Hampton Beach
Lake Wentworth.
A perfect sliver of coast leads to a thick, inland forest dotted with lakes, a varied region with deep history, a fascinating natural world, and a laid-back vacation culture. Craggy peaks and fierce politics are the face New Hampshire turns toward the world, so the lakes and seacoast can come as a bit of a surprise.
And with just 18 miles of coastline, there’s a lot to see and do by the water. Portsmouth is a stately blend of colonial history and Yankee grit, equally appealing for a trip through New England history as for an afternoon of “deck punch” and sunshine by the Piscataqua River, with the town’s active fishing fleet bobbing at your feet.
All the pomp and tradition are offset by the hubbub of nearby Hampton Beach, where Portsmouth’s brick architecture gives way to an oceanside strip scented with fried dough and teenage hormones.
Leave the coast behind, and the landscape closes into a rolling forest, broken by some of New Hampshire’s endless lakes—the state claims nearly 1,000. Ranging from thumbprint ponds to vast bodies of water, they’re pure nostalgia, lined with ice cream shops, lakeside cottages, penny arcades, and old-fashioned bandstands.
Unless you’re a die-hard history buff, two days is enough to see Portsmouth’s main sites, though it’s worth adding in a third if you’d like to explore the nearby Isles of Shoals. Since Hampton Beach is a love-it-or-hate-it sort of destination, opt for a couple of wild days or skip it altogether. And while there’s plenty of lakes for a lifetime of puddle jumping, a few days will suffice for most, time enough to swim, take in a drive-in movie, and listen to the sounds of loons or power boats (depending on your lake of choice).
Look for S to find recommended sights, activities, dining, and lodging.
S Strawbery Banke Museum: A whole neighborhood of historic homes brings colonial-era America to life with costumed docents and fascinating stories (click here).
S Cruising the Isles of Shoals: Shrouded in mist and a bit of historic mayhem, this cluster of rocky islands has long drawn pirates, dreamers, and outcasts (click here).
S Lake Winnipesaukee Cruises: People come from all over to take in the breathtaking views of Lake Winni aboard impressive vessels (click here).
S Squam Lakes Natural Science Center: Among New England’s best places to learn about the natural world, families can meet mountain lions, bears, and more at this rambling outdoor nature center (click here).
A thin sliver of coastline squeezed by its larger seafaring neighbors in Maine and Massachusetts, New Hampshire’s seacoast is anchored by a historic city and a thriving ocean culture. Working shipyards send submarines and cruisers around the world, and the horizon is broken only by harbor lighthouses and the silhouettes of the Isles of Shoals.
Just a short drive down the coast, Portsmouth’s staid culture gives way to the sunburned frenzy of Hampton Beach, New England’s raucous answer to the Jersey Shore. It’s a world away from the rugged high peaks of the White Mountains, but the New Hampshire waterfront packs a great deal into a bit of shoreline, and it’s all an easy day trip away from downtown Boston.
Historic brick buildings line the Piscataqua River, and a busy fishing fleet moors just off an elegant downtown—Portsmouth is easily among the most appealing small cities in New England. This was the site of the Strawbery Banke colony, founded by a commerce-minded group of settlers in 1630, and it was a beautifully chosen spot.
the Portsmouth Decks
Before roads and railroads left riverboats bobbing at their moorings, the Piscataqua River linked the seacoast with a maze of inland waterways, rich in timber and other natural resources. It’s been a shipbuilding city ever since, and Portsmouth retains a blend of moneyed grace and workaday hustle. An easy place to explore on foot, there’s fascinating architecture throughout the heart of town, and the open-air Strawbery Banke Museum is among the best collection of historic homes in New England.
True to its roots, though, Portsmouth still turns toward the water—both the tidal Piscataqua and the offshore islands—so it’s worth planning an excursion by mail ferry, kayak, or gundalow, the historic river sailing boats that once brought the spoils of the New Hampshire forests to a port with global reach.
A cluster of 32 historic homes makes the open-air Strawbery Banke Museum (14 Hancock St., 603/433-1100, www.strawberybanke.org, 10am-5pm daily May-Oct., $19.50 adults, $9 children 5-17, children under 4 free, $48 family of 2 adults and 2 children, all tickets good for visits on 2 consecutive days) among the best destinations in New England for exploring the daily lives of early colonial people.
Part of the pleasure of visiting is that the museum is self-directed; in the summer you’re invited to wander around, poke into houses, talk to costumed interpreters, and generally just explore colonial history for yourself. The homes are “inhabited” by enthusiastic docents, some costumed, who work to bring each place to life.
Among the museum’s many highlights is the Wheelwright House, once home to an 18th-century ship captain active in the East Indies trade. His simple Georgian home is filled with furniture and ceramics from the period. Another must-see is the Daniel Webster House, which includes exhibits from the time that the great 19th-century statesmen spent in Portsmouth in the early part of his career. And if you are interested in seeing the actual items unearthed in the restoration of all the homes in the museum, stop by the Jones Center, which displays the findings from archaeological work on the neighborhood.
Strawbery Banke is just the beginning of historic properties on view in the city; if house museums are your thing, you could easily spend a week marveling at the variety and quality of those preserved here. The Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce (500 Market St., 603/610-5510, www.goportsmouthnh.com) has linked up some of the highlights on the Harbor Trail, a walking path that loops through the historic downtown—pick up a map at the chamber of commerce office, or at the information booth on Market Square.
While it’s easy enough to explore on your own, the walking tours offered by the Portsmouth Historical Society (10 Middle St., 603/436-8433, www.portsmouthhistory.org, $15) are very worthwhile. Led by knowledgeable, local docents, the tours offer broad context for the sites along the way. If you’re planning to visit historic homes, it’s a good introduction before exploring each place. Tours depart from the Portsmouth Historical Society, which maintains rotating exhibits on local history.
One fascinating stop on the Harbor Trail is the Portsmouth Athenaeum (9 Market Sq., 603/431-2538, www.portsmouthathenaeum.org, 1pm-4pm Tues. and Thurs., 10am-4pm Sat., free), one of New England’s most fascinating private libraries, with a collection that illustrates the founders’ broad-minded approach to documenting history. Treasures include the hatchet from the infamous Smuttynose murders and a purported whale eyeball that’s rumored to be a whale testicle, but the building itself is gorgeous.
And if you’re visiting just one historic house in the city, make it the Moffatt-Ladd House (154 Market St., 603/436-8221, www.moffattladd.org, 11am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 1pm-5pm Sun. June-mid-Oct., $8 adults, $2.50 children), built by a wealthy colonial merchant. The Georgian-style mansion is carefully restored, with wallpaper, paint, and decor much like those used by generations of inhabitants. And if you didn’t know that there was a National Register of Historic Trees, the docents will fill you in—the enormous horse chestnut tree in front of the house was planted in 1776 by a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
A pleasant place to end the walk is at the riverside Prescott Park (105 Marcy St., www.prescottpark.org), which overflows with perennial blooms throughout the summer months. It’s also the location for many free, outdoor movies, concerts, and other events—you can even go on the website to reserve blanket space right in front of the stage.
