New Hampshire, or informally the “granite state,” is a small mountain and lake district in the New England region of the northeastern United States, with its capital in the city of Concord. Historically, this state was the first to declare its independence from Great Britain, however, all the main names of the cities retained a mirror proximity to the names of their overseas prototypes, like the largest city in the state – Manchester or the center of American military-industrial shipbuilding – Portsmouth.
- Countryaah – Cities in New Hampshire: List of all municipalities in the state of New Hampshire, including cities and towns of New Hampshire.
At the Stella Candy Factory in Bedford, the discerning connoisseur will be treated to local bestsellers such as caramel toffees with sea salt and almond butter.
The light patina of history and untouched virgin nature is what attracts travelers from all over the world and Americans themselves. New Hampshire can be called a resort of four seasons, because summer can be spent on the seashore in Hampton Beach, skiing and snowboarding in the Dartmouth Skyway or Mount Sunapee in winter, and in autumn and spring enjoy multi-day hikes through the never-ending forests of this amazingly picturesque corner of America.
How to navigate in the region
New Hampshire borders the Canadian province of Quebec to the north, Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, and Maine to the east. In the southeast, it faces the Atlantic Ocean with a 29 km coastline and a coastline landscaped for recreation. There are several small islands in the Gulf of Maine.
How to get to New Hampshire
When planning a trip, it is strategically convenient to use:
- Portsmouth International Airport (PSM) (t. 603-433-6536);
- Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT) (t. 603-624-6539), located less than an hour from the most popular ski resorts and beaches of the coast.
However, flights from Russia to Portsmouth are extremely rare, so it is more convenient to fly to New York or Boston, and then use the daily routes of bus carriers:
- C & J (t. 800-258-7111), in Boston from Logan Airport, in New York from Central Station;
- Concord Coach Lines (t. 800-639-3317, 603-228-3300) from Boston South Station and Logan Airport, through 18 stations in New Hampshire, stopping primarily in the Merrimack Valley, the Lake District, and the White mountains.
Transport in the region
The most convenient way to explore New Hampshire is by renting a car. Modern multi-lane highways 89, 93 and 95 provide comfortable travel to many areas of New Hampshire. A free intercity highway map, with the location of tourist attractions, is available at 13 information centers throughout the state. Some of them:
- Canterbury Recreation Center in Merrimack Valley, I-93 Northbound, tel. 603-783-4194;
- Littleton in the White Mountains Rt. 18 (I-93 Northbound, exit 44) t. 603-444-0125;
- Colebrook at Great North Woods Rt. 3 North, t. (603) 237-5390;
- Dartmouth Lake Sunapee
- Information Center Lebanon I-89 Southbound, tel. 603-448-2409;
- Sutton I-89 Southbound, vol. 603-927-4907.
Popular hotels in New Hampshire
natural attractions
The relatively small size of the state (24,217 sq. km) and proximity to major US metropolitan areas (including New York and Boston) allow you to visit many natural attractions in a short time. Here are the majestic Appalachians – the White Mountains, with the reserve of the same name in the central part of New Hampshire, and the legendary Mount Washington (1917 m), and the edge of the Winnipesokee lakes (lake area 184 km²), Winnisquam, Squam, Newfound, and Monadnock Peak (965 m ) in the South-West. Adventures on mountain trails, breakfast by the lake, walks along the coast and stunning natural landscapes everywhere! Isn’t this a dream for a traveler tired of the monotonous grayness of an industrial anthill?!
Gastronomic pleasures
For true gourmets, New Hampshire offers a variety of traditional New England cuisine, game and seafood dishes, pastries and sweets. In restaurants in Portsmouth, you should definitely try lobster bakes, the most delicious lobster casserole.
Treat yourself to a feast of taste and visit one of the so-called wine, cheese and chocolate trails.
The state has more than 20 vineyards with tasting boutiques. In the Merrimack Valley, there are Moonlight Meadery Vineyards, Fulchino Family Winery, LaBelle Winery, and everywhere you can enjoy a variety of traditional and exclusive wines, ports and liquors made from family recipes from sunny grapes, as well as learn more about winemaking directly from people, involved in this craft. In the Lake District, in Guildford, Stone Gate Vineyard is located, where wines are made from local and French grapes grown in cold climates. The most popular wine series are Aurore, Marshal Foch, Leon Millet and Seyval.
Cheese lovers go to New Hampshire too. In Canterbury, be sure to visit Brookford Farm for tasting a variety of cheddar, camembert, brie and Brookford’s famous Quark cheese.
After wine and cheese, you can indulge your taste buds with unique New Hampshire sweets, such as Stella’s Factory in Bedford. Here, the sophisticated connoisseur will be offered such Stella’s bestsellers as caramel toffee with sea salt and almond oil. Not far away you can also find Van Otis Chocolate, which has been famous in Manchester since 1935.
For history lovers
The most noteworthy in historical terms are the cities of Portsmouth and Concord. Portsmouth was originally a center of military and industrial shipbuilding since the late 18th century, and now in some areas the architectural environment of two hundred years ago has been restored.
The state capital, Concord, is also of interest to seekers of traces of time. For example, the New Hampshire State House building was designed by architect Stuart Park in 1819. It is the oldest building of its kind. It was rebuilt twice in 1866 and 1910, with the addition of a west wing and a third floor. And at the Eagle Hotel, closed in 1961, Presidents W. Grant, R. Hayes and B. Harrison, as well as Charles Lindbergh, Jefferson Davis, Eleanor Roosevelt, Richard Nixon and Thomas Dewey stayed.
