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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Holderness
Half a day to one night: Squam Lake views, a quiet inn stay, and a short hike. Not a base unless you want lakefront peace.
Holderness is a small town on Squam Lake in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, best known for the lake itself and the Squam Lake Inn. It works as a half-day stop between I-93 and the lake, or a one-night stay for a quiet dinner and morning paddle. Most travellers use it as a lunch or photo break en route to Lincoln or Laconia.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (many places close or reduce hours)
- 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 $80–120 excl. bed · Mid $120–200 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
- 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 |
| Lunch sandwich | $10–15 |
| Dinner entrée at Squam Lake Inn | $25–40 |
| Beer (pint) | $5–8 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3.50–4.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MHT · Manchester-Boston Regional Airport
- About 1 h 15 min south via I-93
- BOS · Boston Logan International
- About 2 h 15 min south via I-93
Typical fares
- Manchester Airport → Holderness
- about 1 h 15 min by car (check)
- Boston → Holderness
- about 2 h 15 min by car (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is essential; I-93 runs through town. No public transit within Holderness.
See and do
Known for
- Squam Lake
- Squam Lake Inn
- Asquam House
- Carne's Island
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Laconia | I-93 south, about 15 min | 20 min |
| Meredith | US-3 south, about 15 min | 20 min |
| Ashland, New Hampshire | I-93 north, about 5 min | 10 min |
Sleep
- Squam Lake area
- The only lodging cluster; the Squam Lake Inn is the main option.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
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
- Many restaurants and shops close by 20:00 or earlier outside summer.
- Squam Lake Inn requires advance booking in July and August.
- Cell service can be spotty near the lake.
Very safe. Standard precautions: lock your car, don't leave valuables visible. The main risk is wildlife on the road at dusk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Holderness yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Squam Lake
- Squam Lake Inn
- Asquam House
- Carne's Island
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Holderness, revision 3933292 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3933292
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Holderness
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/holderness). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.