In recent years, Portsmouth has worked to acknowledge the history of enslaved people who lived and worked in the city through colonial times and beyond. Focusing on their stories, the Portsmouth Black Heritage Trail (www.blackheritagetrailnh.org) visits taverns, homes, and two burial grounds, including the moving Portsmouth African Burying Ground (1 Junkins Ave., 603/610-7226, www.africanburyinggroundnh.org), which was rediscovered in 2003. The site is now inscribed with words from the 1799 Freedom Petition that a group of enslaved Africans submitted to the New Hampshire legislature, an eloquent document requesting that “we may regain our liberty and be rank’d in the class of free agents, and that the name of SLAVE be no more in a land gloriously contending for the sweets of freedom.” A self-guided tour is available from the website, and the Portsmouth Historical Society also leads walking tours of the Black Heritage Trail.
Kids can get their hands salty at the coastal Seacoast Science Center (570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 603/436-8043, www.seacoastsciencecenter.org, 10am-5pm daily, $13 adults, $8 seniors and military, $5 children 3-12, children under 3 free), with indoor exhibits and outdoor programs that take advantage of the rocky tide pools that are just outside. Indoor tanks and touch pools explore the wildlife of the Gulf of Maine, as well as the researchers who work with marine wildlife. One advantage of the Seacoast Science Center’s long-established marine rescue program is that when local fishermen and lobstermen find odd creatures—like the rare blue, yellow, or calico lobsters—they will often land on public display in one of the center’s rotating tanks, so there’s usually something remarkable for even repeat visitors. Memorial Day-Columbus Day, visitors in cars must also pay admission to Odiorne State Park (603/436-7406, www.nhstateparks.org, $4 adults, $2 children), where the science center is located.
A haven for fishermen, pirates, artists, and Unitarians, the nine rocky islands scattered off Portsmouth Harbor are thick with legend. This was a colonial-era escape from the Puritan strictures of the mainland, a prime spot for buried pirate treasure, and, they say, where Blackbeard honeymooned with his final bride. The 19th-century poet Celia Thaxter was raised in the Isles of Shoals, and later wrote of the islands that “there is a strange charm about them, an indescribable influence in their atmosphere, hardly to be explained, but universally acknowledged.”
But the islands’ most famous event is of the true crime genre—in 1873 two sisters were brutally murdered by an axe-wielding itinerant fisherman on the island of Smuttynose. A third woman managed to elude the killer and bring him to justice, but the story continues to haunt the area, inspiring florid books and movies ever since (for the best account, look up Celia Thaxter’s contemporary piece in The Atlantic).
Tours of the islands with the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company (315 Market St., Portsmouth, 603/431-5500, www.islesofshoals.com, several tours daily, 2.5-4.5-hour cruises, $28-35 adults, $25-35 seniors, $18-25 children) milk all of the mist-enshrouded legends, and some include time to explore Star Island. You’re free to wander off, but guided tours cover the stories, from the 1614 arrival of Captain John Smith to a lineup of local ghosts.
There’s often live music at the laid-back Portsmouth Book & Bar (40 Pleasant St., 603/427-9197, www.bookandbar.com, 10am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 9am-midnight Fri.-Sat.), a bookstore with comfortable seats, strong coffee, and a solid menu of local beers and wine. In a cavernous space downtown, The Portsmouth Brewery (56 Market St., 603/431-1115, www.portsmouthbrewery.com, 11:30am-12:25am daily) has held court for years with a range of well-executed beers that range from traditional to highly creative. There’s a full menu and bar snacks, and there’s usually food specials during the 5pm-7pm Mon.-Fri. happy hour. Smaller and infinitely funkier, Earth Eagle Brewings (165 High St., 603/502-2244, www.eartheaglebrewings.com, 11:30am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-midnight Fri.-Sat.) specializes in gruits, beers that use herbs to provide the bitter background usually supplied by hops. An outdoor patio and live music on weekends make this a friendly, offbeat place to while away the night.
In the summer months, though, evenings in Portsmouth start at The Decks, a series of patios that jut out above the Piscataqua River, a great spot for catching the breeze and lovely sunset views. Most of the restaurants near the junction of Bow Street and Ceres Street have great decks, and many have their own version of “deck punch,” usually a tropically inspired blend of rum and something sweet. One favorite is The River House (53 Bow St., 603/431-2600, www.riverhouse53bow.com, 11am-9pm daily), which also has a very respectable seafood chowder. Just around the corner, The Oar House (55 Ceres St., 603/436-4025, www.portsmouthoarhouse.com, 11:30am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 11:30am-10pm Sat., 10am-3pm Sun.) commands equally great views, with live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The website Seacoast Happy Hours (www.seacoasthappyhours.com) is a great resource for daily drinks and food specials.
On the first Friday of every month, the local art association sponsors a Gallery Walk (www.artroundtown.org), in which galleries around downtown break out wine and cheese for simultaneous openings. Additionally, Strawbery Banke Museum sponsors several different theme weekends throughout the year, including a summer Maritime Weekend, Halloween ghost tours, and the popular Candlelight Stroll (603/433-1100, www.strawberybanke.org, Dec.), in which the streets of the museum are filled with hundreds of lit candles, and interpreters lead visitors in traditional holiday festivities.
Downtown Portsmouth is packed with shops, with many clustered around Market Square, then following Market Street to the water. Just off that route is the stylish gallery-boutique Nahcotta (110 Congress St., 603/433-1705, www.nahcotta.com, 10am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.), which features a great deal of work by New England artists. When it comes to shopping in Portsmouth, visitors are divided between the browsable shops in the historic center and the outlet stores just across the Piscataqua River in Kittery.
Following the coast through a former military installation, Odiorne State Park (570 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 603/436-7406, www.nhstateparks.org, $4 adults, $2 children) has a network of walking trails that weave between salt marsh, beaches, and rocky outcroppings. On the western side of the park, there’s a breakwater and pleasant sandy beach looking across the harbor, while the northeastern extreme has a picnic area surrounded by water.
In 2017, Portsmouth launched a city bike program (202/999-3924, bike.zagster.com/portsmouthnh) with six bike stations in the downtown area. To access the bikes, users download a free app, then pay a small membership fee. Bikes are free for up to two hours, then $3 per hour for the rest of the day. They’re great for cruising around town, and there are some good, longer rides from Portsmouth—one favorite is the New Castle Loop, an eight-mile route that follows Route 1B from downtown across a series of linked islands, the largest being New Castle.
The Piscataqua River once bristled with sails, as merchants brought lumber and other goods between the seaport and inland communities. Many of the boats were cargo barges with a shallow draft, and a mast that could be lowered to slide under bridges. That tradition lives on at The Gundalow Company (60 Marcy St., 603/433-9505, www.gundalow.org, $25-35), whose Piscataqua is a floating lesson in local sailing heritage. Trips range from history sails along the Portsmouth waterfront to longer, upriver sails, and some scheduled trips include free admission for children.
Less expensive and with multiple departures each day through the summer, Portsmouth Harbor Cruises (64 Ceres St., 800/776-0915, www.portsmouthharbor.com, $15-25 adults, $13-22 seniors, $11-18 children) has fully narrated trips aboard the comfortable Heritage, including history cruises, upriver cruises, and sunset tours that catch the city at its most enchanting.
You can get out on the water in decidedly smaller craft through Portsmouth Kayak Adventures (185 Wentworth Rd., 603/559-1000, www.portsmouthkayak.com, 2- to 3-hour guided tours $45-75, kayak rentals from $45), which leads guided trips around the Piscataqua River estuaries as well as out on the open ocean of Portsmouth Harbor.
