A first-time guide to New Hampshire

I’m here to sing the praises of New Hampshire – New England’s best-kept secret – which combines the countless small towns you’ll find in Vermontoutdoor adventures and rugged wilderness to rival Maineand even a small coastline that extends the pleasures of Massachusetts’ beaches.

This famously flintydown-to-earth state has tended to have a bigger reputation with political junkies than vacationers. Yet with a picture-perfect lake around seemingly every bend of the road; some of the tallest mountains on the East Coastfilled with hiking and skiing trails; a rich repertoire of culture and history; and that wonderful (if admittedly short) coastlineanyone who makes the trip here will find ample rewardswhatever leisurely pursuits they prefer.

If you like the sound of the Granite State so farread on for an introductory guide for first-time New Hampshire visitors.

When should I go to New Hampshire?

The Granite State is delightful in all seasons – with one glaring exception.

In the summer high seasonthe state bursts with outdoor possibilities. Maybe you'll go waterskiing on Lake Winnipesaukeesurfing or lying out on the sand at Jenness Point Beachor eating lobster rolls alfresco in Portsmouth. And there are hiking trails galorewhether in the high elevations of the White Mountains or in one of the countless nature reserves that dot this smallpine-covered state. Note that in summerprices jump to match demand.

New Hampshire has some of the most glorious fall foliage anywherewhich understandably draws leaf peepers from Boston and beyond for weekend forays in late September and early October. While the display put on by scarlet maplesgolden birches and yellow-orange oaks never fails to dazzlethe short peak-foliage period is by far the most expensive time to visit New Hampshire.

Winter sports are a major thing in the statewhich sees an average of over 100in of snowfall per year. Such major resorts as Bretton WoodsCannon Mountain and Loon Mountain draw serious skiers and snowboarders to their miles and miles of world-class pisteswhile cross-country skiers and snowshoers can delight in exploring fairy-tale-like paths through the woods and across frozen lakes. Anyone considering a winter trip should pack more layers than they think they’ll needas the average high temperatures in January and February hover around 30°F (0°C).

The spring is New Hampshire’s low seasonwhen cold temperatures linger and the thaw beginsleading to muddy conditions on country trails and unpaved roads. Stillthe woods remain beautiful as the melting snow reveals moss-covered rocks – before the trees all burstseemingly all at oncewith green buds.

How much time should I spend in New Hampshire?

A weekend getaway provides a nice introduction to the statewhether you’re coming for skiingfoliagea little bit of beach time or a road trip through windy roads and small towns.

Yet settling into a country cabin or lake house for two (or more) weeks lets you reset your clock to a delightful country pace – think rising just after dawn to take coffee on the porchthen retiring early after a busy day of hikingswimming…or just devouring a novel on said porch. Such extended stays are wonderful options for familieswith frog chasingrock collecting and other general woods-frolicking wonderful experiences for city kids in particular.

Is it easy to get to and around New Hampshire?

Manchester–Boston Regional Airport has a number of flights to major hubsas well as Florida citieswhile Amtrak serves the southeast corner of the state on its Downeaster service from Portland to Bostonand the Connecticut River Valley on the Vermonter. Concord Coach Lines’ comfortable buses whisk passengers from Boston to the state capitalas well as points north.

Yet outside of those public transport optionsyou should expect to get around New Hampshire by car. While several interstate highways make crossing the state efficientit’s on the winding state and county roads that the state’s character reveals itself. Ponds glitter through leaves just beyond the bend. A white-steepled church and tidy town green greet you in just about every small village. “Connected farm” structures – with houses linked with barns via covered passageways known as “ells” – zoom by by the dozen. A road trip through New Hampshire’s back roads is a true delight.

While the state is compactdriving distances can be surprisingly longgiven the windy roads and hilly terrain. So take your time to (carefully!) admire the landscapes as you goand by all means pull over at as many roadside farm standsice cream shops and scenic viewpoints as you can manage.

The top things to do in New Hampshire

Leaf-peep along the Kancamagus Hwy

This is not exactly an under-the-radar recommendationit’s true – and thanks to the hundreds of cars that ply Rte 112 on peak-foliage weekendsit may take you a while. Yet along its 34-mile (55km) length through a pass in the White Mountainsthe Kancamagus Hwy may be the most dazzling drive for autumn foliage in the world. Connecting the town of Lincoln with the tourism center of Conwaythe “Kanc” traverses a gorgeous patch of the White Mountain National Forestthrough old-growth trees and along the curves of the Pemigewasset and Swift Rivers. At its centerhairpin curves lead to the 2855ft-high (870m-high) Kancamagus Pass with views stretching for miles of slopes painted in almost neon shades of yellowred and orange. Keep in mind that overlookstrailheadspretty ponds and other stop-worthy detours can turn the drive into a full-day affair – and you shouldn’t expect to drive fast along the route. Then againyou won’t want to. 

