Weekend Getaway to New Hampshire
There's something about fresh air and fall foliage that makes you feel like you're in your own Hallmark Movie
Planning Notes
Getting there: We took the red-eye Thursday night from Orlando to Manchester on Spirit Airlines, then slept near the airport rather than driving north at 1am.
Car rental: We rented a truck from Enterprise, located right in the airport.
Weather: Perfect sweater weather. We did hit some rain, but it didn't last long.
We thought we'd missed the colors, but we found them after all
Day 1: Franconia Notch to Conway
Breakfast at The Breakfast Club, then a drive from Manchester to Artists Bluff in Franconia Notch. Artists Bluff hike
Tip: If you just want to see Artists Bluff, take the trail from the south trailhead where it meets the road near Echo Lake Beach parking lot, it's the quicker route.
Lunch was random gas station food in Carroll, then on to the Mount Willard hike before driving to Conway for the evening.
Where we stayed: School House Inn*. This place was a no-frills motel, but it was perfect. The woman checking us in was one of the nicest people we've ever met. As she put it, "It's no frills, but it's clean, comfortable, and cozy."
Dinner at Muddy Moose Restaurant & Pub.
Enjoyed the views from Mount Willard, a quick little jaunt to an incredible view of the Notch below
Day 2: Kancamagus Highway
Breakfast at Banners Restaurant, then a drive west along the Kancamagus Highway toward Lincoln, NH. This area is absolutely gorgeous, so take your time and stop as much as you want. A few suggestions:
Albany Bridge
Lower Falls
Rocky Gorge
Bear Notch Rd Scenic Overlook (a little out of the way, but worth the extra few minutes)
Sabbaday Falls
Lincoln Woods
Any overlook you see with room, every overlook was packed while we were there
Late lunch anywhere in Lincoln, then hike to Lonesome Lake. We stayed in the Lakes District that night, specifically Tilton, due to price.
Fall colors near Albany Bridge and Rocky Gorge
Day 3: Lakes District and Home
Breakfast at Country Cook'n at the Lakeside, then a hike on Locke's Hill Trail, a fairly short and easy hike to a beautiful lake view. If you're feeling adventurous, wake up early and hike Mount Major instead; just be aware it gets busy. We drove the backroads to Manchester, enjoyed the town, and caught our evening flight back to Orlando.
Views from the top of Locke's Hill Trail
By the time we landed back in Orlando, it already felt like a movie we didn't want to end: foliage-covered mountains, quiet lake views, and just enough small-town charm to make three days feel like a real escape. If you're chasing that same fall feeling, aim for late September through mid-October, right when the leaves hit peak color across the White Mountains. Big adventures don't always need a big chunk of time off; sometimes a long weekend and a red-eye flight are all it takes.
