21 Top Tourist Attractions in New Hampshire

From its 18 miles of seacoast – the shortest of any coastal state in the US – to the summit of the Northeast's highest peak, New Hampshire packs plenty of variety into an easy-to-reach area. Along with the many places to visit, New Hampshire's natural attractions offer plenty of things to do in the great outdoors, many of them free.

The attractions that draw tourists to this part of New England include beautiful ocean and lake beaches, miles of kayaking waters, above-timberline hiking on the Appalachian Trail, sailing on mountain-ringed lakes, fun-filled theme and water parks for kids, exciting rides to mountaintops, and tours of historic houses.

Whether it's challenging hikes, sailing, foliage viewing in the fall, tax-free shopping, skiing in the winter, covered bridges, or colonial history, you'll find it – and plenty more – in New Hampshire. To be sure of seeing the highlights of this small but varied state, use our handy list of the top attractions in New Hampshire.

I live in New Hampshire and grew up camping, hiking and skiing in the White Mountains. Wherever else I've lived and wherever I travel, I always come back. And I still enjoy the adventures and outdoor sports here that were my favorite things to do as a child. Join me in exploring this state I love, with this guide to the top attractions in New Hampshire.

Mt. Washington Cog Railway

On a clear day, the view from the summit of Mount Washington spans four states; on a cloudy day, you may be able to look down on the tops of clouds while the summit is in sunlight.

The easiest way to reach the top of Mount Washington, the highest elevation in the northern Appalachians at more than 6,000 feet, is on the steep Cog Railway that has been carrying tourists since it opened, the first of its kind in the world, in 1869.

Those who long for the nostalgia of an authentic coal-fired steam engine train, can reserve the steamer special departures, twice daily from late May through early October. Beware of falling soot, though — I once wore a white sweater on the morning run and returned looking like a Dalmatian.

The trip to the summit is about 45 minutes (an hour on the steam-powered train) and the round-trip is about 3 hours, including the layover at the top. Once there, you can visit the Sherman Adams Visitors Center, which houses a small museum; a cafeteria; and the Mount Washington Observatory, a research station that studies extreme weather conditions. The mountain is notorious for its weather; in 1934, the world record wind speed was recorded here.

At the top, the Sherman Adams Visitors Center houses a small museum; a cafeteria; and the Mount Washington Observatory, a research station that studies extreme weather conditions, for which the mountain is notorious. In 1934, the world record wind speed was recorded here.

The Cog Railway only ascends to the summit between May and October, but in the winter, you can ride as far as the Waumbek Station, an Alpine meadow at 4,000 feet elevation. There you can enjoy the sweeping views, and sip hot chocolate in the warming huts or around a fire pit.

Address: 3168 Base Station Road, Marshfield Station, New Hampshire

The Flume Gorge and Franconia Notch

The Flume Gorge, in Franconia Notch State Park, is an 800-foot-long crack in the rock at the base of Mount Liberty. Its walls rise 70 to 80 feet above the brook that flows through it, and you can follow it on a boardwalk just feet above the water.

When the mile-high sheet of ice that formed the notch melted, torrents of water raged down this valley, carving a 20-foot smooth-bottomed depression into the solid granite of the mountain. Follow signs to The Basin, where the now benign Pemigewasset River still continues the process begun 10,000 years ago.

The first aerial tramway in North America, the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway carried its first passengers to the 4,080-foot summit high above Franconia Notch in 1938. On clear days, you can see New Hampshire's Presidential Range and mountains in Vermont, New York, and even Canada. The short Rim Trail to the observation tower offers spectacular views straight down into the floor of the notch.

A notch is a pass that was carved through a mountain range by retreating glaciers, and Franconia is one of the biggest notches in New Hampshire's White Mountains. Franconia Notch has miles of hiking trails; a campground; and Echo Lake State Park, with a beautiful sandy beach and boat rentals.

Author's Tip: Take a picnic lunch and follow the short trail from The Basin to Cascade Falls. A small brook slides over wide, gently sloping ledges, leaving plenty of spots along the edges for a scenic waterside picnic.

