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New Hampshire has some of America’s finest scenery. Hikers from all over the world flock to ‘hike the Whites’, the White Mountains that run like a spine down the state. One range, the 12-mile long Presidentials, boasts peaks named for former US presidents, such as Washington, Adams and Jefferson. Walk from hut to hut and the views reach to neighboring states. You can ride up Mount Washington the highest peak in the Northeast, aboard a steam engine, a shuttle bus … or even in your own car! New Hampshire is known for its skiing (see below), and every resort is as much fun in summer as winter, with cable cars ready to take you high above the trees.
And, trees are everywhere, especially in the White Mountain National Forest. Established in 1918 as the first National Forest in the United States, it boasts 1,200 miles of hiking trails and wildlife such as moose and bear, loons and eagles. Reflecting the mountains and woodlands are hundreds of lakes and ponds. In the Lakes Region, the largest is Lake Winnipesaukee, with one island for every day of the year. Take a scenic cruise aboard the majestic MS Mount Washington or board the tiny M/V Sophie C that delivers mail to five of the islands. New Hampshire also has its own stretch of seashore, with broad sands and the city of Portsmouth. From here, you can take a sightseeing cruise of the harbor, lighthouses and the mysterious Isles of Shoals.
Among the many old mill towns of New England, Manchester is in a class of its own. Once the largest in the world, the Amoskeag Millyard runs along the Merrimack River for a full mile. Thanks to an award-winning renovation project, the mill works now bustle with businesses, students and the Millyard Museum. Although smaller, Concord is the state capital – and it is often cited as one of the best places to live in the USA. You can see the eagle-topped dome of the statehouse from I-93. As well as the Museum of New Hampshire History, there is the Christa McAuliffe Planetarium, dedicated to the local teacher, who died in the 1986 space shuttle Challenger disaster.
On the coast, explore Portsmouth by following the Harbor Trail, past 18th and 19th century houses, contemporary shops and restaurants. Do not miss Strawbery Banke, one of the region’s best ‘living museums’. Throughout New Hampshire are small, picturesque towns – each with its own story. The oldest is Dover, settled by fishermen in 1623.
Lovely drives abound in the Granite State. Take the Currier & Ives Trail, named for the printmakers who created quintessential American scenes. From Hillsborough to Salisbury, it includes Colonial towns along Route 127 – Henniker, home of New England College; Hopkinton, with its two covered bridges; charming Contoocook; rural Webster. Just off the trail is Warner and the Mt Kearsarge Indian Museum. Or, follow the 25-mile Lake Sunapee Scenic & Cultural Byway (Routes 103 & 11) that takes you along one of the cleanest lakes in New England. Stop at a beach, take a guided boat tour or head up Mt Sunapee for the views. Down by the coast, the American Independence Byway loops from Seabrook to Hampton. Along its 21 miles are Kensington, surrounded by farms, and Exeter, the colony’s capital during the War of Independence.
Only a couple of hours from Boston, the White Mountains are dotted with famous ski resorts: Loon Mountain, Waterville Valley, Cranmore Mountain, Wildcat Mountain, Bretton Woods and Cannon Mountain. Ski one or ski them all, using the Multi-Mountain Ski Lift Ticket. With 97 per cent top-to-bottom snowmaking, and world-class grooming, you are bound to have great conditions, whether you ski downhill or cross-country, Telemark or board. There is fun for all abilities, with glade skiing for the more adventurous. Among the hotels and resorts popular with visitors over the years are Eagle Mountain House, Indian Head Resort, The Mountain Club on Loon, Mount Washington Resort at Bretton Woods and Woodward’s Resort.
Loon Mountain
Right off I-93, but deep in the White Mountain National Forest, Loon boasts 2,100 vertical feet, with 49 trails covering 19 miles and also a terrain park. This winter, a brand new high-speed quad chairlift opens up 50 more acres on South Peak.
Waterville Valley
Mt Tecumseh, with its 2,020-foot vertical drop, has 52 trails that converge at the base area. For boarders, there is a terrain park and superpipe; cross-country buffs take off on the 65 miles of trails. The ski school has award-winning children’s programs, as well as a slopeside nursery for tiny tots from six weeks old.
Cranmore Mountain
From skiing and snowboarding to snow toys, winter fun for all ages and all abilities is the promise here. Have a go at the groovy Wild Cherry Grand Prix Tubing Center; watch youngsters at the Darkside Freestyle Terrain Park, with its tabletops, berms and rails. Vertical drop 1,200 feet; 10 lifts; 39 trails.
Wildcat Mountain
Boasting the longest vertical drop (2,100 feet), the highest lift-served summit and the greatest lift capacity in the Mt. Washington Valley, Wildcat offers acres of unspoiled terrain. With its rolling terrain and wide choice, this is ideal for families. Novices have an area all to themselves, with their own triple chairlift.
Bretton Woods
Close to the grand Mount Washington Hotel, couples and families enjoy 76 trails with chutes, bumps, bowls, steeps, glades and plenty of wide-open cruising. As well as spectacular views, extras include sleigh rides, tubing, ice skating, night skiing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing on 60 miles of groomed trails.
