Learning how to find attractions in New Hampshire is not difficult if you just know the correct steps to take.

With a total area of 9,279 square miles and a total population of 1,315,809 people, New Hampshire is the 44th largest state in the United States. With long, cold winters and short, warm summers the state of New Hampshire still attracts a lot of tourists. Finding and prioritizing attractions in New Hampshire can be quite a challenge if it is the first time that you are visiting the state. Outdoor activities are very popular in New Hampshire. Visitors can engage in camping, skiing, boating and hiking. Other tourist attractions in New Hampshire include Strawberry Banke in Portsmouth, Daniel Webster's birthplace and the Mt. Washington Cog Railway. The most visited tourist location in New Hampshire is Merrimack Valley. In general, tourism makes up a large part of the state's economy.http://www.city-data.com/states/New-Hampshire-Location-size-and-extent.html http://www.city-data.com/states/New-Hampshire-Climate.html

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of finding sightseeing and tourist attractions in New Hampshire, you can always use the expertise of a travel agent. A travel agent can look into cheap hotels, cheap airfare, and cheap rental cars. On top of this they will also be able to inform you about where to go, what to see and where to eat. Travel agents often get travel discounts and travel promotions that are not available to the general public. If you prefer to make your own travel arrangements, you can start by looking at travel websites such as as priceline.com, travelocity.com, hotwire.com, expedia.com and kayak.com. Here you can compare prices and using these websites basically makes you your own travel agent.

On this page you will find various tools you can use to find New Hampshire tourist attractions. You will find addresses and phone numbers that will come in handy when planning your New Hampshire vacation. A summary of some popular tourist attractions is also included. Keep in mind when going over this page, that the pricing quoted on attractions and products is subject to change. This page will be updated regularly, but to get the most current pricing it is best to contact the attraction or product provider directly. Hopefully this page will inform you and answer the questions you may have.

One of the first ways to find tourist attractions in New Hampshire is by looking for books on the state. There are many different New Hampshire travel guides that can provide information on where to go, what to do, where to eat and where to stay. Just go to your local book store or to an online book store, and inquire about travel guides. Some travel guides focus only on the top attractions within the state while other guides concentrate more on unique tourist attractions that you would normally not visit. You can even find guides that focus on certain activities. For instance travel guides that provide hiking trails and biking routes. Make sure to pick the guide that bests suits your needs and that fits within your spending budget. If you don't want to spend any money on a travel guide, another option is to go to the library and borrow some books on New Hampshire attractions. To give you an idea of the different travel guides available you will find a short summary below.

• ■ Fodor's Maine, Vermont & New Hampshire, 11th edition (Fodor's Gold Guides) by Fodor's. Price: $13.57 on Amazon.com. This 336 page guide covers the top attractions in Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire. You will also find ratings on sights, restaurants, shops, accommodations and attractions.http://www.amazon.com/Fodors-Maine-Vermont-Hampshire-Guides/dp/1400007526/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269618605&sr=1-4

• ■ Hiking the White Mountains: A Guide to 40 of New Hampshire's Best Hiking Adventures by Lisa Feinberg Densmore. Price: $11.53 on Amazon.com. This guide contains 224 pages of hikes through the white mountains in New Hampshire. You will find day trip hikes and weekend backpack hikes. The guide covers hikes for every level.http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-White-Mountains-Hampshires-Adventures/dp/0762745266/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269618605&sr=1-7

• ■ Quiet Water New Hampshire & Vermont: Canoe & Kayak Guide by John Hayes and Alex Wilson. Price: $10.85 on Amazon.com. This guide explores the lakes and ponds of New Hampshire and Vermont. You will find over 90 scenic destinations. This guide is suitable for paddlers of all ages and levels. The guide has 352 pageshttp://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Water-New-Hampshire-Vermont/dp/1878239945/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269618605&sr=1-12

Another tool that is good to use to find New Hampshire attractions is the Internet. It is as simple as putting 'New Hampshire tourist attractions' into a search engine. This will result in a list of sources with tourist attractions. You might also want to look at the Official New Hampshire tourism website. Most, if not all states, have an official tourism website that is set up to educate the state's visitors about their destination. The official tourism website for New Hampshire provides information on:

• ■ where to stay
• ■ where to eat
• ■ what to do
• ■ New Hampshire state parks
• ■ activities for the whole family
• ■ entertainment
• ■ trip planning
• ■ about New Hampshire

If Visitnh.gov doesn't answer all your questions, you can always contact:

• State of New Hampshire Division of Travel and Tourism Development
• P.O. Box 1856
• 172 Pembroke Road
• Concord, New Hampshire 03302-1856
• Phone: 603-271-2665

AAA: If you are a AAA member, you can take advantage of this by visiting a AAA location once you are in New Hampshire. If you forgot to prepare for your vacation, AAA can help you out by providing you with attractions within the state. AAA is not just for roadside assistance, but also provides full travel agent services. If you are not a member of AAA but are willing to join, you can still visit a New Hampshire AAA location. One AAA location in New Hampshire is:

• AAA New Hampshire
• 48 Fort Eddy Road
• Concord, NH 03301-7404
• Phone: 603-228-0301http://www.aaa.com/aaa/sem/sem.htm?redirectto=http://www.aaa.com/?area=JoinSEM&skin=JoinSEM&

If you need another AAA location, make sure to visit the AAA website.

Following you will find a short summary of some top New Hampshire attractions that you may want to consider for your vacation:

• White Mountain National Forest
• 719 North Main Street
• Laconia, NH 03246
• Phone: 1 (603) 528-8721

This natural area is a favorite of many nature lovers, winter sports fanatics and hikers. The area contains many camping grounds, scenic drives and historic sites.http://www.planetware.com/laconia/white-mountain-national-forest-us-nh-whit.htm

• Lake Winnipesaukee

This lake is a great tourist attraction during the summer. If's great for relaxing and enjoying your surroundings. One side of the lake has a beach and several water parks. There is an antique shop and you can visit Laconia, the largest city in the area.http://www.planetware.com/laconia/lake-winnipesaukee-us-nh-lw.htm

• New Hampshire Division of Parks and Recreation
• 2059 US Route 302
• Harts Location, NH 03812
• Phone: 1 (603) 374-2272

This are in the White Mountains is one of the most visited in New Hampshire. This natural resort provides many walking trails.http://www.planetware.com/laconia/franconia-notch-state-park-us-nh-fran.htm

• Portsmouth

This historic area in New Hampshire will introduce visitors to the town's past that goes back all the way to 1630.http://www.planetware.com/new-hampshire/portsmouth-us-nh-p.htm

• Bartlett Mount Washington

A favorite tourist attraction here is using the steep cog railway to get to the top of mount Washington. The railway was opened in 1869. Driving up the mountain by car is over 6 miles and not as easy as using the railway.http://www.planetware.com/new-hampshire/bartlett-mount-washington-us-nh-mw.htm