718 Travel Guide

Hampton Beach sits along the southern stretch of New Hampshire's coastline and ranks among New England's most popular summer seaside resorts on the Atlantic. Miles of fine, gently sloping sand meet moderate surf, making it ideal for family swimming and beginner surfing. The central Ocean Boulevard is lined with vintage ice cream stands, souvenir shops, arcades, and seafood restaurants, evoking a classic American beach-town nostalgia. Each summer the town hosts the Hampton Beach Sand Sculpture Classic, Seafood Festival, and weekly fireworks displays that draw crowds by the thousands. With seabreezes, wheeling gulls, children hunting hermit crabs in tide pools, and seniors strolling the boardwalk, it captures the quintessential New England summer scene.

White Mountain National Forest spans about 750,000 hectares across northern New Hampshire and western Maine, making it one of the most important protected natural areas and outdoor recreation destinations in the northeastern United States. The forest centers on the White Mountains, including 48 peaks above 1,200 meters and New England's highest summit, Mount Washington at 1,917 meters. It contains the Appalachian Trail, the Katahdin Trail, multiple scenic drives, and campgrounds, and is among the world's most famous fall foliage destinations. The White Mountains are also known for gorges, waterfalls, streams, and alpine lakes, offering year-round hiking, climbing, skiing, and sightseeing.

Ice Castles is a winter-only wonder built from natural ice: artisans spray and freeze water so millions of kilograms of ice stack into arches, tunnels, curtains and slides, lit by color and music after dark like a fairy-tale palace. It exists only with cold and snow, appearing briefly each harsh season, which makes it precious. Visitors walk ice tunnels, climb ice stairs and photograph under lights, a romantic pick for families and couples. Because it relies wholly on natural freezing, opening depends heavily on weather; confirm before you go.