The Granite State is perhaps best known for its mountains and skiing sites, with 48 peaks over 4,000 feet in the White Mountains. The small state of New Hampshire, however, offers visitors several possibilities for a weekend trip, including tours of its historical towns, camping trips and scenic byways -- all of which make for a quick and refreshing escape at a fraction of the cost of a ski lodge.
Settled in the 17th century, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, today greets visitors with elegant colonial architecture, a charming -- and still operational -- port, a historical district full of boutiques and art galleries and strong sense of New England history and culture. Easily accessible on train or bus from Boston or in a car on Interstate 95, Portsmouth has lodging and dining options for every budget. For frugal travelers, New Hampshire has no state sales tax, so even in the fanciest boutiques, you'll pay exactly what appears on the price tag. A walk through the historic district is a great free way to spend a day and the reasonably priced and massive Strawberry Banke museum includes exhibits on local history and life that can easily fill an entire afternoon.
New Hampshire's priceless scenery is also free. Find cheap lodging in any of the state's picturesque towns and fill up the tank and the picnic basket to take a ride on the state's scenic byways, including the Connecticut River Byway, the Kancamagus Scenic Byway and the White Mountain Trail. To enjoy the vast Great North Woods, a must for nature lovers with plenty of opportunities to see wildlife, set up base in the town of Gorham and drive through huge forest areas, historic mill towns like Berlin and under charming covered bridges on country roads.
While shorter on the New England charm than the seaside town of Portsmouth, the bigger and grittier city of Manchester is perhaps the best place to understand the state's history. Once home to the world's largest mill complex, Manchester today is in the process of reinventing itself with businesses and the Millyard Museum -- with exhibits on the city's industrial past -- opening in abandoned manufacturing buildings. The city's industrial boom also attracted a large population of French Canadians, who enriched the city's culture with their cuisine and architecture. A visit to the beautifully painted St. Marie Parish church and an order of poutine, a French Canadian classic consisting of french fries, spicy gravy and cheese, make for a memorable and inexpensive day.
For nature lovers and penny-pinchers, a camping adventure in northern New Hampshire provides jaw-dropping scenery and natural tranquility at a fraction of the cost of hotel stays and restaurant meals. The snowy White Mountains, including 6,288-foot Mount Washington, offer some of the state's most impressive vistas of sprawling forests and jagged peaks. Much of the area is protected in the White Mountain National Forest, which includes numerous camping sites and hiking trails. You can also find inexpensive motel units in the town of North Conway.
