White Mountain Fall Foliage
The first road trip we took with our son as a 3 month old was to see the White Mountain fall foliage in New Hampshire. It was an easy day trip from our home in Boston but can easily be made into a weekend trip.
Check out my post on road tripping with an infant for what you may need to bring while checking out the White Mountain fall foliage!
Peak foliage in the White Mountains occurs on different dates every year. Be sure to check the foliage tracker to see when peak foliage will occur!
I definitely recommend getting an early start on your drive if you are planning to make it a day trip. We did not leave until late morning and we spent so much time sitting in traffic. Peak foliage only occurs a few days a year so everyone will be heading up around the same time!
White Mountain Fall Foliage Routes
We chose to take the Kancamagus Highway from Conway to Lincoln. This route was perfect for us because it ended right at I-93 so we could hop on and head back to Boston.
The White Mountain’s official website has some alternate options if you want to do a two-day trip. Or if you just want to try something different.
Things to Do Along the Drive
JL and me on the Kancamagus Highway!
I apologize for his outfit, I made a rookie mistake and only packed a back up onesie. Learned my lesson to always pack a full back up outfit! I promise we were quickly in and out of the warm car for a photo!
Be sure your driver is not driving too quickly because you do not want to miss a scenic overlook to snap some great photos!
There are a number of scenic overlooks along The Kancamagus Highway that include picnic areas if you would like to pack a picnic lunch for your drive.
If you would like to make it a weekend trip and enjoy camping, there are a number of campgrounds along the Kancamagus Highway. Check out this website if you are interested in camping on your trip.
There are also a number of hiking trails if you want to stop and stretch your legs. Hiking is a great way to enjoy the foliage without the crowds of those driving through.
Eating while Seeing the White Mountain Fall Foliage
There are no restaurants along the highway in the White Mountain National Forest. Be sure to pack some food for a picnic or snacks so you do not get hungry on your drive.
We opted to bring snacks in the car and stopped for a late lunch/ early dinner at Black Mtn. Burger Co. before driving home. It was busy even though we went at an off hour so we did have to wait a little while. We killed time looking in the shops close by.
How Long Does it Take to Drive the Kancamagus Highway?
Overall, a road trip from Boston to see the foliage of the White Mountains is a pretty easy day trip despite the traffic. The amount of time it will take you to drive the Kancamagus Highway will vary depending on a number of factors. If you pick a weekend day, plan for longer as it will involve more traffic. Also, if you plan to stop at every overlook and take pictures from multiple angles this will alter your time.
We went on a Friday and spent a little over 2 hours on the drive when we finally got onto the highway. We only stopped 3 times since we had JL with us. He napped for part of the drive so only I could hop out to take pictures.
Hope this was helpful for planning your trip to see the White Mountain foliage!
Bon Voyage,
Megan
