New Hampshire in 48 Hours

I won't lie to you, New Hampshire wasn't on my short-list of "must-see" destinations, so my expectations were fairly low going into this trip—but wow, did this place blow me away. And yes, I know I'm referring to the state as a whole, but that's because we visited multiple little towns throughout the middle of the state, and I wanted the opportunity to mention things to do in all the towns.

It's funny because the week before I visited New Hampshire, I was driving along the coast of New England, from Boston to Belfast, Maine—I was expecting those classic New England coastal views, lighthouses, bridges, mountains, etc., and I got none of that. I did, however, get indescribable mountain views driving through the state of New Hampshire—those kind of views that made you feel like you were in another country, but maybe that's just the Floridian in me talking. Either way, New Hampshire is not to be underrated, and here's why.

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Where to stay:

• Tea Rose Inn | Affordable—This place far surpassed my expectations. The Tea Rose Inn is a little bed & breakfast located in Plymouth, New Hampshire (which is in between Mount Washington and Lake Winnipesaukee). The owners are the kindest people, and they've done a beautiful job with both decorating and maintaining the house. Breakfast each morning was delightful, every room has their own bathroom (which I recently learned is not always guaranteed at B&Bs) and they even had a cute little backyard for late-night card games or wine drinking. 10/10, I recommend staying here.

• Omni Mount Washington Resort | Luxury—If you can afford it, I'd imagine this is a delightful place to stay. While I didn't actually stay here, I did visit, and the views were unbelievable and they had so many cute places to sit on the back porch to take in the views. There's a common misconception that The Shinning was based off this hotel (though it does remind me of the The Stanley hotel, which the story is actually based on), however, it is said this hotel has its resident ghosts.

Best things to do

• Lake Winnipesaukee Playhouse—This is one of the cutest little playhouses I've ever been to! We went to Lake Winnipesaukee Playhouse one evening to see a friend starring in Mousetrap, and not only was the cast amazing but the set was remarkable! I definitely recommend seeing any production this playhouse has running if you're in town.

• Hermit Woods Winery—This little gem is located in "downtown" Meredith, NH. Hermit Woods has a fun wine tasting option and a beautiful front patio for drinking on a summer day.

• Flume Gorge Trail in Franconia Notch State Park—Tickets at the counter are ~$21 per adult, but the price is well worth the views and scenery found in this two-mile loop. It's a very easy trail for families of all ages, and the formations date back to the Jurassic period.

  
  

Best places to eat

• The Little Red Schoolhouse—While you can't tell from my pictures, The Little Red Schoolhouse is called as such because it literally is an old little red schoolhouse. It's located in Campton, which is just south of Mount Washington and just north of Plymouth. I had an amazing lobster roll here with unexpectedly beautiful views—truly a one-of-a-kind place!

• Common man Italian Farmhouse—There's about 10 different places in a 10 mile radius that have "common man" in the title, so just search "Italian Farmhouse" located in Plymouth, NH. Their pasta is pretty yummy, and I was a huge fan of the mussels.

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Have you been to New Hampshire before? Comment your favorite parts below!