Visitors
New England is well known to tourists for its incredible display of foliage, and the Lebanon area offers some of the best “leaf-peeping” in New England. In late September and early October, the countryside explodes into breathtaking color. The drive on Route 120 through Lebanon and on Route 10 North through Hanover, Lyme, Orford, Piermont and North Haverhill to the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire is one of the most beautiful scenic routes in the United States.
There are plenty of attractions to keep visitors engaged in the Lebanon area, no matter what the season, from the quaint and fascinating Shaker Community 15 minutes east in Enfield, to Quechee Gorge, the “Grand Canyon of the East,” 15 minutes west in Vermont. The area offers hundreds of hiking trails, rivers and lakes, as well as countless cultural opportunities, from world-class performances at the Lebanon Opera House and Dartmouth’s Hopkins Center to the wealth of art and history on display in the region’s museums.
Throughout the year, the Upper Valley is the scene of dozens of festivals and special events, from the Quechee Balloon Festival and Hanover Street Festival in the summertime, to the Christmas Revels, a highlight of the holiday season. Outdoor recreation is a big part of Upper Valley life, with three ski areas within a 20-minute drive and several major ski resorts only slightly further afield. Local food enthusiasts can attend a bustling farmers market somewhere in the region on nearly any day of the week.
Visitors can find accommodations in one of the area’s many hotels, motels, inns, or bed and breakfasts conveniently located both in Lebanon and throughout the surrounding Upper Valley. Dining opportunities range from fast food to fine dining, with local restaurants offering steak, seafood, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, French, Mexican, and traditional American cuisine.
The Upper Valley is a convenient two-hour drive from Boston and a four-hour drive from New York City. The Lebanon Municipal Airport, situated high in the hills of West Lebanon, is open to smaller commercial and private airplanes. Cape Air provides scheduled airline service, with six daily round trips to Boston providing the area with one-stop service to over 98 domestic and internal destinations. Dartmouth Mini-Coach, operating out of Lebanon, shuttles travelers to and from Logan Airport in Boston, Massachusetts in mini-van comfort for a moderate fee.
