I know there's a really similar post about this topic here
http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...in-between.cfm
I'm looking for similar locations as the other poster, so consider this the same question, but different

I am looking for suggestions of places to drive to/from the White Mountains and the southern NH Border. I've driven up and down rt 91 many times, and my detours have always been on the VT side of the border--I don't know why! I'm determined to see lots of NH this time. Suggestion of specific routes up and down would be great. Trip is in a couple of weeks

This is where I've actually been in NH:
The seacost area.
Manchester
The drive on rt 93 all the way to Massachusetts

Here's what I'd like to find and see:
Pretty towns for a quick stop to walk around and have lunch
Lunch/light dinner places in general--soups, salads, sandwiches
Microbreweries--with tours?
Scenic roads--covered bridges, waterfalls, etc. No "tough drives"
St Gaudens site in Cornish.
Other historic houses and sites like Robert Frost site
Good swimming areas in the Franconia/Littleton area. Lakes, swimming holes, etc

Here's what I 'm not really interested in:
Concord
Really busy vacation spots like, I imagine, Lake Winnipesaukee
The drive up to Mt Washington!

Specific questions too:
Are there 2 Echo Lakes? I keep seeing Echo Lake as a swimming area in Franconia Notch, but also listed as a state park close to North Conway

Is is possible to just see the Mount Washington hotel? Is is worth a drive from the Franconia Notch area? What else is there to see in Bretton Woods? I love old historic hotels, and I can't figure out if it's a tough drive just to get to the hotel. I don't like tough drives

Is Petersborough a nice town? Similar towns worth a stop?

I know there are a lot of questions, but Fodorites are up to the challenge, right?
Thanks a bunch, in advance

Not sure why you aren't interested in Concord since it has a lovely downtown and some great spots for lunch. Highly recommend In A Pinch Cafe which has two locations. Parking is much easier at their new location. Different soup and salad specials every day. It sounds like you might like the Museum on NH History. I think there's a special display now on kitchens.
You could just zip thru Concord, take rt
Peterborough is a beautiful, artsy town and probably fits your requirement for a quick walk around and lunch. The Toadstool book store has a great used book section. There's parking near the bookstore and diner. Then you can walk around.
Friends have recommended going to the Mount Washington Hotel for drinks. We stayed at the Grand View in Whitefield once but the porch is small and there was never a time when we could snag a chair on the porch. You can ignore valet parking and park yourself. DH does not do valet parking.
Lake Winnipesaukee has different personalities depending on the town. The honky tonk Weirs Beach area is very crowded. Meredith is much more upscale but still has a lot of traffic. Wolfboro is more quiet and on the side of the lake heading toward the mountains. Prettiest little town a short drive from the lake is Center Sandwich NH. You should find good eats at the Corner House (not sure if they are open for lunch, if not, there's a general store/deli near by. We have not been to the Remick Museum in nearby Tamworth but it might fit your list for historic house.
Could you explain what you mean by "tough drive"?
Echo Lake is listed in the NH Atlas & Gazetteer as being in Franconia which is not the same as Echo Lake State Park near Conway. The Gazetteer lists covered bridges and waterfalls throughout the state. Some waterfalls require a hike. Not sure which covered bridge would be considered most picturesque since some are just bridges in not scenic areas.

dfrostnh , thanks.

Nothing against Concord, I was just trying to avoid cities on this trip. I would avoid Manchester too, though I thought the Currier Museum is worth another visit another time.

Tough drive = steep narrow curvy mountain roads. Mt Washington is the most extreme, probably, but I don't like those kinds of roads in general.

Thanks for the Echo Lake clarification, You'd think one of the dozen guidebooks I looked at would have mentioned "by the way the names are similar but these are not the same places"!

With waterfalls, covered bridges etc, I guess I'm looking for 2 different things:
1)Just passing through some nice areas on my way to and from the northern part of the state
2) nice day trips/routes from the Franconia area.

sorry, a thunder storm hit so I shut down before finishing my post. Find yourself a very good map. The Gazetteer is great for locating waterfalls and covered bridges but it is so detailed that it's difficult to use as a road map. You could visit Peterborough and then head north thru Antrim to Hillsboro (beautiful detour to Hillsboro Center and Washington but no restaurants/stores) then east on 202 to Rt 127 to rt 103 thru towns of Contoocook, Hopkinton and then Concord. Get on Rt 93N to exit 16 which is Mountain Rd. This parallels Rt 93. Make a visit to Canterbury Shaker Village? Then connect with Rt 3 to head north. This would be the slow route, 35 in many places but you would be best getting on Rt 93 at exit 20 to avoid lakes traffic until you get to Franconia. Center Sandwich would make a nice day trip from Franconia.
Hope someone gives you some inside tips on good swimming holes in that area. I remember Echo Lake near Rt 93 to be very cold. Due to rain, rivers have been at high levels and are dangerous in some area. Swimmers and kayakers have gotten into trouble due to swift current. There are swimming places along the Merrimack River for example that people just know about.

topping for the eyes of other NH locals and travelers