A small town in New Hampshire was named one of the best obscure lake towns in America.
The lifestyle website Travel + Leisure named a town on Squam Lake as one of the coziest lakefront towns in the United States to visit.
“While some lakes and lake towns across the U.S. have had their summer magic muted by crowds and larger-than-life reputations, others have maintained relatively low profiles,” Travel + Leisure said.
And while summer may be officially over, Granite Staters can still visit Holderness, New Hampshire, for a chance to relax in a small town beside the lake from the Katharine Hepburn classic “On Golden Pond.”
Holderness, New Hampshire — ‘small town that packs a big punch’
Travel + Leisure named Holderness as one of the best hidden lake towns in the United States to visit and got some insight from a Centum Fora travel advisor, Gray Grandy, on why it’s such a great place to visit.
“According to Grandy, Holderness, New Hampshire, is a “small town that packs a big punch,” the website said. “With a population around 2,000, this tiny gem sits on Squam Lake, a clean, clear, swimmable body of water.”
Yankee Magazine actually named Squam Lake in Holderness as the best place to see fall foliage in New Hampshire back in 2025. Seeing as the leaves start changing in New Hampshire around Sept. 28 to Oct. 9 this far in-land in the Granite State, that may be a good time to plan a visit.
“Grab a sandwich from the Squam Lake Marketplace and head to the public beach to splash and play without worrying about a phone ringing in your back pocket,” the article said. It also recommended stops at the Squam Lakes Natural Science Center and Squam Lake Inn.
You can find the Squam Lake Marketplace at 863 Daniel Webster Highway U, 863 US-3 in Holderness, New Hampshire.
Rin Velasco is a trending reporter. She can be reached at rvelasco@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald. Reporting by Rin Velasco.
