Things To Do In New Hampshire: Mountains, Lakes & Coast

Contents

For most first-time visitors, the Kancamagus Highway and White Mountains are the best place to start.

The 34.5-mile road between Conway and Lincoln gives you mountain views, forest, waterfalls, short walks, and easy access to Franconia Notch.

Choose Mount Washington instead if reaching New England's highest summit is the main goal, or Portsmouth if you want history, food, and a walkable town.

New Hampshire is compact, but mountain roads and seasonal traffic make short distances feel longer. Pick one region for each day.

Things to Do in New Hampshire

New Hampshire at a glance

Rank	Place	Best for	Plan this much time	Cost	Main thing to know
1	Kancamagus Highway and White Mountains	First trip, fall color, road trips	Half day to full day	Road is free; some forest stops require a recreation fee	No gas stations on the 34.5-mile Kancamagus stretch
2	Mount Washington	Mountain views, scenic drive, train ride	Half day to full day	Auto Road: $36 adult, $15 child age 4-12	Summit access is seasonal and weather matters
3	Flume Gorge	Families, waterfalls, easy-to-follow walk	2-3 hours	Online: $18 adult, $16 child age 6-12	Open seasonally, usually May through October
4	Portsmouth and Strawbery Banke	History, walking, coast	Half day to full day	Strawbery Banke online adult ticket: $23	General museum season ends Nov. 1, 2026
5	Lake Winnipesaukee	Boating, families, summer trips	Half day to full day	M/S Mount Washington scenic cruise from $48 adult	Cruise routes and schedules change by season
6	Mount Monadnock	Hiking, views, southern New Hampshire	4-6 hours	$15 per vehicle; $1 reservation fee	Weekend parking often sells out
7	Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park	Art, gardens, quiet history	2-3 hours	$10 per person age 16+ in fee season	Main visitor season runs Memorial Day weekend through Oct. 31
8	Hampton Beach	Ocean beach, families, summer	Half day to full day	South Beach parking: $15 per vehicle	Parking is the main planning issue in summer

Best choices for different trips

Best overall: Kancamagus Highway and White Mountains

Best mountain summit: Mount Washington

Best family nature stop: Flume Gorge

Best town for history and walking: Portsmouth

Best summer lake day: Lake Winnipesaukee

Best serious day hike: Mount Monadnock

Best quiet art and garden stop: Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park

Best ocean beach: Hampton Beach

Best fall trip: Kancamagus Highway

How we picked these places

This guide is based on current research.

We did not personally visit every place for this update, buy every ticket, or test every trail, road, or cruise.

Official pages were used for current prices, seasonal schedules, reservations, and access rules.

We also reviewed current New Hampshire travel guides from Visit New Hampshire, Lonely Planet, and Travel + Leisure to see what first-time visitors are commonly comparing.

The order is our judgment.

Places rank higher when they give visitors a strong New Hampshire experience, fit into a realistic trip, and offer something different from the other picks.

1. Kancamagus Highway and White Mountains - best overall

The Kancamagus Highway is the best first New Hampshire experience for most visitors because one 34.5-mile drive links mountain overlooks, forest, rivers, waterfalls, picnic areas, and trailheads between Conway and Lincoln.

It is especially famous for fall color, but the road is useful in summer and winter too. Visit New Hampshire

What to know

Best for: First trips, fall color, scenic driving, short hikes
Time: Half day to full day
Length: 34.5 miles between Conway and Lincoln
Gas stations: None on the main stretch
Cell service: Limited or absent in places
Main limit: Fall weekends can be very busy

The road itself is free to drive, but some developed recreation areas and trailheads in White Mountain National Forest require a recreation pass or day-use fee.

White Mountain National Forest

Do not treat 34.5 miles as a quick commute.

Visit New Hampshire notes that the drive can take about 45 minutes without traffic, but popular fall periods can turn it into a two- or three-hour drive before you add stops.

Visit New Hampshire

The most useful planning detail is simple: fill the gas tank in Conway or Lincoln, download maps before leaving, and give yourself time to stop.

Choose the Kancamagus Highway if you want the easiest mix of classic New Hampshire scenery.

2. Mount Washington - best mountain summit

Mount Washington is the best choice for travelers who want to reach the highest summit in New England without committing to a difficult all-day hike.

You can drive the Mount Washington Auto Road or take the Mount Washington Cog Railway.