Address: I-93 exit 34B, Franconia Notch

Mt. Washington Auto Road

Completed in 1861, the Mt. Washington Auto Road is America's oldest continuously operating tourist attraction. Ascending more than 4,500 feet from the base to the summit, the 7.6-mile road is not for the faint of heart. Climbing at an average gradient of 12 percent, the narrow road begins benignly through woodlands, with occasional valley views.

The forest begins to shrink as the elevation increases and the road enters the zone where trees are stunted and bent by the high winds; then trees disappear entirely as the road climbs past the timberline into a precipitous rock-strewn landscape. The views across the White Mountains just keep getting better as you climb. It takes about 30 minutes from its base on the eastern side of Mt. Washington. The return trip may take a little longer if you need to stop and cool the brakes.

You won't get to display the bumper sticker proclaiming that "This Car Climbed Mt. Washington," but you can experience the Auto Road riding in a purpose-built van with someone else driving. In the winter, you can ride to the tree line on the track-wheeled SnowCoach. These and the vans are still called coaches in homage to the horse-drawn coaches that made the trip to the summit between 1861 and the beginning of motorized trips in 1912.

Address: Route 16, Pinkham Notch, New Hampshire

Kancamagus Highway and White Mountain National Forest

This is really not a highway, but the winding two-lane NH Route 112, which climbs over the spine of the White Mountains via New Hampshire's Kancamagus Pass.

In addition to sweeping views, this scenic route, stretching from Conway in the east to Lincoln in the west, offers access to several natural and man-made attractions. The 35-mile-long Kancamagus Scenic Byway traverses the vast White Mountain National Forest, which protects 148,000 acres of wilderness.

Although you could drive the entire route in less than an hour, you'll want to take advantage of the scenic pull-outs, as some of the best views are not visible from the road. This is especially true on the western side of the summit, where the C.L.Graham Wangan Ground overlooks a sweeping view of the forested valley and Presidential Range. At the Conway end are a covered bridge and two especially scenic spots on the Swift River: Rocky Gorge and Lower Falls, both popular for swimming and picnics.

A half-mile trail leads to Sabbaday Falls, where a mountain stream flows through a gorge with 40-foot walls. Wooden railings make it safe even for acrophobics like me to look straight down at the waterfall and potholes. To stop at the scenic areas and visit all the attractions, you'll want to spend at least half a day, longer if you plan to picnic or swim at Rocky Gorge.

The Kancamagus Highway ends in Lincoln, where Loon Mountain is not just a winter ski resort, but a year-round sports center. The gondola that carries skiers in the winter takes summer and fall visitors to the summit for views, a nature trail, and a tumble of glacial boulders that form caves and passageways. This natural fun house, one of the little secrets of the White Mountains, has always been a favorite place for our children, who delight in climbing through the narrow spaces and caves.

Open all year, this drive is especially beautiful during the fall foliage season. To stop at any of the attractions or overlooks you'll need a Federal Use Pass, which you can get at the White Mountains Attractions office, just off I-93 in Lincoln, or at the Ranger Station as you begin the drive in Conway.

Strawbery Banke

Strawbery Banke was the name of the first 1623 settlement at what is now Portsmouth. The 10-acre Strawbery Banke Museum contains houses from four centuries of the old port neighborhood. Some are restored and furnished to show life in the various eras, while others are preserved to show construction methods and restoration techniques - of particular interest to those who are restoring old homes.

Costumed interpreters demonstrate cooking, crafts, and skills from various periods, and you can watch authentic boats under construction. The homes vary from that of a prosperous merchant and political leader to a 1950s duplex, and represent various ethnicities that called the neighborhood home.

Period gardens, a 1770 tavern, a fully stocked World War II era neighborhood market, and frequent special musical and historical programs make this an interesting place to visit. To tour each of the houses, shops and buildings that are open to visitors could take an entire day.

On Tuesday evenings in July and August, local musicians perform on an open-air stage as part of the Tuesdays on the Terrace Concert Series. In the winter, the shallow pond is cleared for ice skating and there are occasional professional skating demonstrations.

Author's Tip: Walk across Marcy Street from Strawbery Banke to stroll through Prescott Park, 10 acres of lawns, trees, and gardens overlooking Portsmouth Harbor.

Address: 454 Court Street, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

• Read More: Top Tourist Attractions & Things to Do in Portsmouth, NH

Conway Scenic Railroad

A good way to enjoy the scenery of the long valley of the Saco River as it winds between the mountains is on the Conway Scenic Railroad. Trains run in two directions from the beautiful 1874 Victorian station in the center of North Conway.

