Free
Hood Museum of Art
Dartmouth's teaching museum, on the green. Strong in Indigenous American art and works on paper. Admission is free, and it is a good rainy-afternoon answer.
Region guide · Upper Valley
Dartmouth–Lake Sunapee: a college town and a quiet lake
The Connecticut River valley, where New Hampshire faces Vermont across a few hundred feet of water, and a 1769 college green anchors a genuinely walkable town.
Hanover and Dartmouth
Hanover is what people mean when they say "college town" and actually mean it. The green is the centre of gravity, Main Street runs along its western edge, and within a few minutes' walk you have a museum, a bookshop, three coffee options and the river.
Dartmouth College was founded in 1769 and is the northernmost Ivy League institution. The campus is compact and unusually green — a broad lawn ringed by brick and white clapboard buildings in a consistent Georgian-to-Federal register.
What to do on a visit
- Hood Museum of Art — a genuinely strong collection for a college museum, with particular depth in Indigenous American art and European prints. Free admission.
- Baker-Berry Library — the tower is the campus landmark; the Orozco murals in the reserve reading room are the reason to go inside.
- The green itself — best in early October when the elms turn, and in May when it fills up again.
- Main Street — independent shops, a good food co-op, and the kind of café density that only a college town sustains.
East of Hanover
Lake Sunapee and Mount Sunapee
Forty minutes east of Hanover, Lake Sunapee is a smaller, gentler alternative to Winnipesaukee — about eight miles long, ringed with hills, and noticeably less developed. The state beach at Mount Sunapee State Park is the main public access point.
Mount Sunapee is a ski hill in winter and a hiking and adventure-park destination in summer, with a summit lift and a network of trails that suit families and beginners far better than the White Mountains do.
Worth knowing
The League of New Hampshire Craftsmen's Fair, held each August at the Mount Sunapee base, is the oldest craft fair in the United States and a genuinely good reason to time a visit.
New London, between Hanover and Sunapee, is a small, tidy town with a bookshop, a summer theatre and a pleasant main street — a good lunch stop.
The river
The Connecticut and its covered bridges
The Connecticut River forms the entire western border of New Hampshire, and the valley road on either side is one of the prettiest drives in the state. Covered bridges cross it at several points, and the Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge — built in 1866 and at roughly 460 feet one of the longest wooden bridges in the United States — is the one worth planning around.
Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, just across the river in Cornish, New Hampshire, was the home and studio of the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. The grounds and gardens are open seasonally and the setting is extraordinary.
Riverside towns worth a stop: Lebanon for practical services, Plainfield for a quiet village feel, and Charlestown further south for another historic main street.
Culture
Museums and things indoors
Family
Montshire Museum
Across the river in Norwich, Vermont — a hands-on science museum with outdoor trails and water exhibits. The best option in the region for children on a wet day.
History
Saint-Gaudens
The sculptor's home, studio and gardens in Cornish. Open seasonally; the tour of the studio and the sculpture trail are both worth the time.
Practical
Planning the Upper Valley
| From | To | Time | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanover | Lake Sunapee | 40 min | Via Route 10 / I-89 |
| Hanover | White Mountains | 1 hr 30 | Via I-89 and Route 25 |
| Hanover | Boston | 2 hrs | I-89 to I-93 |
| Hanover | Portsmouth | 1 hr 50 | Via I-89 and I-93 |
| Hanover | Keene | 1 hr 20 | Route 12 south |
| Hanover | Lebanon (services) | 12 min | Nearest large supermarket |
Where to stay
- Downtown Hanover — walk to the green and everything else; limited rooms, book ahead.
- Lebanon — practical, cheaper, ten minutes away.
- New London / Sunapee — lake and hill country, quieter evenings.
- Norwich, Vermont — across the river, often better value.
When to visit
Early October is the best single window: the green is at full colour, the museum is open, and the river valley roads are glorious.
May and June are lovely and quiet, and the college calendar brings public lectures and events.
Avoid graduation weekend in June and move-in weekend in late August unless you are attending — accommodation triples and the town is packed.
FAQ
Upper Valley questions
Can you walk around the Dartmouth campus?
Yes, freely. The green and the surrounding buildings are open to walk through and the Hood Museum of Art is free. Organised admissions tours are booked separately through the college, and the colleges guide covers campus visits in more detail.
How far is Lake Sunapee from Hanover?
About 40 minutes, roughly 30 miles east via Route 10 and Interstate 89.
Is this a good region for foliage?
Yes, and it is markedly less crowded than the White Mountains. Colour peaks slightly later here — generally the second week of October. The Connecticut River valley and the Cornish covered bridge are the postcard shots.
Worth visiting with children?
The Montshire Museum in Norwich is excellent for children, and Mount Sunapee's summer adventure park and lake beach work well. It is a gentler region than the mountains for a family trip.
Campus visits and college towns
Hanover is one of several New Hampshire college towns worth planning a trip around.