MNGuy

Hello, my wife and I will be arriving in Manchester the first weekend of Ocotber. Can anyone recommnend 2 places that would give us a good flavor of the areas and also allow some time to see the fall foliage? I was thinking of staying in Portsmouth the first night and then driving into Maine for the 2nd night. What would do if you you had 2 nights and 2 full days? Thanks!!!

kaudrey

For 2 days, I'd probably just stay in NH and drive up into the White Mountains. Maine is pretty far from southern NH.

Karen

dfrostnh

Portsmouth is a great place with lots of great restaurants. We took the Heritage inland rivers cruise. I think the route depends on the tide but both would be great. Decent narration and a chance to be out on the water. We always enjoy the drive on Rt 1B thru Newcastle. Beautiful old colonial homes plus the new mini mansions. Stop at the Ice House for lobster roll and/or ice cream. This route goes across a causeway where you have a view of the old Naval Prison in Kittery ME on one side, the renovated elegant Wentworth-by-the Sea on the other. It's a very narrow road. You could also drive out on Kittery Point. This is far away from the horrendous outlet mall traffic. The Kennebunks and Ogunquit area are beautiful and touristy. You could make an afternoon visit but you said you wanted the flavor of the area. If you don't want to keep bumping into people from NY and Boston, head someplace else. If you like history you could head to Canterbury Shaker Village or the Kearsarge Indian Museum in Warner. In Warner you can also take an easy hike up Mt Kearsarge. If you head this way, you could stay in Concord. If you head out to Warner, go west on Pleasant St which is rt 103 and this will take you thru charming towns. You can stop for apples at Gould Hill. Drive over a covered bridge in Warner. You're a week too early for their foliage festival I think, which is held on Columbus Day. Keep in mind that Friday evening traffic is going to be horrendous on Rt 93 and 89. So will Sunday afternoon. Look at the map for secondary routes back to the airport. (from Concord Rt 3A will take you back to Rt 93 but avoids the toll booth). But, you can easily spend all your time in the Portsmouth area. Maine is just across the bridge.

DonTopaz

Although Portsmouth is a very pleasant city with interesting shops and galleries and restaurants, the New Hampshire coast and Maine in general are not particularly good places to enjoy the fall foliage (at least compared to the rest of New England). If it were me, I'd head north or west from Manchester. For example, I might head toward Hanover (on the Connecticut River, about 90 minutes from Manchester) the first night, then take back roads ambling up toward Stowe (VT) for the second night.

If there's good color, both of those locations should be excellent. Both locations should also be extremely difficult to find good accommodations at that time of year.

zootsi

As the above have mentioned, the seacoast is not prime foliage country. To see spectacular foliage, head up north from Manchester. Either take I95 north into the lakes region and the White Mountains, or take I89 northwest into the Sunapee/Dartmouth area.I would also recommend Canterbury Shaker Village near Concord. The mountains are more spectaular in the Whites, more bucolic towards Sunapee. On the other hand if you really want to see the seacoast, Portsmouth and the Ogunquit area are scenic and lots of fun, and you will still see some foliage.

MNGuy

Thanks for the responses. Any other suggestions if I were to go more along the coast north of Portsmouth?

djkbooks

I'm with the others - if you want to see foliage, head for the mountains.

There are any number of fabulous towns north of Portsmouth you would find appealing. Ogunquit and Kennebunkport are our favorites.

Note that if you plan to spend the night in any of the foliage destinations, you'd want to make a reservation forthwith.

joesorce

From Manchester it's an hour or so to Alton Bay, I'd stay there and do a hike up Mt. Major. Next day I'd take a drive to wherever your innkeepers recommend (foliage hits its peak at different times in different locations)...but I'd probably return to the same hotel for the 2nd night. Too short a trip to be packing up and moving...settle somewhere and just enjoy the surroundings at this beautiful and peaceful time of year.

www.bayside-inn.com