As spring folds gently into summer, the urge to get out and explore the highways and byways of northern New Hampshire takes over. Many travelers heading north enjoy the ride along Route 3, which takes them right through Whitefield and Lancaster on up to the Canadian border. When hunger strikes you might consider stopping at one of these restaurants.
Whitefield
Long a favored stop for visitors heading points north is Grandma’s Kitchen, where the food is home-cooked and the portions plentiful. During the summer months, the eatery has both indoor and outdoor seating, and on a Friday night the parking lot is usually jammed, always a good sign. Choose your favorite from the regular menu or the specials board. We like Grandma’s for its hearty all-day breakfasts, excellent BLTs (a NY Times favorite several years ago), and the all-you-can-eat fish fry on Thursday evenings. You can’t go wrong at Grandma’s.
The proximity of the Inn at Whitefield to the Weathervane Theatre — it’s right across the driveway — makes the Inn a perfect spot for pre-theater dining or for dinner and drinks following a show. You don’t, however, have to wait for summer to enjoy a meal in the comfortable dining room, with a full menu including nightly specials, or order from the pub menu in the bar. During theater season, you might catch the inn’s owner, Joanne Jacaruso, belting out a tune in the bar or even on stage in one of the Weathervane productions!
The mountain views can’t be beat at the Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa, and dining at the gorgeous Grand Hotel is also a delight. Options include the casual Harvest Tavern where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner; fine dining in the 1865 Wine Cellar, where the menu is paired with selections from the Resort’s extensive wine cellar; the seasonal Club House where classic summer favorites hit the spot after a round of golf or other outdoor activity; and summertime lounging on the Veranda, when your appetite calls for a refreshing drink or a cup of tea and a light snack. All dining options are open to the public.
Lancaster
Stop by The Polish Princess Bakery & Café for a morning cup of coffee accompanied by one of the bakery’s sweets, or a light lunch — try the gourmet pizza (exceptional) or a slice of quiche. Don’t leave without taking home a loaf of freshly baked bread, including baguettes, French breads, hearty ryes, sourdoughs, and a variety of other loaves and yummy pastries. Wednesdays-Sundays, 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Open for breakfast and lunch, the Granite Grind coffee shop and café invites lingering over one of their specialty coffees and a pastry, or drop in for lunch and try the soup and a sandwich on homemade bread. Tuesday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-2 –p.m.
With plenty of big screens throughout, you won’t miss your favorite game while dining at Scorpios Pizza & Sports Pub. Sit at the bar or in the dining room, or opt for the deck in summer. The restaurant has great wraps, pizza, burgers, pasta, seafood and salads. Take-out service is available. NOTE: Cash only.
A new addition to Lancaster’s downtown is the Copper Pig Brewery located in the basement of the former Lancaster National Bank building, with wonderful views out onto Israel’s River. Enjoy traditional craft beers from IPAs to lagers, ales, and porters, along with a menu that complements the brews.
It seems like Mother Nature does not want to let go of winter just yet in the Androscoggin Valley. There is STILL some great 
In the Androscoggin Valley, you could say we have 6 seasons instead of 4! With the warmer temps during the day, our sweetest season of all is in full swing…Maple Season! A visit to 
Whether you are planning a weekend or week, with a family or as a couple…the variety of things to do and places to explore are endless! 
The owners and staff at 
One of the best of its kind, the 
Kids — and their parents — will enjoy the free farm tour at 
Cite Ecologique of NH Ecovillage
“As Local As It Gets” is the slogan of 
The country store at the family-owned 
Dazzling views of the majestic White Mountains, rolling fields studded with row upon row of future Christmas trees, and a well-maintained trail system perfect for short strolls or longer hikes are reason enough to visit the historic 
The 
I’ve lived in Franconia, New Hampshire on and off over my lifetime (which is a whopping 18 years), and I’ve explored basically every corner of the globe from a place way down under in Auckland, New Zealand, to the smog stricken streets of Santiago, Chile. From the cobblestone walkways of Geneva, Switzerland, to the pointy mountain tops of Vail, Colorado. As fortunate as I have been to explore all these places, one might ask: why do I choose to stay here in this windy, vortex of a place? Well the first reason is that I can’t afford to live elsewhere, I’m a senior in high school, and I live with my parents. But outside the obvious, there’s just something about the place. The notch (Franconia State Park/Franconia Notch), has instilled a load of character into basically every person within a ten mile radius. It can be scary, it can be crazy, but it also can be beautiful, and you’ll find that it’s this way more than not. Franconia will give you a taste of what mother nature really can do, and it’s satisfying. It’s ultimately the world showing how inferior you are to it. It will make you feel short. It will make you feel vulnerable. It will make you feel like the minuscule life form that you are. But this is refreshing. It’s good for you! You need to be broken out of your bubble. You need to hike Lafayette and see the giant rolling mountain cascade into the distance. You need to walk through the giant waterfall crack in the flume. You need to ski Cannon top to bottom in -20 degree weather with wind blowing you up the hill.
