New Hampshire

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TRAVEL GUIDE

New Hampshire’s precipitous terrain, clear air, and sparkling lakes attract trailblazers, artists, and countless tourists. A varied geography and myriad outdoor activities are part of the draw, but visitors also appreciate this place of beauty, history, and hospitality. Whether you’re seeking adventure or just want to laze on the porch swing of a century-old inn, you’ll find ample ways to engage with this rugged, diverse state that stretches from the sea to the Northeast's highest mountain peaks.

Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Louisa May Alcott all visited and wrote about the state, sparking a fervent literary tradition. It also has a strong political history: this was the first colony to declare independence from Great Britain, the first to adopt a state constitution, and the first to require its constitution be referred to the people for approval. Politically, it remains a fiercely independent swing state that holds some of the earliest election primaries in the country and that's known for both its libertarian and progressive tendencies.

The state's varied terrain makes it popular with everyone from hard-core climbers and skiers to young families looking for easy access to nature. You can hike, ski, snowboard, snowshoe, and fish, as well as explore on snowmobiles, sailboats, kayaks, and mountain bikes. New Hampshirites have no objection to others enjoying the beauty here as long as they leave a few dollars behind: it's the only state in the union with neither sales nor income taxes, so tourism brings in much-needed revenue (and tourists can enjoy tax-free shopping).

With a few communities consistently rated among the most livable in the nation, New Hampshire has grown a bit faster than most other northeastern states since 1990. The state is gradually developing two distinct personalities: one characterized by rapid urbanization in the southeast and the other by quiet village life in the west and north. Although newcomers have brought change, the free-spirited sensibility of the Granite State remains intact, as does its natural splendor.