How to Spend a Fall Weekend in New Hampshire

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Fall in New England is such a magical time of the year. Pops of color emerge all over, and one of the best places for leaf peeping is New Hampshire. I just returned from a little weekend getaway in the Granite State and I’ve put together this little guide for you to plan for your future trip to the Granite State.

Fall in New Hampshire is a dream come true. Every corner you turn literally looks straight out of a Pinterest pin. I personally think you need around 5 days if you want to really enjoy fall foliage in New Hampshire, but if you’re short on time like I was, here’s my guide on how to spend a fall weekend in New Hampshire:

how to spend a fall weekend in New Hampshire

Getting there

Depending on where in NH you plan to stay, the drive from NYC can be done in as little as 4.5 hours, traffic dependent. The further up north you stay, the drive can be longer than 6.5 hours. Another alternative is to fly into Boston and rent a car there for a shorter drive into New Hampshire. To reach via bus, you would need to first take a bus to Boston, and then transfer to another bus which will take you to Manchester, NH.

Where to Stay

If you are wanting to visit NH during peak foliage, you absolutely must book your accommodation well in advance! Fall is an extremely busy time in the state, especially when the foliage is at peak. I couldn’t finalize my trip to New Hampshire until about two weeks before, so since I was traveling with my 2 dogs, I was faced with limited accommodation options. The accommodations in the busier towns of Lincoln and Conway gets full very quickly, so if you wait too long you need to look into neighboring towns. The most affordable option I could find was in Manchester, which is just over a one hour drive to Lincoln, and a 1.5 hour drive to Conway.

Of course, you can see beautiful foliage throughout the entire state. Most of the action is in Lincoln and Conway, so I recommend staying in or near the White Mountains region to avoid wasting time driving.

When to Go

One of the trickier parts about catching fall foliage is timing. Peak foliage is dependent on the weather, and times vary each year. Generally, the first and second weeks of October are the ideal times to visit. This year, I visited from October 8-11, which was perfect, since the White Mountains region was at peak. The southern towns (Manchester and below) still had a good amount of greenery, so I anticipate peak within the next week.

What to See

Like I said, any part of New Hampshire is great for leaf peeping. Going off the beaten path will reveal some beautiful hidden gems. If you have just a three day weekend though, you can still see a lot.

*How you spend your first day all depends on when you drive into NH. I recommend getting the drive out of the way the day before to make the most of your weekend. I drove in Friday night, which gave me 2.5 days to explore (drove back Monday early afternoon).

Day 1:

After breakfast, drive towards Central New Hampshire towards the Lakes region. Stop by the small town of Meredith, often referred to as the latchkey to the White Mountains. Have a morning stroll at the scenic park along Meredith Bay, Clough Park.

Next, drive into Carroll County to check out the town of Moltonborough. Explore Castle in the Clouds, formally known as Lucknow. Castle in the Clouds is 16 room mansion on a 5,000+ acre estate built onlmountaintop, previously owned by Thomas Plant. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth only until 4pm. However, do keep in mind this is a tourist attraction that does get very busy. We arrived at 11 am, but by the time we got up to the booth, we were given entry for 12:45. For more info: https://www.castleintheclouds.org

The mansion is a beauty, but the best part is exiting out to the garden area. You get the most perfect view of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Ossipee Mountains. You’ll literally feel like you’re in the clouds.

After touring the mansion, stop by Skelley’s Market for lunch (about 7 mins away). It’s a convenience store that also serves delicious food like sandwiches, burgers and more — decent portions at a very affordable price!

End the day with a drive down south to Portsmouth, on the Piscataqua River. This town is known for tax free shopping, historic sites and of course, the waterfront views!

Day 2:

Have a good breakfast, because you’ll need the energy for this jam packed day! Time to drive into the beauty of the White Mountains. The White Mountains region is one of the best places in New England for fall foliage. Start off your day with the famous Artists Bluff trail. This trail has a pretty epic view of Echo Lake, so of course, it can get crowded. Plan to do the trail no later than 10am, to avoid a human traffic jam on the trail.

There are multiple ways to get up to the top, but if you’re not a hiker, the easiest trail starts from the parking lot right across the road from the Cannon Mountain Ski Resort Visitor Center (there are two parking lots, but only one is across from the visitor center … if you’re arriving from the south up, it’ll be on your right side). The trail lasts about 25-35 minutes, depending on your pace. What makes this trail great for even beginners (including dogs) is that it’s fairly easy and has many flat areas versus just steep ascents. Make sure to wear appropriate footwear and bring some water.