Ten minutes outside of Portsmouth, New Castle Beach (301 Wentworth Rd., New Castle, admission $4) has sand for lounging and picnic tables, as well as great views of Portsmouth Harbor boat traffic and a pair of pretty lighthouses. Restrooms are available through the summer months, and a small playground is on-site.
With somewhat warmer water and more facilities, Wallis Sands State Beach (1050 Ocean Blvd., Rye, 603/436-6404, www.nhstateparks.org, parking $15) is a favorite with families. A long stretch of sand looks out toward the Isles of Shoals, a lifeguard is on duty 10am-5pm, and the park is stocked with snack bars, showers, and a bathhouse. Low tide reveals a network of tidepools among beds of glistening seaweed.
In a sleekly hip space downtown, S Row 34 (5 Portwalk Pl., 603/319-5011, www.row34nh.com, 11:30am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat., 10:30am-10pm Sun., $15-35) is a shrine to the raw bar, with piles of glistening ice mounded under fresh oysters, clams, and shrimp. Some of the oysters come from the restaurant’s own farm in Duxbury, Massachusetts, and the servers are uncommonly knowledgeable about the subtleties of oyster provenance and flavor. It’s fascinating to try a lineup of oysters from neighboring farms, as the bivalves vary dramatically, but the regular menu is solid as well, with classic seafood preparations and a few non-maritime options. Every day until 5pm, $1 oysters are on special.
Another favorite for seafood is Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Café (150 Congress St., 603/766-3474, www.jumpinjays.com, 5pm-9pm Sun.-Thurs., 5pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., $20-30), whose careful preparations belie the casual atmosphere. The crab cakes are superb, and the haddock piccata is something of a legend around town, with a bright lemon, caper, and white wine sauce served over mashed potatoes.
A sip of Portland (Oregon) in the middle of Portsmouth, Profile Coffee Bar (15 Portwalk Pl., 603/501-1801, www.profilecoffeebar.com, 6:30am-6pm daily, $2-9) serves the best cups in town. Cold brew nitro, espresso, and pour overs are made with Counter Culture coffee beans, and the small menu of breakfast sandwiches, soups, and salads is excellent. If you’re looking for a place to settle in with a laptop, this is the spot.
Not a gourmet destination, per se, Gilley’s Diner (175 Fleet St., 603/431-6343, www.gilleyspmlunch.com, 11am-2am daily, $2-6) is all about steamed hot dogs and nostalgia. The tiny diner is in a lunch cart built by the Worcester Lunch Car Co., the original 1940 structure banged onto a trailer-like extension. Order your dog “with everything” and it will come buried in a delightfully sloppy pile of mustard, relish, onions, mayonnaise, ketchup, and pickles.
For a romantic night out, it’s hard to beat the Black Trumpet Bistro (29 Ceres St., 603/431-0887, www.blacktrumpetbistro.com, 5pm-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 5pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., $19-35), which has been a leader in bringing sustainable seafood to New England restaurants. It’s in an atmospheric building by the waterfront that’s all brick and polished wood, while the menu brings broad influences to bear on local fish and meat. Seafood paella is very well done here, and the hangar steak wins raves.
A bright, casual eatery with very hearty servings, Colby Breakfast & Lunch (105 Daniel St., 603/436-3033, 7am-2pm daily, $5-12) is cozy and compact. You might have to wait for a table on busy mornings, but piles of blueberry pancakes, generously sauced huevos rancheros, and classic sandwiches make it worth your while.
With a bakery case full of goodies and a menu of sandwiches, soups, and wraps, Ceres Bakery (51 Penhallow St., 603/436-6518, www.ceresbakery.com, 7am-5pm Mon.-Sat., 7am-4pm Sun., $2-9) is a longtime local favorite with colorful charm. Sometimes the seating fills up, but the bakery is a short walk away from Prescott Park, making this an excellent spot to pick up picnic fare on a sunny day.
Hotels and inns in central Portsmouth tend to be quite expensive, especially those that are walking distance from downtown sights. Airbnb is a good alternative here, and many owners of historic homes rent out a room or two during high season. Finding a place to park on the street, however, can be a challenge, so it’s worth ensuring that your rental has a spot for guests. A cluster of chain hotels by the interstate is another option for travelers on a budget.
Outside of the crush of the center, Port Inn (505 Rte. 1 Bypass, 855/849-1513, www.portinnportsmouth.com, $159-259) is a good option for families who don’t lean toward inns—motel-style rooms are spacious, and the inn is equipped with a heated, outdoor pool. The dog-friendly property has a self-serve breakfast bar that’s a solid step above the average motel options, with local granola, cappuccinos, and Belgian waffles.
A 0.5 mile stroll from downtown sights, S Martin Hill Inn (404 Islington St., 603/436-2287, www.martinhillinn.com, $145-220) is a pair of historic homes surrounded by pretty gardens. Decor leans toward B&B-traditional, with judicious flounces, throw pillows, and the occasional four-poster bed, but rooms are comfortable and updated, each with private bath and flat-screen television. The innkeepers serve a hearty, two-course breakfast between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning, and set out treats like freshly baked cookies, chocolates, and a decanter of sherry, along with fixings for tea and coffee.
The stylish Ale House Inn (121 Bow St., 603/431-7760, www.alehouseinn.com, $129-600) is built into a former brewery warehouse that’s over a century old, and it has the feel of a beautifully renovated loft (as well as the very recognizable put-a-bird-on-it aesthetic of the Lark Hotel chain). Amenities include use of the hotel’s bicycles, parking, air-conditioning, and in-room iPads, and the downtown location is unbeatable. The same hotel group owns The Hotel Portsmouth (40 Court St., 603/433-1200, www.thehotelportsmouth.com, $169-500), which combines the same amenities and design focus with an inn-like feel (rates at this property also include breakfast).
For more information on the city, contact the Greater Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce (500 Market St., 603/610-5510, 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat.-Sun. mid May-mid Oct.; 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri. mid Oct.-mid May, www.goportsmouthnh.com) which also runs an information booth (10am-5pm daily mid May-mid Oct.) on the main corner of Market Square. Portsmouth offers free Wi-Fi Internet access throughout the downtown Market Square area.
Portsmouth is located off I-95, on the northern border of the New Hampshire seacoast. C & J Bus (800/258-7111, www.ridecj.com) has service between Portsmouth and Boston (from 1 hr., 20 min., one-way ticket $17) and New York City (5 hrs., one-way ticket $79).
Fried clams, penny arcades, sunburns, and mini golf—Hampton Beach is a rowdy and ramshackle beach town with the volume cranked to 11. Go for the people-watching or just dive into the honky-tonk fun, drifting up and down the main drag alongside a crowd of slow-cruising teenagers checking out each other’s tans.
And when you’ve got enough sun, hit the arcades for some skee-ball, pinball, and vintage video games, then get your fortune told by a beachfront psychic.
Miles of sandy beach are the starring attraction at Hampton Beach State Park (Ocean Blvd., 603/926-8990, www.nhstateparks.org), and on sunny days, the waterfront fills with families. Restroom facilities are dotted along the street side of the beach, and there’s a huge parking lot on the south end of the beach that is a good alternative to searching for street parking (160 Ocean Blvd., 603/227-8700, all-day parking $15).
