In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Concord via Canterbury, Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam Lake and Newfound Lake to Wolfeboro and down to the shortest Atlantic coastline in the USA between Hampton Beach and Portsmouth: around 530 kilometres of lakes, granite and harbour history.
The spirit of the route
The Lakes Region is New England’s living room: wooden docks, boathouses with green shutters, pine forest right down to the shore and, behind it, the first blue ridges of the White Mountains. Lake Winnipesaukee, with its more than 250 islands, is big enough for a passenger ship, Squam Lake quiet enough for the call of the loon at dusk, Newfound Lake so clear that you can count the stones on the bottom from the dock. From the sliding door you see mist over the water in the morning, kayaks heading home in the evening, and you hear the lapping against the shore stones. In between lie Shaker workshops, a mansion above the clouds and small towns with a white church and an ice-cream parlour. At the end the air changes: salt instead of resin, rocky coast instead of swimming beach, and in Portsmouth colonial-era sea captains’ houses stand next to red tugboats in the harbour.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Concord to Gilford (Lake Winnipesaukee) (approx. 80 km)
- The drive
- From the state capital, take the I-93 north to the exit for Canterbury, then follow narrow, winding country roads through woods and pastures to the Shaker Village. Continue via Belmont and Laconia on the NH-106 and the US-3 to the southwestern tip of Lake Winnipesaukee and on the NH-11 to Gilford. Pure driving time around 1.5 hours; the drive through Laconia and the US-3 at Weirs Beach are slow going on summer weekends. Petrol stations and supermarkets in Concord, Tilton and Laconia.
- Highlights & must-sees
- New Hampshire State House in Concord: capitol from 1819 with a gilded dome, where both chambers still meet in their original halls – by its own account the oldest state legislature in the USA of which this is true. Visitor centre with free tours on weekdays; an hour is enough for a short stop. Park motorhomes in the side streets away from Main Street; this is much easier at weekends.
- Canterbury Shaker Village: Shaker settlement founded in 1792, where the community’s last sister died in 1992. Around two dozen original buildings, gardens and workshops show the community’s plain craftsmanship; guided tours and self-guided walk, seasonal operation – check opening times in advance. Large car park at the entrance, also for motorhomes.
- Weirs Beach: promenade with a pier, amusement arcades and views over the Broads of Winnipesaukee. Weirs Beach is the home port of the M/S Mount Washington, a motor vessel built in 1940 and successor to the 1872 sidewheel steamer, for cruises on the lake; other ports of call are Wolfeboro and Alton Bay, at times also Meredith and Center Harbor. Check with the operator in advance which ports are served on which day.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Ellacoya State Park (Gilford): state RV park on the southwestern shore of Winnipesaukee with 37 full-hookup sites (water, electricity, sewer), a washroom block and a swimming beach with views of the Ossipee and Sandwich ranges. Motorhomes and caravans only, no tents; sites are closely spaced, season roughly spring to autumn. Reservation only, through the New Hampshire State Parks system, months ahead for summer weekends; the dump station is open to campground guests only. Alternative towards Concord: Bear Brook State Park (Allenstown) with around 100 sites in the woods.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There is no public land for free camping around Winnipesaukee. The car parks at Weirs Beach, at the boat ramps and in the state parks are closed at night; Laconia and Gilford prohibit overnight stays on streets and in car parks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Use Ellacoya as a base for two nights and explore the lakes without packing up. Fill up with water and empty the waste water right at your site – a rare comfort on this route. The car parks on the Weirs Beach promenade are pay-and-display and tight for long vehicles; come early in the morning or cycle over on the NH-11B.
2Stage 2: Gilford to Gilford (loop via Squam Lake and Newfound Lake) (approx. 140 km)
- The drive
- Loop via Weirs Beach and the US-3 to Meredith, then along the shore to Holderness on Squam Lake. Via Ashland and New Hampton to Bristol and along the shore road on the west side of Newfound Lake; back on the NH-104 to Meredith and on to Gilford. Hilly two-lane roads with many bends but no tight hairpins; pure driving time around 2.5 hours. Petrol stations in Meredith, Ashland and Bristol.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Meredith: town at the northwestern tip of Winnipesaukee with a waterfront park, piers and Mill Falls, a shopping quarter in an old mill by the waterfall. Large vehicles are best parked on the edge of town.
- Squam Lakes Natural Science Center in Holderness: trail past animals native to New Hampshire – black bear, river otter, bobcat, owls – plus guided boat tours on Squam Lake where you see loons and pass the filming locations of “On Golden Pond” (1981) with Henry Fonda and Katharine Hepburn. Seasonal operation, book boat tours in advance. If you want to walk, climb the short Old Bridle Path up West Rattlesnake for views over the whole lake; the car park on the NH-113 is small.
