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elwooddblues OP t1_ium4oh1 wrote

Hi, we are looking to explore Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Is this a good time of year? Thanks

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Peeeculiar t1_ium54qd wrote

May might be a bit nicer for ya and more seasonal things might be open, but chances are it'd be fine.

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kberson t1_ium69gu wrote

Replying to elwooddblues (#416,891)

Honestly, depends on where you go. The higher terrain can still see snow in April (I went to Cabot’s Farm in Vermont in April, and was there in shorts while it snowed. Great cheeses, though).

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woolsocksandsandals t1_ium82ti wrote

Depends on what you’re into. There isn’t much happening at that time of the year. That’s kind of the in between season all the winter time activities are all wrapped up for the year but the spring and summer activities haven’t really started yet. If you like shopping and drinking and eating, there is no particular season for that so there’s no real bad time.

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kjlcm t1_ium9h3y wrote

Replying to oldmanshiba (#417,018)

Agree. One time did a trip to Lincoln for a few days during school break in April with our kids and it was pretty uninspiring. May would be way better.

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pink-peonies_ t1_ium9ys0 wrote

April isn’t really the ideal time to visit New England. I would say either summer or fall would be best. Fall is beautiful. Summer is also pretty nice!

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Automatic-Raspberry3 t1_iumaits wrote

You are coming right after sugaring season. After skiing. During mud some years before spring. Not the best month. Good news is no other tourists.

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jlangemann-man t1_iumclsr wrote

Former Minnesotan here; Think of what it is like in your part of WI during that time of year, tack on approximately 1-2 weeks of warm(er) weather, and you'll get the idea of what its like here at that point in time around the seacoast. The further north you'll go, the more snow/cold you'll have, just like at home.

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andrejean1983 t1_iumco52 wrote

As long as you drink Wisconsinly while you’re here! Ba-dum-tss!

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smartest_kobold t1_iumfwt5 wrote

Not really ideal. Too late for skiing, too early for lakes, much too early for leaf peeping.

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bassboat1 t1_iumhrbt wrote

You might miss the mud, but there should be plenty of frost heaves (our version of an amusement park ride). Ice-out averages the third week of April, so salmon fishing on the big lakes should be in full swing.

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oh-caelan t1_iumjoxs wrote

Just pack every item of clothing that you own. You could end up in a blizzard. You could end up in a heat wave.

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Reubachi t1_iummmxo wrote

I would heartily recommend any months beside April( and May if more north.) It's thebest time of year to bag peaks due to no tourists, but it's a slog due to mud and genrrally less pretty. Less stuff is open in terms of food, and the shorter days take a toll.

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elwooddblues OP t1_iumpwsw wrote

Thanks for all the great replies. I’ve lived the majority of my life in Tucson and Santa Fe. I’m trying to avoid tourists. Probably because I hate them.

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Open-Industry-8396 t1_iumsj5w wrote

NH is gross in the spring. Our worst season, but we like it cause were not freezi g our ass off. Mud, old dirty snow piles, trees with no leaves, grey chilly yecky . Wait until june or july. Or come in the winter for snow !

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rochvegas5 t1_iumtxpk wrote

April is not a great time in NH. Late May and beyond is better

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Less_Cryptographer86 t1_iumu3g1 wrote

As an avid gardener and lifelong New Englander May is my favorite month.

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Phinster1965 t1_iumz8as wrote

Plan it just right, and you can hit mud season and black fly season in one regrettable trip.

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01Zaphod t1_iun2pqa wrote

Replying to elwooddblues (#416,891)

Here’s a thought: if you want to explore New England without getting hit by too many tourists, but still want to enjoy good weather, try the last week of August/first week of September. That’s when a lot of people leave to bring the families back home for the startup of school. This way you avoid mud season in April, the black flies and the release of the college kids in May, the release of younger school kids in June, the heat & Independence Day in July and the packed roads from vacationers in August. Once October hits, there are a crapton of leaf peepers.

If I have the timing of any of this wrong, someone else please chime in and correct me.

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DimLug t1_iun35f1 wrote

Spring is the most boring time to visit NH. Too wet and you'll probably get snowed on anyway. Bugs are horrendous around that time of year. Pretty much whatever you want to do in NH during the spring you can most likely do at other times of the year and have a better experience.

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Scubakim13 t1_iun4lec wrote

I would pass. We call that mud season.

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SkiingAway t1_iun4vec wrote

Not really, arguably one of the worst months of the year.

Snow's melted, nothing's growing yet, ground is likely still soaked (aka mud season) so hiking is unpleasant or in some places outright prohibited.

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SillyIce t1_iun6viw wrote

Not the best. Snow is not nice and fluffy, nor the nice warm summer. Just nasty mud.

