A Long Weekend in Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee

The Dartmouth-Lake Sunapee region sits in western New Hampshire, between the Connecticut River and the hills around Mount Kearsarge. It is quieter than the Lakes Region and the White Mountains, and that is much of its appeal. In June the lake water is still cool, the gardens are filling in, and the summer stages are opening their seasons. Three days is enough to see the lake, a historic estate, a Shaker village and a first-rate college art museum without rushing.

This lake sunapee weekend plan works as a loop. Spend the first day on and around the lake, the second in New London and Newbury, and the third heading north to Enfield and Hanover. Check each place's own site for current hours, tickets and schedules before you go.

Day One: Getting to Know Lake Sunapee

Lake Sunapee is the fifth-largest lake entirely within New Hampshire. It runs about eight miles from end to end, and the drive around it is roughly 25 miles. That makes a loop around the shore the best first afternoon of any visit. You will pass harbors, old summer cottages and long views across the water to the mountain that shares the lake's name.

The lake is known for its three lighthouses, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They are small and modest, more like navigation markers with character than seaside towers, and spotting them from a boat or the shore is part of the fun. Sunapee drains through its outlet into the Sugar River, which flows west to the Connecticut.

Spend the rest of the day doing as little as possible: a swim if you are brave about June water temperatures, a paddle, or a long dinner with a view of the lake.

Day Two Morning: The Fells in Newbury

On the lake's eastern shore, The Fells is the former summer estate of John Milton Hay, the diplomat and statesman. The property covers about 83.5 acres. At its center is a 22-room Colonial Revival house, and the estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also a preservation project of the Garden Conservancy, and the gardens are the main reason to visit in June.

Plan a slow morning here. Tour the house and gardens, then walk the nature trails down toward the water. The terraced gardens and stone walls frame the lake in a way that explains why wealthy families chose this shore for summer homes more than a century ago.

Day Two Afternoon: Mount Sunapee and New London

South of The Fells, Mount Sunapee Resort in Newbury is best known as a ski area, but the mountain is worth a look in any season for the view back over the lake. If you would rather keep your feet on the ground, the base area is a good stop on your loop around the water. Nearby, the Hideaway Inn Mt. Sunapee is a boutique hotel close to the mountain and the lake, with room types ranging from a king room for couples to a two-bedroom suite for families.

In the evening, head to New London for a show at the New London Barn Playhouse. As the name says, it is a summer theater in a barn, and it is one of the region's classic warm-weather traditions. Arrive early, walk New London's main street, and find a spot on the porch before the curtain. Summer seasons and showtimes vary, so check the playhouse's site for what is on during your visit.

Day Three: Enfield's Shaker Village

Drive north toward Enfield and Mascoma Lake for the Enfield Shaker Museum. The Shakers lived and worked here from 1793 to 1923. Their crowning building, the Great Stone Dwelling, was built between 1837 and 1841. The museum site today includes 13 buildings on 28 acres, with gardens, trails and exhibits on Shaker life, work and design.

The museum also offers overnight stays, which is an unusual chance to sleep in a building with this much history. If you would rather stay nearby, Shaker Hill Bed & Breakfast is a 1790s colonial on 24 acres in Enfield, with breakfast included. It makes a quiet base for the northern half of the region and puts you close to both the Shaker village and Hanover.

Day Three Afternoon: The Hood Museum in Hanover

Finish the weekend in Hanover at the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College. The collection includes about 65,000 objects, from ancient art to contemporary work, and admission is free. That makes it easy to drop in for an hour or stay most of the afternoon.

After the museum, walk across the Dartmouth Green and through downtown Hanover. It is a classic New England college town, and in June the campus is quieter than during the school year. If you want to stay the night, the Hanover Inn Dartmouth overlooks the Dartmouth Green, next to the Hood Museum and the Hopkins Center for the Arts. It has 108 rooms and a history of hospitality on this spot going back more than two centuries.

