About New Hampshire: New Hampshire Scenic Drives and New Hampshire Tours-- the best nh route

New Hampshire scenic drives and New Hampshire tours, from coastal roads that overlook crashing surf to mountain roadways that wind through the Northeast's highest peaks and historic routes that follow early Native American trails, are undeniably beautiful - and the distances between destinations are never long. Take New Hampshire Scenic Drives and New Hampshire tours and discover what's just up the road: timeless New Hampshire villages and fascinating New Hampshire cities and New Hampshire towns, rolling New Hampshire farmlands and deep green New Hampshire forests, soaring New Hampshire mountains and sparkling New Hampshire rivers, lakes and ponds. Along the way you'll also find more New Hampshire historic sites than you can count, a lively arts and cultural scene, family attractions, and more outdoor recreation than you could fit into any one vacation! 

The following list offers many different New Hampshire scenic drives and New Hampshire tours.

New Hampshire scenic drives and New Hampshire tours:


SUNAPEE LOOP (approx. 140 miles)

You can start or end this circular loop in Greenfield, where you can join the Monadnock Region Loop.

From Greenfield, head north onn Rt. 31 through Antrim and Hillsborough, past the Franklin Pierce Homestead (former home of the 14th U.S. President), through Windsor and Washington - which as one of the most beautiful village greens in New England - and past Pillsbury State Park.

Just south of Goshen, you'll join Rt. 10; continue on to Newport and Grantham, where you'll turn on to Springfield Road, then Rt. 114 to Springfield. The route winds south through New London (home of Colby-Sawyer College), Sutton, Bradford and Henniker (also a college town).

In Henniker, turn east on Rt. 202/9 to Hopkinton, where you'll pick up Jewel Rd./Rt. 13 through Goffstown to Rt. 136 (just north of New Boston), which leads back to Greenfield.

MONADNOCK REGION LOOP (approx. 80 miles)

A circular loop (with two cut-outs) through some of the most quintessentially New England towns in New Hampshire.

From Keene , which claims to have the widest Main Street in the world, head southeast on Rt. 101 to Marlborough , then south on Rt. 124, which takes you past Monadnock State Park to Jaffrey . East of Jaffrey , turn north on Rt. 123 to Peterborough , known for its lively cultural offerings, then onto Rt. 136 to Greenfield .

In Greenfield , turn west on Forest Road, which rejoins Rt. 123 in Hancock. Continue west on 123; west of Stoddard you can either continue on Rt. 123 to much-photographed Marlow and the junction of Rt. 12A south, which will take you back to Keene . Or you can take Rt. 10 south past Gilsum , where you can either turn west on Surrey Road to Gilsum Road to Rt. 12A, or you can follow Rt. 10 south to Keene .

MERRIMACK VALLEY SCENIC DRIVES

Rt. 4, Boscawen

Rt. 129, Loudon

Rt. 127, Hopkinton to Salisbury

Rt. 13 & 77, Mont Vernon to Weare

Rt. 28 to 28 Bypass, Derry & Manchester Scenic & Cultural Byways

Canterbury Shaker Village BywayFrom Exit 16 off I-93 to Canterbury Shaker Village and back to Exit 18, I-93. Highlights include an historic Shaker village, rural farmland, forests, wetlands a colonial village green.

Apple WayLondonderry, off Route 128. A special agricultural area.

Amoskeag MillExit 5, Granite Street Bridge or Exit 6, Amoskeag Bridge to Commercial Street, Manchester. Highlights the American Industrial Revolution, urban history and river recreation.

Currier & Ives TrailRt. 127 from north of Salisbury to Contoocook, Rt. 103 to Rt. 202/9 to below Henniker. The quintessential New England.

LAKES LOOP (approx. 134 miles)

From the town docks in Meredith on the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, turn east on Rt. 25 to Center Harbor and Moultonborough, where you'll turn south on Rt. 109, a windy route that offers frequent glimpses of the big lake as it takes you through Wolfeboro (the oldest summer resort in America).

Outside Wolfeboro, Rt. 109 turns east, passing Wentworth State Park, to Sanbornville were you join Rt. 153.

Go north to Conway to join the Multi-Notch Mountain Ride, or to continue the Lakes Loop, follow it south through Union to Farmington and Rt. 11 east in Rochester. In Rochester, turn southwest on Rt. 202A to Northwood, where you'll briefly turn east on Rt. 4 to pick up Rt. 152 south. In Nottingham, pick up Rt. 156 to Raymond where you'll head north on Rt. 107 through Deerfield, Epsom, Pittsfield, Barnstead, Gilmanton and Laconia. Turn onto Rt. 3, which will take you back to Meredith.

COLONIAL NEW HAMPSHIRE SEACOAST RIDE (approx. 40 miles )

Start your ride in Portsmouth, one of the greatest port cities of the 18th and early 19th century, which still has a working waterfront, along with a vibrant and historic downtown.

Take Rt. 1B, which begins in Portsmouth's historic district, over the causeway to New Castle. This narrow route winds around the island, past the grand Wentworth-by-the-Sea and tow early military fortifications, Fort Stark and Fort Constitution; the latter was the site of the first aggressive act of the American Revolution.

