While New Hampshire may not seem exotic – especially to those of us born and bred North-easterners – the time I spent there learning how to travel for adventure and leisure cemented my early passion for exploration. To this day, New Hampshire remains one of my top destinations, and as I compose this post, I can’t believe I’ve never taken Kevin to this gorgeous slice of the United States.
When I was younger, my parents used to take my sister and I on week-long vacations to the lakes of central New Hampshire at the end of every August, right before we would head back to school. I have wonderful memories of these adolescent trips, which catered perfectly to my love of swimming, hiking, and great breakfast foods.
We’d hike in the White Mountains and spend evenings by Lake Winnisquam, where I’d swim, my father would fish, and my sister would paddle herself around in a little rowboat, all while my mom would sit on the shore to simply relax. New Hampshire seemed to be the one destination we could all agree on.
By the way, when I say we’d go hiking, this is what would actually happen: I would go hiking, forcing my father to push his body to its limit so that I wouldn’t be scaling a mountain all by myself. My father would have to sit down and take breaks every fifteen minutes, which, as a teenager, I though was super lame. Meanwhile, my mom and sister dawdled an hour behind us, sometimes not even bothering to reach the summit.
Hey, I helped my dad keep vacation weight off. For some reason, whenever we were head out of town, my parents would purchase Pepperidge Farm cookies like they were going out of business.
Classic New Hampshire view – the ultimate reward for a challenging hike
I haven’t been on a New Hampshire vacation since 2012, a year before my college graduation and relocation to D.C. On that last adventure, my family and I impulsively agreed to ride a seaplane from a company we passed by on the side of the road, and the experience was worth every dollar and every minute spent convincing my flight-phobic mother to enter the plane. The seaplane wound up becoming the highlight of our entire trip, and it’s something we still talk about to this day.
We happened to catch the ride at sunset, which, of course, offered beautiful orange hues and perfect lighting. One of my general travel rules is that if you can enjoy a sight at dusk, do so. No one regrets watching a sunset.
Lake Winnipesaukee, one of New Hampshire’s more popular lakes, is simply spectacular from above. Many famous folks have a vacation home along its shores, including Mitt Romney (trust me, this was a more relevant reference in 2012, when we took the seaplane ride) and a NASCAR driver. Castle in the Clouds, a popular tourist attraction, is also located nearby. While our pilot couldn’t legally take us anywhere near the then-Republican presidential hopeful’s home, we did fly over breathtaking mountains and lakeside neighborhoods.
Castle In The Clouds, one of New Hampshire’s more popular tourist offerings.
The experienced, incredibly knowledgeable pilot even allowed my younger sister, who was seventeen at the time, to steer the plane for a short period of time. How’d she do? Well, let’s just say that I’m still here. I think my mother left some grip marks on the edge of her seat.
A seaplane offers the perfect way to experience New Hampshire’s lakes, especially after you’ve boated through its waters and hiked the surrounding mountains. I’ve always wondered why New Hampshire remains a hidden destination; alarmingly few people born outside of New England have actually traveled to this scenic state. I can’t emphasize enough how much I love New Hampshire – especially now that I’ve seen it from the air – and I’m excited to return for more swimming, hiking, and another seaplane ride.
Traveler Tips
- New Hampshire is, after all, located in the Northeast – this means that if you’re interested in hiking, swimming, boating, and riding a seaplane, you’ll need to visit from June to September. (Depending on the season, flights can be offered into November, but swimming in the lakes is out of the question by then.) While you will be paying peak rates for your visit, you’ll be rewarded with beautiful weather. The lakes are also an incredibly kid-friendly destination, so this would make a perfect “summer break” family trip.
- If you’re interested in riding a seaplane over Lake Winnipesaukee, I recommend using the same company my family did: Lakes Region Seaplane Services. For more information, please visit their website. (Also, can I point out that a seaplane proposal sounds like a wicked awesome idea? Take note, those looking to pop The Question.)
