New Hampshire

New Hampshire leaps into the public eye every four years with numerous candidate events that precede the state's first-in-the-nation primary. For the other three years, New Hampshire is an often overlooked gem with foliage, maple syrup, skiing and fresh seafood that rivals or surpasses its more popular neighbor states – and there's no sales tax! Southern NH is home to the bulk of the state's population thanks to major cities Nashua, Manchester, and the capital, Concord. The heart of The Coast is Portsmouth, a cobblestoned town with excellent shops, museums and restaurants, many of which have views of the bay. To NH residents, the Lakes Region means Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in the state and the go-to spot for summer fun, but visitors may recognize Squam Lake or Winnisquam thanks to Hollywood's use of this idyllic area for shooting popular movies such as "On Golden Pond." The White Mountains region is abuzz year-round. Hikers, mountain bikers and kayakers flock here in the spring and summer, followed by the "leaf peepers" in the fall. In the winter, the skiers and snowmobilers make the mountains their own. The Great North Woods are THE destination for "sports" interested in hunting and fishing, as well as nature-lovers hoping to catch sight of an eagle or a moose. Woodsy Western NH is dotted with quaint towns filled with antiques shops and cozy eateries. New Hampshire's nickname is The Granite State, and many say this refers less to the state's stunning cliffs than to the natives' sometimes frustrating, sometimes charming stubbornness. Either way, New Hampshire is a spot that deserves further investigation.