Mount Washington Auto Road Mount Washington Cog Railway

What to know

Best for: Summit views, scenic driving, train rides
Time: Half day to full day
Auto Road drive-yourself price: $36 adult age 13+, $15 child age 4-12
Auto Road length: 7.6 miles each way
Summit height: 6,288 feet
Main limit: Weather can change very quickly

The Auto Road climbs more than 4,000 feet and has an average grade of about 12 percent.

The operator requires drivers to use low gear on the descent and places limits on some vehicles.

Mount Washington Auto Road

The 2026 drive-yourself season runs from late April into early November, weather permitting.

The Cog Railway runs summit trips from May 2 through October 25, 2026, then uses lower-elevation winter routes.

Auto Road schedule Cog Railway

Choose the Auto Road if you want to drive yourself.

Choose the Cog Railway if the train ride is part of the experience you want.

3. Flume Gorge - best family nature walk

Flume Gorge is the best easy-to-plan family nature stop in the White Mountains because the route follows a marked path through a narrow granite gorge, waterfalls, forest, and covered bridges.

It is inside Franconia Notch State Park. New Hampshire State Parks

What to know

Best for: Families, waterfalls, short walks
Time: 2-3 hours
Adult online ticket: $18
Child age 6-12 online: $16
At-the-window adult ticket: $21
Main limit: The boardwalk route includes stairs and wet surfaces

For 2026, Flume Gorge is open from May 8 through October 25.

Buying ahead saves $3 per ticket compared with buying at the ticket window. New Hampshire State Parks

Flume Gorge is a better choice than a hard mountain hike when you want a structured walk with obvious scenery and less route planning.

Choose Flume Gorge if your group wants waterfalls and mountain scenery without a summit hike.

4. Portsmouth and Strawbery Banke - best history town

Portsmouth is the best New Hampshire town for visitors who want to park once, walk between historic streets, shops, waterfront views, and a major museum, then stay for a meal.

Strawbery Banke Museum is the clearest history anchor for the day. Strawbery Banke Museum

What to know

Best for: History, walking, couples, food and coast
Time: Half day to full day
Strawbery Banke online adult ticket: $23
At-the-door adult ticket: $25
Child age 5-17 online: $10.50
Main limit: On-site museum parking is limited

Strawbery Banke's general museum season runs through November 1, 2026.

General admission is valid for two consecutive operating days.

Tuesdays are different: regular self-guided admission is replaced by guided tours. Strawbery Banke tickets 2026 hours

Portsmouth works especially well when you want a break from mountain driving.

The historic center is compact enough to combine the museum with Market Square and the waterfront.

Choose Portsmouth if you want history and a walkable town rather than another outdoor day.

5. Lake Winnipesaukee - best summer lake day

Lake Winnipesaukee is the best choice in this guide for a classic New Hampshire lake day.

You can swim, paddle, rent a boat, stay in a lake town, or take a narrated cruise on the M/S Mount Washington.

Visit New Hampshire

What to know

Best for: Summer trips, boating, families, relaxing days
Time: Half day to full day
M/S Mount Washington scenic cruise: From $48 adult, $28 child age 4-12
Baby under 4: Free
Main limit: Cruise schedules and departure ports change through the season

The 2026 narrated scenic cruises run from Weirs Beach with seasonal departures from other lake towns.

Prices do not include taxes or service fees. Mount Washington Cruises

The lake is large enough that you should choose a base rather than trying to circle it while also fitting in a cruise, beach, and town visit.

Meredith, Wolfeboro, and the Weirs Beach area each work differently.

Choose Lake Winnipesaukee if a summer day on the water matters more than another mountain hike.

6. Mount Monadnock - best serious day hike

Mount Monadnock is the best southern New Hampshire choice for travelers who want a real summit hike without going deep into the White Mountains.

The climb is popular, rocky, and much harder than a casual park walk. New Hampshire State Parks

What to know

Best for: Hiking, summit views, active day trips
Time: 4-6 hours for many summit trips
Day-use parking: $15 per vehicle
Advance reservation fee: $1
Main limit: Weekend parking often sells out from April through November

New Hampshire State Parks strongly recommends advance reservations because the park can fill, and visitors are turned away when the parking area reaches capacity.

Parking elsewhere and walking into the park is not allowed. New Hampshire State Parks

Choose Mount Monadnock if hiking is the point of the day.

Choose Flume Gorge if your group wants a shorter and easier nature stop.

7. Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park - best art and garden stop

Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park is the best quiet cultural stop in this guide.

