10 Best Places To Visit In New Hampshire

best places to visit in new hampshire
Louise
Louise 
Updated
| 5 min read

Located in New England, New Hampshire is a beautiful US state characterized by dramatic landscapes, vast forests, breathtaking natural parks, and remarkable mountains. It is a popular adventure destination for tourists who enjoy reconnecting with nature and the great outdoors. Here you’ll find Mount Washington, an enchanting natural wonder surrounded by gorgeous flora. While you’re on this side of the USA, be sure to visit Franconia Notch State Park and enjoy the views and the tranquil setting while exploring the area. Lake Winnipesaukee is another beautiful location that you should check out. For a more in-depth guide, here is a list of the best places to visit in New Hampshire, USA. Feel free to browse below.

1. Exeter

First Church, Exeter NH
Source: Photo by user John Phelan used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Set in the charming Rockingham County, Exeter is a lovely little town that showcases a simple kind of lifestyle. According to polls, Exeter is one of the best places to start a family in all of New Hampshire. The suburban neighborhoods are peaceful and quiet, and there are natural parks as well as modern attractions where locals can have fun and relax. While you’re here, be sure to browse the exhibits at American Independence Museum to learn some interesting facts. For nature lovers, explore the astonishing Henderson-Swasey Town Forest and Swasey Parkway.

Exeter

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2. Rochester


Boasting a lot of natural wonders that enchants tourists from all over America, Rochester is a beautiful city nestled in Strafford County. It is a fantastic hideaway destination for those who want to escape their routinary city lives. Downtown Rochester is bustling with retail shops, excellent restaurants, and other businesses. You’ll find lots of public parks here, and to top it all off, there are also many attractions that are popular with tourists, such as Sunrise Lake, The Gonic Trails, Northeast Pond, and more.

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3. Dover

Downtown Dover 52
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jon Platek used under CC BY-SA 3.0

Another stunning city in New Hampshire is Dover. This city is large in terms of geographical size as well as population. It is characterized by its fascinating heritage, rich culture, and remarkable museums and landmarks. If you are on a vacation in Dover with your family, especially the kids, be sure to take them to the Children’s Museum of New Hampshire. For a glimpse of wildlife in their natural habitat, swing by Great Bay Natural Wildlife and Refuge. Your escapade will not be complete without spending some time learning about the city’s history and heritage at Woodman Museum.

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4. Jackson


A town with breathtaking landscapes, Jackson is a small yet lovely little paradise in Carrol County. It is a popular tourist destination during the winter season as it is home to a number of fabulous ski resorts. If you visit during the summer, there are also a lot of activities that you can do here. You can enjoy hiking and camping with your friends or spend some time with your family in one of the natural parks. Because of its popularity, lots of hotels, restaurants, and shops are scattered throughout the town. While in Jackson, be sure to visit the gorgeous Nestlenook Farm and the enchanting Glen Ellis Falls.

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5. Meredith


You might also want to include the stunning town of Meredith in your itinerary. Just like the other cities in New Hampshire, this place has a fair share of natural wonders that are popular with tourists. Situated by Lake Winnipesaukee, beachgoers frequent this side of New Hampshire. Aside from swimming, fishing, and exciting watersports, the local cuisine in Meredith is another reason to spend a day or two in town. You’ll also find the astonishing Lake Winnisquam and Lake Pemigewasset here.

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6. Sugar Hill

best places to visit in new hampshire | sugar hill
Source: instagram

Make the most of your New Hampshire adventure by exploring the lovely town of Sugar Hill. Its landscape is a paradise of breathtaking natural wonders, and it exudes a relaxing atmosphere common in the countryside. Because of this, this town has become a melting pot of tourists who wish to unwind and escape the concrete jungle. This borough has lots to offer to its visitors. You can swim and fish in the enchanting Streeter Pond or spend a day learning about the area at Sugar Hill Historical Museum. If you’re an adventure seeker, invite your friends to go camping at White Mountain National Forest.

Sugar Hill

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7. Harrisville


Just like most of the towns and cities in this state, Harrisville presents a beauty of its own. This town boasts charming natural parks that visitors love to explore and where locals like to spend a relaxing afternoon. Whether you are on a family vacation or a quick weekend getaway, there are a lot of things you can do on this side of New Hampshire. If you visit during the winter, ski to your heart’s content at Monadnock State Park. For picnicking, swimming, and fishing, Skatutakee Lake is a fantastic place to enjoy all these activities and more.

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8. Nashua

best places to visit in new hampshire | nashua
Source: instagram

Popular for technology firms that represent the booming economy of the city, Nashua is a charming municipality in the southern part of New Hampshire. Its city center is sprawling with shopping districts and modern attractions, along with a fair share of natural parks. The beauty of the Nashua River adds charm to the city, as well as its picturesque cityscape. Your kids will surely enjoy spending some time at Fun World and SkyVenture & Surf’s Up New Hampshire while in Nashua.

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9. Keene


Another city to explore in New Hampshire is Keene. This place is not only a hideaway for nature lovers but it is also a fabulous place to go on a shopping spree and a food crawl. The city has lots of boutique stores, exquisite restaurants, and other businesses. Also, Keene is popular for being the setting for the movie Jumanji. If its nature and outdoor activities you’re after, there are places where you can do all that here, such as Beech Hill Preserve, Greater Goose Pond, Horatio Colony Trust, Beaver Brook Falls, and more.

Keene

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10. Hanover


Visit Hanover and marvel at the beauty of this town and try its diverse offerings. Here, you can visit fascinating museums that you and your family will surely love, such as Montshire Museum of Science, Enfield Museum of Art, and Hood Museum of Art. While in downtown Hanover, you can go sightseeing, enjoy a shopping spree, or a food crawl. This borough is surrounded by natural beauty and offers a number of parklands and enchanting lakes. If you like winter sports, you’ll have lots of fun at Whaleback Mountain.

Hanover

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Fall in love with the beauty of New Hampsire

New Hampshire is a gorgeous city that boasts stunning natural wonders. It is a fantastic hideaway destination for tourists who like nature and adventure and want to escape city life and all its noise and pollution. If you are planning a much-deserved getaway to New Hampshire, use this list as your guide when you organize an itinerary. Have a wonderful vacation ahead.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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She is a lover of life and a very optimistic person. She thinks of herself as a vessel of a billion possibilities, which can harness limitless potential. Trying new experiences, going places she's...Read more

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