New Hampshire’s expansive Lakes Region is praised for its natural beauty year-round, and one of the best ways to experience it is by embarking on an immersive road trip around the region.

Come fall, these scenic drives become even more spectacular as colorful foliage frames sparkling lakes, mountain views, and the small towns along the way. Take your pick from three iconic routes: the Lakes Region Scenic Byway, the Branch River Valley Trail, and the Lakes Loop. Each delivers more than breathtaking scenery, with local restaurants, farms, shops, attractions, and historic sites.

Ready to hit the road? Here are a few of our favorite stops to add to your next Lakes Region drive.

Lakes Region Scenic Byway

Length: 97 miles
Towns: ALTON, ASHLAND, CENTER HARBOR, GILFORD, HOLDERNESS, LACONIA, MEREDITH, MOULTONBOROUGH, NEW HAMPTON, OSSIPEE, SANDWICH, TAMWORTH, TUFTONBORO, AND WOLFEBORO.

Circling Lake Winnipesaukee, the Lakes Region Scenic Byway begins its journey in Alton and follows Route 11 north toward Gilford. Before heading out of Alton Bay, stop for lunch or dinner at Shibley’s at the Pier, a family-owned local favorite that has welcomed diners since 1993. Set right on Lake Winnipesaukee, the restaurant serves American cuisine in its dining room and on a spacious waterfront deck. Inside, keep an eye out for the original marble soda fountain and General Motors reach-in refrigerator, remnants of the building’s long history.

If the weather is still warm enough, Alton Town Beach also makes an easy place to stretch your legs and spend a little time by the water before continuing north.

As Route 11 winds toward Gilford, you’ll encounter spectacular views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Ossipee Mountain Range. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike to the top of Mt. Major for even more jaw-dropping sights or stop at Ellacoya State Park, where the sandy beach and lakefront setting make for a scenic picnic spot.

For a little more adventure, make Gunstock Mountain Resort one of your first stops of the day. Depending on the season, spend a few hours ziplining, navigating the aerial adventure park, or hiking and biking the mountain trails. Fall is an especially beautiful time to explore the mountain as the surrounding landscape takes on shades of red, orange, and gold.

Just down the road, lean into the season with a visit to Beans & Greens Farm. For more than 30 years, this Gilford farm has paired locally produced food with family-friendly fun. Browse seasonal produce, pumpkins, and mums, or time your road trip around one of the farm’s festivals, live music events, or Friday Family Fun Nights featuring food trucks and the farm’s Fun Park.

Continue along the byway, and you’ll soon reach Weirs Beach, one of Lake Winnipesaukee’s best-known destinations. Take a stroll along the boardwalk, squeeze in a few arcade games at Funspot, or head to Winnipesaukee Pier to spend a little more time on the water. The pier serves as a hub for lake-day adventures, with boat tours, pontoon rentals, rental slips, and waterfront dining all within easy reach.

Next up: Meredith. This lakeside town is well worth a stop, especially if your scenic drive doubles as a weekend getaway. Mill Falls Resort Collection at the Lake offers four distinct places to stay near the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee: Church Landing, Bay Point, Chase House, and Palmer Inn. Together, the collection makes an inviting home base for exploring Meredith and the surrounding Lakes Region in any season.

Once you’ve parked the car, explore Meredith on foot with the Meredith Sculpture Walk, a year-round juried exhibition featuring more than 30 works of art throughout the village. Guided tours are also available for visitors who want to learn more about the collection.

Then, reward yourself with a glass at Hermit Woods Winery, where the team takes a distinctly local approach to winemaking. Rather than relying solely on grapes, Hermit Woods crafts wines from fruits that flourish in the region. The downtown Meredith winery and restaurant also hosts live music and other events, making it an especially lively stop along your drive.

Before leaving Meredith, browse the shops and restaurants around Mills Falls Marketplace, then continue north toward Center Harbor and Moultonborough. In Center Harbor, Center Harbor Town Beach offers another chance to pause beside Lake Winnipesaukee and take in the scenery.

In autumn, you’ll definitely want to save some time for Moulton Farm in Moultonborough. The farm has been growing food in the Lakes Region since the 1890s and today combines sustainable agriculture with outdoor activities. Pick out pumpkins and mums, find your way through the fall corn maze, or explore the garden center and seasonal pick-your-own offerings. Before getting back on the road, stock up on baked goods from the farm bakery or grab soups, salads, sandwiches, meals, and appetizers from the Farm Kitchen.

