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
What to do and see in New Hampshire, United States: The Best Nature & Parks
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. White Mountain National Forest
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 236 reviews
Great outdoors activities all year long.
Reviewed By WaitForIttttt - Hazlet, United States
My husband and I visited White Mountain National Forest this week for some pandemic-safe hiking because we heard it was forecasted to be peak foliage. We were so glad we did because the scenery was breathtaking, featuring all the gorgeous colors of autumn. There were tons of beautiful overlooks to stop at and a diverse selection of trails. We decided to hike the Champney Falls Trail and it was a lovely trail that followed the brook through the leaves to the waterfall. This Forest is definitely a must-see in Autumn!
3. Zealand Falls Trail
4. Tuckerman's Ravine
5. Glen Ellis Falls
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 343 reviews
Reviewed By TNKaz
When we visited in October, 64 ft high Glen Ellis Falls was quite impressive with a great amount of water flow. The Falls are reached by just a very short walk (0.3-mile) from the parking lot. There is a pit toilet available near the parking area. You start the walk by going through a tunnel which goes under NH Route 16. Over 100 stone steps will lead you down to the base of the falls for the best viewing of the entire falls. When we visited, these stone steps were still wet from a rain the night before, so we had to use extra caution. The round trip walk took us 20 minutes. The location and description of the walk to this Falls was listed in the book, “AMC's Best Day Hikes in the White Mountain's” which we purchased prior to our trip. The book mentions that this is a very popular walk, so we are glad that we visited early in the morning. At that time of day it was not crowded at all. We were told by the White Mountains Visitor Center to display our Senior National Park Pass so that it could be seen through our car window. Otherwise, in the parking lots, there is usually a box for a fee for day use of White Mountains National Forest areas.
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. Mount Flume + Mount Liberty Loop
8. Flume Gorge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,644 reviews
Flume Gorge trail is temporarily closed for hiking until May 10, 2019 An 800-foot gorge that extends from the base of Mount Liberty. It is open from May 8 - October 25.
Reviewed By ddaltamura - Stamford, United States
5 of us did the flume gorge hike which includes the "pool", "avalanche falls", "liberty gorge" and "flume gorge" all along about a 2 or 2.5 mile hike. You can take a bus to bypass parts of it on the way up. It's a lot of uphill walking and the flume gorge part has a lot up stairs going up. The sights are really magnificent and worth seeing.
9. Mount Washington
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 241 reviews
Part of the White Mountains, this is the highest peak in the Northeast.
Reviewed By 53ANNW - North Olmsted, United States
Historical cog train ride to summit. Drastic weather change from base to summit. Dress appropriately - sturdy shoes, hat, gloves, and jacket. Majestic views on a clear day.
10. Cathedral Ledge
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,003 reviews
A rock cliff that is popular with climbers.
Reviewed By kafiagirl - Woonsocket, United States
After viewing the ledge from Echo lake we took the short drive up to the ledge. It was a beautiful clear day - views were beautiful, mountains in the distance, Echo lake from the top, rock climbers making their way up.
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