Okay, I admit it. I love New Hampshire. Oh, I know it's not as postcard-pretty as Vermont, nor as tourist-friendly as Maine. The state charges everyone, even residents, an annoying two bucks to traverse a measly fifteen miles of coastal interstate highway (with no views). The fields here are mostly full of rocks, and the winter's much too long.
And that "Live Free or Die" license plate? It's for real. New Hampshire stands behind its words. It regards zoning as a conspiracy to undermine property rights. Last I knew, the state did not have a bottle-deposit law, a law banning billboards, a bill requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets, or a sales or income tax on its books.
But that's what makes it so wonderful to visit: its authenticity. You'll hear real accents, and witness real ingenuity and parsimony. New Hampshire savors its reputation as an outpost of plucky, heroic independent citizens fighting the good fight against intrusive laws and irksome bureaucrats -- the same sort of folks who took up arms and thumbed their noses at King George way back when.
This rebellious attitude has had some consequences. State legislators have had to become very creative in financing public services. Many services are funded either by lottery sales or through a "tourist tax" (8% on meals and lodging), along with a hefty local property tax that hits residents a bit too hard. Candidates for virtually every local, state, or national office must also take The Pledge, vowing to fight any effort to impose sales or income tax. To shirk The Pledge is tantamount to political suicide.
Get beyond New Hampshire's affable crankiness, though, and you find pure New England. At its core is a mistrust of outsiders, a premium placed on independence, a belief that government should be frugal, and a laconic acceptance that, no matter what, you can't change the weather. Travelers exploring the state with open eyes will find these attitudes in spades -- along with pickup trucks, pancake houses, hunting caps, and country and rock music. (Granite Staters know how to have fun: The band Aerosmith and cutup comic actor Adam Sandler had their starts here.)
It's not all about flannel shirts and rifle racks. You will also find wonderfully diverse terrain -- from beaches to broad lakes to impressive hills and mountains. Without leaving the state's borders, you can toss a Frisbee on a sandy beach, ride bikes along quiet country lanes, hike rugged granite hills blasted by some of the most severe weather in the world, or canoe on a placid lake in the company of moose and loons. You'll also find good food and country inns.
But most of all, you'll find a strong taste of the independence that has defined New England since the first settlers ran up their flags 3 1/2 centuries ago.