There used to be far more, but the Hampton Beach arcade scene has been reduced to two holdouts. The 1905 Funarama Arcade (169 Ocean Blvd., 603/926-2381, 10am-11pm daily) is the largest arcade in Hampton Beach, with a good mix of newer games and nostalgic favorites. A bit grimy and neglected, this is the land of Skee-Ball and PAC-MAN, and includes some one-off treasures like a vintage, coin-operated puppet show. Pinball aficionados should opt for Playland Arcade (211 Ocean Blvd., 603/926-3831, 10am-11pm daily), which has a huge collection of games and a classic selection of chintzy prizes.
Shipwrecks, waterfalls, and a full 18 holes makes Captain’s Cove Adventure Golf (814 Lafayette Rd., 603/926-5011, www.smallgolf.com, 10am-10pm daily in season) a favorite with the mini-golf crowd, and there’s a concession stand that doles out mammoth servings of ice cream (there’s often golfing discounts available online).
Back in the 1930s, the historic Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom (169 Ocean Blvd., 603/929-4100, www.casinoballroom.com) featured big-band headliners from Count Basie to Duke Ellington. It’s been a bit of a downhill journey, but the historic 2,000-seat ballroom is still a great place to see a show. Locals play live at Wally’s Pub (144 Ashworth Ave., 603/926-6954, www.wallyspubnh.com), where you’ll never have difficulty securing a seat or a cold beer. Some nights can get a little raucous (the tail end of Monday night beer pong tournaments, for example).
The strip is home to countless events over the course of the summer. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated is the Master Sand Sculpting Competition (603/929-6301, www.greggrady.com, late June), in which 250 tons of sand are delivered to the beach for sculptors to turn into castles, mermaids, and pop stars.
Master Sand Sculpting Competition
There are souvenir shops up and down Ocean Boulevard, but the classic Hampton Beach souvenir would be a pile of saltwater taffy and caramel corn from The Candy Corner (197 Ocean Blvd., 603/926-1740, 9am-11pm daily), which also does a brisk trade in fudge of all varieties.
Beachgoers line up for great slabs of golden fried dough from Blinky’s Fry Doe (191 Ocean Blvd., 603/926-8933, 9am-1am daily, $2-9), a longtime institution across the street from the beach. The standard offering comes showered with powdered sugar and cinnamon, but there’s a laundry list of options, including several savory varieties.
Find coffee and a menu of light breakfast items at Jumpin’ Jack’s Java (333 Ocean Blvd., 603/758-1559, www.jumpinjacksjava.com, 5am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 6am-3pm Sun., $2-8), which also has decent non-fried takeout options that are convenient for ocean-side picnics.
A big, shady porch is the draw at Boardwalk Café and Pub (139 Ocean Blvd., 603/929-7400, www.boardwalkcafe.net, 11am-late daily, $10-32), whose huge menu has something for everyone. This is a prime place to stake out for watching the crowd, and there are some healthy options to offset the fried seafood mainstays.
Slightly more sedate, Sea Ketch (127 Ocean Blvd., 603/926-0324, www.seaketch.com, 7:15am-11:45pm daily, $11-25) serves classic surf and turf dinners and straight-from-the-market seafood on outdoor porches and a rooftop deck.
The Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce (603/926-8717, www.hamptonchamber.com) runs a visitors information center located at the Seashell (180 Ocean Blvd.). More information is available from the Hampton Village District (22 C St., 603/926-8717, www.hamptonbeach.org).
Ocean Boulevard is the heart of Hampton Beach, but the center of town can get terribly snarled with traffic and crowds. Parking is a major cottage industry here, with small lots on every street that range $5-15 for the day, depending on proximity to the strip. There’s no direct public transit from Boston to Hampton Beach, but it’s possible to catch a Coach Company (800/874-3377, www.coachco.com, one-way $13) bus to the Newburyport Park and Ride, then take a taxi for the remaining 10-mile trip to Hampton Beach. Taxi service is available from Merrimack Taxi Co. (978/687-0911).
For a brief period between 1775 and 1789, the attractive town of Exeter was the capital of New Hampshire. To this day, the town celebrates its link to the colonial period, when it was a bustling trade center and hotbed of Revolutionary sentiment. Nowadays, the town is best known as the site of Phillips Exeter Academy, one of the best private high schools in the country and the archetype of the New England prep school.
It’s difficult to tell where the town ends and the prestigious Phillips Exeter Academy prep school (20 Main St., 603/772-4311, www.exeter.edu) begins. The academy was founded in 1781 by local doctor and Harvard graduate John Phillips, under the sound principle, “Goodness without knowledge is weak and feeble, yet knowledge without goodness is dangerous.” With a campus more impressive than many small colleges, the school is a mix of Georgian colonial buildings and more modern structures radiating out in waves from downtown Exeter.
If you’re wandering through the campus, don’t miss the Philips Exeter Academy Library (2-36 Abbot Hall, 603/777-3328, 8am-4pm Mon.-Fri.), whose spectacular design was created by the architect Louis Kahn (it’s also the second-largest secondary school library in the world).
The smart little American Independence Museum (1 Governors Ln., 603/772-2622, www.independencemuseum.org, 10am-4pm Tues.-Sat. May-Nov., $6 adults, $5 seniors, $3 students, children under 6 free) brings America’s fight for independence to life. It includes two historic properties: the home of one of Exeter’s rebel families and the tavern where many political theories were hashed out at the time. Inside are interactive exhibits exploring the causes and characters of the Revolution. The stars of the museum’s collection are an original draft of the Constitution and a Dunlap copy of the Declaration of Independence, but they’re only on display during the yearly Independence Day festivities.
“George Washington” addresses the crowds at the annual American Independence Festival (603/772-2622, www.independencemuseum.org, mid-July), which takes place on the grounds of the American Independence Museum and is held in mid-July to celebrate the date that the Declaration of Independence was first read in Exeter, on July 16, 1776. Costumed interpreters also circulate through the event, which features helicopter rides, fireworks, music, craft vendors, and a specially brewed Independence Ale from Redhook Brewery.
A downtown coffee shop that’s popular with students, D2 Java (155 Water St., 603/583-5646, www.dsquaredjava.com, 7am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-6pm Sun., $2-7) has the best espresso in town, a short menu of breakfast items, and a case stocked with treats from local bakers, including gluten-free and vegan options.
Mexican American staples like burritos and nachos are the draw at Las Olas Taqueria (30 Portsmouth Ave., 603/418-8901, www.lasolastaqueria.com, 11am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-8pm Sun., $7-10), a bright, basic space with counter service. Build-your-own options include organic pork and locally sourced chorizo, and servings are generous.
A favorite for super-fresh lunches, Green Bean on Water (33 Water St., 603/778-7585, www.nhgreenbean.com, 11am-7pm daily, $8-12) specializes in sandwiches on house-baked ciabatta, big salads, and soups—there’s a rotating menu of more than 60 varieties. The outdoor seating is welcome on sunny days, with views to the Exeter River from the back patio.
Exeter is located on Route 101, inland from Hampton Beach and Portsmouth. It’s on the Downeaster rail line from Amtrak (800/872-7245, www.amtrakdowneaster.com), linking the city with Boston (1 hr., one-way ticket $11) and Brunswick, Maine (2 hrs., one-way ticket $26), with several stops in between.
