New England is a pocket of the U.S. where each season can be fully experienced. The seasons also usher in their own activities, and the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development offers up trip ideas to help visitors get a taste of each.
Spring
Go maple sugaring: With its warm days and cool nights, spring is prime time for producing all things maple, and the state celebrates New Hampshire Maple Month each March. Visitors can see the maple-sugaring process first hand at more than 90 sugarhouses across the state. They can take part in workshops, historical demos, and festivals as well as maple syrup tasting experiences like the Tree to Table Tour in New London. In Tamworth, they can try their hand at making “sugar on snow,” a classic maple treat.
Summer
Go beaching: Warmth and sunshine draw people to the coast. The New Hampshire beaches stretch for 18 miles where summertime visitors can hop on a boat for some deep-sea fishing or take to the water by surfboard or kayak. Along Hampton Beach, travelers can find local flavor in lobster and clam shacks, ice cream stands, and spots offering up fried dough (sweet or savory—you pick), and they can grab a handcrafted drink at one of 43 breweries strewn throughout the state, many of which are near the coast.
Fall
Go leaf-viewing: A New England fall means color-drenched treetops and crisp weather, and New Hampshire’s autumn adventuring provides unique ways to see the foliage. Scenic drives, like The White Mountain Trail, encompass covered bridges, waterfalls, farmlands, and mountain overlooks with breathtaking views. Other suggested methods for seeing the seasonal colors include zip lining, horseback-riding, hiking, and taking a fall foliage cruise or train ride.
Winter
Go skiing and sledding: New Hampshire is home to 19 ski areas, including the most extensive network of cross-country trails in the Eastern U.S. In winter, visitors can take to snowy Cannon Mountain, where Bode Miller cut his teeth becoming a famed alpine skier. Mount Sunapee, home of the New England Handicapped Sports Association, is where those with disabilities can go to actualize their downhill dreams. And sleigh rides can provide an experience be it a romantic wintertime encounter for two or, as offered by Charmingfare Farm in Candia, a wild adventure for 20 aboard an old-fashioned logging sled.
For more information, email Amy Bassett with the New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development or go to visitnh.gov.
Top photo: Cannon Mountain
Photo by: CC Flickr/3rd Eye Photographer: bit.ly/2YhQj4W