The Valley Excursion heads south along the meadows and woodlands to the town of Conway, while the longer Mountaineer route leads north, past Cathedral Ledge and through the dramatic cleft of Crawford Notch. Both routes have unobstructed views of Mt. Washington and the Presidential Range, but my favorite is the Mountaineer route along the steep mountainside and over the cliffs of Crawford Notch. I admit to closing my eyes as the train crosses over the 500-foot-long Frankenstein Trestle and we hang suspended 80 feet above the cliffs.

On the shorter southern route, you can reserve lunch in the vintage dining car, resplendent in polished wood and etched glass. The northern route is especially beautiful in the fall, when the hardwood forests of Crawford Notch are at their brightest reds and yellows.

In the winter, the northbound train travels through the snow-covered woods as far as Attitash Mountain in Bartlett.

Address: Main Street, North Conway, New Hampshire

Market Square and Portsmouth's Historic Houses

At the heart of the historic center of this seaport and shipbuilding town, Market Square has been the city's busy hub since the days when New Hampshire's Colonial Legislature met here. Overlooked by the impressively tall steeple of North Church, the square and the brick-paved streets that radiate from it are surrounded by venerable mercantile buildings that now house shops, cafés, and restaurants.

As it winds its way along the waterfront, through Market Square and into streets of sedate old homes, the Portsmouth Harbor Trail connects more than 70 of the city's historical sites and scenic attractions, which are identified by descriptive boards (you can download a map, or take a tour from the information kiosk on Market Square). Among these are 10 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings, 10 National Historic Landmarks, and a number of historic homes that are open to visitors.

Each of these has unique features, history, and collections. Warner House, built in 1716, has the oldest Colonial wall paintings still in place and the first example of Queen Anne furniture known in America.

The 1758 John Paul Jones House, where Captain John Paul Jones lived while in Portsmouth, exhibits collections of china, silver, glass, portraits, and clothing.

Moffatt-Ladd House, built in 1763, still contains original furniture and is surrounded by beautiful gardens.

The 1785 Governor John Langdon House interior features ornate woodwork and period furnishings, and the Rundlet-May House, built in 1807, features furniture made by local craftsmen.

Market Square is also the hub of Portsmouth's vibrant restaurant scene, with more than a dozen eating places within a five-minute walk. La Maison Navarre is a café and pastry shop (I like their elegant baguette sandwiches and divine macarons) and my favorite place to go for an elegant and romantic dinner is the impeccable Ristorante Massimo just off the square on Penhallow Street.

Hampton Beach

New Hampshire may have the shortest seacoast of any state, but it has one of the Northeast's favorite family beach resorts. Hampton Beach has been a popular resort town for generations, and still has its "casino" — a community focal point of beach resorts at the turn of the 20th century.

These were not built for gambling but to house a ballroom, tearooms, and family entertainment. Today, the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom, which was built in 1899, is a live music and comedy venue on the boardwalk that lines the long white-sand beach.

Other activities in this always lively town are concerts at Hampton Beach State Park's Seashell Stage, movies on the beach, and fireworks.

Fun parks, soft ice cream, and deep sea fishing trips from the harbor round out the beach vacation experience. Each June, the beach becomes a giant art gallery, when international contenders vie for the title at the Hampton Beach Master Sand Sculpting Competition.

Author Tip: Parking at Hampton Beach can be a real nuisance, so avoid the metered spots on Ocean Boulevard and head to Central Parking on Ashworth Avenue, just a block from the water. I like the fact that I pay once and don't have to worry about getting a ticket, but I also appreciate their freshwater shower and ATM.

I also appreciate that I can buy my parking pass in advance, helpful on busy summer weekends and during events. They are open until late at night, giving you a safe and well-lit spot just a block from the Ballroom.

Mt. Monadnock

The world's most climbed mountain owes its popularity to several factors: you can climb it easily in a day, its trails offer options for different abilities, and it is an easy day trip from the Boston area. Most hikers use one of the five main trails, but the 35-mile trail network includes alternative routes for those who hope to climb in solitude.

