Welcome to Visit New England - New Hampshire
Visit New Hampshire: A guide to NH travel, tourism, vacations, hotels, food, and attractions
> 60 Great Things to Do in New Hampshire
From the Seacoast to the White Mountains, New Hampshire offers great vacations
From the magnificent White Mountains in the north to the Lakes Region and the ocean beaches, New Hampshire is a vacation destination of outdoor attractions, parks, mountains, and lovely towns. Lodgings cover the range from mountain resorts, and beach resorts, and lake resorts to cabins, campsites, bed and breakfast inns, and urban hotels. In the mountains to the west and north, skiing is among the best on the East Coast.
The most familiar of New Hampshire locations may be the White Mountains, including the towering Mount Washington. The towns of Conway and North Conway are in this area, with attractions that are ideal for families with children, year-round. Look here for the increasingly popular canopy tours and zip lines. North Conway also is known for its outlet shopping. Lots of lodgings tailor-made for romantic weekend getaways can be found in the mountains, as in all parts of the state. Also up north is the Great North Woods, for the really serious outdoor sportsmen.
New Hampshire has a short but satisfying stretch of Seacoast, featuring the delightful historic town of Portsmouth, where great dining and shopping are major sources of fun for vacationers. Hampton Beach is New Hampshire’s major saltwater ocean beach, and it pleasures include old-fashioned family fun, concerts in an open-air bandshell, fireworks, festivals, a sand-sculpting contest, and even a Casino Ballroom with live entertainment.
The Lakes region, with its epicenter at Lake Winnipesaukee and the Squam Lakes, offers water sports all year, from the extremes of sunbathing in the summer to ice fishing in the winter.
In the inland Merrimack Valley region, Manchester is reviving its textile heritage by using the old mills as homes for fascinating historical and science and art museums. Concord, the capital, is a lovely, walkable New England city with beautiful parks and gardens and historic attractions.
The westernmost regions of Monadnock and Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee are filled with wooded parks, small towns, and outdoor sports, year-round. Hanover, the home of Dartmouth College, brings a dollop of collegiate levity to the area.