Hundreds of lakes are scattered through the forested landscape of central New Hampshire, from tiny fishing ponds to the sprawling shoreline of Lake Winnipesaukee. The lakeshore communities are just as varied, and include tranquil getaways, historic villages, and old-school vacation towns soaked in tanning oil and beer. A getaway for New Englanders since the 19th-century, the Lakes Region retains a nostalgic charm, but most visitors come to whip around the lakes on speedboats, snap up souvenir T-shirts, and hit the boardwalk at Weirs Beach.
If that’s not your box of fudge, it’s easy to get beyond the crowds to search for loons, explore the natural world, or hike one of the many low-lying mountains that rise up between the lakes, where it’s easy to get away from the crowds.
Visting the Lakes Region isn’t about bagging sites per se; it’s more about getting out on the water—whether that means by inner tube, canoe, speedboat, or cruise ship. As far as that goes, you can’t go wrong with the M/S Mount Washington, the queen of Winnipesaukee and the best way to get a feel for the history of the lake. If you want to experience all the bustle and excitement of Lake Winni, base yourself in the quaint town of Meredith, which is close enough to the action of Weirs Beach without being too close. If it’s solitude you’re after, go straight to Squam Lake—and while you are there, take in the excellent live animal displays and nature cruises offered by the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center.
Four-season, water-bound activities are everywhere you look around Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire and the third-largest in New England (after Champlain and Moosehead). Known universally to residents as Lake Winni, the lake is a full 72 square miles of spring-fed water, with upwards of 200 miles of shoreline. Come summer, tourists descend on the lake from all over New England for boating, swimming, and cruises.
The villages surrounding the lake help everyone self-sort: Families and packs of Harley riders know just where to go. If you’re looking for kitschy fun, the boardwalks of Weirs Beach have more than their fair share of waterslides, public beaches, arcades, and a great drive-in theater. Meanwhile, spots like Meredith and Wolfeboro offer quieter pleasures like antiquing, searching out galleries, and simply enjoying the scenery.
If the villages clustered around Lake Winnipesaukee were a family, Weirs Beach would be the fun-loving cousin who gets a little wild on the weekends. Throngs gather on its beach and boardwalk every summer, and it buzzes all through the warm months. It’s been that way since about 1848, when the railroad running from Boston to Montreal reached Weirs Beach. By the turn of the 19th century, four express trains left Boston’s Union Station each day for Weirs Beach. The train service ended in 1960, but the annual migration did not: Each year, thousands of tourists still make their way here to ride the lake steamship, eat glorious piles of fried food, and pick up a tan or tattoo.
The feeling strikes almost as soon as you catch a glimpse of Lake Winni’s vast, folded shoreline—why am I on dry land right now? The grande dame of the lake is the M/S Mount Washington (211 Lakeside Ave., Weirs Beach, 603/366-5531 or 888/843-6686, www.cruisenh.com, May-Oct., $32-50 adults, $16-25 children 5-12, children under 5 free), so named—the tour guides will tell you—because when the sky is clear you can see New Hampshire’s tallest peak from the deck (M/S stands for motor ship). The current cruise ship is actually the second Mount Washington to cruise the lake. The first ship, built in 1872, was destroyed by a fire in 1939. Her replacement is an 1888 steamship that was completely overhauled and rebuilt in 1940. The ship is a whopping 230 feet long, and re-creates the era of the old paddlewheel steamships, even though she is now propelled by twin diesel engines.
The same company also has two smaller boats in its fleet that are ideal for those wanting to avoid crowds or poke into some of the smaller bays the Mount can’t get into. The M/S Sophie C. ($28 adults, $14 children) is the only U.S. Mail Boat on an inland waterway, and passengers can hitch a ride on the two-hour run to a scattering of island communities and summer camps.
Part of the original Boston & Maine Railroad that used to bring tourists to the region has been preserved and turned into the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad (154 Main St., Wiers Beach, 603/745-2135, www.hoborr.com, late May-mid-Oct., 1-/2-hour trips $18/20 adults, $14/16 children 3-11, children under 3 free). It now runs one- and two-hour rides along the shore between Meredith and Weirs Beach, including a bridge over a slice of the lake itself.
With three floors of classic arcade games, bowling, mini golf, bingo, and more, Funspot (579 Edicott St. N., Laconia, 603/366-4377, www.funspotnh.com, 10am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 10am-11pm Fri., 10am-midnight Sun.) is a Weirs Beach classic. Proudly proclaiming itself the largest arcade in the world, there actually might be something for everyone here, unless you don’t like fun, of course. Funspot trivia: Pivotal scenes in The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters were filmed here, as then-unemployed gamer Steve Wiebe competed for the best-ever score on the Donkey Kong video game.
Double features run on four towering screens at Weirs Drive In (76 Endicott St., Laconia, 603/366-4723, www.weirsdrivein.com, $28 per car with up to 4 people, $6 each additional person), where you can grab popcorn from the snack bar and stretch out beneath the stars. The drive-in uses FM frequencies to broadcast sound, so you’ll need a portable radio if you want to watch outside the car.
The heart of the Weirs Beach party scene is Paradise Beach Club (322 Lakeside Ave., Laconia, 603/366-3665, www.paradisebc.com, 8pm-1am Thurs.-Sat. May-Oct.), which hosts frequent live performances and a serious dance floor lined with (faux) palm trees. On warm afternoons, the outdoor Phukitz Tiki Bar is like a slice of Key West in New Hampshire, complete with a sandy beach, lounge chairs, and a bicycle-operated blender where you can earn your frozen daiquiris with a bit of sweat.
For something completely different, Broken Spoke Saloon and Museum (1072 Waston Rd., Laconia, 603/366-5511, www.brokenspokesaloon.com, 11am-1am Wed.-Sat., 11am-10pm Sun. June-Oct.) is a favorite with bikers (leather-clad, not spandex-wearing). The “museum” is a small, artfully lit collection of Harley-Davidson motorcycles.
An annual motorcycle rally that packs the city with bikes, Laconia Motorcycle Week (www.laconiamcweek.com, mid-June) claims the title of World’s Oldest Motorcycle Rally, with origins in a 1916 “Gypsy Tour” that landed on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Those Gypsy Tours were organized to “create a more favorable opinion of the motorcycle and motorcycle rider,” and after more than 100 years, the rally may be working—it’s been said that the tradition of flashing bare breasts at or from a motorcycle has died down of late.
Shops line “the strip” on the Weirs Beach waterfront, packed with souvenirs and novelty gifts. Set back on the main road, though, Kellerhaus (259 Endicott St., Weirs Beach, 603/366-4466, www.kellerhaus.com, 10am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-10pm Sat.-Sun.) is the place to stock up on house-made confections like fudge, pecan brittle, and truffles, along with bright sweets from self-serve bins.
Several small mountains overlooking Winnipesaukee make for good vantages to take in the enormity of the lake. The highest peak in the region, the 2,384-foot Belknap Mountain is one of the most-climbed mountains in southern New Hampshire. The East Gilford Trail (detailed trail description available at www.belknaprangetrails.org) climbs 1.9 miles to the summit from a small trailhead and parking area on Wood Road in Gilford (parking is quite limited, so start early).
There are, of course, dozens of beaches, large and small, in the Lakes Region. On Winni, the most popular (and crowded) is Weirs Beach (Rte. 3, 603/524-5046, www.city.laconia.nh.us), which has the advantage of being easily accessible and close to the action. Quieter and more family-friendly, Ellacoya State Park (280 Scenic Dr., Gilford, 603/293-7821, www.nhstateparks.org, $5 adults, $2 children 6-11) has a long, sandy beach with views of the mountains and welcome patches of shade beneath stands of trees. Admission is capped, and on busy weekends, the beach can fill to capacity.
