You can make Boston to North Conway in about 3 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 150 miles on I-93 and NH-112, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable close to the park gates.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Boston
Aim to clear Boston before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 64 miles to Concord.
The headline stop on this route is Franconia Notch. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Concord
Concord sits about 64 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, Kancamagus Highway fall color is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Lincoln, the last stretch
Lincoln sits about 123 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into North Conway
The final 27 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Mount Washington Auto Road; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Franconia Notch, Kancamagus Highway fall color and Mount Washington Auto Road, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Lincoln or North Conway, NH is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along I-93 and NH-112 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