On beautiful summer and fall days, you may need a reservation for parking at the trailheads, and the summit may have the ambiance of a Boston subway station at rush hour, but I still find the views sensational and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow climbers.

The easiest route to the top is the 2.3-mile White Arrow Trail from the Old Toll Road Trailhead. That said, as you get close to the summit, expect some steep granite ledges.

The mountain stands alone and has given its name to the geological term describing a mass of solid rock that withstood the force of moving glaciers scraping away the earth that once encased it. Because it stands alone, the views from its summit ledges are unobstructed, wide-reaching, and beautiful, especially when fall foliage paints the surrounding forests red and orange.

That also means that the mountain is visible as a backdrop to scenery and villages across the entire southwest corner of New Hampshire. Not surprisingly, it's called the Monadnock region, and is also known as the "Currier & Ives Corner" for its idyllic villages with white church spires and its abundance of covered bridges. Postcard villages here include Fitzwilliam, Jaffrey Center, Hancock, and Harrisville.

North Conway and Mt. Washington Valley Ski Resorts

North Conway was one of the first ski resorts in America and is still a major ski destination. Six mountain resorts in the scenic Mt. Washington Valley offer state-of-the-art lifts and trail grooming, while North Conway and Jackson are centers of the lively après-ski scene.

Cross-country (Nordic) skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, dog-sledding, sleigh rides, and ice skating make these resorts appealing to those who eschew downhill skiing. Most are four-season resorts, with golf, tennis, swimming, and other activities.

In the summer, Cranmore Mountain has an Aerial Adventure Park and Mountain Coaster, while Attitash offers an alpine slide, water slides, mountain bike trails, and horseback riding. Wildcat Mountain, one of the most challenging for skiers, has a zipline and stupendous views of Mt. Washington from its summit.

On the other side of Mt. Washington from Wildcat is Bretton Woods, also with a zipline and other year-round activities. Black Mountain is an especially family-friendly ski area, as is King Pine, at the all-season Purity Spring Resort in Madison.

North Conway is as well known to shoppers as it is to skiers, with one of New England's largest concentrations of outlet stores, as well as tax-free shopping. With all the outlet bargains, don't miss shopping in the small independent shops along North Conway's Main Street. I especially like finding New England-made merchandise, from wild berry jams and maple syrup to fragrant balsam pillows, at Zeb's General Store and unusual gifts at Penguin Gallery.

I never run out of things to do in North Conway. I can drop my kayak into the Saco River or into Echo Lake to watch the climbers overhead on White Horse Ledge. I can hike to Diana's Bath and work up an appetite for a localvore dinner at my favorite downtown restaurant, Chef's Bistro. In the summer and fall, the Conway Scenic Railroad runs the entire length of the valley in vintage cars.

Story Land

Story Land is straight out of a fairy-tale book, made for kids, but with such clever and original places to play that parents love it, too. Kids can board a pumpkin coach to Cinderella's Castle, ride in a wooden shoe or sail in a pirate ship, take a swan boat for a spin around the lake, or "drive" parents around a track and through covered bridges in an antique car.

Then they can get dizzy in a spinning teacup and slide down from a treehouse or playhouse in a giant pumpkin. The charm of Story Land is not only its imaginative rides and play areas, but the fact that they are original and unique to this long-time family operation. Clever new attractions are constantly being added to appeal to different ages.

Author's Tip: If you arrive after 3 pm, your ticket is good for the following day as well. I found this especially handy when my children were very young and a whole day at an amusement park was too much for them. This way we could get two shorter visits on different days.

Address: NH Route 16, Glen, New Hampshire

Clark's Bears

Formerly known as Clark's Trading Post, Clark's Bears has been entertaining families with trained bear shows for more than 50 years, and as you watch these animals ride scooters, shoot basketball hoops, and balance on barrels, you'll notice that the bears are having as much fun performing their tricks as the audience is watching them.

In addition to the bears, the several daily shows include performances by a team of acrobats. Between shows, families can ride a steam train through the woods, learn to "drive" Segways, play in the splash park, and visit the quirky fun houses and museum collections along the Victorian Main Street.

Like Story Land, Clark's is family owned (the fifth generation is now in place), and its attractions are original and unique. Just up the road, Whale's Tale Water Park is a good place to take kids on a hot summer day, with speed slides, a wave pool, and two huge water slides.

