Hanover is a college town in west central New Hampshire across the Connecticut River from Norwich, Vermont. It is home to Dartmouth College, founded in 1769, whose historic campus dominates the center of the town. Hanover is also a stop on the Appalachian Trail, with through-hikers are a common sight during the summer and fall.

Understand

Climate

Hanover (New Hampshire)
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       2.7     28 10       2.5     33 13       3.1     43 22       3     57 34       3.5     69 44       3.5     78 53       4.2     82 59       3.8     80 57       3.4     72 50       4     58 37       3.5     45 29       2.9     33 17 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches    Data from NOAA (1981-2010)
Metric conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       69     −2 −12       64     1 −11       79     6 −6       76     14 1       89     21 7       89     26 12       107     28 15       97     27 14       86     22 10       102     14 3       89     7 −2       74     1 −8 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm

Get in

By car

• From Boston (about 2.5 hours)

Interstate 93 north to Interstate 89 north at Concord, NH. Exit I-89 at Exit 18 in Lebanon, NH, bear right onto Route 120 north and follow to Hanover.

• From Burlington, Vermont (about 1.5 hours)

Take I-89 south to I-91 north in White River Junction, VT. Continue as below.

• From New York (about 5 hours), southern New England and points south

Take Interstate 91 north to exit 13 at Norwich, Vermont. Bear right off the exit, across the Ledyard Bridge spanning the Connecticut River. Continue up the hill on West Wheelock St. in Hanover.

By plane

Cape Air flies to Lebanon Regional Airport (LEB ^IATA) from Boston.

Other alternatives are Manchester (MHT ^IATA) and Burlington (BTV ^IATA), both about 1.5 hours away by car; or Logan International in Boston or Bradley International in Windsor Locks, both about 2.5 hours away.

By train

Amtrak "Vermonter" service from Washington and New York arrives daily in nearby White River Junction, Vermont.

By bus

• Vermont Transit, In-state: +1-800-642-3133, Out-of-state: +1-800-451-3292.
• Dartmouth Coach, ☏ +1 603 448-2800, toll-free: +1-800-637-0123. Daily service between the Dartmouth campus and Boston South Station and Logan Airport. There is also service to New York City, which is faster and more convenient than the train, but much more expensive. 
• Greyhound serves White River Junction, Vermont

Get around

The downtown/campus area is easily covered on foot.

• Advance Transit, +1 802 295-1824. Bus line has a campus route and also serves most neighboring towns to which one is likely to go. All routes are free. Runs Monday through Saturday.

See

• 1 Hood Museum of Art, Wheelock St, ☏ +1 603 646-2808, fax: +1 603 646-1400, hood.museum@dartmouth.edu. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM (W to 11PM); Su noon-5PM. Wheelchair accessible. Free.  
• 2 Hopkins Center for the Arts, Wheelock St, ☏ +1 603 646-2422, fax: +1 603 646-1375, hopkins.center@Dartmouth.edu. Visual arts, theatre, dance, film, concerts.  
• 3 Montshire Museum of Science, One Montshire Road, Norwich, VT, ☏ +1 802 649-2200, fax: +1 802 649-3637, montshire@montshire.org. Just across the river.  
• Dartmouth Athletics, ☏ +1 603 646-2466, big.green.tickets@dartmouth.edu. Ivy league action. 

Do

The Appalachian Trail runs right through town, from the bridge to Norwich in the west to Velvet Rocks in the east.

• Dartmouth Outdoor Programs, Robinson Hall, ☏ +1 603 646-2428. Provides cabin rentals and outdoor gear rentals. (updated Apr 2024)

• Dartmouth Cross Country Ski Center, ☏ +1 603 643-6534. DOC House at Occom Pond on Clement Rd. Maintains over twenty-five kilometers of groomed cross country ski trails on Oak Hill, the Golf Course and Garipay Field. Provides equipment rentals for skiing, skating, and other winter activities, as well as group and private instruction. (updated Apr 2024)
• Pine Park (Access points at the north end of Occom Pond and along Lyme Road.). Scenic park and nature preserve with several hiking trails. (updated Apr 2024)
• Balch Hill Natural Area (Park at intersection of Grasse Rd and Trescott Rd). Natural area with hiking trails directly east of Hanover. The summit of Balch Hill provides nice views of the surrounding area. (updated Apr 2024)