When Rt. 1B connects with Rt. 1A, turn south through Rye and North Hampton to Hampton; along the way you'll find Odiorne State Park and a series of State Parks with oceanfront beaches. In Hampton Beach, take Rt. 101 to Rt. 1 through Hampton Falls and Rt. 84, one of the region's earliest roads. It will take you through Kensington to Rt. 150 and Exeter, one of the four original towns in colonial New Hampshire and the state capitol during the Revolutionary War. From there, follow Rt. 27 along the original 18 th century route back to Hampton .

A MULTI-NOTCH MOUNTAIN RIDE (approx. 142 miles)

This loop has several variations. From Conway, turn west on Rt. 112, the Kancamagus Highway (locals call it the Kanc), which offers 37 miles of stunning mountain scenery through the White Mountain National Forest.

In Lincoln, you can either turn north onto I-93 through Franconia Notch State Park and its soaring mountain peas, then onto Rt. 3 to Twin Mountain and the junction with Rt. 302 OR you can continue west on Rt. 112 through Kinsman Notch to Rt. 302, which heads to Bath, Lisbon, Littleton, Bethlehem, Twin Mountain and Bretton Woods, home of the Mount Washington Hotel .

Rt. 302 continues east through Crawford Notch and past some of the most spectacular scenery in the East. In Bartlett, you can turn south on Bear Notch Road, a seasonal road that connects to the Kancamagus Highway west of Conway ; or you can join Rt. 16 in Glen and follow it back to your starting point in Conway.

If you turn north on Rt. 16 in Glen , you'll go through Pinkham Notch , past the Mt. Washington Auto Road the Ride to the Sky to Gorham and the Great North Woods Ride.

New Hampshire Scenic Drives

Franconia Notch Parkway, Franconia to Lincoln

Rt. 302, Bethlehem to Glen

Rt. 10, Orford to Woodsville

Rt. 112, North Woodstock to Bath

Rt. 118, North Woodstock to Rumney

Rt. 49 to Tripoli Rd., Waterville Valley

Rt. 117, Franconia to Lisbon

Kancamagus Highway, Bear Notch Road to Bartlett

Scenic & Cultural Byways

Kancamagus Highway

Rt. 112, Conway to Lincoln. Part of the White Mountains Trail. Passes through White Mountain National Forest.

White Mountains Trail (a loop)

Kancamagus Hwy. to Rt. 16 N to Glen and Rt. 302 W to Rt. 3 S to I-93, the Franconia Notch Pky. to Kancamagus Hwy. 7 covered bridges, 32 scenic outlooks, roadside waterfalls, historic and interpretive sites.

River Heritage Trail

Rt. 3, N. Woodstock to Rt. 175 to Waterville Valley, then Plymouth. Rt. 25 and 25C to Warren and Piermont, then Rt. 10 to Haverhill to Rt. 135 and Woodsville to Rt. 112 to N. Woodstock. Superb views, river recreation, agricultural heritage, period architecture.

Presidential Range Tour

Rt. 116, Littleton to Whitefield, then Rt. 3 to Lancaster to Rt. 2 E to Gorham,

then Rt. 16 S to Glen, Rt. 302 W to Littleton.

GREAT NORTH WOODS RIDE (approx. 120 miles)

Less populated, with many opportunities to see wildlife including moose, black bear and deer this section of New Hampshire is a must-see for nature lovers. From Gorham, go north on Rt. 16 to Berlin, a historic mill city.

Here you can start a loop by continuing on Rt. 16 through Milan and the beautiful Thirteen Mile Woods to Errol, where you'll turn west on Rt. 26 through Dixville Notch, past the famous Balsams Resort, to Colebrook; this stretch is curvaceous and spectacularly scenic.

At Colebrook, turn south on Rt. 3 and stop at the Shrine of our Lady of Grace ; then continue, following the winding Connecticut River.

In Groveton, turn east on Rt. 110 to Stark, famous for its picture-perfect covered bridge, and back to Berlin.

CONNECTIICUT RIVER RIDE (approx. 140 miles)

This follows the Connecticut River along the western boarder of New Hampshire from the junction of Rt. 9 in West Chesterfield to Littleton in the White Mountains.

From I-91 near the Vermont boarder, take Rt. 9 east to West Chesterfield; turn north on Main Street, which becomes River Road, and follow it north to the junction with Rt. 63. Again head north to Rt. 12, which will take you though picturesque Walpole. North of historic Charlestown , pick up Rt. 12A, which winds through a hilly landscape, past the Cornish-Windsor Bridge and Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site .

In Lebanon, take Rt. 10 north through Hanover, a beautiful college town, to Lyme and Orford home of the Seven Swans, said to be the finest group of Federal-style houses in the United States.

Continue on to Haverhill and Woodsville, where you'll pick up Rt. 135. It joins Rt. 18 west of Littleton, a bustling town and great ending for a scenic ride, where you can join the Multi-Notch Mountain Ride. Or you can continue on Rt. 135 to Lancaster and Groveton, two fascinating towns some say are lost in time; in Groveton you can join the Great North Woods Ride.