- Wellington State Park on Newfound Lake: day-use park with the largest freshwater swimming beach in the state park system, picnic areas under pines and a loop trail around a peninsula. Newfound Lake is considered one of the clearest lakes in the state. Parking is limited; on fine weekends and holidays a day-use reservation through the State Parks is advisable.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Back to Ellacoya State Park (see stage 1). If you don’t want to drive back, you will find private campgrounds with hookups in Holderness, Ashland and Bristol; book ahead in summer. There is no state campground for motorhomes on Squam Lake or Newfound Lake.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The shores of Squam Lake and Newfound Lake are almost entirely privately owned or protected; free camping is not possible. Wellington State Park is open during the day only.
- Insider tip for campers
- There are hardly any public access points on Squam Lake – the Science Center boat tour is the best way onto the water. If you have a kayak with you, launch at Wellington State Park or at the public ramps; clean and dry boats thoroughly between two lakes, as New Hampshire is fighting invasive aquatic plants. Watch out for moose and deer on the NH-104 and the NH-3A after dusk.
3Stage 3: Gilford to Tamworth (White Lake) (approx. 95 km)
- The drive
- Via Meredith on the NH-25 to Center Harbor and on to Moultonborough; on the NH-171 to the foot of the Ossipee Mountains and past the eastern shore to Ossipee, then on the NH-16 north to West Ossipee. The NH-25 is busy on summer days, the NH-171 quiet, wooded and winding. Pure driving time around 2 hours. Petrol stations in Meredith, Moultonborough and on the NH-16.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Center Harbor: small town at the northern end of the lake, with a public pier and views south across the bay – a good coffee stop.
- Castle in the Clouds (Moultonborough): the “Lucknow” estate, built in 1913–1914 for shoe manufacturer Thomas Plant high above the lake, with an Arts and Crafts interior and wide views over Winnipesaukee. All around is a large conservation area with hiking trails and waterfalls. Visitors park below at the Carriage House and take a trolley shuttle up the steep, narrow access road to the mansion; seasonal operation, check opening times in advance.
- Ossipee: short stop at Ossipee Lake or in the centre of Center Ossipee with views of the Ossipee Mountains, an old, eroded volcanic ring. From White Lake it is only around 20 kilometres to Conway, where the Kancamagus Highway begins – the White Mountains are covered in the CampingSpirit guide “Maple red, birch gold and lobster buoys” on Indian summer in New England.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: White Lake State Park (Tamworth): around 200 sites in several loops under pines on a round, warm swimming lake with a sandy beach, washroom blocks, some with showers; no hookups, but a dump station; check vehicle length when booking. A protected stand of old pitch pines grows on the lakeshore. Reservations through the New Hampshire State Parks.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): North of Tamworth begins the White Mountain National Forest, where dispersed camping is allowed under Forest Service rules – at a distance from roads, water and campgrounds and with closed zones. For this route that means a detour; there is no federal land in the Lakes Region section itself.
- Insider tip for campers
- The loop trail around White Lake is flat and takes just under an hour – ideal in the evening. Fill up before Castle in the Clouds in Moultonborough; there is hardly anything on the NH-171 until Ossipee. If you want to cruise on the Mount Washington from Wolfeboro, start stage 4 early enough.
4Stage 4: Tamworth to Nottingham (Pawtuckaway State Park) (approx. 135 km)
- The drive
- On the NH-16 and the NH-28 south through Ossipee, then on the NH-28 along the east side of Winnipesaukee to Wolfeboro. Continue on the NH-28 to Alton and the detour to Alton Bay at the southern end of the lake; then via Barnstead and Epsom on the US-4 east and via Northwood to Nottingham. Mostly two-lane and gently hilly, few overtaking opportunities. Pure driving time around 2.5 hours. Petrol stations in Wolfeboro, Alton and Epsom.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Wolfeboro: the town calls itself the “oldest summer resort in America” because colonial governor John Wentworth built his summer house here around 1770. Harbour with a pier for the excursion boats, the Wright Museum on the World War II home front and the Cotton Valley Rail Trail on an old railway line.
- Alton Bay: narrow bay at the southern end of Winnipesaukee with a bandstand, waterfront promenade and boat piers; in winter small aircraft land here on an ice runway. Alton Bay is one of the ports of call of the M/S Mount Washington; the first paddle steamer of that name was launched here in 1872.
