Fall in Hanover, NH
There are a lot of reasons to be in Hanover each fall season: travelers following the foliage north, visitors exploring the Upper Valley, and families and alumni drawn by the rhythms of Dartmouth. What stands out most, though, is the season itself—orchards filled with apples, pumpkin fields ready for picking, and covered bridges that make even a short drive memorable. The college town feels especially busy this time of year, giving visitors a chance to enjoy both the lively atmosphere and the beauty of a classic New England autumn.
Farms & Harvest Flavors
Just outside Hanover, Riverview Farm in Plainfield has an annual corn maze, pumpkin patch, and apple orchards along the Connecticut River. In nearby Lebanon, Patch Orchards offers pick-your-own apples, pumpkins, maple products, and fresh cider doughnuts. Also in Lebanon, Poverty Lane Orchards is one of the region’s largest pick-your-own apple farms, known for its hillside orchards and distinctive heirloom cider. Each farm offers its own version of fall fun, but all are easy to reach from Hanover and make great stops during the season. Our Welcome Package includes seasonal recommendations to help you choose which farms to visit and what to look for when you get there.
Fall Flavors in the Lobby
Each fall, the lobby of the Hanover Inn is a bounty of seasonal flavors, on the house! Enjoy complimentary local cider, apples, and other seasonal treats from to grab and go... or grab and relax by the fireplace nook in our lobby.
Covered Bridge Tour: For Bikers, Runners & Sightseers
The Upper Valley is home to some of New England’s most remarkable covered bridges. Just fifteen minutes south of Hanover, the Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge stretches nearly 450 feet across the Connecticut River, making it the longest wooden covered bridge in the United States. Closer to town, the Lyman Bridge in Lyme has carried travelers since 1839 with its distinctive lattice truss design, while the Quechee Bridge in Vermont offers postcard-worthy views over the Ottauquechee River. Together, they tell the story of the region’s past while framing the best of its fall scenery. To make the most of them, we’ve created a curated STRAVA route linking these bridges into one seamless outing.
STRAVA: Tour Our Iconic Covered Bridges
Ask the front desk for a link to our new Upper Valley Covered Bridges STRAVA Route and hit the road— enjoy the bridges, the backroads, and the foliage without worrying about directions back to your room.
Autumn on the Menu
Fall at PINE, our beloved in-house restaurant, means menus shaped by the season, with local ingredients at their freshest. Past autumn menus have featured dishes like roasted squash with Vermont chèvre, seared scallops with apple-maple gastrique, and house pastas filled with wild mushrooms and herbs. Desserts lean into classics such as spiced cider doughnuts and pumpkin tarts, while the bar highlights regional ciders and warming cocktails. Whether you’re winding down from a day exploring corn mazes and covered bridges or simply looking for a meal that feels rooted in New England’s harvest, PINE delivers flavors that are both familiar and elevated.
An Ivy League Field Trip
Fall marks the start of Dartmouth’s academic year, and with it comes a wave of lectures open to the public, performances at the Hopkins Center for the Arts, and exhibitions at the Hood Museum. If you're a forever-learner, there's SO much to soak up here in Hanover each semester, and each season we look forward to inviting our guests to take a front row seat to all the talent, scholarship, and inspiration just beyond our front door. For a preview of the fall calendar, click here.
Enjoy Exclusive Student Discounts
Guests of the Hanover Inn can take advantage of our exclusive Ivy League Field Trip Amenity, which extends special student-style discounts to select campus events, performances, and museum admissions simply by showing your room key. It’s our way of opening the doors a little wider—so you can experience the lectures, concerts, and exhibitions that make Dartmouth a cultural hub each fall.
An Historic Pitstop on the Appalachian Trail
Of the 2,190 miles that make up the Appalachian Trail, it touches the heart of only one college town, passing directly down Main Street, turning onto Wheelock at The Hanover Inn, and continuing down the hill and across the bridge into Vermont. That distinction isn’t by chance—the Dartmouth Outing Club was instrumental in shaping and maintaining the trail’s New Hampshire section, ensuring it would pass right through the Green and down Main Street. Today, hikers still follow those same footsteps, making Hanover both a true trail town and the only Ivy League campus on the A.T.
The Best Martini on the Trail
The Hanover Inn offers a package tailored for thru-hikers and section hikers alike. It includes a comfortable guest room with a tub to soak tired legs, hearty trail-friendly snacks, and the chance to reset before the next stretch. And no stop would be complete without a visit to PINE, where you’ll find what many say is the best martini on the entire trail.