Start from 27 curated places around Hanover, NH, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Lou's Restaurant & Bakery
Hanover's most beloved institution since 1947, Lou's anchors the south end of Main Street with a classic American diner that doubles as a serious bakery. The pancakes and French toast draw morning lines on weekends, the counter stools are occupied by the same locals they have been for decades, and the glass case up front holds the pies and sticky buns that make it impossible to leave empty-handed.
Base Camp Cafe
A Dartmouth student staple on Lebanon Street that punches well above the town's size with authentic Nepalese and Himalayan cooking. Lentil dal, momos (steamed dumplings), and fragrant curries share a menu with satisfying vegetarian and vegan options that are rare in rural New Hampshire. The atmosphere is warm, the prices are fair, and the chili pickle on the side is not optional.
Trails & outdoors
Velvet Rocks via Appalachian Trail
The most rewarding hike directly accessible from Hanover — a 3.8-mile loop along the Appalachian Trail east of town that climbs through mixed hardwood forest to Velvet Rocks, a scattered granite outcrop with partial ridge views. The trail runs on the actual AT white blazes, meaning thru-hikers pass through regularly, and a short fixed-rope scramble near the top adds a moment of genuine adventure to an otherwise moderate outing.
Moose Mountain via Appalachian Trail
A 4-mile round trip on the AT to the South Summit of Moose Mountain, earning long views east across the Upper Valley's farmland patchwork. The trail passes the wreckage of a 1968 plane crash embedded in the forest a short distance below the summit — an eerie and memorable landmark. The Dartmouth Outing Club maintains this section and the trail is in excellent condition.
Things to do
Ledyard Canoe Club
The oldest collegiate canoe club in America, Dartmouth's Ledyard Club rents canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards to the public from its boathouse on the Connecticut River. Paddling north from the boathouse puts you on a quiet, wide stretch of river backed by Vermont hillsides — genuinely one of the best afternoon activities in the Upper Valley. Rentals are affordable and no advance reservation is needed on most weekdays.
Nugget Theaters
A four-screen independent movie theater on South Main Street that has been part of Hanover since 1951. Fully digital and programmed with a thoughtful mix of mainstream releases and art-house films you won't find at a multiplex, the Nugget is a genuine community institution. The building is a local landmark and the sight lines in every screen are excellent for the size.
Landmarks & sights
Hood Museum of Art
One of the finest college art museums in America — and admission is always free. The Hood holds 65,000 objects spanning 3,000 years, from a set of 3,000-year-old Assyrian palace reliefs brought from Iraq in 1852 to Picasso, Rothko, and a growing contemporary Native American collection. The 2019 Charles Moore-designed expansion doubled the gallery space and gave the building a confident new presence on the Dartmouth campus.
Hopkins Center for the Arts
Designed by Wallace Harrison — the architect of Lincoln Center and the UN headquarters — the Hopkins Center has been Dartmouth's cultural engine since 1962. A $123.8 million renovation completed in fall 2025 added the Roth Wing with new theater and dance studios, reconfigured lobbies, and backstage spaces while preserving the original building's bones. The 'Hop' now hosts over 100 live performances annually across music, dance, theater, and film, with programming that punches well above a town of 11,000.