New Hampshire

New Hampshire proudly exhorts people to “Live Free,” and it gives visitors uncountable exciting opportunities to do just that. With a famed 48 peaks higher than 4,000 feet, the state is a hiking and climbing mecca. Another option: Chug to the top of Mount Washington, the Northeast’s highest peak, on the unforgettably charming Cog Railway. The rugged White Mountains cover a full quarter of New Hampshire, giving skiers and snowboarders heaps of wintertime thrills. Come warmer days, soak up the clean mountain air while hiking, biking, fishing, or picnicking in the White Mountain National Forest.

Farther south, visitors can canoe or kayak to roughly 250 different islands on glittering Lake Winnipesaukee. In Manchester, the state’s largest city, visit the masterpieces—including a Frank Lloyd Wright house—at the world-class Currier Museum of Art. Or if the ocean is more to your liking, New Hampshire has an 18-mile coastline that packs a lot into a short stretch: beaches, lighthouses, lobster and clam shacks, and the quaint historic seaport town of Portsmouth.

When New Hampshire truly stuns is in the fall, when the foliage bursts into glowing color. There are many ways to absorb the spectacle, including popular drives—such as the Kancamagus Scenic Byway—leaf-peeping hikes, and merry foliage or pumpkin festivals, all of which will surely enchant the entire family.