Buy

• The Dartmouth Co-op, 21 S Main St, Hanover, NH 03755, ☏ +1 (603) 643-3100. 9:30am-5:30pm. Sells a wide variety of Dartmouth-related merch, including clothing, banners, furniture, and souvenirs. (updated Apr 2024)
• Dan & Whit's General Store, Main Street (in Norwich, Vermont). Open every day. Nexus from which all distances are measured. A true general store with a treasure trove of gadgets and tools spanning the early farming days of the area to the present. If you need something that is rare or out of season, they will have it in the back. Slip behind the deli counter to find gardening and sugaring supplies, sleds, hardware and paint. "If we don't have it, you don't need it." 

Eat

• The Works Cafe, 25 S. Main St, ☏ +1 (603) 277-2082. 6am-8pm, every day. Soups, sandwiches, and quinoa bowls. (updated Apr 2024)
• Dirt Cowboy Café, 9 S. Main St, ☏ +1 603 643-1323. The local college town indie coffee shop, and a quite fantastic one at that. 
• Jesse's Restaurant & Tavern, 7 Blue Sky Dr, ☏ +1 603 643-4111. Steaks and other American fare in a rustic, log-cabin setting. (updated Apr 2024)
• Molly's Restaurant & Bar, 43 S. Main St, ☏ +1 603 643-2570. Known for $3 margaritas and fish tacos. (updated Apr 2024)
• Murphy's On the Green, 11 S. Main St, ☏ +1 603 643-4075. 
• Boloco, 35 S. Main St, ☏ +1 603 643-0202. Burritos and burrito bowls. (updated Apr 2024)
• Pine, 2 E. Wheelock St. Fine dining inside the Hanover Inn. (updated Apr 2024)
• The Jewel of India, 27 Lebanon St, ☏ +1 603 643-2217. 
• Tuk Tuk Thai Cuisine, 5 S Main St, ☏ +1 (603) 277-9192. (updated Apr 2024)
• Dunk's, 7 Lebanon St, ☏ +1 603 277 9102. Sports bar and grill. (updated Apr 2024)
• Hanover Scoops, 57 S Main St Ste 104, ☏ +1 (603) 607-6877. (updated Apr 2024)
• Lou's Restaurant and Bakery, ☏ +1 603 643 3321. Longstanding dinner known for classic American breakfasts, pies, and pastries. (updated Apr 2024)

Drink

• Jesse's Restaurant & Tavern, Lebanon St, ☏ +1 603 643-4111. 
• Molly's Restaurant & Bar, 43 S. Main St, ☏ +1 603 643-2570. 
• Murphy's On the Green, 11 S. Main St, ☏ +1 603 643-4075. 
• Sawtooth Kitchen, Bar and Stage, Under Allen St, ☏ +1 603 643 5134. Regularly features live music, comedy acts, and other entertainment. (updated Apr 2024)

Sleep

Accommodations are extremely difficult to find in the area on special Dartmouth weekends such as Graduation, home football games and Winter Carnival.

• 1 Hanover Inn Dartmouth, 2 East Wheelock (at Main St), ☏ +1 603 643-4300, individual.reservations@hanoverinn.com. (updated Jan 2022)
• Six South St Hotel. 
• The Trumbull House Bed & Breakfast, 40 Etna Rd, ☏ +1 603 643-2370, toll-free: +1-800-651-5141. Five rooms in a 16-acre country setting. 
• Norwich Bed and Breakfast, 229 Bradley Hill Rd, ☏ +1 802-649-3800. Elegant country living on a 20-acre working farm overlooking the Connecticut River and the White Mountains. Four elegant rooms, each with private bath. Scrumptious farm-style breakfast with local produce including organic eggs from free-range chickens. 

Go next

Hanover is in the middle of many charming small towns. For a scenic drive take Route 10 north along the Connecticut River and then Routes 116 and 112 to the Lincoln in the White Mountain National Forest.

Routes through Hanover

Norwich ← becomes ←	W  E	→ END
END ←	N  S	→ Lebanon → Claremont