2025 New Hampshire Travel Guide | Hotels, Dining & Attractions

Whether you’re a lifelong local or planning your first Granite State getaway, our 2025 Editors’ Picks spotlight the very best places to eat, stay, shop, and explore across New Hampshire. Hand-selected by the Yankee team—with help from regional experts—these standout spots capture the charm, creativity, and character that make New Hampshire unforgettable. From mountaintop hikes and lakeside retreats to hidden-gem restaurants and artisan shops, this guide is your go-to for discovering the most memorable experiences the state has to offer this year.

Best Places to Visit in New Hampshire | 2025 Editors’ Picks

2025 Best New Hampshire Hotels

Best Country Inn: The Lyme Inn, Lyme

Operated as a stagecoach tavern in the early 1800s, this venerable four-story hotel stands out for its sophisticated rooms and suites, many of them overlooking the handsome Lyme Common. Romantic restaurant Ariana’s serves creative, contemporary, regionally sourced fare in a post-and-beam-style space with a stone fireplace. If you’re seeking an attractive base for exploring the campus of Dartmouth College and the surrounding Upper Connecticut River Valley, look no further.

Best Family Retreat: Sundeck Cottages, Gilford

In 1980, a young Carl Johnson began a summer ritual of vacationing with his grandparents at “Sun Deck” Cottages, a lakeside resort on Lake Winnipesaukee. Today, Carl and his family do the hosting as the owners of this seasonal retreat of simple but charming private cottages—plus apartment units and a lakefront house rental—that have welcomed parents and kids for more than 70 years. The big lake is just steps away, so bring your kayak or paddleboard, and most definitely bring your swimming gear. For additional summer diversions, Weirs Beach is a short drive away.

Best Luxury B&B: Cranberry Meadow Farm Inn, Peterborough

Chef-owner Carolyn Hough harvests most of the ingredients for guests’ breakfasts from her garden and nearby farms. Come fall, homemade yogurt and granola might be followed by caramel-glazed apple hand pies and freshly laid eggs topped with Swiss chard pesto. Any calories gained can be burned on trails that begin right from the 83 acres surrounding this exquisitely nurturing inn. Hike to Cranberry Meadow Pond, then on to the summit of Pack Monadnock.

2025 Best New Hampshire Dining

Best Craft Brewery: Blasty Bough Brewing Company, Epsom

Set in a cozy restored farmhouse, this sustainability-focused nanobrewery turns out complex, inventive ales such as the cardamom-and-vanilla-spiced Högmåne Scottish ale and The Welcome Table, a heady Belgian-style golden strong ale. After filling up on a Korean-spice-rubbed brisket sandwich or a hummus-and-veggie plate, head upstairs to enjoy the music of some of the region’s leading folk acts in the intimate listening room. Although Blasty Bough’s setting is pastoral, it’s less than a 20-minute drive from Concord.

Best Farm-to-Table Dining: The Hungry Diner, Walpole

The sprawling field beside this festive farmer-owned restaurant is filled with tables, a swing set, and various outdoors games, giving the feel of a family picnic. The kitchen sources most of its ingredients, including beef, pork, and poultry, from its nearby sustainably operated farm (which also offers cozy accommodations in a 1774 country inn). Dig into thoughtfully prepared comfort food like mac and cheese with fried chicken and jalapeños, and sample a flight of beer from the impressive list of 16 on tap.

Best Ice Cream Sandwiches: The Sandwich Creamery, North Sandwich

Located 20 minutes from Lake Winnipesaukee’s north shore, this beloved family dairy sells decadent ice cream sandwiches out of a self-serve general store across from a small patch of greenery with picnic tables and a playground. The novel flavors rotate but might include the Moose (peanut butter cookies with chocolate ice cream) and the Lemon Blue (lemon cookies with blueberry ice cream). Also on offer here: ice cream pints, cheeses and other gourmet snacks, prepared foods, and colorful crafts.

Best Japanese Restaurant: Nichinan, Portsmouth

Savor artfully prepared modern Japanese fare in this sophisticated, softly lit oasis named for Portsmouth’s sister city on Japan’s southernmost island. The 50-seat space is tucked inside the plush Hotel Thaxter, fashioned out of an 1860 church. Standout dishes include the fatty tuna sushi with kumquat and pickled cucumber, and chilled soba noodles with king crab. Be sure to peruse Nichinan’s impressive craft cocktail list.

Best Lobster Rolls: The Little Red Schoolhouse, Campton

You might not expect to find the state’s most delicious lobster rolls in the foothills of the White Mountains, 100 miles from the nearest lobster buoy. But this seasonal (late May–mid-October) counter-service spot set in a historic schoolhouse serves up succulent rolls, hot-buttered or lightly tossed in mayo, along with burgers, fried seafood, and addictively good garlic fries. There’s a nice selection of local beers and ice cream, and seating is at picnic tables or in a double-decker screened-in porch with panoramic views of the mountains and the Pemigewasset River.

Best Pizza: Zizza Authentic Pizzeria, Milford

We know just how much of a hot-button issue pizza can be, but Zizza inspires us to all just get along. The names are fun (say hello to the meat lover’s Zizza Mizza), while the preset combos are deliciously creative (fried eggplant, ricotta, Parmesan, and fresh basil? Yes, please!). And if you’ve still got a hankering for something extra, do yourself the favor of taking home a few of the house-made cannoli.