Cannon Mountain
In Franconia Notch State Park, Cannon has a vertical drop of 2,146 feet and 45 trails, served by seven lifts, including the famous 70-passenger tram. Known for its intermediate and advanced runs, there is also a fine ski and snowboard school and children’s centre. The New England Ski Museum is at the base of the tramway.
Other New Hampshire resorts include: Attitash Bear Peak, Black Mountain, Gunstock
and King Pine.
Always leave time for shopping, with bargains galore at New Hampshire’s tax-free outlet stores in North Conway and Tilton.
The world’s first and still the oldest cog railway is the extraordinary Mount Washington Cog Railway. Driven by steam for 140 years, this is a thrill for all ages. Chug up to the 6,288-ft summit, the highest in the Northeast, for phenomenal vistas. But, always take an extra layer of clothing with you: the temperature difference between valley and summit can be significant.
One of the most beautiful drives in New England is State Route 112, the Kancamagus Highway. Named for a Native American chief, it is usually referred to as ‘The Kanc’. Running east-west between Warren and Conway, its 34 miles are free of petrol stations and shops, but dotted with scenic overlooks, where you can pull off the road to admire views of the Pemigewasset Valley. You can even take a dip in the natural pools and waterslides!
America’s oldest crafts association is the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. Founded 75 years ago, its 300 carefully-selected men and women create the heirlooms of tomorrow: jewelry and pottery, silver and woodcarvings, textiles and leather. Their work is available in seven shops: Center Sandwich, Concord, Hanover, Littleton, Meredith, North Conway and Wolfeboro.
Tax-free shopping is one of New Hampshire’s major attractions. Malls include Manchester’s Mall of New Hampshire and Nashua’s Pheasant Lane Mall. As for outlet shopping, Tilton boasts the Tanger Outlet Center, while Mount Washington Valley is a destination, thanks to North Conway’s Settlers’ Green Outlet Village and White Mountain Outlets.
At the end of the 19th century, Cornish was an artists’ colony, where sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens was a famous resident. Over 100 of his works are displayed in his home and gardens, preserved as the Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park
.
New Hampshire has over 50 covered bridges, but the best-known has to be the 1866 Cornish-Windsor Bridge. With a span of nearly 450 feet, it is the longest wooden covered bridge in the country and the longest 2-span covered bridge in the world. With 25 buildings and some 700 acres of gardens, fields and forests, Canterbury Shaker Village tells the story of the Shakers. Founded in 1792, this was one of the largest of the sect’s communities. Sign up for a workshop and learn how to make traditional brooms or oval boxes!
An easy walk – and perfect for cooling off – is the 800-ft long Flume Gorge trail. In Franconia Notch State Park, at the foot of Mount Liberty, this natural gorge has steep granite walls and waterfalls bouncing down the mountainside.
The big draw in Lincoln is Clark’s Trading Post, with trained bears, the Old Man Climbing Wall, Merlin’s Mystical Mansion and the White Mountain Central Railroad. Take a ride on a steam train through spectacular scenery. Board the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway and eight minutes later you are on the 4,180-ft summit. Follow the walking trails; admire the view. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Canada. All summer long, there’s fun in Hampton Beach. Special events include a free weekly firework show, the Master Sand Sculpting Contest (June), the Children’s Festival (August) and Seafood Festival (September).
It is easy to eat well in the Granite State. The seacoast town of Portsmouth is a foodie destination, thanks to outstanding restaurants offering everything from fresh sushi to fusion. As well as the bounty of the sea, there is the bounty of the land. Apples are a specialty; look out for crisp Cortlands, sweet Spencers and Baldwins, a chance seedling dating back to 1740. Tuck into locally-grown strawberries, corn-on-the-cob, tomatoes and more. As well as enjoying produce in restaurants and cafés, there are farm stands on country roads and farmers’ markets in cities, towns and villages. Then, there is the ‘Official Fruit’ of New Hampshire – the pumpkin. As Halloween approaches, pumpkin-mania takes hold, with church suppers and harvest fairs. In 2003, Keene gained the Guinness Book of World Records’ accolade for having the most illuminated jack-o-lanterns on display at one time – 28,952.
At the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, the major expansion project is due for completion in the spring of 2008. This will provide more hanging space for the fine collection of paintings by Picasso, Matisse and Monet, plus Georgia O’Keeffe, Alexander Calder and Andrew Wyeth. From the museum, you can take a tour of the Zimmerman House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in New England that is open to the public. Many of New England’s colleges and universities have notable museums. At Dartmouth College in Hanover, the Hood Museum of Art’s collection was founded in 1772 and is known for its African art. And, you can find music throughout the state. Plymouth, for example, is the home of the New Hampshire Music Festival’s program of concerts – from classical and pops to big band and chamber music.
PO Box 1856
Concord, NH 03302
Tel: (USA) 001 (603) 271 2665
www.visitnh.gov
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