There’s nothing we’d rather do than look around and appreciate just how lucky we are to be in New Hampshire. Good thing that’s a pretty easy thing to do. Whether hiking, swimming, or just looking out our windshield during a drive, there’s a lot to take in all around us. But, if you’re having one of those days where gratitude is a little harder to muster take a look at this list of places to see throughout the state. They’re gorgeous and might just help you remember just how lucky we are to be here.
- The town of Portsmouth
Philip Case Cohen / Moment via Getty Images Just about everyone in New Hampshire knows about Portsmouth, but it can easily be forgotten on a list of the most beautiful places to visit here. Sitting right on the water, this historic town offers great restaurants and shopping, as well as some of the best sunrise and sunset views in the state.
- Echo Lake, North Conway
boblinsdell / Flickr Head to the White Mountains to enjoy one of the most idyllic lakes in the state. It’s a part of Echo Lake State Park and offers a small beach and lots of beauty all throughout the year. The hiking trail around the lake allows for beautiful views of the water as well as Cathedral Ledge.
- Franconia Notch State Park, Lincoln
wwworks / Flickr An obvious choice for so many reasons, this beauty located in the White Mountains offers hiking trails galore! It’s also home to Flume Gorge which, while touristy, feels like visiting another land. It’s totally worth the trip!
- Hampton Beach State Park, Hampton
Teresa Frank / Google While this place might be busy in the summer months, it’s still one of the most beautiful seaside spots in the state. The state park itself is about 50 acres and offers lots of room to explore.
- The Kancamagus Highway
pennuja / Flickr Running for almost 57 miles, Route 112 is an east–west state highway in the northern part of the state. But it’s so much more than just a way to get from one place to another. This road, now famous among car enthusiasts, is the most beautiful in New England for a scenic drive through the White Mountains. Gorgeous in the fall, it’s a popular route for leaf peepers, but we love it any time of year.
- The Swift River
allan_harris / Flickr There are a lot of twists and curves to a river, but we still feel this one deserves a spot on this list. Even if we can’t pinpoint just one spot as the most gorgeous. The 25-mile river winds its way through the White Mountains offering great views, swimming spots and tubing. Even more fun is that you can follow almost the whole river by driving on The Kank.
- Diana’s Baths, Bartlett
allan_harris / Flickr Located in the White Mountain National Forest, this series of waterfalls looks like it should be on another planet. Perfect for splashing in the summer and absolutely gorgeous covered in snow during the winter, this is a year-round destination that we think is absolutely beautiful. You can learn more about exploring it via the 1.3-mile hike nearby here.
- The Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods
Leonardo via Management / TripAdvisor This one might not be in everyone’s budget, but if you can swing it this is certainly one of the most beautiful places in the state. But while the resort itself is lovely, we’re specifically talking about the views from the porch. Take in the trees, the mountains and that fresh mountain air.
- Odiorne Point State Park, Rye
Mark Bonica / Flickr You may have visited this state park to enjoy the Seacoast Science Center, but we love it for more than just that. With incredible views over the water, like this one at sunset over Little Harbor, it’s a peaceful place to explore without venturing very far from Portsmouth. You can learn more about it here.
Have you been to any of these spots? If you have, let us know any tips or tricks you’ve found for visiting. And be sure to let us know if we’ve left anything off the list!
Philip Case Cohen / Moment via Getty Images
Just about everyone in New Hampshire knows about Portsmouth, but it can easily be forgotten on a list of the most beautiful places to visit here. Sitting right on the water, this historic town offers great restaurants and shopping, as well as some of the best sunrise and sunset views in the state.
boblinsdell / Flickr
Head to the White Mountains to enjoy one of the most idyllic lakes in the state. It’s a part of Echo Lake State Park and offers a small beach and lots of beauty all throughout the year. The hiking trail around the lake allows for beautiful views of the water as well as Cathedral Ledge.
wwworks / Flickr
An obvious choice for so many reasons, this beauty located in the White Mountains offers hiking trails galore! It’s also home to Flume Gorge which, while touristy, feels like visiting another land. It’s totally worth the trip!
Teresa Frank / Google
While this place might be busy in the summer months, it’s still one of the most beautiful seaside spots in the state. The state park itself is about 50 acres and offers lots of room to explore.
pennuja / Flickr
Running for almost 57 miles, Route 112 is an east–west state highway in the northern part of the state. But it’s so much more than just a way to get from one place to another. This road, now famous among car enthusiasts, is the most beautiful in New England for a scenic drive through the White Mountains. Gorgeous in the fall, it’s a popular route for leaf peepers, but we love it any time of year.
allan_harris / Flickr
There are a lot of twists and curves to a river, but we still feel this one deserves a spot on this list. Even if we can’t pinpoint just one spot as the most gorgeous. The 25-mile river winds its way through the White Mountains offering great views, swimming spots and tubing. Even more fun is that you can follow almost the whole river by driving on The Kank.
Located in the White Mountain National Forest, this series of waterfalls looks like it should be on another planet. Perfect for splashing in the summer and absolutely gorgeous covered in snow during the winter, this is a year-round destination that we think is absolutely beautiful. You can learn more about exploring it via the 1.3-mile hike nearby here.
Leonardo via Management / TripAdvisor
This one might not be in everyone’s budget, but if you can swing it this is certainly one of the most beautiful places in the state. But while the resort itself is lovely, we’re specifically talking about the views from the porch. Take in the trees, the mountains and that fresh mountain air.
Mark Bonica / Flickr
You may have visited this state park to enjoy the Seacoast Science Center, but we love it for more than just that. With incredible views over the water, like this one at sunset over Little Harbor, it’s a peaceful place to explore without venturing very far from Portsmouth. You can learn more about it here.
For more local beauty consider taking a trip to one (or all!) of these 7 historic towns in New Hampshire that will transport you to the past.
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Address: Portsmouth, NH 03801, USAAddress: Echo Lake, Conway, NH 03860, USAAddress: Franconia Notch State Park, Flume Gorge, Daniel Webster Hwy, Lincoln, NH 03251, USAAddress: NH-1A, Hampton, NH 03842, USAAddress: New Hampshire 112, Albany, NH, USAAddress: Swift River, New Hampshire, USAAddress: Diana’s Baths, 3725 West Side Rd, Bartlett, NH 03812, USAAddress: Omni Mount Washington Resort, 310 Mount Washington Hotel Rd, Bretton Woods, NH 03575, USAAddress: Odiorne Point State Park, 570 Ocean Blvd, Rye, NH 03870, USA