An Optional Detour: Claremont and the Sugar River

If you have an extra morning, follow the lake's outflow west. The Sugar River leaves Lake Sunapee and runs toward the Connecticut River through Claremont, the only city in Sullivan County. Claremont had 12,949 residents at the 2020 census, and its downtown still reflects its history as a mill city on the river. The city's first mill was built on the Sugar River, on the site that later held the Coy Paper Mill.

It is a different side of the region from the summer estates on the lake. A detour here works well on the way home if you are heading toward Vermont or south along the Connecticut River valley. It also makes a good rainy-day alternative to a lake afternoon. Walk the downtown streets, look at the old mill buildings along the river, and get a sense of how the water that starts in Lake Sunapee once powered a working city.

Where to Base Yourself

The region is compact enough that you can stay in one place and drive to everything. A base near the lake puts you close to Sunapee, Newbury and New London. A base near Enfield or Hanover makes the northern day easier and suits travelers who want to finish with Dartmouth. For a classic village stay, the New London Inn sits on Main Street in New London and traces its history as an inn back to 1792. Its on-site restaurant, The Elms, makes dinner before a show at the Barn Playhouse easy. Either way, no drive on this route is long, and the back roads between the lake and the Connecticut River valley are some of the prettiest in the state.

A Few Tips for a June Weekend

• Pack for cool mornings. June nights near the lake can be chilly even after warm days.
• Expect bugs. Bring repellent for garden walks and evening paddles.
• Plan around the theater. If the Barn Playhouse is a priority, pick your show first and build the rest of the weekend around it.
• Leave time for the loop. The drive around the lake rewards a slow pace, with stops in the small harbors and village centers along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big is Lake Sunapee?

It is about eight miles long and is the fifth-largest lake entirely within New Hampshire. The drive around the lake is about 25 miles.

Are there lighthouses on Lake Sunapee?

Yes. The lake has three lighthouses, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

What is there to do near Lake Sunapee besides the lake?

Visit The Fells estate and gardens in Newbury, see a show at the New London Barn Playhouse, tour the Enfield Shaker Museum, and spend an afternoon at the Hood Museum of Art in Hanover.

Is the Hood Museum free?

Yes. Admission to the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth is free.

Sources

• Lake Sunapee, Wikipedia (fifth-largest lake entirely in NH, length, 25-mile drive, three National Register lighthouses, Sugar River outlet): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Sunapee
• The Fells (Newbury, New Hampshire), Wikipedia (John Milton Hay, 83.5 acres, 22-room Colonial Revival house, National Register, Garden Conservancy): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fells_(Newbury,_New_Hampshire)
• The Fells official site (house and garden tours, nature trails): https://thefells.org/
• Mount Sunapee Resort official site: https://www.mountsunapee.com/
• Hideaway Inn Mt. Sunapee official site (boutique hotel, room types): https://hideawayinns.com/mt-sunapee-hotel-inn/
• New London Inn official site (Main Street, inn since 1792, The Elms restaurant): https://www.thenewlondoninn.com
• Hanover Inn Dartmouth official site (overlooks the Green, next to the Hood and Hopkins Center, 108 rooms, over two centuries): https://www.hanoverinn.com/
• New London Barn Playhouse official site (summer season): https://nlbarn.org/
• Enfield Shaker Village, Wikipedia (Shakers 1793 to 1923, Great Stone Dwelling 1837 to 1841): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_Shaker_Village
• Enfield Shaker Museum official site (13 buildings on 28 acres, overnight stays): https://shakermuseum.org
• Shaker Hill Bed and Breakfast official site (1790s colonial, 24 acres, breakfast): https://www.shakerhill.com/
• Claremont, New Hampshire, Wikipedia (only city in Sullivan County, 2020 census population, first mill on the Sugar River): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claremont,_New_Hampshire
• Hood Museum of Art, Wikipedia and official site (Dartmouth, about 65,000 objects, free admission): https://hoodmuseum.dartmouth.edu/