Where History and Hospitality Flow Together

March 26, 2026

Adapted from Discover the Sugar River Region 2025/2026 Destination Guide by Sarah Pearson

Between Lake Sunapee and the Connecticut River, which divides New Hampshire and Vermont, the Sugar River Region is shaped by waterways, mill towns, and the people who’ve built their lives along them. The region’s history echoes New England’s and hospitality is part of the culture, from lakeside inns to welcoming town centers.

The Headwaters of History

Long before rail lines and village greens, this region was shaped by Indigenous travel routes and waterways. Lake Sunapee was known as Soo-Nipi, or “Goose Lake,” and the Sugar River and its tributaries provided sustenance and fertile valleys.

European settlement followed in the mid-1700s, and communities grew through determination as much as geography. Today, places such as the Fort at No. 4 in Charlestown offer an immersive window into early frontier life, where visitors can step into the rhythms, skills, and stories of the region’s earliest days.

From Grand Hotels to Quiet Discovery

By the late 1800s, trains delivered visitors to Newbury Harbor, where they boarded ferries bound for Lake Sunapee’s grand hotels, inns, and cottage colonies. Reminders of that era still linger, including three lighthouses that once guided steamboats between ports. Today you can enjoy a lake tour or dinner cruise on Sunapee Cruises to explore the history, landmarks and lore of this crystal clear mountain lake.

As rail travel declined and the automobile age arrived, Lake Sunapee became a hidden destination travelers still miss as it is tucked just beyond the trees. That sense of quiet discovery is part of the appeal: easy access to I-89, yet far less crowded than many New Hampshire lake destinations. With the opening of Mount Sunapee State Park in 1948, the region’s outdoor hospitality became year-round. Today, the mountain’s ski and summer recreation amenities are privately operated by Mount Sunapee Resort. Beautiful Sunapee Harboroffers boutique lodging, shopping, restaurants, ice cream, and even a taproom.