How to See the White Mountains - Fall Roadtrip
We recently had a long weekend getaway in New England. This area is perfect for roadtrips, especially in the Fall because even driving through the trees is a sight to see. Our trip was four nights in total, two nights near Boston, MA one on each end which sandwiched our New Hampshire and Vermont nights. Below is an outline of our itinerary.
Day One – Kancamagus Highway:
I embarked on this journey with three of my college friends who all live in different cities, so we set the meeting spot as Boston, MA. If you use a similar route to us, I recommend staying in Cambridge, MA because it’s relatively safe and a bit cheaper than downtown Boston. In Cambridge we stayed at the Cambira Hotel – Boston Sommerville. Everything at the hotel was new and clean, so I would recommend it. After convening in Boston in the evening, we woke up early and started the roadtrip with a classic New England bagel sandwich.
From the bagel shop (which was 10/10, but semi-crowded, so go early) we drove to the start of the Kancamagus Highway which is a scenic drive with overlooks and trailheads. We actually completed this drive in the opposite direction that most people drive it because we started in Lincoln, NH end and drove to Conway, NH. But personally, I thought the drive was very enjoyable in this direction.
We purchased a $5 parking day pass for the Kancamagus Highway at a kiosk in the parking lot at our first stop. For those contemplating it, we definitely thought that the drive was worth this small fee. But, there were certain stops that had limited parking, so the earlier you can start this drive, the better. We also went on a Thursday, which meant fewer crowds.
Along the Kancamagus Highway we enjoyed many stops, but I would specifically recommend stopping at the suspension foot bridge at the Lincoln Woods trailhead, the Sugar Hill overlook, the Rocky Gorge Scenic area (including the short walk to Falls Pond), the Willey House and nearby scenic area, the Mount Willard trail, and the Mount Washington Hotel & Resort. We also enjoyed Echo Lake Beach and Artists Bluff trail which weren’t right on the route, but were nearby. For pictures of each individual stop, watch my vlog of the trip! After many stops and a couple hikes we arrived to our lodging for night two, the Lumen Nature Retreat in Woodstock, NH.
Staying in this tiny house was one of our favorite parts of the trip because it was beautifully located on a river with a fire pit and the interior of the tiny house was modern and spotlessly clean. The tiny house did not have a shower or a toilet, so we did have to walk to the shared bath house for those facilities, but the bath house was also very modern and clean, so it was quite enjoyable.
As far as we could tell, there were no food options at the Lumen compound, so definitely bring food. The closest town to Lumen was Woodstock, NH and there are a few nice restaurants, but in October they are usually booked in advance, so make a reservation ahead of time if you want to eat there.
Since we were unable to get reservations, and since we got in late, we ended up driving to Wayne’s Market/Citgo gas station where they have some food/snack items. Although the deli was closed because we went late at night, we were able to get some Gatorade, protein bars, chips and salsa, and ramen to have ourselves a lovely girl dinner. Our Lumen tiny house did have a small stove and pot to boil water, which made the ramen possible and pour over coffee in the morning.
Day Two – Vermont Towns and Sugar Shacks:
After a quick bagel and coffee flight breakfast at the Mountainside Cafe (10/10) in Lincoln, NH we headed to Morse Farm Maple Sugar Works for our first maple creemee of the trip. For more info on the breakfast cafe, watch my vlog of the trip!
I was new to the maple creemee scene, and for those of you that are like me, a maple creemee is a Vermont staple. It’s essentially soft serve with a maple undertone (11/10). Morse Farm also had a large gift shop with syrups, jams, clothing, and other items that are worth exploring. After this yummy stop we headed to Stowe, VT with one other caffeine stop along the way at Vermont Artisan Coffee and Tea (9/10).
Once we arrived in Stowe, VT we visited the overlook near Tangerine & Olive, bought a few things in Tangerine & Olive (it was very cute), and walked around the town. After a short visit to Stowe VT, we visited the Cabot Creamery for cheese samples and other snacks. This was a quick fun stop. After loading up on cheese we headed to Woodstock, VT.
In Woodstock, VT we walked around and saw the Woodstock Inn, shopped, and chatted with some other travelers who recommended a cute little cocktail bar in town called Au Comptoir. It was a bit pricey but had fun drinks and cozy vibes!
We stayed in Killington, VT on the third night, but the weather was not great and we didn’t have time to do much there, so if you can swing it, I would recommend staying somewhere closer to Woodstock, VT unless you want to go to Killington, VT for something specific! The next day we spent a bit more time exploring the town of Woodstock, VT.
Day Three – Farmer’s Market, Sugar House, & Boston:
After a slow morning in Woodstock, VT we began the drive back to Boston, MA, but stopped at the Woodstock, VT Farmer’s Market and another Sugar House (The Green Mountain Sugar House). The Farmer’s Market had fresh produce and tasty pre-made sandwiches that we ate on the road. The Green Mountain Sugar House was located on a beautiful lake with views of misty mountains on the rainy day we went. The general consensus was that the maple creemee at Morse Farm was superior, but both were decent.
Our roadtrip ended back in Boston, MA where we went to Remnant Brewery for a pre-pre game on dinner, Downeast Cider House for a pre-game for dinner, and Citrus & Salt for a late dinner. We enjoyed each of these places, but I must say Downeast is one of my favorites, although there is often a line, there’s a wide variety of ciders to choose from and it’s a neat location.
As for Citrus & Salt, this is a popular spot that you will want a reservation for. This restaurant was out of this world! I really enjoyed the guacamole, street corn appetizer, and thought the steak tacos were THE BEST steak tacos I have had in my life. Not to mention the atmosphere is super cozy.
Thanks for reading! Happy roadtripping!