BlackJesus420 t1_j9qwnre wrote
You guys sound fun! I hope you figure something out that you enjoy. April’s indeed a tough time of year up here and the public transportation situation is abysmal.
Amtrak does have three stops in the state, all on the Seacoast: Exeter, Durham, and Dover. Unfortunately, none of these feature any place within biking distance that will astound you with natural beauty or spectacular stargazing.
You’re going to want to drive and you’ll want to head north, maybe somewhere like Lincoln or North Conway - both small mountain towns that offer some good dining, natural beauty, and dark skies. A drive along the Kancamagus (the route through the mountains connecting these two towns) at night will offer a number of pull-off locations to park and look up.
Keep in mind road shoulders could still be clogged with snow, sand, and other wintry debris. I personally wouldn’t be keen on biking in these areas at that time of year but I’m sure people do.
Successful_Border321 t1_j9r20y9 wrote
OP, your best bet is going to be to drive all the way to North Conway, ride bikes around town, and the town has a scenic railway that has like 1,3 and 5 hour rides if you want some good scenery.
t-shirt-questforlove OP t1_j9u325b wrote
This is awesome insight for Conway — thank you so much!
Successful_Border321 t1_j9u3kmy wrote
If you are looking for additional train insight for future trips, take the Amtrak to the Northern Terminus in Brunswick Maine, get a coffee at Dog Bar Jim, and then take the train they are running North up the coast this summer to some of Maine’s premier waterfront destinations, with bikes. 👍🏽
t-shirt-questforlove OP t1_j9u5ppq wrote
Definitely and always looking for train tips — thank you so much! We were hoping for a Maine-train this winter but it didn't line up. Sounds like summer's the time!
Successful_Border321 t1_j9u666u wrote
Depending on how much you like people, sure. Freeport is a worthwhile winter hang, as is Portland.
t-shirt-questforlove OP t1_j9u73js wrote
Ahh — forgot about that, yeah. We're both thoroughly extroverted, but it sounds like it gets pretty packed during vacation season 😅
blzac33 t1_j9r05dz wrote
Great response. Yea take the concord bus to Lincoln and stargaze and cycle away on the Kanc.
RickyDaytonaJr t1_j9r8ofs wrote
Just FYI, Amtrak actually has four stops in NH. The Vermonter route stops in Claremont.
rubbish_heap t1_j9rfygn wrote
and the other Southern Vermont stations are right on the border
BlackJesus420 t1_j9rc9z5 wrote
You’re right! I have heard about that stop, too.
t-shirt-questforlove OP t1_j9u30c4 wrote
Ha! Thank you — we go after as much fun as life allows :) And thanks for the awesome info! I had a feeling trying to nix driving in favor of a train and bikes was going to be tricky, but the Kancamagus is 10/10, so that sounds like the move. Time to check out Lincoln and North Conway!
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