Newbury: Mount Sunapee and The Fells

For a stay in Newbury, you can focus on two distinct interests: activities at Mount Sunapee and the cultural history of The Fells. Mount Sunapee State Park offers activities year-round; The Fells combines its hillside setting and views of Lake Sunapee with the history of the Hay family. If you’re looking for a hotel in Newbury, deciding what you want to focus on can help you plan your travel dates and activities together.

Mount Sunapee: Trails, Water, and Activities in the State Park

In Mount Sunapee State Park, trails lead to the summit of Mount Sunapee. The Monadnock-Sunapee Greenway also runs through the park. This gives you two specific points to consider in your planning: a named summit as a trail destination and the Greenway’s route through the State Park. If you’re including the park in your trip, you can consider these aspects separately. If you prefer a clearly named destination, focus on the summit trails; if you’re interested in the Greenway, take its route through the park into account.

At the water, the State Park offers boat rentals. There is also a boat launch, which is subject to certain restrictions. Check the applicable requirements before using it; for boat rentals, it’s a good idea to check current availability. This lets you plan around the specific services on offer without overlooking the conditions at the launch.

The campground in Mount Sunapee State Park offers campsites with shelters and platforms for family camping in a natural setting. Each of the park’s different offerings can be considered separately when planning your trip.

Seasonal Activities at Mount Sunapee

Some activities are limited to certain seasons. Mount Sunapee offers downhill skiing, which is seasonal in winter. South Peak has an 18-hole disc golf course, which may also operate seasonally in summer. A chairlift ride takes visitors to viewpoints at the summit; it, too, may operate seasonally in summer. These offerings therefore differ not only in the activities themselves but also in the time of year you plan to travel.

The State Park’s year-round offerings should be distinguished from individual seasonal activities. If you plan to visit for one of these activities, check its dates in advance. This way, you can plan around the activity you’re specifically interested in, rather than assuming that every individual activity operates year-round just because the park offers recreation throughout the year.

The Fells: Landscape, Family History, and Gardens

The Fells sits on a hillside in Newbury, with views across picturesque Lake Sunapee. Three generations of the Hay family used The Fells as a summer home. The estate includes a 22-room Colonial Revival-style house. The family history and architecture give this destination a different focus from the activities at the State Park: here, the emphasis is on its former use as a summer home and the house as a specific architectural feature.

Visitors can hike the woodland trails at The Fells. The Fells also offers seasonal historical tours of all six gardens. The woodland trails and garden tours appeal to different interests: the trails offer an opportunity to hike, while the tours focus on the gardens. Since the tours are seasonal, check their dates before your visit. This lets you include the garden tours in your trip planning without confusing them with the State Park’s year-round activities.

When traveling for seasonal activities, plan your dates around the specific offering; you can then use the available search filters to choose a hotel.

Discover more destinations: Henniker, Andover, Sutton, Boscawen, Wilmot, Bow, Warner, Bradford.

For the broader travel overview: Merrimack County.