Best Special-Occasion Dining: Stages at One Washington, Dover

Chef Evan Hennessey has earned a slew of accolades for his sublimely inventive multicourse feasts, served on exquisite earthenware in a rustic-chic third-floor space in downtown Dover’s historic Washington Street Mills complex overlooking the Cocheco River. The “progressive New England” tasting menu changes frequently to take advantage of what’s fresh and available nearby, with recent dishes including hazelnut and miso hummus with goose-leg confit and pickled mussels, and roasted lobster soup with preserved pear, puffed quinoa, and dry kimchi. Lighter bites and curated sips are served in the intimate and informal Living Room lounge.

Best Vineyard: Zorvino Vineyards, Sandown

When Jim and Cheryl Zanello bought their 80-acre Sandown retirement property in 2000, they planted a few grapevines to dress up the land. Then they kept planting. In the decades since, Zorvino Vineyards has become an acclaimed destination that’s only furthered the Northeast’s growing winemaking cred. Among the flavors born here are the Marquette, a barrel-aged red that pops with fruit flavor, and La Crescent, an easy-drinking white that will cool down any hot summer day.

2025 Best New Hampshire Attractions

Best Antiques Store: Just L, Littleton

A cornerstone of this historic downtown shopping district on the edge of the White Mountains, Lance Williamson’s shop abounds with midcentury decor and other intriguing items, mostly from the 1950s to the 1990s. You might find a Marcel Breuer–designed Wassily chair or a whimsical tulip lamp, or anchor pieces like teak dining room tables and low-slung sofas. There’s also a great selection of smaller gifts and accent pieces, from Russian nesting dolls to vintage vinyl to 1950s CorningWare.

Best Bike Tour: PortCity Bike Tours, Portsmouth

Proving that sometimes two wheels are better than four, PortCity’s guided trips let you soak up New Hampshire’s Seacoast in an unforgettable way. The company offers a range of options, from a two-hour pedal through Portsmouth’s historic neighborhoods to a photo-worthy exploration of harbor and islands. But for our money, the three-and-a-half-hour coastal ride and lobster roll journey is the summer trek that will keep your spirits riding high long after you’ve retired the bike for the day. Private and custom tours are also available.

Best Crafts Gallery: Gibson Pewter, Washington

Second-generation craftsman Jonathan Gibson meticulously casts, hammers, and spins pewter tankards, candlesticks, pitchers, oil lamps, and more. You can watch him work, using traditional tools and classic Colonial designs, inside his rustic barn studio beside the picturesque Washington town common—the highest village center in New Hampshire. Gibson also displays and sells stunning antique pieces dating back as far as the early 18th century.

Best Day Hike: Mount Tecumseh Trail, Waterville Valley

If you’re looking to ease your way into conquering all 48 of New Hampshire’s 4,000-footers, Mount Tecumseh is a great peak to tackle first. While it was recently found to be a few feet shy of qualifying for the Granite State’s 4K club, it still offers a challenging five-mile out-and-back climb that rewards you with sweeping views of the Waterville Valley … and those bigger northern summits you may want to bag next.

Best Outdoor Retailer: REI Co-op, Bedford

While outdoor people prefer to be, you know, outside, REI’s newest New England store inspires one to linger indoors. Surveying its 22,000 square feet, you can practically feel the endorphins kicking in. Paddleboards and boots, bikes and climbing gear, bocce sets and kites—they’re all there, along with knowledgeable staffers who are always amped at the chance to assist you in getting you back outdoors in no time. 

Best PYO Berry Farm: Monadnock Berries, Troy

Encompassing 10 acres of land that’s been farmed for more than two centuries, and with majestic Mount Monadnock for a backdrop, Monadnock Berries’ setting is as delicious as the grape-size blueberries clustered on row after row of bushes. Grab a snack at the rustic café and farm stand before heading out to harvest delectables that also include gooseberries, currants, and raspberries.

Best Sculpture Garden: Bedrock Gardens, Lee

It’s hard to think of a more enchanting way to pass a sunny afternoon than with a ramble through this collection of shade trees, lawns, water features, and art installations. The serene Spiral Garden and striking Belgian Fence are favorite spots in which to commune with nature, and handmade benches and swings throughout the property provide seating for contemplation. Check out the array of native plants and whimsical gifts in the garden shop, too.

Best Used Bookstore: Old Number Six Book Depot, Henniker

However much time you’ve allotted for your visit to this bibliophile’s dream, prepare to tack on at least an extra hour to peruse the 160,000-plus titles that stuff the floor-to-ceiling shelves. Opened in 1976 by the married pair of educators who still run it today, Ian and Helen Morrison, the shop boasts books in practically every genre, along with a rich collection of old magazines (including some long-ago Yankee issues). Even better, it operates much as it did half a century ago: no website, no email, just a landline and two owners who are delighted to welcome you. 603-428-3334

Honorees were compiled by Yankee editors with contributions from Andrew Collins, a travel writer based part-time in New Hampshire and author of numerous guidebooks, including Ultimate Road Trips USA & Canada.

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