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
Lincoln, New Hampshire
Lincoln
Base here 2 nights for Franconia Notch and Loon; skip it as a standalone stop — it is a 1,600-person town, not a city.
Lincoln is a small White Mountains town (population about 1,660) on I-93 at the western edge of Franconia Notch State Park. It works as a base for the Flume Gorge, the Kancamagus Highway and Loon Mountain skiing, and as a stop on the drive between Boston and northern New Hampshire. Two nights covers the notch and one scenic drive; add a night for skiing or a full Kancamagus crossing.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Lincoln
- Best months
- Jun–Oct (hiking, foliage); Dec–Mar for skiing
- Avoid
- Apr–May (mud season, some attractions closed); peak fall weekends for traffic
- Stay
- 2 nights
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 $90–150 excl. bed · Mid $150–260 excl. bed · High $260+ 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 |
| Casual lunch or burger | $12–20 |
| Dinner main | $18–35 |
| Ice cream | $5–8 |
| Gallon of gas | $3–4 |
| 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 1 h 45 min by car via I-93 north; nearest larger airport.
- BOS · Boston Logan International
- About 2 h 30 min by car; more flights but a longer drive.
Typical fares
- Flume Gorge entry, adult
- about $20 (check)
- Loon Mountain day lift ticket
- about $100 (check)
- Hobo Railroad round trip, adult
- about $13 (check)
Get around
A car is effectively required: attractions are spread along I-93, US-3 and Route 112 with no useful local transit. I-93 Exit 32 leads straight to Main Street. Gas up before the Kancamagus Highway — there are no services along its 34.5 miles.
See and do
Known for
- Franconia Notch State Park
- Flume Gorge
- Loon Mountain skiing
- Kancamagus Highway
- New Hampshire Highland Games
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Franconia Notch and the Flume Gorge | Drive I-93 north from Lincoln, about 10–15 min to the Flume and notch attractions | About 15 min |
| Kancamagus Highway to Conway | Drive Route 112 east, 34.5 miles | About 1 h without stops |
| North Conway | Drive Route 112 (Kancamagus) or US-302 | About 1 h |
| Bretton Woods | Drive US-302 north via Twin Mountain | About 45 min |
| Waterville Valley | Drive Route 49 east off I-93 | About 35 min |
| Littleton | Drive I-93 north to Exit 41/42 | About 35 min |
Sleep
- Main Street / Route 112 (Lincoln Center)
- Walkable strip of motels, restaurants and shops; closest to the Kancamagus Highway start.
- Route 3 / Loon Mountain Road
- Resorts and slopeside lodging near Loon Mountain; a short drive from the centre.
- Pemi River cabins
- Riverside motels and cabins along US-3; quieter, still close to the notch.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the trailhead? | Where is the trailhead? |
| Is the road open? | Is the road open? |
| How far to the next gas station? | How far to the next gas station? |
| Do you take cards? | Do you take cards? |
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
- No gas stations or services on the Kancamagus Highway (Route 112): fill up before you start.
- Mud season (roughly April–May) closes or limits some attractions and trails.
- Fall-foliage weekends bring heavy traffic and full lodging; book ahead.
- Mountain weather changes fast: carry layers and traction for wet, slippery trails.
A low-crime small town; the real risks are mountain weather, slippery trails and wildlife, not crime. Tell someone your route on hikes and carry layers.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lincoln, New Hampshire yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Franconia Notch State Park
- Flume Gorge
- Loon Mountain skiing
- Kancamagus Highway
- New Hampshire Highland Games
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: Lincoln (New Hampshire), revision 5238811 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5238811
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Lincoln, New HampshireLincoln
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Lincoln; most are in Washington, DC, with consulates in Boston.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lincoln-new-hampshire). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.