The Cornish home, studio, sculpture, gardens, and trails preserve the work and surroundings of sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens.

National Park Service

What to know

Best for: Art, gardens, quiet walks, history
Time: 2-3 hours
Entrance fee: $10 per person age 16+
Age 15 and under: Free
Main fee season: Memorial Day weekend through October 31
Main limit: Visitor-center and building access is seasonal

The $10 pass is valid for seven days and includes the grounds, historic buildings, trails, and ranger programs during the main visitor season.

National Park Service

Choose Saint-Gaudens if you want art, gardens, and a slower stop away from the busiest mountain routes.

8. Hampton Beach - best ocean beach

Hampton Beach is the best straightforward ocean-beach choice in New Hampshire for travelers who want sand, swimming, food, and a busy summer beach town.

New Hampshire has only a short Atlantic coastline, so Hampton is very different from the state's mountain and lake trips.

New Hampshire State Parks

What to know

Best for: Ocean swimming, families, summer trips
Time: Half day to full day
South Beach parking: $15 per standard passenger vehicle
RV parking at South Beach: $30
Main limit: Summer parking demand is high

Parking rules differ between the main beach, North Beach, and South Beach.

South Beach accepts day-use reservations, while other sections use metered parking. New Hampshire State Parks

Choose Hampton Beach if the ocean is part of the reason for your trip.

Choose Lake Winnipesaukee for a quieter inland-water day.

Kancamagus Highway or Mount Washington: which is better?

Choose the Kancamagus Highway for the easier first trip.

Choose Mount Washington when reaching a major summit is the goal.

The Kanc gives you more freedom to stop, walk, and change plans.

Mount Washington costs more and is more dependent on summit weather, but the summit experience is much more dramatic.

Flume Gorge or Mount Monadnock: which should you choose?

Choose Flume Gorge for families and a shorter walk. Choose Mount Monadnock for a real half-day summit hike.

Flume has a clear paid route and boardwalks.

Monadnock is a rocky mountain climb where parking reservations matter on busy days.

Best things to do in New Hampshire in fall

Drive the Kancamagus Highway, then add Franconia Notch or Mount Washington if time allows.

Peak color changes from year to year and from north to south.

Do not build an evergreen plan around one predicted weekend. Check current foliage reports close to your trip.

Best things to do in New Hampshire with kids

Flume Gorge, Lake Winnipesaukee, Hampton Beach, and Portsmouth are the easiest family choices.

Mount Washington can also work well if your children are comfortable with steep roads or train travel.

Mount Monadnock is better for older children who already enjoy longer rocky hikes.

Frequently asked questions

What is the number one thing to do in New Hampshire?

For most first-time visitors, drive the Kancamagus Highway through the White Mountains.

It gives you the strongest mix of mountain scenery, fall color, rivers, waterfalls, and short walks in one day.

Is the Kancamagus Highway free?

The highway itself is free to drive.

Some developed recreation areas and trailheads in White Mountain National Forest require a recreation fee or pass.

How much does it cost to drive up Mount Washington?

The 2026 drive-yourself rate is $36 for adults age 13 and older and $15 for children age 4-12.

Children 3 and younger are free. Mount Washington Auto Road

Is Flume Gorge worth it?

Yes, especially for families or visitors who want a shorter nature walk.

Buying online costs $18 for adults in 2026, compared with $21 at the ticket window.

Is Portsmouth worth a day trip?

Yes. Portsmouth is easy to fill for a day with Strawbery Banke, Market Square, the waterfront, shops, and restaurants.

What is the best lake to visit in New Hampshire?

Lake Winnipesaukee is the easiest first choice for most visitors.

It has several useful base towns plus scenic cruises, beaches, boating, and lake views.

Do you need a reservation for Mount Monadnock?

Reservations are strongly recommended.

The park often sells out on weekends from April through November, and visitors can be turned away when parking is full.

How many days do you need in New Hampshire?

Three days is enough for the White Mountains plus one town or lake day.

Five to seven days is better if you want the mountains, Portsmouth, and the Lakes Region without rushing.

Final pick

For most first-time travelers, start with the Kancamagus Highway, add Mount Washington or Flume Gorge for a second mountain experience, then choose either Portsmouth, Lake Winnipesaukee, or Hampton Beach for a different side of the state.

The simplest New Hampshire plan is the best one: pick one region for each day and leave enough time for mountain roads, weather, and scenic stops.