If it floats and it’s fun, you can probably rent it in Weirs Beach. Zip around on a Jet Ski from Lakes Region Jet Ski Rentals (1184 Weirs Rd., Laconia, 603/366-5566, www.lakesregionjetski.com, 1 hour from $85, half day from $299), or opt for a more sedate pontoon boat from Anchor Marine (1285 Union Ave., Laconia, 603/366-4311, www.anchormarine.net, 2-hour pontoon boat rental $135). A short drive south in Gilford, Fay’s Boat Yard (71 Varney Point Rd., Gilford, 603/293-8000, www.faysboatyard.com, half-day rentals from $25) is the place to go for canoes, kayaks, and sailboats.
Ten minutes north of Weirs Beach, you can tuck into year-round Thanksgiving dinners at S Hart’s Turkey Farm Restaurant (233 Daniel Webster Hwy., Jct. Rtes. 3 and 104, Meredith, 603/279-6212, www.hartsturkeyfarm.com, 11:15am-8:30pm daily, $10-28), where dark and light meat come with all the fixings, from cranberry sauce to gravy and stuffing. The regular menu is long and features an astonishing variety of turkey items: turkey nuggets, turkey marsala, turkey livers, turkey croquettes, turkey tempura . . .
Beyond the gift shop at Kellerhaus (259 Endicott St., Weirs Beach, 603/366-4466, www.kellerhaus.com, 10am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-10pm Sat.-Sun.) is an ice cream wonderland. The self-serve ice cream sundae bar features a laundry list of flavors, but the joy is in the toppings, from house-made marshmallow fluff to fudge and caramel sauce.
A tapas bar with live piano music, Tavern 27 (2075 Parade Rd., Laconia, 603/528-3057, www.tavern27.com, 5pm-9pm Wed.-Thurs., 11am-9pm Fri.-Sun., $17-22) has a menu of small plates that use many locally sourced ingredients, some from the restaurant’s own organic vegetable garden. Save room for dessert—the bread pudding comes highly recommended.
Every Friday, seemingly all Laconia turns up at Water Street Cafe (141 Water St., Laconia, 603/524-4144, www.water-street-cafe.com, 6am-2pm Mon.-Thurs. and Sat., 6am-8pm Fri., 7am-1pm Sun., $5-25) for all-you-can-eat fresh haddock or clams. It’s a great deal—as are the homemade seafood chowders and farm-fresh egg omelets at breakfast.
Decorated with grandfather clocks, maple wood floors, and tufted sofas, The Cozy Inn & Cottages (12 Maple St., Weirs Beach, 603/366-4310, www.cozyinn-nh.com, cottages $135-245, rooms $60-125) offers 16 cottages (either poolside or with lake views) and rooms in two separate buildings. Cottages have kitchens, air-conditioning, and grills, and the rooms in the main houses are simple but tidy and comfortable. It’s a short downhill walk to the center of Weirs Beach.
The family-owned 1848 Inn and Motor Resort (258 Endicott St., North Weirs Beach, 603/366-4714, www.1848inn.com, Apr.-Nov., $79-125) has clean rooms as well as cottages with kitchens and an outdoor swimming pool, a game room, and a picnic area. It’s located within walking distance to Weirs Beach. Another good option for cottages is Grand View Motel & Cottages (291 Endicott St., North Weirs Beach, 603/366-4973, www.grandviewmotel-nh.com, Apr.-Oct., $129-189), which also offers neatly kept cottages with views of the lake, and grounds with grills, fire pits, and a fenced-in pool.
Simple and tranquil, Ballard House Inn (53 Parade Rd., Meredith, 603/279-3434, www.ballardhouseinn.com, $129-239) is a welcome break from the action in Weirs Beach without going too far away—it’s just a few miles north of town. The house-made breakfast is a highlight, and the innkeepers furnish the common spaces with cookies, hot drinks, beer, and wine for guests. Some rooms have gorgeous views of the lake and mountains.
The Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce (383 S. Main St., Laconia, 603/524-5531, 9am-3pm Mon.-Fri., www.lakesregionchamber.org) has year-round travel information in its main office, as well as a self-serve rack of brochures on Weirs Boulevard in Weirs Beach.
Laconia and Weirs Beach are located on Route 3, on the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. Concord Coach Lines (800/639-6317, www.concordcoachlines.com) links Meredith, a few miles north of Weirs Beach, with Boston (2 hrs., 30 min., $24.50), Portland (5 hrs., 10 min., $45.50), and Concord (1 hr., $12).
Waving flags, white churches, and a compact main street make Wolfeboro a nostalgic place to while away a summer weekend on Lake Winnipesaukee. Locals like to call the town the “oldest summer resort in America”—Governor John Wentworth drew a fashionable crowd to the area after building a summer home in 1769—and it retains an old-fashioned charm.
Catch a concert in a lakeside gazebo, see a stars-and-stripes take on World War II, or take a cruise on a vintage wooden lake boat, while slowing down to the pace of life on the “quiet side” of the lake.
The tank bursting out of the brick facade of the Wright Museum of World War II (77 Center St., 603/569-1212, www.wrightmuseum.org, 10am-4pm Mon.-Sat., noon-4pm Sun. May-Oct., $10 adults, $8 seniors and veterans, $6 students, children under 8 free) sets the tone for the museum’s extensive collection, which offers a more upbeat take on the era than the average war museum. There’s an impressive array of cars, motorcycles, tanks, and airplanes, as well as ephemera that helps illustrate daily life in the United States during the conflict.
Gleaming vintage boats are the starring attraction at the diminutive New Hampshire Boat Museum (395 Center St./Rte. 28, Wolfeboro Falls, 603/569-4554, www.nhbm.org, 10am-4pm Mon.-Sat., noon-4pm Sun. late May-mid-Oct., $7 adults, $5 seniors, $3 students, children under 7 free), whose collection includes some of the glamorous vessels that cruised Lake Winnipesaukee a century ago.
Twenty-five minutes outside of Wolfeboro, Castle in the Clouds (455 Old Mountain Rd., Moultonborough, 603/476-5900, www.castleintheclouds.org, 10am-5:30pm daily mid-May-late Oct., $17 adults, $14 seniors, $10 children 5-17, children under 5 free) is a spectacular Arts and Crafts mansion set high on a hilltop with views of the entire Lakes Region. It’s the former home of a shoe mogul, whose original estate once covered 6,300 acres, stretching from the mountains to the edge of the lake. The view itself is worth the trip to the house, but the interior is beautifully restored, with decor and furnishings based on images of the original house or on written descriptions. The surrounding grounds are now managed by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust (LRCT, www.lrct.org), with 30 miles of hiking trails that are accessible without paying the entrance fee to the house. Maps of the hiking trails are available on the LRCT website, or can be purchased at the Castle in the Clouds gift shop. Hiker parking is by Shannon Pond on Ossipee Park Road.
A quirky natural history museum built from the collection of an early 20th-century doctor, The Libby Museum (755 N. Main St., 603/569-1035, www.thelibbymuseum.org 10am-4pm Tues.-Sat., noon-4pm Sun. June-mid-Oct., $5 adults, youth under 17 and veterans free) has a fascinating rainy-day collection of stuffed animals and Native American artifacts. Free wild animal shows are held at 2pm each Wednesday in July and August.
