Wolfeboro, New Hampshire: The Oldest Summer Resort in America

We'd always been curious about Wolfeboro, a little town in our state of New Hampshire that proclaims itself as the “Oldest Summer Resort in America”. So one day we decided to explore and see what it has to offer.

We discovered that Wolfeboro is a charming town located on Lake Winnipesaukee, the state's largest lake (its name means “smile of the Great Spirit”). Wolfeboro's roots go back to 1763, when the state's last Colonial governor, John Wentworth, built a summer home here. With such picturesque scenery, it's easy to see why!

We toured the downtown area and stopped at the Chamber of Commerce, which is located on Central Avenue in a historic railroad station. Getting around here is easy, thanks to Molly the Trolley. The narrated rides take you past points of interest.

We visited the Wright Museum, which features items from World War II, and the Libby Museum, which has a collection of native specimens and artifacts.

One of the highlights of our visit was a dinner cruise aboard the Mount Washington. The meal was fantastic, and afterward we listened to live music.

We stayed at the Wolfeboro Campground, which has lots of wooded walking trails.

No visit to a resort town is complete without a stop at the local ice cream parlor. We found a great one near the boat launching dock.

Wolfeboro also offers all kinds of interesting events all summer, including concerts, walking tours and craft shows. This beautiful area is definitely on our list for a return visit.