There are red markings on some trees to guide you, however, they are not always clear. FYI, there will be some parts of the trail that descend, so don’t worry, you’re doing it right. Just before you reach the top though, you will come across a kind of fork. Don’t take the rocky path down – this is the path to descend to the parking lot. The end of the trail loops around a giant rock and will take you to the scenic view.

The top can get extremely windy, so come prepared. I suggest bringing a jacket and hat in a backpack for when you reach the top. You may get hot on the trail, but the harsh winds at the top can be brutal. Consider bringing a sweater for your dog as well. Also, be careful when taking photos and don’t get too close to the edge. Like I said, the winds are very strong that it was even difficult for me to hold a camera steady.

The trail back down is much shorter, maybe about 10 minutes. The path leads back to the road and you’ll have to walk a few minutes back to the parking lot. It is very steep and very rocky, which is why I don’t recommend taking this path up. It’s also quite narrow, so there will be a lot more people forming a line to go up/down.

This short hike may have worked up your appetite, so stop by for lunch in downtown Franconia. There are a couple of options along Main St: Franconia Coffee House, Hungry Bear Cafe, Franconia Deli Market, among others.

After lunch, head on through Franconia Notch State Park, and make a stop at the Basin Cascade Trailhead (you can even take your lunch to go as there are a few spots for you to relax along the trail here). If you don’t want to spend too much time here though, you can get a view of the Basin Cascade shortly after passing the underpass. It’s fairly short and all flat, so it’s great for people of all ages.

Next, continue heading south towards the Flume Gorge. Here’s where you’ll find that popular red covered bridge you’ve probably seen on social media. Keep in mind, the bridge is past the ticket point, so even if you opt not to do the 1.5 hour trail, you still need a ticket to just see the bridge. Tickets are available online only, and do sell fast, so make sure to book in advance. The parking lots also get full quickly, so try to arrive well before your entry time.

Alternatively, if you start your day much earlier, you can do Artists Bluff then head straight on over to Flume Gorge if you get 9 am tickets. There is a cafeteria at the visitors center, so you can do lunch here instead.

Afterwards, drive further south to Lincoln and take a drive along Route 112, otherwise known as the Kancamagus Scenic Byway. It’s a 34.5 mile highway with no gas stations, stores or any businesses along the ay, which makes it so special. The Kanc, as it’s become known, is one of the world’s best places to see fall foliage, and there are a few scenic stops along the way for you to stop at.

The Kancamagus ends at Conway, another popular town in NH, with lots of restaurants and shops for you to check out. If you have enough time left, you may even be able to catch a train on the Conway Scenic Railroad (book tickets in advance to guarantee a seat).

Another option:

Take the Kanc all the way into Conway, then take the 302 up through Bartlett towards Crawford Notch State Park for a scenic drive.

If you don’t want to do the entire Kancamagus drive, you can also break off onto Bear Notch Rd and into the 302 towards Crawford Notch.

**Keep in mind, fall weekends in New Hampshire are busy, so you will come across lots of traffic, especially on the Kanc. This Day 2 itinerary may seem simple, but chances are you may not get through all of it. This is simply a guide with suggestions on how you can spend a fall weekend in New Hampshire, but you can of course substitute activities.

Other things worth checking out in the area:

Cafe Lafayette Dinner Train — this scenic train is very popular for dinner. A bit pricey ($95 pp), but you get to dine while having scenic views of Lincoln

Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf — great family activity in downtown Lincoln. You can also get some photos on an actual train track here by the parking lot

Hobo Railroad — old fashioned scenic train rides, great for children and families. Takes off near Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf and tickets do sell out fast, so book in advance.

Day 3:

Time to head back home, but not without going off the beaten path to find hidden gems and covered bridges throughout NH. After breakfast, drive through Sullivan County into Sunapee. Here you’ll come across Sugar River bridge, a pedestrian covered bridge. During peak foliage, this spot is quite picturesque. Next, continue into the Merrimack Valley. Make stops through towns like New London, and the state capitol in Concord.

You can also stop in Hopkinton, which is home to the Contoocook Covered Bridge, the oldest covered bridge that still exists. You can continue making stops through smaller, lesser-known towns before heading home. You’ll never know what fall gems you’ll discover. I recommend visiting https://www.visitnh.gov for a list of the different scenic drives you can take according to what region you are traveling through.