Nighttime entertainment can be tough to come by in these quiet parts, but there’s usually a good crowd at Wolfe’s Tavern (90 N. Main St., 603/569-3016, www.wolfeboroinn.com, 7am-9pm daily) at the Wolfeboro Inn. The authentic New England-style pub (with several fireplaces, and pewter beer mugs strewn across the ceiling) serves food, but later in the evening, it’s all about the beer. If you drink all 70 kinds available—no more than two per visit, alas—you’ll get to kiss the moose head and hang your own personalized pewter mug on the ceiling.
Saturday evenings July-early September, a crowd gathers near the water for the Wolfeboro Community Bandstand Concerts (Cate Park, www.wolfebrorobandstand.org, 7pm-9pm, free), featuring a range of performers that lean local. Held by the New Hampshire Boat Museum, the Vintage Race Boat Regatta (603/569-4554, www.nhbm.org, Sept.), features dozens of boats that range from magnificent to strange, a rare chance to see the historic vessels in action.
Running 11 miles from Wolfeboro to the village of Wakefield, the Wolfeboro Recreation Rail Trail (trailhead on Depot St. by the Wolfeboro Chamber of Commerce, www.nhstateparks.org) leaves right from the center of town, following the mostly flat rail bed through the forest. The trail surface is crushed gravel that’s easy to ride even with narrow tires, and highlights of the trail are a pair of causeways that cross Lake Wentworth and Crescent Lake. Bikes are available to rent at Nordic Skier Sports (47 N. Main St., 603/569-3151, www.nordicskiersports.com, 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat., half-day rental $20).
On a small lake just east of Winni, Wentworth State Park (Rte. 109, 603/569-3699, www.nhstateparks.org, $4 adults, $2 children 6-11, children under 6 free) features a sandy beach on the land where Governor Wentworth once spent summer vacations. There are picnic tables and a bathhouse, and the water tends to be warmer than Lake Winnipesaukee, making this an excellent place to swim.
With a design based on a 1928 Hacker-Craft, the Millie B (11 S. Main St., 603/569-4554, www.nhbm.org, 45-minute tour $22 adults, $20 seniors, military, and youth 13-16, $10 children 5-12, children under 5 free) is 28 feet of sleek mahogany with an unusual triple cockpit, and is owned and operated by the New Hampshire Boat Museum. The tours combine local sights with wildlife watching and a bit of history, but the real highlight is just cruising around in a gorgeous boat that’s a throwback to the glory days of wooden boats.
It’s all ice cream, all the (summer)time at Bailey’s Bubble (5 Railroad Ave., 603/569-3612, www.baileysbubble.com, 11am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-10pm Sat.-Sun., $2-4). Open May-September, the locally loved stand scoops up banana splits, brownie sundaes, and flavors like maple walnut and cherry chip, plus homemade hot fudge. A New Hampshire classic is Moose Tracks, with a blend of vanilla ice cream, peanut butter, and chocolate.
With a menu of hefty sandwiches, Full Belli Deli (15 Mill St., 603/569-1955, 10:30am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 10:30am-4pm Sat., 10:30am-3pm Sun., $8-12) is a good option for lunch or a picnic. You might find that the sandwiches are big enough to share, and it’s worth calling in an order on busy days, when the line can stretch to the door.
Simple egg breakfasts, wraps, and waffles bring in a steady crowd for breakfast at the Downtown Grille Café (33 S. Main St., 603/569-4504, www.downtowngrille.cafe, 7am-3pm daily, $5-11), while lunch is a lineup of sandwiches and burgers. It’s an easygoing spot with counter service, and if you’re lucky you’ll snag a table on the back deck with views of the lake.
A short distance outside of the compact downtown, Wolfetrap (19 Bay St., 603/569-1047, www.wolfetrapgrilleandrawbar.com, 11am-late daily, $9-25) is an escape from the crush on busy days, with waterfront seating on a back bay of Lake Winnipesaukee. There’s a reasonable raw bar with shucked oysters and clams, but the main draw is a menu of fried and grilled seafood (the crab cakes win raves).
Scratch-baked pastries and breads at La Boca Bakery (50 N. Main St., 603/569-5595, www.labocabakery.com, 9am-4pm Wed.-Sat., 8am-1pm Sun., $3-8) are well made and not too sweet, with croissants, cupcakes, and personal-size cheesecakes.
With a gorgeous location between two lakes, S Pow-Wow Lodges & Motel (19 Governor Wentworth Hwy., 603/515-7011, www.powwowlodges.com, suites $145-165, cottages from $1,250 per week) is a great place to get out on the water, and rowboats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards are available for guest use. Suites each come with two beds and a private deck, microwaves, refrigerators, coffeemakers, and air-conditioning, while some have a full kitchenette. When things quiet down for the evening, you may hear calling loons from nearby Mirror Lake.
A good value that’s 10 minutes away from the center of Wolfeboro, Lake View Bed & Breakfast (20 Martin Hill Rd., 603/515-6415, www.lakeview-inn.com, $160) certainly delivers on the promise of lake views, with spectacular vistas from some rooms. Big breakfasts of scones, with cooked-to-order plates of eggs and French toast, are highlights. The innkeepers have six friendly dogs, and some guests have been bothered by their sometimes energetic barking.
Lines of Adirondack chairs line the private beach at The Wolfeboro Inn (90 N. Main St., 603/569-3016, www.wolfeboroinn.com, $150-300), which is walking distance from the center of town. Rooms are smart, if unremarkable, and there’s plenty of room to linger on the property—around fire pits, by the shore, and over cookies, lemonade, and tea each day in the lobby.
Set back in the forest behind Lake Wentworth, Wolfeboro Campground (61 Haines Hill Rd., 603/569-9881, www.wolfeborocampground.com, $29-33) has wooded sites, clean restrooms, and a group campfire area, as well as a screened-in gazebo in a pleasant garden. If that’s full, the nearby Willey Brook Campground (883 Center St., 603/569-9493, www.willeybrookcampground.com, $29-37) is just about the same, with perhaps a shade more lawn than forest.
The Wolfeboro Area Chamber of Commerce (32 Central Ave., 603/569-2200, www.wolfeboro.com, 10am-3pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-noon Sun.) runs a comprehensive information center in the town’s historic old train station.
Wolfeboro is at the intersection of Route 28 and Route 109, on the eastern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. There’s no direct public transit to Wolfeboro, but buses from Concord Coach Lines (800/639-3317, www.concordcoachlines.com) link Boston with Meredith (2 hrs., 30 min., $23.50). From there, taxi service to Wolfeboro is available from Big Lake Taxi & Limousine (603/875-3365, www.biglaketaxiandlimo.com, $125).
Beyond the bustle of Lake Winnepesaukee, the forest closes in around a scattershot of ponds, lakes, and potholes—New Hampshire has almost 1,000 lakes altogether. Of these, Squam Lakes are among the most appealing. Morning breaks with the eerie loon call, or with the shushing rhythm of canoe paddles.
There’s not much to the town itself—a stamp-sized post office and a general store hold down the main crossroads—but that’s just the idea. It’s a place to pack a picnic lunch, maybe pick up some bait, then spend the day exploring the shoreline, spotting birds, or visiting the rambling outdoor science museum.
