A Tour of New Hampshire
New Hampshire has it all – majestic mountains, sparkling lakes and rivers, beautiful beaches, vibrant cities and idyllic small towns. The Granite State is broken up into seven very different regions, each with its own rich history and warm hospitality. The Seacoast Region, Merrimack Valley Region, Monadnock Region, Lakes Region, Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region, White Mountains Region and Great North Woods Region are filled with natural beauty, cultural events and classic New England living.
The Seacoast
New Hampshire ’s road to statehood began on the Seacoast, when European fishermen and explorer-woodsmen stopped first at the rocky Isles of Shoals just offshore and then, in 1623, settled on the beach at Rye.
Today’s voyagers can visit the same rugged landscapes or indulge in a variety of luxuries that four centuries of habitation have crafted into a vibrant, cultural hub. The Seacoast surrounds New Hampshire ’s 18 miles of Atlantic coastline, embracing family-friendly, sandy beaches and wildlife habitats, working tug-filled waterfronts and stone wall-bordered country roads that blend farms, vineyards and orchards with ocean views. The Seacoast is at once some of New Hampshire ’s oldest and newest landscape, a place of authentic Colonial history and 21st-century hospitality, flavored by a variety of gifts from the sea and its farthest shores.
Historical Importance: In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt chose Portsmouth to host the peace conference ending an international war between the Russians and the Japanese. The successful outcome, the Portsmouth Peace Treaty, commemorated throughout the city, earned TR the Nobel Peace Prize.
Family-friendly: From the Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland to the Seacoast Science Center in Rye , family-friendly activity centers put the mysteries of the deep up close and personal.
Taste the Seacoast: An ever-changing kaleidoscope of dining rooms showcases the talents of chefs inspired by fresh local seafood, locally-grown produce and native imagination. The Seacoast can meet just about every possible taste, from lobster served dockside, to sushi, to authentic barbecue.
The Merrimack Valley Region
The mighty Merrimack River powered the Industrial Revolution and galvanized miles of brick mill buildings to erupt like manmade mountains on its riverbanks.
Born at the confluence of the Pemigewassett and Winnipesaukee rivers in the center of the state, the Merrimack (an Abenaki Indian word meaning “swift waters”) rushes 116 miles to the sea.
No wonder the state’s three largest cities – Manchester , Nashua and the capital, Concord – grew here. Southern New Hampshire is not only the most densely populated area of the state, but today, it’s the epicenter of industry, commerce, culture, dining and higher education with 20 colleges and universities.
On Parade: See, literally, hundreds of presidential wanna-be’s, every four years. Check out the exhibits at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport , the Political History Museum at St. Anselm College in Manchester and the Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord.
On the Postcard: Traditional New England architecture from Colonial ( Amherst ) to Victorian ( Manchester , Nashua , Mont Vernon ) to Gothic Revival churches ( Concord ) reveals the richness of area history.
Go Now: The Christa McAuliffe Planetarium in Concord is a state-of-the-art interactive facility erected in memory of the teacher who was to be the first civilian in space.
Monadnock Region
The Monadnock Region is the place people imagine when they think of small-town New England. There are eight covered bridges here, and white-steepled churches still guard town greens as they have for two centuries. There are no interstate highways; most thoroughfares are two-lane, so it takes a little longer to get where you are going, and one of the most fun activities is getting lost on back roads.
The biggest city is Keene , with a population just over 22,000. Nearby Dublin is home to New England icons Yankee magazine and The Old Farmers Almanac. And, it is believed that Thornton Wilder based his play, “Our Town,” on the residents of Peterborough.
A Gorge-ous Walk: Walk beside, or dip your feet into, Wilde Brook in Chesterfield Gorge.
Presidential Heritage: The stately Hillsborough house dating from 1804 is the boyhood home of New Hampshire ’s only president, Franklin Pierce.
To Inspire: Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge is an open-air place of worship for people of all faiths, with a stellar view of Mount Monadnock.
The Area’s Attic: The Peterborough Historical Society museum is filled with tangible memories of life here through the centuries. The View from Above: Mount Monadnock , 3,165 feet high, is the most climbed mountain in North America with a vista that can reach 100 miles.
The Lakes Region
The clear, cool water of central New Hampshire ’s lakes has long tempted travelers to take a dip. But what surrounds the 70,000 acres of pristine waterways is equally refreshing.
Historic villages, majestic mountains, and classic attractions surround the area’s over 270 lakes and ponds, infusing any getaway with culture and community. At 72 square miles, Lake Winnipesaukee is the biggest in the state (and the sixth largest lake within U.S. borders), with 274 islands, 200 miles of shoreline, and recreation ranging from train trips to fishing expeditions. If smaller is more your taste, Squam Lake, Newfound Lake, and Ossipee Lake are the spots to kayak in peace, hear a loon’s plaintive cry and enjoy a novel on a quiet dock. Though summer is an especially popular time to visit, the Lakes Region proffers pleasures every season. Linger at the lakes all year long, and you can horseback ride through the fall foliage, cozy up by an inn’s toasty fire, or go antiquing when spring flowers first flash their petals.
