One More Reason to Love Living in New Hampshire: You Can Leave It in an Hour

Here is something I tell buyers all the time, and it never stops being true. When you live in New Hampshire, you are not just buying into one state. You are buying into all of New England. Granite Post recently published a roundup called 4 last-minute day trips in New Hampshire to make before school starts, and every single one proves the point. The best part of living here might be how easy it is to get everywhere else.

Summer in New Hampshire has a way of disappearing on you. One minute you are planting tomatoes, the next you are shopping for backpacks. If you have a few free weekends left, here is where the Granite Post suggests pointing the car.

Salem, Massachusetts (about an hour from Southern NH)

Everyone thinks of Salem in October, which is exactly why you should go in July or August. You get the same museums, restaurants, and history without sharing the sidewalk with a million tourists in witch hats. Highlights from the article include The Witch House, one of the last surviving structures from the Salem Witch Trials era, and the House of the Seven Gables, the harborside mansion that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne. Cap the day at Salem Willows for arcade games and ice cream. Your kids will remember the skeeball longer than the history lesson, and that is fine.

For our clients who relocated from Massachusetts to Southern New Hampshire, this one is a nice reminder that moving north does not mean giving up your old favorites. It just means you visit them now instead of sitting in their traffic every day.

Kennebunkport, Maine (about an hour from Eastern NH)

Lobster rolls, boat tours, a lighthouse, and a walkable downtown full of shops. Kennebunkport is the classic Maine coastal town without the classic Maine coastal crowds you find further south. The article recommends First Chance Whale Watch for families and the Seashore Trolley Museum if you need a break from the sun.

Bennington, Vermont (about 90 minutes from Western NH)

This one is for the readers. Shirley Jackson wrote some of her most famous work in Bennington, and Bennington College inspired Donna Tartt's The Secret History. Beyond the literary tour, there is a chocolate shop, the Bennington Museum, the Robert Frost Stone House, and a downtown that looks like it was built for a Hallmark movie. Whether that appeals to you or not says a lot about you, and I am not judging either way.

Rangeley, Maine (about 90 minutes from Northern NH)

If your family measures a good day in miles hiked, Rangeley delivers. The Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust protects 14,000 acres with 35 miles of trails, and Rangeley Lakes State Park is built for picnics, fishing, and canoeing. There is also bowling and solid local food at Moose Alley when everyone runs out of steam.

The Real Estate Part, Because You Knew It Was Coming

When people ask me why they should consider buying a home in Southern New Hampshire, the honest answer is location. You get no state income tax, no sales tax, and a home base within 90 minutes of the Maine coast, the Vermont mountains, Boston, and everything in between. The day trip list above is not a travel itinerary. It is a lifestyle brochure.

If you are thinking about making New Hampshire your home base, whether you are moving up from Massachusetts or just moving across town, I would love to help. Reach out anytime, ideally before the leaf peepers take all the good parking.

Source: Granite Post, "4 last-minute day trips in New Hampshire to make before school starts" by Sam Cohen, July 21, 2026. https://granitepostnews.com/local/things-to-do/day-trips-in-new-hampshire/