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trailing-edge t1_iun9g1q wrote

Go to cape cod instead. Slightly warmer, most seasonal things will still be closed, but you can walk the beach and ride bikes without crowds.

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LaserRedstang t1_iung9dq wrote

Not a great time…. It’s pretty muddy and whatnot.

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vorrhin t1_iuni1ko wrote

April is the worst. 2nd week in May is the best!

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MTBjes t1_iunjb78 wrote

There is one thing really nice about April: the waterfalls and rivers are really full and spectacular from the snow melt.

And these same trails are pretty empty!

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musicals4life t1_iunjc95 wrote

Everyone is talking about mud season but no one is talking about syrup season. OP come in April and taste allllll the sugary goodness of maple season

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PolarBlueberry t1_iunmr1u wrote

Replying to trailing-edge (#418,772)

I disagree. The coast is still really cold in April. It can be 70 in Springfield, MA and 45 in Boston in mid-April. It is a gorgeous time of year for the lower Connecticut River Valley. But April is unpredictable, it can really be anywhere between 25 and snowing and 95 and sunny, and you might see both of those in the same week.

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Paperwink t1_iunomhn wrote

Nope. Probably the worst time. Mud and depending on where you’ll be, black flies. You don’t want that.

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superman154m t1_iunqyk9 wrote

End of May or June - October. March and April are 30-49 and gray/rainy. I don’t mind mud season honestly but 90% of people hate it/strongly dislike.

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buddaycousin t1_iunsg14 wrote

April can be very nice if you get decent weather. Black flies aren't out yet. The roads and sidewalks are mostly clear. It's a good time to tour the state by car.

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thepopulargirl t1_iunumyb wrote

If you like rain a lot and it’s still cold.

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steph_nh t1_iunx50b wrote

I’d suggest holding off until May or June. April is still mud season and the weather can be all over the place.

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DocMcCracken t1_iuny997 wrote

April very hit or miss. Could be still snow, could be mud, could pour for a week. May gets better consistancy.

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stewie_glick t1_iuo7qma wrote

Come up on Monday, April 08 2024 and visit the Great North Woods .

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Ordinary_Variation10 t1_iuo9m9b wrote

My least favorite time of the year in NH. Cold, muddy, rainy. I’d push until June or pull to February

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HazardousWeather t1_iuocr60 wrote

Leaves green up and come out in mid May. April is muddy and cold.

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movdqa t1_iuofrca wrote

April showers bring May flowers but the rainy season can move around. It can be rather windy too.

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Raa03842 t1_iuoqtxe wrote

A lot of the seasonal businesses (restaurants, shops, etc) are closed

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LifeWithFiveDogs t1_iuos6gv wrote

No. It's muddy, possibly really cold, and not the prettiest of seasons. Come to NH in the summer or fall.

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Time-Friend5627 t1_iup2ie0 wrote

You’re kidding right? Trolling us or you actually live in Lancaster or someplace close?!

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Time-Friend5627 t1_iup2msw wrote

If you’re depressed and borderline suicidal stay where you are. We don’t need more statistics.

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Dveau3 t1_iup47qv wrote

Mud and black fly season. C"mon down, its great!

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itsalwaysteatimee t1_iupa4jn wrote

Very rainy, muddy, and can be cold. We don’t have a great “spring” season, but it depends on what you want to do.

If you are able to, come in October next year. Fall is the best season here.

If you need to do spring, try to come late May. Weather is nicer and it’s right before the tourist season really kicks off.

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Time-Friend5627 t1_iupawe5 wrote

All the gross crap that got buried in snow banks starts to show up from melt, could be icy freezy cold or just plain miserable, black flies will travel up your nostrils straight into your brain cavity, and NH folk tend to drink a lot then. Sure, c’mon down!

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Happy_Confection90 t1_iuq6xbi wrote

Replying to oh-caelan (#417,548)

Right? In late April there might still be several inches of snow on the ground. Or 2 inches of mud. Or it might be in the 80s and the ground dry already at the beginning of our new annual drought season.

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ReauxChambeaux t1_iuqt2iy wrote

Mud season. Hopefully you get here before the black flies come out!

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jkweiler74 t1_iuroe6e wrote

I would say visit later. My family from WI visited in April, and it was rainy and windy the whole time. I didn't get to show them anything pretty outdoors, which I specifically would have wanted to drive them to a short hike in the Whites.

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ThunderySleep t1_iuv37qk wrote

Push it back a month or so if you can. Mid April's just starting to buds on the trees in southern NH. The mountains will still be sticks. Thoroughly still in mud season.

Spring's not great in northern New England, except for people who endured the winter and are just happy they can go outside without their winter coat.

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