5 NH Road Trips: Tall Ships, America’s Stonehenge, Amazing Waterfalls

NEW HAMPSHIRE — Fall is a great time for road trips around New Hampshire because it’s one of the best in the world to see the brilliant colors of autumn. There’s no good reason to give the short shrift to the Granite State during the remaining summer months, though.

Here are five road trips to put on the calendar. One of the great things about New Hampshire is that it’s scenic year-round.

See The Tall Ships

Portsmouth is a picturesque coastal gem that punches above its weight with entertainment options. The town of 22,700 is teeming with options for leisure, whether strolling through the historic downtown with its quaint boutiques, dining and delectable dining options. Portsmouth has a vibrant cultural scene with events continuing all summer long.

The Tall Ships Festival the weekend of July 25-28 includes a Parade of Sail on July 26 that kicks off Sail Portsmouth with visiting tall ships escorted by hundreds of private pleasure craft and commercial fishing boats up the Piscataqua River to the Memorial Bridge and then to the docks.

The festival is a celebration of Portsmouth’s historic past as one of the busiest port and shipbuilding cities. Long before the Boston Tea Party, the first citizens of Portsmouth arrived on the shores of Odiorne Point and established a flourishing port for fishing, fur trade and shipbuilding. Today, it is a vibrant New England city offering world-class culture while at the same time keeping its small-town character intact.

While you’re in town, you may want to take in a ghost tour of the cobblestone streets of downtown Portsmouth, where a local guide will share the hidden history and haunting folklore of the city.

‘Moose Yourself’ In North Country

Start perfecting your moose call for this end-of-the-summer road trip to New Hampshire’s border with Vermont. The North Country Moose Festival takes place Aug. 23-24, with events in both Colebrook, New Hampshire, and Canaan, Vermont.

Besides the moose calling contest, Cow Plop Bingo, a maple syrup tasting contest and a performance by the Axe Women Loggers of Maine bring local flair to the festival. Other events include a parade, fireworks, live music, artisan and craft vendors, and family favorites like horse and wagon rides, a classic car show, a dog show and a maple syrup tasting contest.

Road trippers who want to see an actual moose may want to head to Dixville Notch State Park.

Fall For New Hampshire This Summer

A three-day, 250-mile road trip from Odiorne Point State Park to Wolfeboro, a pretty lakeside town of 6,270 that is home to the “oldest summer resort in America.”

Odiorne Point State Park offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and its rocky shore. It’s a great spot for a picnic or hike along the extensive network of trails that wind through dense vacation. The Seacoast Science Center has exhibits relating to the natural and human history of Odiorne and the seacoast area.

Next up is Brookford Farm, a 650-acre diversified farm with more than 35 acres in certified organic vegetable production situated along the banks of the Merrimack River in Canterbury. Cattle, hogs, lambs and chickens are rotated on pastures as seasons allow, and the farm’s products are featured at restaurants, retail stores and farmers markets.

Depending on the weekend, you may be able to take in a classical outdoor circus put on by world-class performers who will take your breath away with their gravity-defying feats, jaw-dropping acrobatics, and mesmerizing displays of skill and artistry. This family-friendly spectacle, is perfect for audiences of all ages.

The Weirs Beach Boardwalk offers gorgeous lake views from five different areas. Then it’s on to The Basin at Franconia Notch State Park, a large pothole in the Pemigewasset River that is 30 feet in diameter and 15 feet deep that began forming 25,000 years ago by a melting glacier. The rock formation seen in the stream bed at the outlet has been known for generations as “The Old Man’s Foot.”

Arethusa Falls, which is claimed to be New Hampshire’s tallest water fall at 160 feet, is located is accessible by a 1.5-mile moderately difficult trail off NH-302. Edward Tuckerman, who discovered the falls in 1875, chose the name Arethusa, the nymph that turned into a fountain in Greek mythology.

Echo Lake State Park in North Conway is another great place for a swim, a picnic or a hike along several trails, including a scenic trail around the lake and others that lead to Cathedral Ledge State Park where views of the Saco River Valley are spectacular.

From there, it’s on to Wolfeboro. John Wenworth, the last colonia governor of New Hampshire, built his summer home in 1763 in the area cradled between two mountain ranges and touching the borders of six lakes and ponds. Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest, is the sixth-largest lake in the United States at 28 miles long and 13 miles wide. It has 274 habitable islands.

Fall’s Great Here; So Is Summer

The Kancamagus Highway, a 35-mile stretch of NH-112 from Lincoln to Conway, is a recognized National Scenic Byway offering breathtaking views any time of the year but especially during leaf-peeping season. Travel + Leisure lists “The Kanc,” as the highway is affectionately known, among the most romantic road trips for couples.

It winds through the mountainous White Mountain National Forest, with views of the Swoift River, Sabbaday Falls, Lower Falls and Rocky Gorge. The Kanc reaches an elevation of just under 3,000 feet at its highest point at Kancamagus Pass on the flank of Mt. Kancamagus near Lincoln.

There are plenty of places along the way to stretch your legs on hiking trails and biking paths through the wilderness, where views of picturesque ponds, waterfalls and natural wonders are copious, including the Hancock, Sugar Hill and Pemi overlooks offering views of Osceola Range, Sugar Hill, Mt. Tremont and the Pemigewassert Wilderness. Once you get to Lincoln, it’s worth taking a short in-and-out hike on the to see the Franconia Waterfalls.

Before you go, be aware there are no gas stations, restaurants, hotels or businesses along the 35-mile stretch, although amenities are nearby at both ends of the byway. There are six campgrounds for those who want to stay overnight for an unforgettable camping trip. As you drive through the forest, be on the lookout for wildlife, such as hawks, moose, falcons, eagles, deer, bear, raccoons, porcupines and skunks.

The Kanc is open year-round although the major intersection of Bear Notch Road, which connects The Kanc to the town of Bartlett, is closed during the winter months.

See America’s Stonehenge

Intrigue awaits America’s Stonehenge in Salem, New Hampshire, formerly known as the roadside attraction Mystery Hill. This man-made rock formation, which at around 4,000 years old believed to be the oldest in the nation, is a maze of chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places that stretch across the hilltops.

There is no clear agreement among scholars on whether it was built by Native Americans or early European migrants. Like the more famous Stonehenge in England, this maze of chambers, walls and ceremonial meeting places was built by ancient peoples with a knowledge of astronomy and stone construction.

Also like Stonehenge in England, it’s a popular spot for solstices and equinoxes. America’s version was and can still be used to determine certain solstices, equinoxes and lunar events.

Salem has multiple places to stay and dine, including restaurants specializing in local foods. For something out of the ordinary, check out Axes and Archery. Canobie Lake Park offers thrill rides, kiddie rides and other amusement park fun.

5 More New Hampshire Road Trips

• When You Want To Be Wowed By Fall Foliage
• When You Want To Get Off The Beaten Path
• When You Want The Stuffing Scared Out Of You
• When You ‘Fall’ In Love With State’s Beauty
• When You Want To Step Back In Time

Traveling somewhere else? Check out more Patch Road Trips.