Places to visit in New England – New Hampshire’s White Mountains
Is visiting New England on your vacation bucket list? If not, It should be! Last October, on an 8-day vacation we enjoyed some of the most beautiful and historic areas in the United States. There is no way to capture the beauty of New England in words or photos. How can one describe quaint seaside towns, breathtaking mountains, historic locations, rocky coasts dotted with lighthouses, and old towns with busy village squares? I can’t capture it but I can give you ideas on what to see so you can experience it yourself. First, learn about New Hampshire, then read about Maine Lighthouses & Quaint Seaside Towns and Salem MA.
Our Trip to New England
Our trip to New England was a mix of our love for nature and history and exploring a new place and culture. Sure we’d visited Boston on business trips but this one was pure pleasure. Our trip included sites in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts.
We flew into Logan International Airport in Boston, rented a car, and headed to New Hampshire. As we drove through Boston I was a little disappointed — had we missed the colorful leaves? Did we arrive too early? But just an hour later I knew we’d chosen the right week! The second week of October was beautiful in the White Mountains.
The White Mountains
Franconia Notch State Park
Franconia Notch State Park is a beautiful park in the White Mountain National Forest. Franconia Notch State Park is also one of the best places in New England to enjoy fall colors and year-round outdoor activities like hiking, biking, kayaking, skiing, and fishing. It’s about 20 miles from the quaint little mountain town Franconia. The Franconia area has a variety of lodges, inns, cabins, and a Best Western. Lodging books quickly in the colorful “leaf” months. If you want to hike and explore lakes and lookouts consider using the app AllTrails. It provides photos and maps of hikes information and user reviews to help choose the best hike for your desired difficulty level. If you’re like us and tend to get off the main trail it will navigate you right to the trail-head via google maps. Two top-rated hikes lead to Artist’s Bluff and Echo Lake.
The Flume
The Flume is a natural gorge extending 800 feet deep at the base of Mount Liberty. The granite walls rise 90 feet and are narrow at 12 to 20 feet apart. Concrete and wood paths lead you through the Gorge. You’ll need about 4 hours to really enjoy the Flume and the hike.
We arrived mid-morning and had no problem finding a parking place. Leaving, however, was a different story. It was crowded and impossible to find parking. There is an entrance fee, some steep stairs and slopes, and it can get crowded. If you’re worried about the climb it’s really not too bad and there are resting places along the way. Be sure to wear hiking or tennis shoes and a waterproof jacket comes in handy as you will get a little spray. Bring water. Dogs are not allowed and it is not stroller or wheelchair friendly. To read the interesting history on the woman who discovered the flue visit: How the Flume was discovered
You can choose to walk through just the Gorge or take the 2-mile loop. The Flume is what draws visitors but the 2-mile loop is just as breathtaking! It’s an easier, dirt path walk with handrails on steps. A covered bridge spans the scenic Pemigewasset River. If you are a photographer, this is where you want to be.
Mount Washington Cog Railway
About 30 miles from the Flume is the Mount Washington Cog Railway. The ride up and down takes around 1 hour each way, you have 60 minutes to explore and take in the Summit of Mount Washington, including a photograph museum which explains the history, mail a postcard from the post office, grab a cup of something hot at the small snack bar and enjoy the 360° views of the surrounding areas including up to 5 states, Canada and the Atlantic Ocean! My one word of advice is to dress warm! Winter coat, hat, gloves, etc. It’s cold up on the top. On our trip, we didn’t plan to go to the top and it wasn’t until we were driving the Kancamagus Highway that we decided we had to do it. So we went to the top of the Mount Washington from the eastern side. It is a very unique experience which you can read about below.
Kancamagus Highway
The Kancamagus Highway, also known as “The Kanc”, is pronounced “Kank-ah-mah-gus.” The Kanc is a 34-mile scenic byway that winds through the center of the White Mountains. There are lookouts along the way some requiring a short walk to see the view. The Kancamagus Highway is an American Scenic Byway known for its rich history, aesthetic beauty and culture. The drive along the Kancamagus Highway takes you back in time as you drive through a forest that offers no comforts of the modern day world; no gas stations, no restaurants, hotels or other businesses have pierced their way into the heart of the Kancamagus Highway. Those luxuries are left behind at both ends of the scenic byway. So pack a lunch, don your hiking shoes, grab your camera and enjoy 34 miles of untouched beauty!
Mount Washington Summit & Weather Station
The Kancamangus Highway led us to the Mt. Washington Auto Road and the Presidential Mountain Range. This 19-mile range of mountains is named after US presidents with Mount Washington being the highest. Mount Washington summit and weather station – 6,288 feet up that is. And that’s where we wanted to be!
Checking online we learned we could drive to the top but when we got there in mid-October the upper portion of the road was closed to individual cars due to ice. We were told that the guided tours were still happening. Although disappointed a first, this ended up being the best choice for us. As we rode up the winding, narrow, icy mountain roads (with no guard rails — eek!) we were glad we were not driving and we enjoyed the driver’s narrative and info about the area.
We had an hour to roam the weather station and an informative photo museum. Mount Washington Observatory is a nonprofit research and educational institution working to advance understanding of Earth’s weather and climate. The weather up there rivals weather in some of Russia’s remotest areas. The view is fantastic! You can see all five states, Canada and to the Atlantic Ocean. But did I mention it’s really cold?
At the base, take time to visit the Sherman Adams Visitor Center where the Extreme Mount Washington exhibit ($2) delivers the science and excitement of a Mount Washington winter to summer visitors of all ages through high-tech, hands-on exhibits. Learn how rime ice forms, pilot a snowcat, see how Mount Washington Observatory scientists observe and record the infamous conditions and more. There are fees for tours and for self-driving. Allow about 3 hours for the round trip. You need to book tours for Mount Washington and also check Mt Washington Auto Road Info to see if the road is open.
So New Hampshire was the first two days of our trip. Plan to spend a couple days exploring the Boston area and don’t forget to Explore Lighthouses, rugged coasts, and quaint towns in Maine