- Pawtuckaway State Park: forest park around a branching lake with islands, with the “Boulder Field” of huge glacial erratics from the last Ice Age and a fire lookout tower on South Mountain with panoramic views.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Pawtuckaway State Park (Nottingham): around 190 sites, many of them on Horse Island and Big Island and at Neal’s Cove right on the water; washroom blocks with showers, no hookups and, according to campers’ reports, no dump station – arrive with empty tanks. The access road to Horse Island is long and bumpy, some sites are sloping or tight; check vehicle length when booking. Reservations through the New Hampshire State Parks; waterfront sites are in demand. From here it is around 45 minutes to the coast.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There is no public land for free camping in southern New Hampshire. The waterfront car parks in Wolfeboro and Alton Bay are closed at night, and sleeping in your vehicle is not permitted there.
- Insider tip for campers
- Parking long vehicles in the centre of Wolfeboro is difficult; use the public car parks a little away from Main Street. On Friday afternoons the roads towards the lake are busy, on Sunday afternoons the roads back south – schedule drives for weekdays or early mornings where possible.
5Stage 5: Nottingham to Hampton Beach (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- On the NH-156 and the NH-101 east, through Exeter, and on the NH-101 to the Atlantic at Hampton; then on the NH-1A south to Hampton Beach. The NH-101 is motorway-like as far as Hampton and toll-free. Pure driving time around 45 minutes, considerably more towards the coast on summer weekends. Petrol stations and supermarkets in Exeter and Hampton.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Exeter: college town with Phillips Exeter Academy, brick buildings on the Squamscott River and the American Independence Museum.
- Hampton Beach: the busiest beach in the state with a promenade, bandshell and snack bars, packed in summer, quiet in the off-season. Hampton Beach State Park at the mouth of the Hampton River is quieter, with views into the harbour.
- Hampton Harbor: fishing boats, whale-watching and fishing charters leave from here; the view from the bridge over the harbour entrance reaches as far as Seabrook.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Hampton Beach State Park RV Park: small state RV site at the harbour entrance with 28 full-hookup sites, motorhomes and caravans only, no tents. The sites are in high demand – book early through the New Hampshire State Parks. Alternatively, visit the coast as a day trip from Pawtuckaway.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the New Hampshire coast, sleeping in your vehicle on streets and in beach car parks is prohibited; the car parks on the NH-1A are closed or patrolled at night. There is no legal free-camping option.
- Insider tip for campers
- The car parks on the Hampton Beach promenade are pay-and-display, often full and barely suitable for long vehicles; on summer weekends it is better to walk from the RV park. The Atlantic is cold here even in high summer.
6Stage 6: Hampton Beach to Portsmouth (approx. 30 km)
- The drive
- The NH-1A follows the entire New Hampshire coast north: beach houses, salt marshes and rocky shores, through North Hampton and Rye, past Rye Harbor and Wallis Sands to Odiorne Point and via the NH-1B or Rye to Portsmouth. Two-lane, low speeds, many cyclists, traffic jams on fine days. Pure driving time under an hour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Odiorne Point State Park in Rye: rocky coast with tide pools, paths through old World War II fortifications and the Seacoast Science Center. 1623 is considered the year of the first European settlement in what is now New Hampshire here.
- Strawbery Banke Museum in Portsmouth: an entire neighbourhood by the harbour, the Puddle Dock, with more than 30 preserved houses spanning more than three centuries, gardens and craftspeople. Strawbery Banke was the settlement’s first name. Seasonal operation with special events in winter – check opening times.
- Portsmouth harbour: red tugboat wharf on Ceres Street, Prescott Park with gardens on the Piscataqua River and the view across the Memorial Bridge to Kittery in Maine.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Hampton Beach State Park RV Park (see stage 5) remains the nearest state option. If you are continuing to Maine, you will find the connecting tours in the CampingSpirit guides “Lighthouses, lakes and moose country” on Maine’s Midcoast and “Granite, tides and the first sunrise” on Acadia; heading south, the guide “Dunes, lighthouses and hairpin bends” leads to Cape Cod.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Portsmouth prohibits sleeping in vehicles on streets and in multi-storey car parks. Odiorne Point and the state beaches on the NH-1A are open during the day only.
- Insider tip for campers
- Portsmouth’s old town is cramped; the municipal multi-storey car parks have height restrictions. Leave motorhomes in large car parks on the edge and go in on foot or by bike; come early on summer weekends. Continuing south on the I-95 there is a toll at Hampton; heading north, the Maine Turnpike from York.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- New Hampshire has no public land for dispersed camping in the Lakes Region and coastal sections. Overnight stays are only allowed on campgrounds; state parks, boat ramps and beach car parks close at night. Towns such as Laconia, Hampton and Portsmouth prohibit sleeping in vehicles and will tow.
