4 Hour Road Trip to the Coast of New Hampshire

new hampshire road trip

Traveling Gingerbread Note: With our 2 additional stops (Castle in the Clouds and America’s Stonehenge) the total time increases to 6 hours.

Check out the first half of our road trip through Vermont: 7 Hour Road Trip Through Vermont.

Anne Stokes Loop Trail in Madame Sherri Forest

madame sherri castle remains

ann stokes loop trail sign and indian pond

ann stokes loop trail scenic overlook

  • In 1965 after the passing of Madame Sherri, Anne Stokes purchased the property and later donated it to the Society for Protection of New Hampshire Forests. Since then, hiking trails have been created throughout the Madame Sherri Forest including the Anne Stokes Loop, Daniel’s Mountain Loop, and Indian Pond Trail. 
  • The scenic Anne Stokes Loop is a 2 mile trail through the Madame Sherri Forest passing by castle remains, Indian Pond, and lookouts with views of Mine Ledge on the Wantastiquet Mountain. The trail intersects with Indian Pond Trail and Daniel’s Mountain Loop Trail.

Branch and Blade Brewing Company

branch and blade brewing

  • Branch and Blade Brewing has nearly 10 beers on draft, a large outdoor patio, taproom, and food available from Street Savory food truck. We recommend Electric Love, a raspberry blackberry sour.

Nearby Brewery Alert: Elm City Brewing Company and Modestman Brewing are both within 2 miles of Branch and Blade Brewing.

covered bridge in newhampshire

Beaver Brook Falls Nature Walk

beaver brook falls trail

  • Beaver Brook Falls Nature Walk is a .5 mile hike to Old Man Keene and another .2 miles (1.4 miles total) hike to Beaver Brook Falls in Keene, New Hampshire.

Mt. Kearsarge, Rollins State Park

hiking mt kearsarge

hiking in new hampshire

lincoln trail mt kearsarge
The Lincoln Trail
  • Mt. Kearsarge is located in Rollins State Park and Winslow State Park. A fee of $4 USD per adult is required to enter. Upon entering Rollins State Park drive, bike, or hike the narrow 3.5 mile road to Rollins State Park Picnic Area. From there, it is another .5 miles to the summit. We recommend climbing the rocky Lincoln Trail to the Lookout Tower for stunning view along the way and returning by the much less challenging Rollins Trail, an old carriage road. View the trail map here.
rollins trail mt kearsarge
The Rollins Trail

mitch hiking

mt kearsarge new hampshire

Concord Craft Brewing

concord craft brewing company

  • Concord Craft Brewing, located in New Hampshire’s capital, has 15 beers on draft and a small menu, or bring your own food to enjoy inside. We recommend the Jalapeno Cream Ale, tasting like a Jalapeno pepper without the heat, and Caramel Stout Smoothie, a caramel imperial stout meets slushie machine.

ADDITIONAL PLACE TO CHECK OUT: Take a guided tour of the Lucknow Mansion or a self guided tour of Castle in the Clouds, dine at the Carriage House Restaurant, hike one of the many trails, or explore on horseback. Located in Moultonborough. 

Loaded Question Brewing Company

loaded question brewing company

Nearby Brewery Alert: Great Rhythm Brewing Company, Portsmouth Brewery, and Earth Eagle Brewings are within 1.5 miles of Loaded Question Brewery.

New Hampshire’s Coast

  • Although it’s the shortest stretch of coastline in any of the states, less than 20 miles, it’s worth a visit.

coast of new hampshire state park

odiorne state park entrance

new hampshire hampton beach

  • Visit remains from World War II Fort Dearborn, Seacoast Science Center, and the Sunken Forest at Odiorne Point State Park. Biking and hiking trails weave along the rocky coastline of Little Harbor and the Gulf of Maine. A fee of $4 USD per adult is required to enter the park. View the trail map here.

rye harbor new hampshire

  • Rye Harbor State Park located on a peninsula jutting into the Atlantic Ocean offers views of the Isles of Shoals and Rye Harbor.
  • Farther South along the Atlantic Ocean is Hampton Beach State Park with sandy beaches, camping, and picnic areas.

Smuttynose Brewing Company

smuttynose brewing

  • Smuttynose Brewing Company has 2 locations, a restaurant in Hampton and Smuttlabs in Dover. The restaurant has a 2 story dining area with a large bar, disc golf course, retail store, and spacious outdoor beer garden with Adirondack lounge chairs and fire pits. There is a cocktail menu in addition to the 10+ beers on draft and a menu of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and entrees. We recommend Three Ways to Sundae, a Neapolitan pale stout, 
  • Complete the S’Muttonator challenge (1.5 lbs. of meat, 12 slices of bacon, 6 slices of cheese, onion rings, 6 oz. of pulled pork, 2 eggs, 1.5 lbs. of fries, all covered in queso, and a 14 oz. milkshake) in 30 minutes to earn a S’muttonator t-shirt and the $40 USD meal for free. 

smuttynose brewing restaurant patio

Traveling Gingerbread Note: Smuttynose Brewing Company is named after Smuttynose Island, one of the Islands of Shoals. The small group of islands are located between Maine and New Hampshire. Smuttynose Island is most known for the murders on the island in March 1873. A quick internet search reveals the haunting tales.

flowers at smuttynose

ADDITIONAL PLACE TO CHECK OUT: Located in Salem, visit America’s Stonehenge, a 4,000 year old astronomical calendar, chambers, and ceremonial areas.   


May 2020

Author: The Traveling Gingerbread

The Traveling Gingerbread is a place for us to share budget travel tips for people with full time jobs, fun facts, itineraries, and where to find the best craft beer. We have been traveling together since 2013. Living and working full-time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we travel as much as our vacation days and finances allow. We cram each adventure with activities, tours, experiences, and local breweries. We can't walk by an Irish pub without stopping in for a pint of Guinness. In 2019, we brewed our first beer and were hooked, although, we have no intentions of brewing more than small batches. We'll continue our self appointed roles of professional testers and creating craft beer trails.

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