One of the biggest adjustments to fall in New Hampshire happens at the end of the day. The long summer evenings start disappearing, the temperature drops a little faster after sunset and suddenly there are a few extra hours to fill before bedtime.
If you're visiting the Lakes Region, that doesn't have to mean your day is over. Fall evenings are a good time to slow things down, enjoy more of the resort and explore a side of the region that's easy to miss during the busier summer months.
Here are a few ways to make the most of the evening after the sun goes down.
Take Your Time Over Dinner
Summer days have a way of pushing dinner later and later. When you're trying to squeeze in one more hour at the lake or one more stop before heading back, sitting down for a long meal isn't always a priority.
Fall gives you a little more time for it.
Meredith and Laconia both have plenty of options for turning dinner into part of the evening rather than something you fit between activities. If you're staying at Steele Hill Resort, you can make things even easier with dinner at the Hilltop Restaurant without leaving the property.
This is also a good time of year to check what's happening at local restaurants before you head out. Live music, trivia and other recurring events pop up throughout the Lakes Region and can turn an otherwise quiet evening into an easy night out.
Save the Pool for Later
You don't have to fit every resort amenity into the middle of the day.
After spending the afternoon exploring, hiking, shopping or taking in the scenery, coming back for an evening swim can be a nice change of pace. It's especially good on those fall days when the afternoon is comfortable but the temperature drops quickly once the sun disappears.
Both Steele Hill Resort and the Summit Resort have extensive indoor pool areas, which means swimming doesn't have to end with summer. If you're traveling with kids, an evening at the pool is also an easy way to keep everyone entertained without having to plan another outing.
And if your idea of a good evening involves more relaxing than swimming, this is a pretty good season for the hot tub too.
See What's Playing
Sometimes the weather makes the decision for you.
A rainy or especially chilly fall evening is a good excuse to head indoors, and there are several entertainment options around the Lakes Region that work well when you'd rather not spend another few hours outside.
Smitty's Cinema in Tilton combines movies with in-theater dining and also has its GameLAB entertainment center, making it an easy option for families or groups looking for something casual to do. Depending on where you're staying, you'll also find bowling, arcades and other indoor entertainment around the region.
It's worth checking local calendars during your stay as well. Fall brings concerts, performances, workshops and community events to towns throughout central New Hampshire, and you may find something happening nearby that wasn't originally on your itinerary.
Explore a Local Downtown
The Lakes Region has several downtown areas that are easy to work into a fall evening. Downtown Laconia is especially convenient if you're staying at Steele Hill Resort or the Summit Resort. You can walk along Main Street, stop for dinner or drinks, catch a show at the historic Colonial Theatre or take a short walk over to the riverfront before heading back to the resort.
Farther north, Meredith offers another option with restaurants and shops clustered around the village and waterfront. If you still have some daylight left, you can walk along the lake or explore part of the Meredith Sculpture Walk before dinner. Smaller communities around the region, including Center Harbor and Wolfeboro, are also worth a stop if your day's travels take you in that direction.
You don't need to make an entire itinerary out of it. Pick a town near wherever you've spent the afternoon, find somewhere for dinner and leave yourself a little time to walk around afterward. It's an easy way to see more of the Lakes Region beyond the attractions you may have originally planned to visit.
Look Up
Clear fall nights in New Hampshire can be worth staying outside for, even after the temperature starts dropping.
Once you're away from the brighter commercial areas, much of the Lakes Region gets dark enough to enjoy the night sky without going anywhere special. Steele Hill's more rural setting is particularly well suited to a quiet evening outside.
Bring an extra layer, find a comfortable spot and give your eyes a few minutes to adjust. After a day spent driving around the region or fitting in fall activities, doing very little for a while can feel pretty good.
Or Stay In
Not every vacation night needs another activity.
One of the advantages of staying in a suite rather than treating your accommodations as somewhere to simply sleep is that heading back early doesn't have to feel like you're cutting the day short. Pick up something for dessert, make a drink, put on a movie or just settle in for the night.
This is particularly true in fall. The pace of the Lakes Region naturally changes after summer, and there's something nice about letting your vacation style change with it.
Make the Most of the Whole Day
Fall gets plenty of attention for scenic drives, foliage and afternoons spent outside, but some of the best parts of a getaway happen once you've finished all of that.
Have dinner somewhere you've been meaning to try. Go back for another swim. See what's happening around town. Spend an hour outside under a clear sky, or decide that staying in sounds better than all of the above.
The sun may be setting earlier, but there's no reason your vacation day has to end with it.
Ready for a fall getaway? Explore Steele Hill Resort, the Summit Resort and Center Harbor Inn and find your home base in New Hampshire's Lakes Region.