Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hello! My partner and I are planning to move to New Hampshire with our 4 year old by next September, most likely in the Upper Valley area. We currently live in the Connecticut River Valley in Western Massachusetts.
We are heading up to the Lebanon area this weekend to get a better feel for the different towns in the area. Are there any can't-miss spots or local favorite places that we should make sure to visit? I would love to hear from anyone in the area about their favorite places.
In terms of towns that we are planning to check out, we are thinking about Lebanon, Plainfield, Grantham and possibly Enfield and Canaan. We are very open to suggestions of places in other area towns though. I want to get to know the whole area better.
There is a fun antique mall along the way, off Route 4 in Quechee, VT.
A drive through Hanover to see Dartmouth's campus is nice.
If you drive south on 12A from West Lebanon, you will pass through Plainfield Village and have nice views of Mount Ascutney. Keep going through Cornish and you will come to St. Gaudens National Historic site in Cornish:
My son went to Plainfield Elementary (K-8) and I can't say enough nice things about that school. He went to high school in Lebanon, another great school.
I would have said the main draw in Quechee is the gorge itself rather than the antique mall.
Ha! You are right, of course, but I guess I am projecting my own interests here. Have seen the gorge so many times that I kind of forget it's there, but I love that mall. It's so full of interesting things. Free crackers and cheese as well! But yes, the OP should stop at the gorge along the way.
I keep thinking I am missing some of the sights around here. There's that often-photographed farm on Jenne Farm Road:
Head up Rt 12 to the Brick Store in Bath. Then continue on to Littleton. IMHO the entire Connecticut River basin is very scenic and pleasing any time of year but is really spectacular in the fall.
Thanks so much for all of the suggestions! We had to cut our trip much shorter than planned, so didn't have a chance to check out all of those places, but will definitely keep them in mind next time we go up. It is such an easy trip for us to make, so we will probably be back up soon. We especially really liked Plainfield while we were there, and feel like zeroing in on Plainfield and Lebanon.
Soup Nazi - It is really good to hear that about the schools. I have liked everything I've read about Plainfield and Lebanon schools, which is why I really want to focus on Plainfield and Lebanon. It is really helpful to hear personal experiences, beyond test scores or what I can find online.
We ended up staying in Hanover for the schools and like it a lot. That said I've also heard good things about Hanover Street School in Leb (not mt leb school!). Plainfield is a bit rural for my tastes. The Montshire is a must-do. It is perfect for all ages of kids! For locals the membership more than pays for itself.
Thanks so much for the feedback! The Montshire sounds great (my partner had also mentioned it before we went up, but we only ended up being in the area for the day, so we didn't have a chance to go). We will definitely be checking it out in the near future though.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
