Top Things to do in New Hampshire
Top Hotels in New Hampshire
- 1. The Glen House
- 2. Hampton Inn & Suites Portsmouth Downtown
- 3. White Mountain Hotel and Resort
- 4. Comfort Inn & Suites
- 5. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Manchester
- 6. Ashworth by the Sea
- 7. Hampton Inn & Suites North Conway
- 8. Hampton Inn & Suites Tilton
- 9. Port Inn And Suites Portsmouth, Ascend Hotel Collection
- 10. Top Notch Inn
10 Things to do Good for Adrenaline Seekers in New Hampshire That You Shouldn't Miss
If you are looking for diversity, you will certainly find it in New Hampshire. From lakes to beaches, waterfalls to woods and mountains to sea coast, the state has huge potential for outdoor vacations, including downhill or cross-country skiing in winter. With no less than seventy-five state parks that offer natural areas, hiking trails, beaches and historic sites, New Hampshire caters for a variety of tastes. Crawford Notch State Park in Harts Location has picturesque waterfalls, wonderful mountain views and opportunities for viewing wildlife. You can go hiking and fishing there as well as pay a visit to the historic Willey House. Monadnock State Park, unlike some other state parks, is open all year round for hiking. Want to go swimming? You will find five state park beaches along the coast of New Hampshire, such as Wallis Sands with its view of the rocky Isles of Shoals. On North Hampton State Beach and Jenness Beach you can have a picnic as well as a swim. When you've finally had your fill of fresh air, head for the Museum of New Hampshire History in Concord with exhibits focusing on heritage and traditions; children should enjoy them just as much as adults.
Restaurants in New Hampshire
1. Franconia Notch State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 639 reviews
Named one of the 12 best state parks in America.
Reviewed By MT1 - Aurora, United States
I lived in NH for many years and have passed through Franconia Notch many times, back when the actual Old Man of the Mountain actually existed. This is a beautiful drive, especially in the Fall, and there are lots of places to stop and things to do - the Old Man of the Mountain "hologram" if you will, the Flume Gorge, the Basin, Profile Lake, hiking trails, etc. If you are visiting NH you should definitely make a visit here, and you can also check out the nice little town of Littleton on the north side of "the Notch".
2. Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 637 reviews
Located at the base of the Mt. Washington Auto Road in Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire, Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center offers winter activities and events for families, friends and groups of all ages. From cross country skiing, snowshoeing and snow tubing, to winter tours on the Mt. Washington SnowCoach, family-owned Great Glen Trails has become a true White Mountain classic. We groom over 20 kilometers of trails and have an additional 25 kilometers of ungroomed off-track ski and snowshoe trails. We rent high quality equipment including skis, boots, and poles along with snowshoes and fatbikes. Our top-notch Ski School offers the best instruction for beginners to advanced skiers.
3. Tuckerman's Ravine
4. Mount Chocorua
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 58 reviews
Reviewed By escapefrombrooklyn - Brooklyn, United States
We did the loop that has a bunch of pretty sketchy bouldering and rock scrambling. Would recommend for experienced hikers who are fit and comfortable with advanced rock scrambling. A great reward at the summit! Very memorable hike, what a tough day back to hiking!
5. Welch Mountain and Dickey Mountain Loop
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 93 reviews
Reviewed By muktwo - East Elmhurst, United States
This is quite a challenging hike especially going up the smooth rocky surfaces uphill. The view at the top however is well worth it. Amazing 360 degree view of other mountaintops and early fall foliage (we went on 9/16). Downhill path is easy but could be a little better marked especially in the rocky areas (look for the cairns). Overall one of the best hikes I have done!
6. Mount Washington State Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 97 reviews
Reviewed By AM731
Choosing when to go is tricky, choose a good, sunny day and yo may have to queue for hours to do it. Choose a less fine day and you won’t get the promised view from the summit. We first tried on a sunny Saturday and met a queue some way out from the entrance. We dutifully queued for over an hour but gave up when an operative told us that it would be at least another hour. We returned the next day, no queue, fantastic! You’re given a cassette to play which talks you through the climb and gives the history of the road’s construction. Continual advice to use low gear and to stop and cool the brakes on the way down. It’s fascinating to see the change in vegetation and tree cover at different heights. The road is built to take passing traffic but is narrow and does have sheer drops. Some drivers find that difficult and try and take more than their share of it! It was very windy when we parked and got out, I needed to hold on. The low cloud soaked you too. Underfoot there was ice in places. The cafe was basic but the food and drink was gratefully received. The gift shop was as expected. The museum was excellent, very informative. The post office was the only one I saw in the States during our visit. Really worth doing, highly recommended.
7. Kancamagus Highway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3,459 reviews
Highway 112 runs from Center Conway to North Woodstock, just south of Franconia Notch. Passing through the White Mountain National Forest, it is considered one of the most scenic highways in the U.S. and offers a number of interesting stopping off points.
Reviewed By harpazhadar - Haifa, Israel
We had only 4 hours to experience this amazing road so had to focus on few specific spots. Made some research online beforehand and decided on these 4 stops which did not disappoint! Started from the North Conway eastern entrance we stopped at the Saco Ranger Station and paid 5$ for a parking daily pass. (You have to pay only if you plan on stopping and parking on the way). There were also self service - pay your fee on site stations but you had to have the exact amount in cash to use them. Our Top stops were: 1. Albany Covered Bridge 2. Lower Falls Scenic Area 3. Rocky Gorge Scenic Area 4. Sabbaday Falls We were traveling on the beginning of the Foliage season and the colors and ambiance were perfect! Not much to eat on the way so it is best to make some sandwiches and stock on some snacks and water before entering. On the other side near Lincoln we had a terrific dinner at Black Mt. Burger Co – highly recommended!!!
8. Mount Monadnock State Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 216 reviews
The climb to the top of the 3,165-foot-peak is a popular activity in this picturesque park.
Reviewed By bklyn56 - Westford, United States
BRING LAYERS! This hike is a great workout in both endurance and strength. The trail starts off with a very long slight grade and then ramps up to a steep and rocky assault. Parts of it are a climb, not a hike, but it is well worth the effort. Weather on the summit varies greatly so check the weather. 3 weeks ago we summitted in short sleeves to a cloudless sky. Last weekend we summitted onto what quickly became a cloudburst of horizontal snow and driving wind which subsided just below the summit. There is already ice on the trail but you can navigate around it.
9. The Mount Washington Cog Railway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2,028 reviews
Climb to the top of Mount Washington on the world's first mountain-climbing Cog Railway trains!
10. Polar Caves Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 368 reviews
A family adventure since 1922! Polar Caves is located in the scenic Baker River Valley in Rumney, New Hampshire. Come tour our natural scenic attraction featuring 9 glacial boulder caves. While visiting, feed the fallow deer, pheasants, and ducks. Also try the Baking River Mining Sluice; tour our Maple Lodge, and enjoy the truly unique Glacial Rock Garden. Be sure to check out our Polar Climbing walls with different levels of difficulty to provide a challenge for anyone! Bring your own lunch and enjoy our picnic area with charcoal grills, charcoal not provided. Be sure to visit our Gift Shop and try some fudge before you go! Open Daily 9am to 6pm!
Reviewed By sheilamk87 - Providence, United States
This is a great place to explore the caves at your own pace. If you don't want to go in all of them you can bypass the ones that may be too challenging or too small a space. (I passed on some.) Great views at the top! Very good for families.
