Hanover

It's harder to imagine a more idyllic college town than Hanover, home to Dartmouth College for nearly 250 years. Indeed the college is nearly inseparable from the town itself. The centerpiece of the village is the spacious Dartmouth Green, picturesquely surrounded by brick Federal-style college buildings. (And populated by elaborate ice sculptures during Dartmouth's famous Winter Carnival in February.) Off the green, Main Street is lined with independent stores and cafes, where students and townspeople alike debate philosophy and current events. The university's presence makes the town an oasis of culture in a rural part of New Hampshire, ...

It's harder to imagine a more idyllic college town than Hanover, home to Dartmouth College for nearly 250 years. Indeed the college is nearly inseparable from the town itself. The centerpiece of the village is the spacious Dartmouth Green, picturesquely surrounded by brick Federal-style college buildings. (And populated by elaborate ice sculptures during Dartmouth's famous Winter Carnival in February.) Off the green, Main Street is lined with independent stores and cafes, where students and townspeople alike debate philosophy and current events. The university's presence makes the town an oasis of culture in a rural part of New Hampshire, with top-rate exhibits at the college's Hood art museum and many literary and performing arts events at various venues throughout the village. But nature is never far away, with numerous hikes in the surrounding hills, challenging mountain biking trails, and downhill skiing in Dartmouth's small but popular ski area. In addition to the town's own charms, its location on the Vermont/New Hampshire border also makes it an ideal home base for exploring the White Mountains, Lake Sunapee, Woodstock, Vermont, and other nearby attractions.

About the Expert

Michael Blanding is coauthor of Moon New England, Moon Vermont and Moon Rhode Island, and editor of New England Travel magazine.