These are the things that help you build character. They make you more appreciative of what the world has to provide. It makes you realize how important these things are in life, and most important of all, it makes you a better, more receptive, and tougher person. As it may seem that I’m making Franconia seem a somewhat hell hole of a place, which it is occasionally, it’s actually quite extraordinary and exceptional. From the mountain top of Cannon, to the naturally carved rocks of the basin, Franconia has it all. Just a 30-minute drive and you’ve got yourself one of the nicest hotels in the East at the one and only Mount Washington. You’ve got the ever so renowned Tuckerman’s Ravine, Kinsman Notch, beautiful Upper Falls, and the good old Cog Railway. There’s much to be had here for an outdoor enthusiast, especially that of a climber, skier, and overall adventure seeker.
For myself, I seem to be a jack of all trades. I’ve found myself climbing almost everyday at Tamarack Tennis Camp, bouldering the Notch pull offs, skiing throughout the entirety of this forever lasting winter, cliff jumping the area’s many roadside holes, and endlessly hiking the mountains just outside my door. It definitely suffices for someone who can’t stand still. Because of these many attributes I find myself never bored. Like ever. I like to pride myself in being an artistic person in the photography and videography sense. The North Country provides a boundless amount of picturesque sunsets, landscapes, wildlife, and much more. You have to be incredibly unwilling to go places and do something somewhat athletic to not be able to capture a new photo or video daily.
A short easy hike would be onto Mount Jasper. It is located right behind the Berlin High School and is only ¾ mile long. The mountain itself is only 1,584’ so this hike is good for beginners and for the kids! As you make your way towards the summit there are informational signs telling you about the natural cultural history of the mountain. Once you arrive at the summit you are greeted with front row views of the wind turbines across the way at Jericho Mountain. This hike typically takes no longer than 1 hour.
An intermediate hike would be to Mascot Pond, the hike starts in Gorham at the old railroad trestle that crosses the Androscoggin River. From there you follow the AMC Trail signs. It’s a one-mile hike to the trailhead. On the way to the trail head you will cross a bridge which is located on the ATV trail, after you cross the bridge on the ATV trail you take a direct right which leads you straight to onto the Mahoosuc Trail. Continue as if you were heading to Mount Hayes, soon after you start up the trail you will cross under power lines. After about ½ mile, you will reach a side trail to Mascot Pond on the right. Take the side trail, it’s flat from this junction all the way to the pond, only about two minutes. Once you reach the sandy shores of Mascot Pond you can see all the way to Mt. Washington on a clear day. If you turn around and look behind you, there is a large rock slide, which back in 1881 used to be home to the Mascot Mine. If you are up for more of an adventure, climb to the top of the rock slide an you will find the old mine entrances. They have since been closed off, but it is a sight to see. The mines now are protected as they are now home to over 1500 bats which range from 5 different species that hibernate in the caves. This hike in total round trip will take you roughly around 2 hours.
If you are looking for a longer more experienced hike, then tie up your hiking boots and head over to Mount Success. This mountain is the last NH summit encountered by the north-bound hikers of the Appalachian Trail, and among locals this mountain is also known as the site of the airplane crash from 1954. Most of the AT hikers start this trail from Gentian Pond, located in Shelburne, taking off from that location however would be a 2-day hike. The less well-known approach, would be to start off from Success Pond Road in Berlin. The Success Pond Trail will start you at 5.4 Miles in and ascends for 2 miles where you will reach the rocky ledge with views of Berlin and the Presidentials. When you walk a little further you will see where the AT intersects and continue with that trail for another 0.6 miles to the summit of Mount Success, the summit is 3,565’. If you continue east on the AT for about 10 more minutes after reaching the summit you will then be walking parallel of the wreckage of the November 30th, Northeast Airlines Flight 792 crash site. Many pieces of the wreck have been taken over the year but even after 64 years the main fuselage, wings and tail are still quite recognizable and visible from the trail. This hike would be an all-day hike ranging on your experience it could take up to 2 to 5 hours.