In a nutshell
Amid the rural splendour of the White Mountains, you really do get the sense that you can 'live free' as New Hampshire licence plates proclaim. At the western end of the spectacular Kancamagus Highway is Lincoln, neighbour to breathtaking Franconia Notch and its powerful waterfalls. At the eastern end you'll find North Conway, as famous today for its designer clothing outlets as its scenic pleasures.
At 6,288ft, Mount Washington is the highest peak in the north eastern US. There's a beautiful mountain pass in the National Forest from where you can enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities from mountain biking to hiking, or canoeing, swimming and fishing in the local lakes.
The quaint, seaside town of Portsmouth, near the mouth of the Piscataqua River, was settled in 1623 and is the third oldest city in the USA! Visit the historic waterfront Strawbery Banke Museum which recreates life in this town over the last 300 years with 9 differently modelled houses.
At the Canterbury Centre, you'll find a restored Shaker Village where you can discover what it was like to live in a Shaker community.