driving
 

On Thursday of this week my wife and I will be in Manchester ,Vermont. We will take a drive and have never really visited anything in the state of New Hampshire. We both enjoy a lot like shopping,, eating all kinds of foods, fresh markets, walking, and freight train watching. I
It is a short notice but any help will be apriciated. Thanks so much

Be sure to drive the Kancamagus Highway.
http://www.myscenicdrives.com/drives...s-scenic-byway
There are a couple waterfalls to see.

Are you going to be in Manchester, VT or Manchestr, NH?

You might want to watch the trains in White River Junction, VT. Eat at Tuckerbox (some Turkish items on menu) but head over to Norwich for their Saturday farmers market. Go on an empty stomach. Recent visit by a group of Fodorites was delightful but we had had breakfast first. A lot of people had trouble finding the vendor selling homemade popsicles but I found her and kept directing people to her stand. Montpelier and Brattleboro also have great farmers markets with some prepared food vendors. I like the markets in NH but they tend to be smaller and with few prepared food vendors.

It's a 3 hour drive from Manchester VT to Center Sandwich NH but you could make a nice loop. Center Sandwich is one of the prettiest small towns in NH but it is also south of Kancamagus Hwy which I think is too far for a day trip UNLESS you are in Manchester NH like Ackislander thinks possible.

So maybe I should stop right here. Concord NH has a very walkable downtown and this weekend July 17-19 is Market Days with all sorts of bargains and activities but even less parking spots. Big farmers market is on Saturday next to the State House. There used to be a beautiful train station on Storrs Street but it was torn down to make way for 60s era shopping plaza blight. Military equipment was being sent by train thru Concord recently for a training exercise in Michigan (I think). There are several PYO blueberry farms in the Concord area. Will provide more details once we confirm your starting point.

Yes, Manchester, VT, is actually on the wrong side of the state for touring NH, unless one wants to spend all day in the car.

I just hoped they were among the many who fly into Manchester, from which all things are possible. :-)

Keene-Jaffrey-Monadnock-Peterborough make a nice exploration as do the New London-lakes area. The Center Sandwich kancamagus Loop would be nice though a long day, especially if they stop at Woodstock in either direction.

I just hate to see anybody miss the White Mountains.

If you drive due east from Manchester, Vt, you will wind up near Walpole, NH - one of the prettiest towns in NH. The actual village is up a side road off rte 12. There is a winery perched up in the mountains just outside Walpole with spectacular views an a nice tasting room. If you drive along rte 12, you will see a sign for the Boggy Meadow Farm cheese shop, which is on a remote farm road along the Connecticut River - very scenic. Also if you are a train buff, there are some very old, funky looking pullman coaches parked along side of rte 12 in the North Walpole area, near the bridge to Bellows Falls Vt. If you continue south on rte 12, you will wind up in Keene, a fairly good sized town with several interesting dining and shopping options.