Embrace summer lake life

Come summermost Granite Staters decamp for their lake cabinkayak strapped to the Subaru roof. (Since some 1300 lakes dot the small state’s glacier-sculpted terrainsuch getaways might be only a few miles from the year-round home.)

You can’t go wrong by following the locals’ lead and renting your own idyllic waterfront spot – whether an off-the-grid shack deep in the woods of the North Country or Cheshire Countyor a deluxe spread on the shores of enormousdreamy Lake Winnipesaukee. While they vary widely in sizedepth and accessibilityjust about every lake in the state is made for afternoon dipsrelaxing canoe ridesand sightings of beaversblue herons and other creatures who love the water as much as you will. Peruse the listings on Airbnb and Vrbo to find your dream option.

Savor Portsmouth’s historic vibes

One of New Hampshire's oldest towns is also one of its most delightful. What’s morein a state composed largely of far-flung townsPortsmouth offers a dose of urban flair unusual for the state. In the cobblestone streets in and around central Market Sqvisitors leave their cars behind to wander between gastropubsindependent boutiques and a small harborfront walk. And at Strawbery Banke Museum in the city’s truly historic South Endreenactors enliven a collection of centuries-old homesrevealing daily life in the premodern and even pre-Revolutionary era.

Dive into politics in a civically obsessed state

New Hampshire’s citizens engage in civic life and politics with a passion. Town budgets are annually set at meetings to which all residents are invited to participateand the New Hampshire state legislatureat 424 membersis the world’s fourth-largest English-speaking legislative body (behind the Parliaments of the UK and Indiaand the US Congress). Most notable nationally (and internationally) is its quadrennial presidential primarywhich the state’s constitution stipulates must occur before any primary in any of the 49 other states – and which draws frontrunnersalso-rans and sometimes just plain weirdos to the hustings in every corner of the state. Look out for local announcements wherever you find yourselfand feel free to drop in at a town hallrally or annual meeting. You won’t have to look far to find one.

My favorite thing to do in New Hampshire

Near the visitor centerthe trail starts off mildlymore of a pleasant woods excursion than a thigh-burning slog. Then those rocky steps begin. Hundreds and hundreds of them. And the dozens of folks I see climbing onward above me inspire me to push on.

As an enthusiastic if not widely experienced hikerthe popularity of Mt Monadnock (3165ft/965m) always amazes me given how challenging portions of the three-to-four-hour round-trip trail can be. (Astonishinglythe massif in southwestern New Hampshire is the second-most-climbed mountain in the worldafter Mt Fuji.) But then I reach the tree linescrambling across boulders and scree toward the mysteriously bare and rocky summitand all the sweat pays off.

From the topI always linger to take in the near-endless 360-degree viewswhich on the clearest days can even reveal the skyline of Boston80 miles (129km) away. And even when I’ve climbed the mountain in overcast weatherliterally tasting the clouds toward the top, the never-empty trail reveals the best of New Hampshire’s natural beauty (transcendentalist writers Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson were fans)as well as New Hampshirites’ passion for the outdoors.

How much money do I need for New Hampshire?

New Hampshire has its share of upscale destinations; the palatial Omni Mount Washington at Bretton Woods and the Winnipesaukee-facing mansions of Moultonborough and Wolfeboro come to mind. Yet since the state draws fewer visitors than its New England neighborsyou can score relatively good-value accommodationsespecially in lesser-visited towns.

• Basic room for two: $150–300 per night

• Three-bedroom lake-house rental: $300–500+ per night

• Dinner for two: $100–150

• Ride on the Conway Scenic Railroad: starting at $27 for adults$21 for children

• Beer/pint at a craft brewerysuch as Copper Pig or Protectworth: $9–11

• Pint of New Hampshire maple syrup: $12–17

Is it safe to drive in New Hampshire in the winter?

Winter weather is serious business indeed in New Hampshirewith snowsleet and ice being regular occurrences. Yet the authorities have mastered the art of keeping public routes plowed and saltedeven in the wee hours. Soas long as you drive with cautionyou won’t get snowed or iced in.