Address: US Route 3, Lincoln, New Hampshire

Currier Museum of Art and Zimmerman House

The more than 11,000 works in the collections at the Currier Museum of Art are as wide-ranging as they are significant. Not surprisingly, particular attention is given to New Hampshire artists and works of the White Mountain School of artists, with several examples including Bierstadt's view of Moat Mountain. Along with the paintings are superb examples of New Hampshire-made antique furniture.

The second floor is divided between the American gallery and an admirably varied collection of European paintings that include works by Constable, Monet, Corot, Tiepolo, and Lorenzo de Costa. The first floor includes the double special exhibition gallery and the museum's collections of modern and contemporary art. The former includes works by Picasso, Matisse, and O'Keeffe, the latter, a Calder mobile sculpture.

Also in Manchester, part of the museum and accessible by tours originating here, is the Zimmerman House, by Frank Lloyd Wright. This outstanding example of Wright's Usonian homes is the only Wright-designed building in New England open to the public. The tours, which include the interior entirely furnished as Wright designed it, put the house and furnishings in their historical and artistic context.

Address: 150 Ash Street, Manchester, New Hampshire

Lake Winnipesaukee

South of the White Mountains is Lake Winnipesaukee, the focal point of New Hampshire's Lakes Region, which also includes nearby — and far less developed — Squam Lake and Newfound Lake. Winnipesaukee is a beehive of summer activity, surrounded by water parks, beaches, fast food, and family-oriented attractions.

The west side of the lake is the most developed, especially around Laconia's kid-friendly Weirs Beach and more trendy Meredith, while the eastern resort town of Wolfeboro is quieter. Water sports are abundant, with sailboats, kayaks, and motorboats vying for water space with the historic cruise boat, M/S Mount Washington.

The Loon Center and Markus Wildlife Sanctuary in Moultonborough protects the breeding waters of these treasured birds and offers visitors a chance to learn about them. Nature and wildlife is also the focus of Squam Lakes Natural Science Center, which operates nature cruises on this well-protected lake that was the setting for On Golden Pond.

If your vacation is dampened by a rain-day, you'll find plenty of things to do near Weirs Beach. In addition to a strip of game arcades, shops, and restaurants right along the water, the nearby FunSpot offers plenty of indoor diversions. My favorite part is their collection of lovingly restored classic arcade video games (they claim it's the biggest in the world), including pinball galore. They also have bowling, both candlepin and ten-pin, as well as indoor mini-golf and modern games for all ages.

Fall Foliage Drives

New Hampshire is at its most beautiful in September and early October, when fall paints its maples shades of scarlet and orange and its birches a luminous yellow. Almost any road you follow will bring views, whether it's a winding, tree-lined country lane or a highway that opens up sweeping mountain vistas.

For its variety of views, follow the Connecticut River up the west side of the state, where routes 12, 12A, and 10 offer a changing series of views across valley farms to the mountains of Vermont. Take side roads into villages along the way — picture-perfect Walpole is near the southern end — for white church spires and village greens surrounded by blazing maples.

Close to my home, this route is one I follow in the fall not just for the foliage, but for the orchards and farmstands that line the valley. Alyson's Orchard is a good stop not only to pick apples, but to enjoy the hilltop views; I stop for farmstead cheese across the road at Boggy Meadow Farm.

The entire route from Chesterfield to Woodsville, known as the Connecticut River Byway, is about 140 miles long, and the southern part, from Chesterfield to Hanover, is about 100 miles.

In the central Lakes Region, country roads north of scenic Squam Lake wind through pretty villages of Holderness, Sandwich, and Tamworth, some of New Hampshire's most attractive small towns, with views to the White Mountains. Route 16 leads north to one of the state's most iconic fall views as the distinctive cone of Mt. Chocorua is reflected in a forest-ringed lake.

Few images of fall in New Hampshire are as iconic as a covered bridge framed in bright foliage, and while you'll find these bridges scattered across the state, nowhere are there so many so close together as in the town of Swanzey, in the state's southwest corner. These are marked on the state highway map, so you can easily follow a route that includes six of them. Allow an hour, plus time to admire and photograph them.

I drive through one of these each time I go to the grocery store, and I usually have to wait for a couple of cars to go through the single-lane bridge. I don't mind, grateful that we still have these beautiful reminders of a slower-paced time.

