We’ve been trying to fit in as many states as we can during 2023 because next year is the last year of our 50 state road trip and we have a lot we need to fit in next year too! That includes an international trip for our 20th anniversary and a couple of months driving up to – and exploring – Alaska.
As a result, we decided to only spend 10 days in New Hampshire. Normally I do a roundup post of everything we do in each city we stay in, but it didn’t seem worth doing that kind of post for New Hampshire seeing as so much of it would overlap with this best and worst of post. So here’s our favorite – and not-so-favorite – things from New Hampshire.
Favorite Accommodation We Stayed At
Stephen – This is an easy one seeing as we only stayed in one hotel – the Residence Inn Manchester Downtown. It doesn’t just win by default though – we did enjoy our stay there.
Shae – Hmmm… since we stayed at one place for 10 days I’m gonna have to give it to the Residence Inn Manchester Downtown.
Favorite Meal
Stephen – Seeing as we had a kitchen in our suite at the Residence Inn, we didn’t eat out much. The apple fritter from New Hampshire Donut Co. was good, but I’ll give this award to The Monster From Lake Islington – a Russian Imperial Stout I got at Loaded Question Brewing Company. Accessing the brewery was goofy as dogs are only allowed on their patio out back and you have to take a weird, circuitous route all around the back of the building, but the stout was delicious.
Shae – The glazed donut from New Hampshire Donut Co.
Most Disappointing Meal
Stephen – Probably something I cooked as that’s mostly what we ate!
Shae – I’m disappointed that we didn’t have anything quintessentially New Hampshire while we were there.
Favorite Free Activity
Stephen – The Black Heritage Trail on New Hampshire. It’s a great way to explore the cute city of Portsmouth, while learning about its history.
Shae – The Black Heritage Trail of NH in Portsmouth, NH.
Favorite Paid Activity
Stephen – I don’t think we did any activities that cost us anything there as we were close to – or were actually already – over budget for the month.
Shae – We didn’t do any paid activities. I was planning to go for a day to Star Island but the weather changed my plans, I feel strongly that would’ve been my favorite.
Favorite Pet-Friendly Activity
Stephen – I think just walking around downtown Manchester. Our hotel put us in a good spot for that, there was a nice park opposite and walking up and down Elm St at night meant she got a lot of sniffs and stimulation before bed.
Shae – I loved that we could explore Portsmouth, NH with Truffles and take her off-leash on Peirce Island.
Least Favorite Activity
Stephen – Easily the Canterbury Shaker Village. I’ll let Shae explain.
Shae – Stopping at the Canterbury Shaker Village. You can either pay $25 per person to go on a tour (so almost half our daily budget for the two of us to do it) and see inside and no dogs allowed in the buildings, or you can walk around and look at the outside of the buildings with your dog for free.
Favorite Hike
Stephen – While Shae was working one day, Truffles and I headed to Pulpit Rock Conservation Area for a quick hike. It wasn’t the most amazing hike I’ve ever gone on, but it was nice to get out of the hotel, it was a beautiful day and the hike was, for the most part, non-buggy which is a miracle for the northeast in the summer.
Shae – I didn’t hike but we walked for 3.5 hours around Portsmouth, NH.
Favorite Quirky Thing We Did
Stephen – Shae getting a dress for her birthday with Truffles on it.
Shae – We didn’t really do anything especially quirky, but the State Capitol building is the oldest one in the US where the legislature still meets in the original chambers.
Favorite Memory
Stephen – I think our day out in Portsmouth.
Shae – Getting out in the sunshine on the day we went to Portsmouth, NH.
Funniest Moment
Stephen – Truffles bringing joy to drunk college students while walking around downtown Manchester at night at the weekend.
Shae – We didn’t really have a “funniest moment” that I can think of… I mean if you mean “funny weird” instead of “funny haha” then the funniest moment was walking 3/10 of a mile to go from the front of the brewery to the back at Loaded Question Brewing Co.
Thing We Most Regretted
Stephen – Only getting to see the bottom part of New Hampshire. We had quite a few attractions listed in the northern half of the state as possible things to do, but they were 2+ hours away from where we were staying.
Shae – Not getting up to the northern part of the state to see what all the fuss is about on the The Kancamagus Highway.
Something We Missed And Want To See
Stephen – Something I missed in New Hampshire were passing lanes. There were so many slow drivers with no way to pass them due to winding roads.
Shae – I don’t really feel like I missed out too much by not seeing more of New Hampshire.
Our Biggest Surprise
Stephen – When we drove through New Hampshire a few years ago on the way to Vermont, I’d had high hopes for New Hampshire as it seemed like it could almost be as nice as Vermont. It didn’t turn out to be that way though. It wasn’t a bad state and Portsmouth was a cute place to visit, but I don’t really feel like I need to return their either unlike Vermont which I adore.
Shae – How slow the drivers are – consistently.
My New Hampshire Drinking Game Would Be…
Stephen – Take a drink every time a place is named after somewhere in England. Hampshire. Manchester. Portsmouth. Dover. Exeter. Newport. Chesterfield. Bristol. Tamworth. Thornton. Lincoln.
Shae – Take a drink every time you see “Live Free or Die” – the state motto. It’s on license plates, t-shirts, car stickers, signs and more.
Summary Of New Hampshire In 10 Words Or Less
Stephen – Worth a short visit, but wouldn’t want to live there.
Shae – Small state. Stop in Portsmouth. Great to drive through.
New Hampshire Cities We Visited In Order From Favorite To Least Favorite
Stephen – Seeing as we only stayed in Manchester, that should in theory be the only city on the list. However, we visited a few cities during our stay, so the order I’d put those in would be Portsmouth, Concord, Manchester.
Shae – Portsmouth, Concord and Manchester.
Truffles is so cute as his Shae’s new dress!
Thanks!