Sparkles and Shoes

A Fashion, Travel, and Lifestyle Blog

  • Home
  • About
    • Contact
  • Fashion
    • My Style
      • Spring Style
      • Summer Style
      • Fall Style
      • Winter Style
    • Really Love My …
    • Shop My Instagram
    • Style Icons
    • Trending
  • Travel
    • Africa
      • Egypt
      • Kenya
      • Morocco
      • Southern Africa
      • Tanzania
    • Asia
      • Indonesia
      • Qatar
      • Russia
      • Singapore
      • Turkey
    • Europe
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Croatia
      • Cyprus
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • England
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Greece
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • Monaco
      • Netherlands
      • Norway
      • Poland
      • Portugal
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Scotland
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Turkey
      • Vatican City
    • North America
      • Canada
      • Caribbean
      • Central America
      • US: East Coast
      • US: West Coast
    • South America
  • Lily Harper
  • Favorites
    • Beauty
    • Delicious Eats
    • London
    • My Wedding
    • Sparkle Sessions

A Great New Hampshire Long Weekend

09/25/17 | East Coast, New England, New Hampshire, Travel, United States

In case you missed it on Instagram I spent the past three days in New Hampshire truly admiring everything New England has to offer.  I was only in the Granite state for 72-hours but I made sure I made the most of it – hiking, biking, waterskiing, and most importantly spending time with my family! If you live in the Northeast you will know we have had a bit of a heatwave so instead of sweaters and fall foliage I opted for tank tops and time in the water! 

I flew up to New Hampshire Thursday after work and on Friday morning after enjoying some coffee and gorgeous scenery we hiked up Mt. Kearsarge.  There are a few ways up and to vary the exercise we hiked up the steep way – see the massive boulders below – and traveled down the more gradual slope.  After the hike we worked up quite an appetite so we had incredible homemade blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup at the Foothills Restaurant  (they serve breakfast until 2pm) and then switched our hiking clothes for biking ones and went on a pretty 18-mile ride. Take a look: 

Dad Hiking Mt. KearsargeAt the Top of Mt. Kearsarge

After the bike ride we cleaned up and enjoyed a quick drink by the fire at the house before heading out to meet my grandparents for dinner.  We had an AMAZING five-course, prix-fixe meal at Oak & Grain located at the Inn at Pleasant Lake and it was a joy to celebrate both my grandfather and my birthday’s as we are both September babies.  I brought my DSLR to dinner and got a bunch of amazing shots of the incredible food, my outfit, and the Inn which will have its own blog post coming soon but here’s a small preview: 

Kelly and Grandpa at the Inn at Pleasant Lake Scallops at Oak & Grain at the Inn at Pleasant LakeSparkles and Shoes Birthday

When we realized Saturday was going to be the nicest day of the weekend we planned to make that the boat day.  It was only a quick drive to Lake Sunapee (which you have seen here) and we boarded the speed boat for a gorgeous four hours on the lake.  I am sure I sounded like a broken record remarking how gorgeous it was every twenty minutes but for the end of the September I was expecting to be in a windbreaker, not a bikini soaking up 80 degree sunshine but the change was so lovely even if the warm weather meant the foliage isn’t quite ready.  Both before and after lunch my Dad and I took turns waterskiing on the lake which was almost crystal smooth (and I promise I was having a great time even if I’m grimacing in the photos below!). 

Dad Waterskiing on Lake Sunapee

Saturday night we had another great dinner with my grandparents and then went to a performance of the North Country Chordsmen performing barbershop style signing which wasn’t really up my ally but it was definitely an experience!  Sunday I had to fly back to New York but to make the most of every moment we got up early and went on a lovely 22-mile bike ride on the gorgeous rail trail that stretches from Concord to Lake Sunapee. 

Concord – Lake Sunapee Rail Trail

Have you ever been to New Hampshire? 

Signature

Subscribe

« The Perfect Off the Shoulder Dress
Jessica Alba <3 Stuart Weitzman »

Related Posts

  • Zebra in the Ngorongoro CraterSafari in the Ngorongoro Crater
  • Alter to the Slottskyrkan Royal Chapel at the Royal Palace in StockholmTouring The Stockholm Royal Palace
  • Close Up with a Galapagos Sea Lion UnderwaterSwimming with Sea Lions
  • Kelly and Samantha at the Brandenburg GateThe Best of Berlin

Comments

  1. Pam says

    September 26, 2017 at 9:02 pm

    The covered bridge is adorable. Can you really drive on it? Looks like you had a fabulous weekend.

  2. Lucy says

    September 26, 2017 at 3:32 pm

    Wow, you really lucked out with the weather and I love the shots of you waterskiing!

  3. TAMMY says

    September 26, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    Wow. Never been to New Hampshire but the views look beautiful. I would love this. I see it was summer up there too. By the coast it was 90F for the weekend. Summer does not want to go away yet and I am fine with that. Keep the jacket in the closet for another while. Might be one of these years that there is no real fall and it goes right to winter. Great for you to see family. Hiking, boating and biking is always fun. 18 mile bike ride is impressive. I can ride 3 to 4 miles max.

  4. Abigail says

    September 26, 2017 at 6:34 am

    That hike has such beautiful views.

  5. Aimee says

    September 26, 2017 at 6:29 am

    Wow you packed a lot in! Looks like it was a fabuulous weekend.

Hi, I am Kelly and welcome to Sparkles and Shoes, a fashion, travel, and lifestyle blog founded in 2012.  After six years of living in London I am back in New York with my husband and two littles! 

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Search

Newsletter

WHERE I SHOP

Amazon

Anthropologie

J. Crew

Minted 

Sephora

Target

Walmart

Zappos

Archives

  • 2025
  • 2024
  • 2023
  • 2022
  • 2021
  • 2020
  • 2019
  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016
  • 2015
  • 2014
  • 2013
  • 2012

Fine Print

Sparkles and Shoes is a part of several affiliate advertising programs. This means that if you click and/or make a purchase through certain links on this site or any related social media platforms (including Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest), I may make a commission from that click and/or purchase. All opinions are my own.

© Kelly Donlin and Sparkles and Shoes, 2012-2022 Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Kelly Donlin and Sparkles and Shoes with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Get the latest

Receive Sparkles and Shoes right to your inbox!

Connect with me

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 · Designed by High Note Designs, LLC

Copyright © 2025 · Tasteful Theme on Genesis Framework