- Dispersed camping is possible in the White Mountain National Forest under Forest Service rules – with minimum distances from roads, water and campgrounds and with protected zones where it is prohibited. Check the current rules with the forest administration.
- Rest areas on the I-93 and I-95 are for taking a break; observe the signs. Supermarket and department store car parks only with the store’s express permission.
- Reservations: New Hampshire State Parks campgrounds (Ellacoya, White Lake, Pawtuckaway, Hampton Beach, Bear Brook) through the reservation system at nhstateparks.org; book early for summer weekends and holidays. Day-use reservations can be booked for day parks such as Wellington, which is advisable on busy days.
- Wildlife: moose cross the roads mainly at dusk and at night – take the yellow “Brake for Moose” signs seriously, slow down and use high beam where possible. Black bears are widespread: lock food, cool box and rubbish inside your vehicle.
- Apps: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt and ReserveAmerica; Park4Night plays hardly any role here.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump stations: at Ellacoya (campground guests only) and at White Lake State Park; at Ellacoya and Hampton Beach State Park RV Park you empty your tanks right at your site. According to campers’ reports, Pawtuckaway has no dump station. Private campgrounds in the Lakes Region often let guests from other campgrounds dump for a fee.
- Drinking water: taps on all campgrounds; tap water is drinkable. Always filter and boil lake water before drinking.
- Empty grey water and chemical toilets only at dump stations; draining into lakes, streams or marshes is prohibited and severely punished – some of the lakes are drinking-water reservoirs.
- Propane: DIY stores, farm supply stores, U-Haul locations and some campgrounds fill US cylinders; European cylinders are generally not filled.
- Electricity: full hookups only at Ellacoya and Hampton Beach; at White Lake and Pawtuckaway plan with battery and solar, and observe generator hours.
- Shopping: New Hampshire levies no general sales tax. Supermarkets in Concord, Laconia, Meredith, Wolfeboro, Exeter and Portsmouth; state liquor stores right on the I-93 and I-95.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: interstates mostly 65 mph (105 km/h), on the I-93 north of Concord 70 mph in places; country roads mostly 50–55 mph, in towns 25–35 mph. School buses with flashing lights must not be passed in either direction.
- Phones at the wheel: New Hampshire allows hands-free use only; holding the phone is prohibited.
- I-95 toll (Blue Star Turnpike): at the Hampton main toll plaza there are open road tolling lanes where E-ZPass is charged at highway speed, and staffed lanes for cash or E-ZPass. Rates depend on vehicle class or number of axles; users with E-ZPass from other states pay more, like cash payers, than customers with a New Hampshire E-ZPass. Check current rates with NHDOT. For rental vehicles, clarify the rental company’s toll arrangements.
- Onward travel: in Maine the Maine Turnpike (I-95 from York) is tolled; in Massachusetts the I-95 is toll-free.
- Traffic: on Friday afternoons traffic backs up towards the lakes and the coast, on Sunday afternoons in the opposite direction; Weirs Beach, the US-3 and the NH-1A are slow going then. In June, Laconia Motorcycle Week draws tens of thousands of motorcycles – campgrounds and roads are full then.
- Insects: black flies in late spring and early summer, then mosquitoes; ticks carrying Lyme disease are widespread throughout New Hampshire.
- Autumn: the leaves start turning in the north and at higher elevations and then move across the lakes to the coast; dates vary greatly, so follow the state’s current foliage reports. During this time campgrounds and roads are full at weekends.
- Emergency: 911. Mobile coverage is good on the large lakes and the coast, patchy in places on the back roads of the Ossipee Mountains.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Head net, repellent with DEET or picaridin and light-coloured, long clothing: otherwise black flies in early summer and mosquitoes at the lakes turn every evening by the water into a retreat.
- Folding or inflatable kayak plus a cleaning brush: you can only really experience Squam Lake and Newfound Lake from the water, and boats must be clean and dry before every change of lake.
- E-ZPass transponder (or the rental company’s toll arrangement): saves time at the Hampton toll plaza and surcharges when continuing to Maine.
- Binoculars: for loons on Squam Lake, ospreys at Pawtuckaway and seabirds at Odiorne Point.
- Tick remover and tick protection for clothing: Lyme disease is common in New Hampshire, even on short lakeside paths.
- Levelling ramps and base plates: the forest sites at White Lake and Pawtuckaway are rooty and rarely level, and the ground by the water is often soft.
As of 2026-10. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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