Victorian Inn with Ghostly Claim to Fame in New Hampshire Appalachians

Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, cofounders and stars of the SyFy show Ghost Hunters, have been investigating the paranormal for years. When the two men decided to operate an inn together, they naturally chose a place with a haunted reputation. A restored 19th-century Victorian mansion, The Spalding Inn earned its own Ghost Hunters episode thanks to stories of shadowy figures in its Carriage House. Though some guests may be intrigued by the supernatural, others are charmed by the inn’s quaint guest rooms, old-fashioned pub, and veranda with wooden rocking chairs. The hotel also attracts visitors for its panoramic vistas of the White Mountains.

Some of the best views can be found at the main house's front porch, which is framed by pillars and lined with colonial-style rocking chairs. Orchards and perennial gardens fill the foreground, and the smoky peaks of Presidential Range—summits named after the presidents and founding fathers—sit on the horizon. The inn’s rooms evoke country charm with carved wooden furnishings and floral quilts. For a warm meal, the 2 Kings Restaurant serves shepherd's pie, chicken breast, and steak, and the adjacent pub offers a little recreation via the billiards table.

White Mountains, New Hampshire: Soaring Peaks and Quaint Towns

Located in northern New Hampshire, White Mountains National Forest has 48 peaks that rise more than 4,000 feet, making them New England’s tallest mountains. They include the 6,288-foot summit of Mount Washington, which people climb to take in views extending to Maine, Quebec, and the Atlantic Ocean. For a less daunting climb, head to Crawford Notch State Park to hike the Mount Willard trail, which meanders past a small waterfall that flows into Centennial Pool.

Small historical towns dot the surrounding lowlands—Crawford Notch, Bethlehem, Littleton, and tiny Dixville Notch, one of the first towns in the United States to declare its results during each presidential election. Many became popular vacation spots during the railroad era, when Bostonians and New Yorkers flocked to New Hampshire to swap out stifling city streets for mountain air. Whitefield preserves this history through its proud Victorian houses, and dozens of Gilded Age mansions reside just south in Bethlehem.

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