New England’s last known mountain lion was killed in Maine in 1938, but you can still see one of the beautiful cats at the excellent Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (23 Science Center Rd./Rte. 113, Holderness, 603/968-7194, www.nhnature.org, 9:30am-5pm daily May-Oct., $19 adults, $16 seniors, $14 youth 3-15, children under 3 free), hands-down the best in New England. The center has dozens of local animals, including a bobcat, several black bears, otters, and flying raptors arranged in spacious enclosures along a 0.75-mile wooded nature trail. (Most of the animals were injured and unable to survive in the wild.)
river otter at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center
Where it really excels, though, is in the interactive exhibits that accompany each animal—they’re imaginative and educational for kids and adults alike. (Case in point is the “long jump” that compares your personal best with the mountain lion’s.) The center also has an informative exhibit on the star of the northern lakes: the common loon.
The science center also runs a series of highly regarded, 90-minute lake cruises ($27 adults, $25 seniors, $23 youth, children 3 and under free) that focus on everything from bald eagles to loons, geography, and lake ecosystems. Combo tickets for the science center and lake cruises are also available ($40 adults, $35 seniors, $31 youth).
If hanging out on the lakes for a while makes you suddenly crazy for loons, learn more about the water bird with the eerie call at the Loon Center (183 Lee’s Mill Rd./off Rte. 25, Moultonborough, 603/476-5666, www.loon.org, 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat. mid-May-June, 9am-5pm daily July-early Oct., 9am-5pm Thurs.-Sat. early Oct.-mid-May, free), a half-hour drive from Holderness. This homegrown museum explains such mysteries as why loons’ eyes are red, why chicks ride on their parents’ backs, and what that ghostly cry actually means. A 1.5-mile nature trail along the shores of Moultonborough Bay, a branch of Lake Winni, takes in coves where loons are known to nest in spring.
In small New England communities, a good general store can make the town, and Squam Lake MarketPlace (862 Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-8588, www.squammarket.com, 7am-5pm daily) is a one-stop destination for gossip, advice, food, and cabin-cutesy souvenirs. The made-to-order breakfast sandwiches are a treat, and the store packs customized picnic boxes that range from a simple lunch of sandwiches and canned drinks to more elaborate spreads including lobster rolls, bottles of bubbly, and cheese boards (with a loaner cooler for the day).
Dozens of artists display their work at Squam Lakes Artisans (900 Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-9525, www.squamlakesartisans.com, 10am-5pm daily mid-May-early Sept., 10am-5pm Fri.-Mon. early Sept.-mid-Oct.), whose collection ranges from elegant canvases to folksy quilts and crafts.
The nonprofit Squam Lakes Association (534 Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-7336, www.squamlakes.org, 9am-5pm daily) rents canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards by the hour and the day ($15-20 per hour, $50-65 per day), and the staff is happy to help with paddling basics. The Squam Lakes Association also operates a series of backcountry and island campsites that are amazing for overnight canoe trips if you’re equipped for sleeping out of doors.
The most popular hike near Squam Lakes is the 2-mile round-trip to the summit of West Rattlesnake Mountain, which departs from the Old Bridle Path trailhead on Route 113. To reach the trailhead, travel 5.5 miles north from the intersection of Route 113 and Route 3, parking on the right-hand side of the road in a small pullout. The yellow-blazed trail leads through a forest of red oaks and red pines, then breaks from the trees for gorgeous views of Squam Lakes from a rocky summit.
For a longer day on the trail, the Squam Range Traverse is a classic, 13.1-mile point-to-point that summits the seven named peaks in the Squam Range, starting from Mead Base Camp to the north of Squam Lakes, and describing an arc that moves south and west on the Crawford Ridgepole Trail. Hiking maps and guides can be purchased at the Squam Lakes Association, and an excellent trail description is available at Hike New England (www.hikenewengland.com).
Laid-back and sunny, the dining room at the S Squam Lake Inn (28 Shepard Hill Rd., Holderness, 603/968-4417, www.squamlakeinn.com, 5pm-8pm Wed.-Sun., $18-33) turns out consistently excellent meals that are among the most appealing in the region. The well-balanced menu blends seafood and classic meat dishes, including oysters fresh from the coast, salmon grilled on a cedar plank, flatiron steak, and ribs. The meltingly tender scallops are a highlight, as is the bright and refreshing frozen key lime pie.
The only waterfront dining on Squam is at Walter’s Basin (Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-4412, www.waltersbasin.com, 11:30am-9:30pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $11-26), a restaurant and pub serving a mishmash of comfort foods, including great piles of fried fish, meatloaf, and hearty sandwiches. The dining room inside is open year-round, whereas outdoor seating runs May-October, and is as apt to see guests arrive by boat as by foot.
Ten minutes from the edge of Squam Lakes, Annie’s Overflow Restaurant (138 Rte. 175A, Holderness, 603/536-4062, www.overflowrestaurantplymouth.com, 6am-2pm daily, $4-10) is a cheerful little diner with hearty servings. Breakfasts are egg classics and piles of pancakes, while the lunch menu ranges from Reuben sandwiches to old-fashioned beef liver and onions.
For formal occasions in the New Hampshire forest, S The Manor on Golden Pond (Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-3348, www.manorongoldenpond.com, seatings 6pm-8pm daily, reservations recommended, $28-41) is the place to be. The elegant estate house serves grand, European-style cuisine in the white linen-filled Van Horn room, with a refined wine list to accompany meals.
Sweet and welcoming, S Cottage Place on Squam Lake (1132 Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-7116, www.cottageplaceonsquam.com, $129-269) is the kind of place families return to year after year, setting up shop in compact cabins just across the road from a private beach. The units are being overhauled one by one with plenty of antiques, but the feel is more old-fashioned than fussy. Perks include an outdoor fire pit, grills for guests to use, and inexpensive kayak and canoe rentals. While the cottages are the starring attraction, the property also includes a handful of more modern motel units and a lodge for larger groups.
You’ll find 10 very pretty guest rooms (each with lake-themed decor) at Squam Lake Inn (Rte. 3 and Shepard Hill Rd., Holderness, 603/968-4417, www.squamlakeinn.com, $160-300). The century-old Victorian farmhouse building outfits each chamber with exceptional linens and Wi-Fi, and offers a full breakfast (from four-grain blueberry pancakes to eggs Benedict). Common areas include a charmingly decorated library and a lovely wraparound porch.
The rustic (and rather outdated) Boulders Motel (981 Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/968-3600, www.bouldersmotel.com, $79-299) gets mixed reviews, but snagging a cottage with a screened-in porch means you can enjoy your morning coffee overlooking the lake. There’s a fire pit on the beach, grills, and a swimming raft that make this an especially good choice for families, and muffins and hot drinks are included in the price.
Somewhat rundown and dominated by season-long RVers, Owls Landing Campground (245 Rte. 3, Holderness, 603/279-6266, www.owlslanding.com, sites $30-40) is nevertheless a serviceable and affordable place to sleep. A campground store on-site is good for stocking up on campfire marshmallows, and kid-friendly perks include a swimming pool and rec room with pool tables.
For more information on the area, contact the Lakes Region Tourism Association (603/286-8008, www.lakesregion.org).
Squam Lakes are a pair of lakes linked by a short outlet at Holderness, flanked by Route 3 and Route 113. No public transportation is currently available to Squam Lakes.