While you’re in Moultonborough, trade the farm for the fairway at Birch Hill Country Club, a scenic golf course overlooking the Ossipee Mountains. The mix of approachable and challenging holes comes with mountain views that become even more impressive as fall colors take over. After your round, stop by the recently refreshed Overlook Tavern for food and drinks overlooking the course and Red Hill — a fitting way to take in even more of the season’s scenery before hitting the road again.

From here, continue along Route 109 to experience the eastern side of Lake Winnipesaukee and make your way toward Wolfeboro. Known as the “Oldest Summer Resort in America,” Wolfeboro is every bit as charming when the seasons shift to fall. Park the car and explore Main Street, where local shops, restaurants, and quintessential New England scenery make it easy to spend an afternoon wandering.

History buffs can also visit the New Hampshire Boat Museum to learn more about the boating heritage of New Hampshire’s lakes and rivers. Depending on the season, you can even take to the water aboard one of the museum’s vintage boat rides.

With its stunning scenery and worthwhile stops, the Lakes Region Scenic Byway is a journey you won’t soon forget. Whether you’re looking to explore the region’s history, sample its local cuisine, or simply enjoy the area’s natural beauty, there’s something for everyone in the family. Pack your snacks, hit the road, and prepare for an unforgettable adventure in the heart of New Hampshire.

The Branch River Valley Trail

For a quiet drive through the Lakes Region countryside, follow the Branch River Valley Trail from Milton north toward Wakefield along Routes 16, 125, and 153, plus several smaller rural roads along the way. In fall, the route offers an especially scenic way to take in the changing leaves while discovering some of the area’s agricultural and historic roots.

Start in Milton with a visit to the New Hampshire Farm Museum, where guided tours, exhibits, and detailed displays share the story of agriculture in New Hampshire. Farther north, the historic village of Wakefield Corner draws nature lovers and history buffs with 26 landmarks, including the Heritage Park Railroad Museum and multiple historic buildings dating back to the mid-1800s.

With rural roads and historic New England scenery filling the miles between stops, this route is a great choice when the drive itself is every bit as important as the destination.

The Lakes Loop

Length: 134 miles (approximately)

Want to keep exploring? The Lakes Loop offers another chance to circle through some of the region’s best-known towns, lakes, and attractions.

Begin at the town docks in Meredith, where you can grab a bite at the Lakehouse Grille before heading east on NH Route 25 toward Center Harbor and Moultonborough. If you didn’t stop on the Scenic Byway, this is another opportunity to visit Moulton Farm for pumpkins, a trip through the corn maze, and locally grown fall finds.

Then, make your way to Castle in the Clouds, a mountaintop estate set on 5,500 acres overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee and the surrounding mountains. Explore the historic Lucknow mansion, gardens, walking trails, and grounds while taking in a vantage point that becomes especially impressive once fall colors arrive.

Once you’ve explored the estate, continue south on NH Route 109 as the loop wraps around Lake Winnipesaukee toward Wolfeboro. Spend some time exploring Main Street, or add a little history to the itinerary with a visit to the New Hampshire Boat Museum or the historic Clark House Museum. Depending on the season, you can also venture to Abenaki Ski Area for another dose of outdoor recreation.

From Wolfeboro, Route 109 passes Wentworth State Park on the way toward Sanbornville, where you can hop on Route 153 and venture north toward Conway. From here, it’s a choose-your-own-adventure: join the Multi-Notch Mountain Ride or keep driving the Lakes Loop toward Farmington and Route 11 East in Rochester.

Continue southwest on Route 202A toward Northwood, then head east on Route 4 toward Route 152 South and Nottingham. From there, Route 156 takes you toward Raymond before Route 107 leads north through Deerfield, Epsom, Pittsfield, Barnstead, Gilmanton, and finally Laconia.

Once you arrive in Laconia, park the car and toast to a road trip well traveled before catching a show at The Opera House, The Cake Theatre, or The Colonial Theatre.

No matter which route you choose, there’s more to a Lakes Region scenic drive than what you can see from the car. Make time for the farm stands, beaches, restaurants, historic sites, local businesses, and unexpected roadside stops along the way. Around here, there are plenty of reasons to pull over.