Best way to Alton?

[lakershaker]

I am still trying to decide what the best way is to get to Alton coming from Rt.495 in Mass. The shortest distance is to go Rt.3 to Rt. 28 through Manchester and Hooksett, but that takes forever, especially if you get stuck behind a truck or slowmover. I tried going to the Spaudling Turnpk/Rt.16 down in the portsmouth area, but then you are adding miles and a couple of tolls. And if you take 93 to Rt.3 to Rt.11, that also adds miles.

I would be interested to hear what others use as the preferred route. Thanks!

[jrc]

When I don't expect traffic in Concord, or at the racetrack, I go up 93 to 393 East. I think its exit 15. This merges back in with Rt9. At Epsom circle I pick up Rt 28 and follow it to Alton.

If there might be traffic in Concord. I get off right at the Hooksette tolls. I think its exit 11. Then weave through some backroads, over the river and pick up Rt 28 near Allenstown. This is a little tricky, this link shows the area.

http://maps.yahoo.com/maps_result?ed=M7tNO.p_0TqT&csz=hooksett%2C+nh&country=us&new=1&name=&qty=

[ghfromaltonbay]

If I'm not expecting traffic in Concord, I take exit 35 off 495 to Route 3 north, which becomes the Everett Turnpike in Nashua. Take the Tpke. thru Manchester merge onto 93 just before the Hooksett Tolls. Take Exit 15 in Concord onto 393 and then take 9 East. You have a choice of staying on 9 to the Epsom Circle and taking 28 North from there, or at the light in Chichester (just past Gary's RVs) make a left and go down the hill past the Chichester library and elementary school and hook up with 28 north near the Chichester General Store. That cuts a few miles off going to the circle.

Actually, I've also stayed on 495 to 95 and come via the Spaulding Tpke. to Exit 15 which puts you on 11 West. Although it adds about 11 miles to my trip, it normally takes the same amount of time unless there's a back-up at the Hampton Tolls.

When you drive 300+ miles and 5.5 hours from NJ, you learn over the years which ways work best depending on the day of the week and the time of day you're traveling.

[Island-Ho]

You could try taking the Hooksett exit off 93 onto Rt 3A, cross the river at Hooksett to Rt 3, and then onto 28. This will bypass the Manchester area. With today's gas prices, shorter and slower is better.

[BroadHopper]

I agree with Island-ho and jrc. Ext 11 to 3a, cross the bridge to rte 3 then 28. There is a couple of shortcuts, so you may want to nail them down via Mapquest. I'll be happy to meet you at the park-n-ride off exit 11 and show you the shortcuts.

Another way is to take 104 into meredith. then a shortcut down meridith center road to roller coaster rd. down rte 3. but the weirs is on the way and there is always traffic.

[PROPELLER]

Personally, I like using Rt 28 but I do not have to come from 495 in Mass. Personally I would never use Rt 3. If it were me I would go 495 to 93 take exit 9 North in Hooksett & follow 28 unless it is Friday afternoon because 28 in Hooksett from the Space Center to Shaws can be horrendous. On a Friday afternoon I would continue on 93 & get off at the Hooksett toll as Island Ho said & hook up with Rt 28.

[Rattlesnake Gal]

Guests of ours came up Route 495 to 95, onto 16 then to 11.
They had no problems at all, even on a Saturday morning.

[lakershaker]

Wow - very fast response, so I take it others have had to think this out too! From looking closly at the maps, the exit 11 to Rt. 28 looks like a good bet. Thanks also to Broadhopper for the nice gesture to escort us, but I think I found the backroads you are talking about. Thanks again!

[PROPELLER]

Do not go down Main Street to Rt 28 because a left turn is not permitted. Take one of the back roads off Main street before coming to the intersection of Main & Rt 28.

[Mee-n-Mac]

If I'm not expecting traffic in Concord, I take exit 35 off 495 to Route 3 north, which becomes the Everett Turnpike in Nashua. Take the Tpke. thru Manchester merge onto 93 just before the Hooksett Tolls. Take Exit 15 in Concord onto 393 and then take 9 East. You have a choice of staying on 9 to the Epsom Circle and taking 28 North from there, or at the light in Chichester (just past Gary's RVs) make a left and go down the hill past the Chichester library and elementary school and hook up with 28 north near the Chichester General Store. That cuts a few miles off going to the circle.

When you're not stuck in traffic I think GH's way above is the quickest. Taking the Chichester cutoff is a nice few miles in the country farmland though you'll miss the Wendy's, Dunkin Donuts, Subway and ice cream place (? name ?) at Epsom circle. From 495 to Alton it'll be about 75 miles.

