Scenic Drives →
New Hampshire Foliage Driving Tour
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Stop in Bath and walk through the covered bridge, built in 1832 -- the longest in New Hampshire and one of the oldest in America. The Brick Store claims to be America's oldest general store. Don't worry if this is true, just enjoy the extensive inventory, slowly strolling wide floorboards that creak from hundreds of years of use. We had ice cream at the Hop, a 1950s-style parlor next door. The walls are decorated with records, movie bills, and concert posters, including some rare and valuable Beatles memorabilia.
The Connecticut River divides New Hampshire and Vermont, winding through what are known as the Upper Valley towns, the last of which is Woodsville. The tour continues on Route 302 into Vermont.
Lodging in North Conway
White Mountain Hotel and Resort, 800-533-6301, 603-356-7100. West Side Rd. at Hale's Location, North Conway. The dramatic stone face of White Horse Ledge rises behind this good-sized hotel. Amenities include a fitness center and a year-round outdoor pool. The best place to view the foliage is through the windows of the Ledges dining room, where guests can gaze out on Mount Cranmore during any meal. Open year-round. 80 rooms. whitemountainhotel.com
Cranmore Inn, 800-526-5502, 603-356-5502. 80 Kearsarge St., North Conway. The oldest continuously operating inn in the valley, just one block from North Conway's main drag. Open year-round. 21 rooms, including three mini-suites. cranmoreinn.com
Stonehurst Manor, 800-525-9100, 603-356-3113. Rtes. 16 and 302, North Conway. Dinner is a real treat here: Staff serve up continental extravagances (wood-fired prime rib, veal Oscar) or wood-fired, stone-oven pizzas. You'll feel like royalty in this three-story English-style manor punctuated with fine wood and stonework and rooms that are accented with antiques. Open year-round. 25 rooms. stonehurstmanor.com
The 1785 Inn and Restaurant, 800-421-1785, 603-356-9025. 3582 White Mountain Hwy. (Rtes. 16 and 302), North Conway. Come for the mountain views but savor the history: this Revolutionary-era home has original hand-hewn beams and 220-year-old original fireplaces. Study the wine list (over 200 labels) while sitting by the fire before a gourmet dinner. Open year-round. 17 rooms. the1785inn.com
Nereledge Inn, 888-356-2831, 603-356-2831. 94 River Rd., North Conway. Just a short walk from the village. You might not make it beyond the porch rockers of this 1787 Colonial farmhouse boasting views of Cathedral Ledge and the Moat Mountains. The fireplaced sitting room is an evening draw, with games and darts. Open year-round. 11 rooms. nereledgeinn.com
Oxen Yoke, 800-862-1600, 603-356-3177. Kearsarge St., North Conway. This cozy inn is owned and operated by the much larger Eastern Slope Inn, which anchors downtown North Conway. Just a few blocks from the village, this circa-1900 Victorian offers a quieter alternative with mountain views. Best of all, guests may use all the amenities at Eastern Slope. Open year-round. 21 rooms. theoxenyoke.com
Reader Comments
Comment from Roger White on August 12, 2009
Can't print pages on N.H. or Connecticut after the 1st 2 pages....wassup?
Comment from sara young-knox on September 2, 2009
You might want to update this article. Yield House is long gone.
Comment from Ron Ruby on October 4, 2009
Visiting from the West Coast. Would love a photographer's perspective on the best sunrise and sunset areas. I am driving from Quebec to Conway over 3 or 4 days. Would like help from a photographer. Willing to get up early and shoot....
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