The Seacoast stretches just 18 miles, but it holds a working port that's been active since 1623. Portsmouth has more Colonial and Federal buildings open to the public than almost any American city: the 1763 Moffatt-Ladd House with its terraced gardens, the neighborhood of Strawbery Banke preserving more than 350 years of daily life. The Music Hall, built in 1878, still hosts concerts in an 895-seat Victorian theater.

The White Mountains make a natural day trip from the coast, with Mount Washington rising 6,288 feet above sea level—the highest peak in the northeastern United States. The 34-mile Kancamagus Highway winds through 800,000 acres of national forest, passing waterfalls and overlooks that draw leaf-peepers from around the world when the maples turn in late September.

New Hampshire rewards travelers who want space to breathe. The trails are less crowded than Vermont's, the coast less developed than Massachusetts'. There's no sales tax, which locals mention with pride, and a self-reliant streak that shows up in the independent shops and family-run farms. You can drive from the ocean to the mountains in under two hours, stopping for cider donuts at a farmstand or oysters at a raw bar along the way.

Book early for fall, especially the first two weeks of October when foliage peaks and rooms fill quickly across the state. Summer weekends are busy on the coast from Memorial Day through Labor Day; midweek visits are easier. Winter means a quieter Portsmouth with holiday markets and cozy restaurants. Spring brings fewer crowds and good value, particularly in April and May.