Sandy Beaches: Ellacoya State Beach , Wentworth State Beach , and Weirs Beach are top spots to spread your towel.
Mountaintop Scenery: Hikes up Belknap Mountain in Gilford, Mount Major in Alton Bay and Rattlesnake Mountain in Holderness are vacation spots.
Traditions: At Kellerhaus, founded in 1906, patrons concoct sundaes to savor by picture windows overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee.
Historic Lake Towns: Wolfeboro (“the oldest summer resort in America ”), Meredith, Laconia and Center Harbor have lured generations of families with community festivals, specialty shops and lakeview dining.
Heritage Crafts: One of the nation’s top quilt shops, Keepsake Quilting in Center Harbor, showcases the handiwork of local masters or select from an endless inventory of fabric to create your own. In Laconia , visit the Belknap Mill and take home a pair of socks made on vintage knitting machines.
Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee Region
The Dartmouth/Lake Sunapee area is rich in everything you’d ever want to experience on vacation: mountains, lakes, culture, great food, unique tax-free shopping possibilities, friendly people and lots of outdoor activities.
Small towns mix culture and agriculture for a surprising array of activities, from church suppers to talent shows to impromptu musical jams on the Lebanon Common. Stretching from Warner in the southeast to Piermont in the northwest, this area of New Hampshire will keep you coming back again and again in all four seasons of the year.
Bragging Rights: Dartmouth College brings world-class arts and entertainment to the area at its Hopkins Center for the Arts and Hood Museum.
Lay of the Land: The Connecticut River carves out the western boundary while mountains, lakes and ponds in the north and east offer breathtaking scenery.
On the Postcard: Quaint little towns and old-fashioned general stores dot the region, heralding a bygone era that’s amazingly still alive and thriving here today.
Go Now: Winter brings outdoor fun at family ski areas, while a spring visit to a sugarhouse is a rite of passage. Summer offers up a bevy of free outdoor concerts and farmers markets, and in fall you’ll see some of the best foliage in New England.
White Mountains Region
With its lofty peaks and activity-filled valleys, this is the region that speaks to the outdoor-lover and adventure-seeker in all of us. The popular Presidential Range has five summits higher than 5,000 feet, including legendary Mount Washington , the highest (and most challenging) peak in the East. Add 1,200 miles of hiking trails, almost 800,000 acres of national forest, and some of New England’s most dazzling waterfalls, and what do you get? Put simply: the most spectacular outdoor playground east of the Rockies. Psst…with fine dining, luxurious country inns, tax-free shopping and guided excursions, it can be plush, too.
Go Green in the Valleys of the Whites: The majestic Presidential Range serves as the backdrop to the region’s nine golf courses. The courses – all within 25 miles of North Conway – have a range of levels, from flat and player-friendly to par 3’s that test your long irons.
Ride the Rails: The 15-mile Hobo Railroad travels from Lincoln to Woodstock and kids love the hobo-style lunch on a stick! Or hop aboard the Conway Scenic Railroad in North Conway for a trip across the famed Frankenstein Trestle. For sheer excitement and one of the steepest rail rides in the world, take the historic Cog Railway to the top of Mount Washington.
Play in the Snow: The snow-capped White Mountains are home to 13 ski resorts and cross-country centers. Local outfitters also offer sleigh rides, dog sledding, snowmobiling, sledding, snowshoeing and nature walks. www.skinh.com
Great North Woods Region
Are there really more moose than people in the Great North Woods? No, but the state’s northernmost region is its least populated with small towns among a patchwork of farms, fields and forest.
Dominated by vast woods, fast-moving rivers, fertile valleys, bold mountains, and isolated lakes, the area is perfect for adrenaline junkies who crave extreme adventure. White, steepled churches and hometown parades reflect the simple life here, but there is opulence too, found in the distinct, refined personalities of the region’s grand hotels. Rich in culture and history, three of the state’s four grand hotels are within an hour’s drive of each other. They are marks of luxury in the splendid solitude of the woods and mountains.
On Parade: The Great North Woods is home to more than 3,500 moose.
Bragging Rights: Every four years, the residents of Dixville Notch stay up past midnight to cast the first vote in this country’s Presidential Primary election.
Lay of the Land: The 162-mile-long Cohos Trail, a remote foot trail system, waits for exploration as do waterways such as the scenic Connecticut Lakes , Connecticut , Androscoggin and upper Ammonoosuc Rivers.
On the Postcard: Stark Village ’s covered bridge and Union Church are picture-perfect. Of note for history buffs: Stark was also home to a World War II German prisoners camp.
Go Now: Say goodbye to the interstate for roads less taken. Meander down Routes 2, 26, 3, 110 and 145, or settle in to the quiet life with a good book on a grand hotel’s veranda.
