15 Places That Perfectly Capture the Heart of New Hampshire

I moved here earlier this year, and one thing I’ve figured out pretty quickly is that there’s a lot more to the Granite State than I realized.

a group of houses next to a body of water

Before moving here, of course I knew about the White Mountains. I knew about Mount Washington. I knew New Hampshire had lakes, fall foliage and a little bit of coastline. But knowing about those things and actually getting out and experiencing them are two completely different things.

That’s really where the idea for this gallery came from. If you had to pick a handful of places that visually tell the story of New Hampshire, what would they be?

The obvious choices...

Mount Washington has to be there, right? The Kancamagus Highway feels like New Hampshire condensed into one incredible drive. Definitely Lake Winnipesaukee which represents that whole New Hampshire lake-life experience. Then you've got Franconia Notch, the Seacoast, covered bridges and those little towns where you turn a corner and suddenly feel like you're looking at a postcard. That's the heart of New Hampshire.

Credit: Getty Images

But I’m also discovering that some of the coolest places here aren't necessarily the ones everybody outside of New Hampshire knows.

That's what I'm enjoying most.

There always seems to be another waterfall, hiking trail, mountain overlook, small town or hidden spot that someone tells me, "Oh, you HAVE to go there."

READ MORE: This New Hampshire Seafood Shack Was Just Named the Most Iconic in the State

So I put together 15 places that I think help capture what New Hampshire looks and feels like. Some are iconic. Some are a little more off the beaten path. And I'm sure there are plenty I haven't discovered yet.

That's where those of you who have lived here a lot longer than I have come in.

Take a look through the gallery and then tell me: **What place did I miss?**

Because if there's one thing I'm learning about New Hampshire, it's that my list of places I need to explore isn't getting shorter.

It's getting longer.