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Sightseeing in NH ranges from lake cruises to gondola skyrides to cave tours

New Hampshire > State > Sightseeing > Sightseeing

Sightseeing is a big undertaking in New Hampshire, where attractions and explorations for families or adults range from cruises to mysterious islands off the coast of Portsmouth to gondola skyrides at the state’s ski areas to tours of caves and deep forests to the north and west of the state. If rainy weather intrudes on your outdoor fun, there are fun and even slightly wacky museums and rainy-day activities like indoor playgrounds and arcades and all kinds of adult and children’s museums.

Sightseeing Excursion trains intro graf Conway-Scenic-Railroad-credit-NHDTTD and Craig Harrison
Aerial View - Mount Washington Auto Road - Gorham, NH
Mt. Washington Auto Road

Route 16, Pinkham Notch Gorham, NH, 03581 Phone: 603-466-3988

See the grandeur of the mountains when you drive, hike or take a tour up this auto road

There’s regular sightseeing, and then there is sightseeing from the summit of the highest mountain peak in the Northeast. When you drive, hike or take a tour up the Mt. Washington Auto Road, you can expect to see vistas that will take your breath away as you look out over Great Gulf Wilderness and the Presidential Mountain Range. Visitors can take their own car (and earn the “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington” bumper sticker) or, on certain days, their ATV; join a two-hour guided tour; or hike. There are a number of scenic pull-offs along the way to take pictures. You can also reserve a spot in a sunrise or sunset tour. In the winter, the SnowCoach takes you to the tree line with awe-inspiring vistas.
Riverside View - Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train - North Woodstock, NH
Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train

3 Crossing at Riverplace North Woodstock, NH, 03262 Phone: 603-745-3500

Scenic views, sensational dining on board the vintage rail cars of this dinner train

The scenic vistas you’ll see through the windows of the Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train are perfectly complemented by the five-course gourmet meal you are served while traveling. The train, one of the nation’s premier dinner trains, features lovingly restored 1950s vintage rail cars, with elaborate woodworking, stained glass and brass throughout. Your two-hour trip takes you through the picturesque Pemigewasset River Valley, through the woods, over three trestle bridges and through the Jack-O-Lantern Golf Course and a Christmas tree farm before heading back to the North Woodstock station. In addition to the gorgeous views, you’ll enjoy a culinary delight, from creative appetizers to seasonally inspired entrees and luscious desserts. The train, which runs May to October, also offers a full bar.
Classic Train Bridge - Scenic RailRiders - Concord, NH
Scenic RailRiders

188 Sewalls Falls Road Concord, NH, 03301 Phone: 603-931-1700

Here’s a new way to appreciate New England’s scenery: pedaling along a rail track

If you’re looking for an original way to appreciate New England’s picture-book environment, Scenic RailRiders has an idea: See it while pedaling custom-made Rail-Bikes! The pedal-powered scenic railroad company offers round trips from Concord to Boscawen, N.H. on the stretch of abandoned, now rehabilitated, tracks built for the Northern Railroad back in 1846. Two- and four-seat easy-to-pedal bikes (they can be linked together for larger groups) take you through woods, past farmlands and over a couple of bridges, all along the picturesque Merrimack River. Two guides will pass along some historical facts as you pedal along the 6.4-mile route, which takes a little under two hours. There are two turn-around points to stretch your legs and soak in the scenery.