Last updated August 17, 2026

The Best Tours & Places to Visit in New Hampshire

New Hampshire packs granite peaks, a historic Atlantic coastline, and one of New England's biggest lakes into one of the smallest states in the country. The White Mountains draw hikers and leaf-peepers to Mount Washington and the Kancamagus Highway, Lake Winnipesaukee anchors a classic New England lakes region, and Portsmouth's working harbor preserves nearly 400 years of maritime history. With no sales tax or income tax on wages, it is also one of the easier states in the Northeast to visit on a budget.

Top Attractions, Tours and Tickets in New Hampshire

The White Mountains & Outdoor Adventure

The White Mountain National Forest covers nearly 800,000 acres across northern New Hampshire and is the state's single biggest draw for hikers, leaf-peepers, and road-trippers. The Presidential Range, anchored by 6,288-foot Mount Washington, home to some of the most extreme weather ever recorded on Earth, offers everything from gentle nature trails to the demanding Appalachian Trail approach. Near North Conway, hikers can access Diana's Baths, Cathedral Ledge, and the Kancamagus Highway, one of America's most scenic drives. For a guided introduction to the forest without planning logistics yourself, this small-group hiking trip covers some of the range's best viewpoints with an experienced local guide.

Fall Foliage Day Trips from Boston

New Hampshire's fall foliage season, typically peaking in early-to-mid October, is one of the most photographed in the country, and the state's proximity to Boston makes it one of the most popular day-trip destinations in New England. The Kancamagus Highway, the drive past Mount Washington, and stops near the historic Omni Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods are consistently ranked among the best leaf-peeping routes in the Northeast. Travelers based in Boston who don't want to rent a car and navigate mountain roads themselves can join a full-day guided tour that handles the driving and narration.

Lake Winnipesaukee & the Lakes Region

Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire's largest lake at roughly 21 miles long, anchors the Lakes Region around Laconia, Wolfeboro, and Meredith. Summer visitors come for swimming, boating, and the M/S Mount Washington cruise ship, while the surrounding hills are laced with scenic rail lines that run through forests and along the shoreline. One of the region's scenic railway experiences takes riders through the Lakes Region countryside aboard vintage rail cars, a relaxed alternative to driving the busy summer roads around the lake.

Portsmouth & the Seacoast

New Hampshire's 18-mile stretch of Atlantic coastline is short but packed with history, centered on Portsmouth, a working harbor city with one of the best-preserved historic waterfronts in New England. The Strawbery Banke Museum recreates four centuries of life along the Piscataqua River, and Prescott Park hosts a lively summer arts festival on the water. For an active way to see the coastline, a guided bike tour rolls through Portsmouth's islands, gardens, and coastal villages, including a stop at New Castle Island and Fort Stark.

Historic Sites & New England Charm

New Hampshire's small towns and historic sites trace the state's role in colonial and Revolutionary-era America. Canterbury Shaker Village, one of the most complete Shaker communities in the country, sits north of Concord, while the Robert Frost Farm in Derry preserves the poet's home during his most productive writing years. In Hanover, the Dartmouth College campus and the Hood Museum of Art anchor a classic New England college town along the Connecticut River, and downtown Portsmouth's brick storefronts and hidden alleyways reward slow, unhurried exploring on foot.

State Parks & Family Attractions

Franconia Notch State Park is home to Flume Gorge, an 800-foot natural chasm reached by boardwalk, along with the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway and the site of the former Old Man of the Mountain rock formation. Families headed to the White Mountains often build a day around Story Land in Glen, a storybook-themed amusement park, or Santa's Village in Jefferson, both long-running White Mountains institutions. Farther south, Mount Sunapee State Park offers swimming, hiking, and mountain biking within easy reach of Concord and the Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region.

Concord & the Capital Region

Concord, New Hampshire's state capital since 1808, centers on the gold-domed State House, the oldest state capitol in the country where the legislature still meets in its original chambers. The Museum of the White Mountains and the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, named for Concord teacher and Challenger astronaut Christa McAuliffe, add a science and space-history angle to the city. Manchester, the state's largest city just south of Concord, has turned its 19th-century Amoskeag Millyard into museums, breweries, and riverside walking paths.

Major Cities and Places to Visit in New Hampshire

• Manchester Tours & Tickets - New Hampshire's largest city, a former mill town on the Merrimack River known for its restored Amoskeag Millyard and a growing arts and brewery scene.
• Concord Tours & Tickets - The state capital, home to the New Hampshire State House and a walkable downtown with deep Revolutionary-era history.
• Nashua Tours & Tickets - A fast-growing Merrimack Valley city near the Massachusetts border, known for its parks, breweries, and revitalized Main Street.
• Portsmouth Tours & Tickets - A historic seacoast city with cobblestone streets, the Strawbery Banke Museum, and a working harbor on the Piscataqua River.
• North Conway Tours & Tickets - The gateway to the White Mountains, known for outlet shopping, scenic railroads, and easy access to Mount Washington.
• Hanover Tours & Tickets - Home to Dartmouth College, a small Connecticut River Ivy League town surrounded by forested hills.
• Laconia Tours & Tickets - The hub of New Hampshire's Lakes Region, sitting between Lake Winnipesaukee and Lake Winnisquam.
• Dover Tours & Tickets - One of the oldest permanent settlements in the country, a Seacoast city with a growing downtown food and brewery scene.

Universities, Colleges and Sports Teams in New Hampshire

• Dartmouth College in Hanover - Ivy League research university founded in 1769, one of the nine Colonial Colleges chartered before the American Revolution.
• University of New Hampshire - The state's flagship public research university, based in Durham, home of the UNH Wildcats.
• Southern New Hampshire University in Manchester - One of the largest private nonprofit universities in the country by enrollment, known nationally for its online degree programs.

New Hampshire Demographics and Population

According to the 2024 American Community Survey, New Hampshire has a population of approximately 1,377,529 people across 8,953 square miles, ranking it 41st among U.S. states by population. The median household income is $99,782, and the largest racial and ethnic groups are Asian (3.2%), White (88.1%), Hispanic Latino (5%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.2%), and Black or African American (1.7%). The median age is 43.6 years, and the per capita income is $53,064. Approximately 7.2% of residents live below the poverty line, compared to the national rate of 12.5%. New Hampshire has 570,689 households and a mean commute time of 26.7 minutes. New Hampshire has no broad-based sales tax or personal income tax on wages, a policy tied closely to its "Live Free or Die" state motto and a major draw for retirees and remote workers relocating from Massachusetts.

When to Visit New Hampshire

Winter (December through February): Cold and snowy, with the White Mountains drawing skiers to resorts like Loon Mountain, Cannon Mountain, and Waterville Valley from December through March. Spring (March through May): Mud season in the north country gives way to waterfalls running high and maple sugaring houses opening across the state in March and April. Summer (June through August): Warm, humid, and busy around Lake Winnipesaukee and the Seacoast, with long days for hiking, boating, and coastal exploring from June through August. Fall (September through November) is the best time to visit New Hampshire. Foliage typically peaks in early-to-mid October across the White Mountains and Lakes Region, drawing leaf-peepers on the Kancamagus Highway and day-trippers up from Boston.

Frequently Asked Questions About Touring New Hampshire

Official New Hampshire Resources

The following official government websites provide additional planning resources, park information, and historical records for travelers visiting New Hampshire.