Several options allow the driver a chance for "leaf-peeping" — cruises on Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Sunapee, train rides into the mountains from North Conway, or various tramways to peaks in the White Mountains.

Polar Caves

Glaciers, which once covered the White Mountains in a mile-thick layer of ice, formed Polar Caves by scraping huge chunks of rock ledge off the mountainside as they melted and slid southward. These boulders and granite slabs fell into a tumble at the base of a towering cliff, creating caves and passages underneath and between them. Some of the spaces are so deep that ice remains there into the summer.

At the foot of the caves is the Rock Garden, a series of trails among huge rocks strewn on the forest floor, easier to navigate than the steeper trails among the caves. Wooden stairs and walkways lead up to dimly lit passages and caverns to explore; some, like the Bear's Den are challenging, with tight spaces between surfaces. Signs tell stories of Native Americans, escaping slaves, smugglers, and others who used these caves.

Polar Caves Park is more than the caves, and there is enough so a family could spend hours here, watching and feeding a huge flock of ducks and geese that roam free and swim in a large woodland pond. An illustrated sign helps kids identify the variety of birds, and fallow deer will eat from their hands.

Address: 705 Rumney Rte 25, Rumney, New Hampshire

Santa's Village

Stepping through the igloo gatehouse of Santa's Village, my kids feel as though they've entered into a Christmas wonderland where toys come to life, and all the favorite things about the holiday season are all around them.

An elevated monorail ride, the Skyway Sleigh, gives an aerial overview of the fun to come, as riders skim above the treetops. Rides and games all feature Christmas themes: a ride with spinning drums; a roller coaster for younger children called the Peppermint Twist; a penguin spin-out coaster; and the Chimney Drop, a bounce ride where kids feel like Santa dropping down a chimney.

Kids (and you) can get wet in the Yule Log Flume, and there's an entire section devoted to water rides and slides. The Great Humbug Adventure is a dark ride through Scrooge's house looking for humbugs.

The carousel has reindeer instead of horses, prancing to the tune of Christmas songs. At Sugar n' Spice Bake Shop, a giant gingerbread house, kids can dress their own gingerbread men and women with frosting clothes.

Everything - all rides, shows, 3-D movies, live music, and entertainment, even the pet condo and strollers for little people, are included in the admission price, and the games and rides are well designed for various age groups, so kids from toddlers to teens will have fun here.

Address: 528 Presidential Hwy, Jefferson, New Hampshire

Lost River Gorge

During the last Ice Age, glaciers covered the White Mountains with a mile-high sheet of ice. When these melted and receded, the combination of meltwater and moving ice carved deep potholes into the granite and tore loose giant boulders, dropping them helter-skelter across the landscape. It was a combination of these that created this natural wonder.

Lost River Gorge disappears into caves formed by a tumble of glacial boulders, appearing again in cascades and long waterfalls and swirling in giant cauldron-shaped potholes as it drops through the steep ravine. You can explore all the caves and the narrow passages formed by the masses of broken granite ledge or bypass them to climb through on boardwalks and stairs.

If you're claustrophobic, avoid the tightest of these passages, appropriately called "the lemon squeezer." At the top is a garden of woodland wildflowers, a forest adventure trail, and a suspension bridge that leads to a 750-foot boardwalk through a glacial boulder field.

Address: Route 112, Kinsman Notch, New Hampshire

Isles of Shoals Cruises

A group of nine islands off the coast of Maine and New Hampshire, the Isles of Shoals were described in 1614 by Captain John Smith (who modestly named them Smythe Isles) as "barren piles of rock." The description is apt, but their complicated and fascinating history includes tales of shipwrecks, pirates, ghosts, murder, and buried treasure.

Their story also includes more than 400 paintings by the impressionist artist Childe Hassam, who came to the summer arts colony that once thrived here, attracting well-known authors, poets, and artists of the day.

The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company in Portsmouth takes passengers to Star Island for a three-hour shore stop, where they can enjoy island landscapes and visit the historic Oceanic Hotel, a 200-year-old chapel, and buildings from the 19^th-century village. The smaller White Island has a picturesque lighthouse that is a New Hampshire State Historic Site.

