parks Passport geeks anxious to add a stamp to their book, NH has just one National Park, but it is definitely worth the trip. Augustus Saint-Gaudens, one of America’s greatest sculptors lived in Cornish seasonally starting in 1885, and year-round from 1900 until his death in 1907. Several of Saint-Gaudens bronze sculptures are on view at his preserved homestead.
Saint-Gaudens National Park. (Courtesy of NH Division of Historical Resources)
Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee Region is also an excellent choice to see some of the state’s iconic covered bridges with 17 to view and enjoy. The Enfield Shaker Museum and the Fort at No. 4 in Charlestown offer a range of historic structures to explore.
The Mt. Kearsarge Indian Museum is a 12.5 acre-site that includes outdoor spaces as well as the Medicine Wood Trail, the Betsy Janeway Arboretum and a view of the Mink Hills.
Monadnock Region
The Monadnock region, which includes Keene, Hillsborough and Peterborough, is home to Mount Monadnock, one of the most climbed mountains in North America, while nearby Winchester hosts the state’s only Pickle Festival. Rich in history, its small towns have inspired Robert Frost, Thornton Wilder and Henry David Thoreau.
The Monadnock region also claims six stops on the NH Brewers Association Beer Trail. There’s an app, or you can pick up a paper beer trail list at most breweries. The association even offers prizes based on the number of stamps you collect; the more you collect, the better the prizes.
Great North Woods Region
A region that includes the towns of Pittsburgh and Colebrook and the city of Berlin, the Great North Woods Region is a haven for outdoor adventure. It’s quite possible that just as much travel, if not more, is done on ATVs and snowmobiles, but there are still plenty of scenic roads to follow.
Route 2 runs above the Presidential Range and Mt. Washington region, offering the same beautiful views of fall foliage as can be found on the more popular routes. Speaking of popular, Moose Alley in Pittsburg is a great area to spy the majestic creatures as they venture to the edge of the woods, often around sunset.
Pittsburgh is also home to Moose Alley Cones, the northernmost stop on NH’s Ice Cream Trail. Yet another passport opportunity, this one assembled by Granite Dairy Promotion, it features 50 ice cream stands.
The Granite State Dairy Promotion Ice Cream Trail. (Courtesy)
Other niche trails include the state’s covered bridges and waterfalls, as well as the Wine and Cheese Trail, a guide produced by the NH Department of Agriculture, Markets and Food. The list is 32 strong and growing.
The NH Department of Agriculture, Markets & Food’s Wine & Cheese Trails Guide. (Courtesy)
History diehards can take their road trip game to the next level courtesy of “Cruising New Hampshire History” by Michael A. Bruno, a NH native who has compiled a directory of all of NH’s historical markers along with helpful tips and GPS coordinates.
So, what are you waiting for? Start planning your staycation and weekend adventures.
Current Issue - April 2024