It’s Friday, the long weekend starts tomorrow, and somebody in the group chat has just said “we should go somewhere.” Good news: a Memorial Day weekend road trip in New Hampshire doesn’t need months of planning. The lakes, the mountains and the coast are all within a couple of hours of Derry and Manchester. What it does need is a sensible departure time, a car that suits the trip, and one or two reservations made before you leave.
This is the short version of how to do it, written for the people who decide on Friday. It covers three routes, the traffic windows to aim for, what’s already open for the season, and how to get a car if yours isn’t up to it or you don’t have one.
The short version: Leave early Saturday rather than Friday at 5, and come back Monday morning or after dinner. Pick one region, not three. Book the Flume Gorge online before you go if it’s on the list. If you need a car, call (603) 661-2672 today. We take same-day bookings when cars are available, and SUVs go first.
Timing is the whole trick
A holiday weekend in New Hampshire is a game of when, not where. Everyone has the same idea, and most of them leave at the same time. In practice:
- Friday afternoon and evening are the busiest hours heading north on I-93 and east on Route 101. If you can only leave after work, consider having dinner first and driving later.
- Saturday early morning is the sweet spot. On the road by 7, at the lake or the trailhead before the crowds.
- Monday afternoon is when the whole state heads south at once. Come back in the morning, or wait until after an early dinner.
- Check live conditions on New England 511, the traffic site for New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont, before you leave and before you start back.
Expect a toll at Hooksett if you head north on I-93 past Manchester. On our cars, automated tolls are tracked and billed at the end of the month, so there’s nothing to fumble for at the plaza. And because a passenger will be glued to the map, remember that New Hampshire’s hands-free law means the driver doesn’t touch the phone. Our visitor’s guide to NH driving laws has the details.
Three routes for the first weekend of summer
Pick one and enjoy it, rather than trying to do all three. For fuller versions of each, with stops and timings, see our weekend road trips from Derry.
1. The lakes: Winnipesaukee’s first summer weekend
Head up I-93 and across to the Lakes Region for the season’s first lakeside weekend. Weirs Beach, Meredith and Wolfeboro all fill up with people opening camps and launching boats. Go for a long lunch on the water and an evening drive around the lake. Parking in the small town centers fills up early, so arrive before noon.
2. The mountains: Franconia Notch and the Kancamagus
The White Mountains are coming out of mud season, and the big attractions have opened. The Flume Gorge opened for the season on May 8. New Hampshire State Parks says to reserve online in advance, because walk-up entry isn’t guaranteed, and online tickets cost less than the window price. From Lincoln, the Kancamagus Highway runs east to Conway along the river, with pull-offs all the way. Pack layers: it can feel a season colder up there than in Derry.
The Mount Washington Auto Road switches to daily operation tomorrow, May 23, after weekends-only hours in the spring. If it’s on your list, call us first. It’s a steep mountain road with its own vehicle restrictions, and we’ll tell you whether the car you’re renting is suitable.
3. The coast: Route 101 east
The shortest of the three. Route 101 runs from Manchester straight to the Seacoast, with Hampton Beach, Rye’s rocky shore and Portsmouth’s restaurants all close together. Late May water is cold, so think boardwalk and lobster roll rather than a swim. Beach parking is the bottleneck on a warm holiday weekend, so arrive early or go late in the afternoon.
