A Week in New Hampshire

Following on the Weekend in New Hampshire post, here’s an actual itinerary from an October trip in which Mrs. Frog was introduced to what a “real” fall is.  We were very fortunate and timed the fall foliage almost perfectly.  This was even more remarkable given that the airline tickets were purchased in June.

This was a very busy week, and this itinerary was actually covered a couple of years before the weekend trip.  I’m not going to go into deep details about every thing and every place, rather I’m just going to lay out what we did so that you can take it for what it is and use it as your own itinerary, or for ideas to create your own trip.  This starts in Boston, MA late in the afternoon.

We tend not to stay at the high-dollar hotels/motels/inns as we’d rather put that money towards fine dining and meals we wouldn’t normally get or eat back home.

If you think that New Hampshire is a small state and there’s not a lot to do, this itinerary proves otherwise.

Images from this trip can be found on Laughing Frog Images here and here and here

DAY 1:

Dinner: Warren’s Lobster House, Kittery, ME.  Just because it’s been there forever and a day, and I first ate there back in 1971 or 1972.  It hasn’t changed much…

Stay: Your choice.  We based ourselves in the Fairfield Inn in Portsmouth for the first three nights.   Day 2 is backtracking, but at least we weren’t packing and unpacking…

DAY 2:

Tourist Day: Salem, MA.  The drive on Route 1 and detours along the coast are a journey of their own.  Witches.  Peabody Essex Museum.  House of Seven Gables.

Lunch: Red’s Sandwich Shop, Salem.

Dinner: Go to a lobstah pound.  Markey’s Lobster Pool or Brown’s Lobster Pound in Seabrook, NH.  Which one might be dictated by which line is the shortest…

Stay: See Day 1.

DAY 3:

Photo Stop: Cape Neddick Light / Nubble Light. York, ME.

Photo Stop & Walk: The Marginal Way.  Ogunquit, ME.

Lunch: Barnacle Billy’s.  Ogunquit, ME.

Cruise: Portsmouth Harbor Cruises.  Portsmouth, NH.

Dinner: Jumpin’ Jay’s Fish Cafe.  Portsmouth, NH.  If the mustard-crusted cod is on the menu that night….!

Stay: See Day 1.

DAY 4: Hit the road!  Early!

Drive to Conway, NH and make a left on the Kancamangus Highway (Route 112).  Photo stops as you wish.  Might want to get some snacks before you make that left, because once you do, there’s nothing ’til Lincoln.

Lunch (could be a late one): Gordi’s.

Train stop: The Hobo Railroad is in Lincoln.

Take I-93 north.  Consider the following along the way:  Clark’s Trading Post, The Flume Gorge, and the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway if the weather is cooperating.

Stay on I-93 North to Littleton, NH.

Stay: Thayer’s Inn.  Littleton, NH.

Dinner and a Martini: Baliwick’s Fine Restaurant.   Littleton, NH.

DAY 5:

Breakfast: Littleton Diner.

Wander ’round Littleton: Chutters (world’s longest candy counter) or Fresh Salon and Day Spa for a (couples) massage.  Littleton is a great, friendly small town, and a reminder that there is life outside the city.

Train Ride:  Just outside of Bretton Woods, NH is the Mount Washington Cog Railway.  You have to once in your life!  They still run one trip a day with a steam engine!

Dinner: Libby’s Bistro (check days and hours first!)  Gorham, NH.

Stay: Somewhere in Gorham – just don’t drive back to Littleton like we did!  It’s too long of a drive after a fantastic meal.

DAY 6:

Train Ride: The Notch Train on the Conway Scenic Railroad.  If you can make it happen, get seats in the Dome Car.

Dinner: Bernerhof Inn (it was a German restaurant at that time, but still looks interesting).  Glen, NH.

Stay: Where we stayed has changed, so you could stay at the Bernerhof.  It looks like the Golden Apple Inn is within walking distance…

DAY 7:

Free-form day.  We spent it in Crawford Notch and along Route 16 on the east side of Mount Washington.

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Dinner: Red Parka Steakhouse & Pub.  Glen, NH.

DAY 8:

Breakfast: Glen Junction Family Restaurant.   Glen, NH

Next stop: We drove east to Portland, ME and checked out Portland Head Light and the surrounding parks.

Lunch: Don’t remember where we ate at back then, but now Eventide Oyster Company in Portland is a must!

Dinner: Kelly’s Roast beef on Route 1 in Saugus, MA, just north of Boston and Logan Airport.  Yes, we slept on the flight home…

We hope you find this helpful in planning your travels, now or whenever the time comes.

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