In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Concord, New Hampshire
Concord
Give Concord one full day on foot for the State House and Main Street, or skip it and use it as a cheap overnight stop between Boston and the White Mountains.
Concord is a small state capital of about 43,000 people, 1 h 15 min by bus or 1 h by car from Boston. The draw is the New Hampshire State House — the oldest state house in the US where the legislature still meets in its original chambers — plus a compact Main Street of bookshops, bakeries and a science museum. It is not a destination in itself; it works as a half-day stop or a base for the Merrimack Valley and the White Mountains.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Concord
- Best months
- Jun–Oct (foliage peaks early Oct)
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold, ice), mud season in Mar–Apr
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–110 excl. bed · Mid $120–190 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Poison Control 1-800-222-1222 · NH State Police +1 603-223-4381
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Deli sandwich or burrito | $10–16 |
| Sit-down dinner main | $18–32 |
| Draught beer in a bar | $6–9 |
| Museum entry (NH Historical Society) | $10 |
| 5 km taxi or rideshare3.1 mi taxi or rideshare | $12–20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MHT · Manchester–Boston Regional
- About 30 min south by car on I-93; the closest airport with scheduled service.
- BOS · Boston Logan International
- About 1 h 15 min by car; Concord Coach Lines runs direct buses from Boston.
Typical fares
- Concord Coach Lines, Boston → Concord
- about $30 one way, about 1 h 15 min (check)
- Taxi or rideshare, downtown → Hall St hotels
- $10–15
- CAT local bus ride
- about $2
Get around
Downtown is walkable in 15–20 min end to end. Concord Area Transit (CAT) runs local buses; taxis and rideshare are thin, so a car helps for the Discovery Center, Pierce Manse and day trips. Concord Coach Lines connects the Transportation Center at 30 Stickney Ave with Boston and other New Hampshire towns.
See and do
Known for
- New Hampshire State House
- McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
- Main Street bookshops and bakeries
- Pierce Manse
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester, New Hampshire | I-93 south by car, or Concord Coach Lines bus | About 30–45 min |
| Nashua, New Hampshire | I-93 south by car, about 45–55 min | About 45–55 min |
| Hillsborough, New Hampshire | US-202 west by car | About 40 min |
| Milford, New Hampshire | NH-101 and US-3 by car | About 45 min |
| Amherst, New Hampshire | NH-101 west by car | About 40 min |
| Hudson, New Hampshire | I-93 and NH-102 by car | About 50 min |
Sleep
- Downtown / Main Street
- Walk to the State House, Capitol Center and restaurants; limited rooms, so book early.
- Hall Street and I-93 exits
- Chain hotels with parking, 5–10 min drive from Main Street; best value with a car.
- Fort Eddy Road
- Strip of motels and big-box shops north of downtown; practical for one night on the road.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the bus station? | Where is the bus station? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is it far to walk? | Is it far to walk? |
| Thank you | Thank you |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Winter driving: ice and snow on I-93 and I-89 from Nov to Mar.
- Downtown parking is metered on weekdays; check signs before leaving the car.
- Many small restaurants and museums keep short hours or close one or two weekdays: check before you go.
- Rideshare coverage is limited outside the centre; book a taxi if you are out late.
Concord is a low-crime small city; the real risks are winter ice on pavements and roads, deer on I-93 and I-89 at dusk, and thin late-night transport — plan your ride before you go out.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Concord, New Hampshire yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- New Hampshire State House
- McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center
- Main Street bookshops and bakeries
- Pierce Manse
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Concord — official tourism site: www.visitconcord-nh.com/
- Concord Coach Lines: concordcoachlines.com/
- New Hampshire State House: gc.nh.gov/
- New Hampshire Historical Society: www.nhhistory.org/
- Wikivoyage: Concord (New Hampshire), revision 5235615 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5235615
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Concord, New HampshireConcord
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Poison Control1-800-222-1222
- NH State Police+1 603-223-4381
No embassies in Concord; New Zealand keeps an honorary consul at 57 N Main St. Most countries: consulates in Boston, embassies in Washington, DC.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/concord-new-hampshire). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.