Lakes Region, New Hampshire travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

The Lakes Region is an area in central New Hampshire, home to many lakes, the largest of which, Lake Winnipesaukee, is the sixth largest natural lake in the USA.

1 things to do

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Best things about Lakes Region

Attitash Mountain Resort

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Jul–Aug. Summer highs reach about 55°F; winter lows dip to about -3°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Jul. (climate data from nearby Mount Washington State Park)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
LEB Lebanon Municipal Airport, Lebanon — 48 mi away. Directions
PWM Portland International Jetport, Portland — 64 mi away (major hub). Directions

Most tourists arrive by car via Interstate 93. Exits 20-24 serve the Lakes Region Area. From the east you can arrive via I-95 to Portsmouth, NH, and then take NH Rt 16 directly to NH Rt 11 and into the Alton Bay area where you can either take NH Rt 11 around the west side of the lake or NH Rt 28 around the east side of the lake.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Sample 3-day trip

Day 1: Laconia — Funspot, Laconia Motorcycle Week, Weirs Beach.
Day 2: Moultonboro — explore the town.
Day 3: Barnstead — explore the town.

Built from the best-covered destinations in this region; open each for its own day plan.

Food for you

There are numerous restaurants throughout the Lakes Region providing food for all nationalities and tastes.Some restaurants are seasonal, so it may be a wise idea to call ahead.

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Photos

View of Squam Lake in the Lakes Region, New Hampshire

Places in Lakes Region

Laconia

City / town · 16 listings

Moultonboro

City / town · 10 listings

Barnstead

City / town · 6 listings

Tilton

City / town · 5 listings

Ashland

City / town · 4 listings

Gilford

City / town · 4 listings

Holderness

City / town · 3 listings

Alton

City / town · 3 listings

Conway

City / town · 2 listings

Meredith

City / town · 2 listings

Orange

City / town · 1 listings

Wolfeboro

City / town · 1 listings

Center Harbor

City / town

Chocorua

City / town

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Cities

Alton
Ashland
Barnstead
Center Harbor
Gilford
Holderness
Laconia
Meredith
Moultonboro
Orange - Home of Mt. Cardigan State Park.
Tilton
Tuftonboro
Weirs Beach
Wolfeboro

Other destinations

There are several lakes throughout the region. Some of the most noteworthy lakes are:

Lake Winnipesaukee — The sixth largest natural lake in the United States, this lake has over 200 miles (320 km) of shoreline and 274 islands.
Lake Winnisquam
Squam Lake — Where the movie "On Golden Pond" was filmed.
Ossipee Lake
Newfound Lake
Lake Sunapee

Get in

Get around

By car

The simplest way to get around the Lakes Region is by car as there is no real public transportation system. As a result, many towns experience traffic jams during peak tourist seasons, such as summer and fall weekends.

By boat

Boat is a very common mode of transportation, particularly on the larger lakes where it is possible to reach many towns via water. Many visitors bring their own boats or keep them year-round in the region, although it is possible to rent boats from the various marinas such as Thurston's Marina in Weirs Beach. In addition, Lake Winnipesaukee can be cruised via the Mount Washington, Doris E, which offer cruises predominantly run from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You can also catch a ride on the Sophie C, a US Mail Boat, as it delivers mail to the various islands.

Do

- located in Bartlett

Do Attitash Mountain Resort

Maps Website

The Mount Washington Boat offers scenic day and evening cruises from several ports around Lake Winnipesaukee. The main port is through Weirs Beach though stops in Meredith, Center Harbor, and Wolfboro happen on different days of the week (check the schedule online).

There is a dinner cruise available most nights during the summer. This is a sit down dinner with waiters and a menu. Dress is very casual with many guests wearing shorts and a polo shirt or business casual clothing.

Some cruises at night feature special menus. If at all possible, reserve for the later cruise which features the sunset over the lake. Be aware that the weather gets chilly and make sure you pack a sweater.

For a more relaxing time consider the Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad which leaves from either Meredith or Weirs Beach on one or two hours tours. Most travelers take the two hour route which consists of a round trip from their boarding station to the end of the line in both directions. The train travels from Meredit to Weirs Beach (30 minutes) on down to Paugus Bay (30 minutes) and then reverses directions for a total round trip time of 2 hours.

There is a Hobo Railroad which is essentially the Winnipesaukee Railroad with an additional fee to ride it during the lunch time. You may purchase a box lunch which consists of sandwiches and a dessert.

If rain is in the forecast during your vacation, you may want to travel north on I93 to the COG Railroad (+1 603-278-5404) which takes you on a 2-hour or more round trip up Mount Washington. The fare for this is expensive ($72-78 for adults, $68-72 for seniors, and $41 for kids 4-12, Nov 2018). The trip is a great way to experience the summit of Mount Washington. It will be cold when you get to the top - so bring a sweater. Many days on the summit also feature very limited visibility - so check the weather first if an unobstructed summit view of the surrounding area is important to you.

Eat

There are numerous restaurants throughout the Lakes Region providing food for all nationalities and tastes.Some restaurants are seasonal, so it may be a wise idea to call ahead.

Stay safe

Lake Winnipesaukee is a big lake. The weather can change quickly and become dangerous. There are boats on the lake that make large wake and also speed boats. There is a 150-foot (45 m) separation rule, from boats or the shoreline when going above wake speed. Weekends are the most crowded, and during the week or off-season, the lake is almost empty of boat traffic. If you boat on the lake, you must have a map. There are many rocks close to the surface, and the navigation buoys are not easy to understand unless you are using a chart. Squam lake is similar, in that it is hard to navigate without a chart. Squam has a speed limit of 45 mph, and much less boat traffic, so you may feel safer on that lake. There is very little violent crime in the lakes region, but some people are uncomfortable being around motorcycle bikers during "bike week" in June. 99.99% of these guys are the friendliest people on Earth. Loud parties at night is the most frequent "crime" during the summer months.