Other boat trips, offered by Portsmouth Harbor Cruises, explore the harbor, the coastline, and Great Bay.

Woodman Institute and Garrison House

Combining local history (Dover was the state's first permanent settlement and celebrates its 400^th anniversary in 2023) with a wider range of natural sciences and cultural exhibits, the privately endowed Woodman Institute complex is a delightful trove of surprises.

I grew up in Dover, and as a child this wondrous collection of treasures from all over the world was an Aladdin's cave for me, feeding my curiosity and very likely inspiring my lifelong love of travel.

The 1818 Woodman House is filled with collections of minerals, birds, shells, mammals, Native American artifacts, and Civil War items that include Abraham Lincoln's saddle. An entire room is devoted to the extensive doll collection of a local teacher; another to memorabilia from World War II. Your kids will be wowed, as I was, by the enormous Polar Bear that towers over them, and by the full suit of armor worn by a Samurai warrior.

In the adjoining 1813 home of Senator John Parker Hale are furnished rooms, police and fire memorabilia, nautical items, needlework, antique toys, and decorative arts, plus a fascinating collection of early photographs used to document pre-labor-law practices in New England's mills, including child labor.

But the most precious of all is the last surviving fortified colonial garrison house, the William Damm Garrison, built in Dover in 1675 and preserved here under a portico. It is completely furnished with period artifacts, including tools, household equipment, furniture, and needlework.

You can wander through the entire house, filled with furniture and domestic implements of the colonial period, to inspect all these at close range, even climbing the narrow steps to see the upper floor. You are also welcome to picnic on the museum's lawns and enjoy the gardens.

Address: 182 Central Avenue, Dover, New Hampshire

White Mountain Waterfalls

Apart from the beautiful scenery, the best free things to see in New Hampshire are the waterfalls that tumble down the slopes of the White Mountains. You can see some of these on short hikes and a few are visible from the roadside. Most make lovely places for a picnic.

My favorites are Diana's Bath and Sabbaday Falls, both close to North Conway and each a short and level walk through the forest. Reached from the Kancamagus Highway, between Conway and Lincoln, Sabbaday Falls is a double treat, with a flume where water surges and drops into a pothole pool it has carved at the base. Above (there are wooden steps and secure handrails), water cascades over a series of ledges where it has sculpted pools and channels.

Diana's Bath, off West Side Road in North Conway, has a similar combination of pools, cascades and basins, but over a longer drop. Little waterfalls play across the face of a 20-foot ledge, scouring potholes as they drop from shelf to shelf. The water converges into chute, forming an 8-foot falls, then a 15-foot cascade. Although I seldom have this idyllic spot to myself, I rarely pass by without taking the short walk to see it framed in green or fall colors, or cased in sparkling ice in the winter.

Alongside The Kancamagus Highway are Rocky Gorge and Lower Falls, where the Swift River plunges through granite walls and over a series of shelves. At Lower Falls the ledges are wide and flat, with plenty of room for picnics and sunbathing; shallow pools are great for kids and at the bottom is deeper water to cool off in. On hot summer afternoons, we have trouble finding a place to spread a towel, so we go in the morning to stake a spot.

Also beside a road, Jackson Falls drops into the center of the village in a series of shallow shelves that seem to be designed for picnics. For more drama, head a short distance north to Pinkham Notch, where you can reach the 60-foot Glen Ellis Falls via a short path and stairs.

More spectacular, Crystal Cascade is a 15-minute climb from the AMC Pinkham Notch Visitors Center. Dropping in two separate falls, one a 60-foot cascade dancing over ragged ledges and the other a 20-foot straight drop between granite walls, this is perhaps New Hampshire's most beautiful waterfall. A bridge below the falls provides a perfect viewing spot.

More Must-See Destinations in and near New Hampshire

There is so much to do in New Hampshire - historic Portsmouth, hiking trails in its White Mountains, and beautiful campgrounds for outdoor lovers - that you could spend several vacations here without ever crossing its borders.

But its several neighbors are worth visiting, too. To the east is Maine, with lively Portland and the beautiful Acadia National Park. To the west is Vermont, also a major destination for skiing and hiking.

To the north is the province of Quebec, in Canada (be sure to take your passport), and south is Massachusetts, with all the attractions of Boston and the beaches of Cape Cod.