[camp guy]

One method not often mentioned is to get yourself to Wolfeboro, take the Mt Washington to Weirs, spend several days enjoying the vehicular, motorbike, and boat traffic, eat some 'boardwalk' food, and eventually ride the Mt Wahington downstream to Alton. This route is seriously longer, costs a bundle more, is very hard to justify, and requires several changes of socks, BUT, it avoids the Hooksett tolls, the Epsom Circle jam up, and the confusion at the Circle. Plus, the view riding on the Mount is spectacular. Good Luck.

[upthesaukee]

Lakershaker

We have friends who live on Half Moon Lake in the south end of Alton, and who have relatives down in Ct. I think even in the Farmington area. they often will go up Interstate 91 to Brattleboro, and then take NH 9 all the way across through Keene to I89 to Concord to I93n to Exit 15 and then as the others have explained. Having gone that way only once, but having travelled Rte 9 from upstate NY to Alton numerous times, I can say that 91 didn't seem to have too much traffic vs. I 495 etc., and rte 9 is usually a very pleasant and easy ride, overall good two lane road, and except during foliage times during the day, traffic moves well. Brattleboro was about the half way point for us, and right after getting off I 91, there was a traffic circle with McD's etc down the road to the right just a little ways. Try it some time, you may like the routing.

[pmj]

We live in Alton but we have LOTS of family and friends in Massachusetts (North shore to Boston).
When we are in Ma. we always come and go home via Rt 95 to the Spaulding Trnpk(16) to Rt 11 into Alton. We have timed all the routes and the one I mentioned may not be much quicker but it seems quicker because there is more highway and we are less apt to get behind a tractor or some other piece of slower machinery.

That said, if we were coming from Lowell/Nashua Area, we would come up 3-93-393-4-28.

pmj

[ApS]

Nobody's mentioned my old standby, exit 7 (101E) -- one mile to 28 Bypass north. There's a gas station right at that 28 intersection, too. (Old standby because I've been searching all the alternates since).

I'll give that Concord route a try, though, to exit 15. (I've got the Official NH State map before me now). In the past, I've been toll-road averse.

No longer. Traffic has gotten to me. I'll miss that 28 drive alongside the Suncook rivers, though.

Exit 9 isn't too bad to 28. Just slow for a space, with inner-city racers in the traffic. If the traffic is hopeless, there's fast food available. 'Can't vouch for Wendy's, Dunkin Donuts, or Subway availability. If there's construction detours on any of those offered exit alternates (9 and 10), retrace your path back to I-93.

One dead-certain piece of advice: Never get lost in Manchester city limits. It's as bad -- maybe worse -- than Boston.

[PROPELLER]

As APS mentioned that is another alternative to taking exit 9N if you take 93 to 28. However you do not do any better as you still have to go through the worst part of 28 in Hooksett(K-Mart, Merchants, etc) especially bad on Friday afternoons. Once you get through the light at Shaws & Wendys though, its smooth sailing. The Epsom circle is not bad at all even on Friday afternoons & the Circle Restaurant is a great place to eat.

[Island Girl]

My favorite route on Thursday nights is 495N, Rt4N to Rt 3N, all the way to exit 20, Rt 3 to 3/11 bypass..While longer in miles, it actually takes less time due to rush hour on those other roads mentioned.

The route home is almost always 28S to 93S to 101W, 293S to 3S to 4S to 495S ... On Sundays there is just not that much traffic on 28.

I found that the time of day I would get to exit 9 on 93, through the rush hour traffic on 101E takes longer than going up and around.

The round about route is not the way to go back... too much traffic at the Hooksett tolls.

[ApS]

"...The Epsom circle is not bad at all even on Friday afternoons..."

Depends.

I crossed the center line to get ...something... (food?, gas?), towing a trailer near the Epsom circle.

When trying to get back into traffic, I had a wait of more than a few minutes.

Note to self: Get food/gas on the same side of the road as one's re-entry.

(Merging with direction-friendly traffic is easier than crossing opposed/oncoming traffic and then trying to merge in the direction needed).

[ghfromaltonbay]

[QUOTE=pmj] :cool: We live in Alton but we have LOTS of family and friends in Massachusetts (North shore to Boston).
When we are in Ma. we always come and go home via Rt 95 to the Spaulding Trnpk(16) to Rt 11 into Alton. We have timed all the routes and the one I mentioned may not be much quicker but it seems quicker because there is more highway and we are less apt to get behind a tractor or some other piece of slower machinery.

That said, if we were coming from Lowell/Nashua Area, we would come up 3-93-393-4-28.

You're right about getting stuck behind a slow moving vehicle. HOWEVER, my pet peeve is those drivers who can't keep a steady speed on roads like Rte. 11 or 28 with limited passing zones. I wouldn't mind if they did a steady 50 mph in the 55 mph zones, at least you wouldn't have to constantly step on the brakes to keep from tailgating. I'm referring to the noodniks who go 55, then slow to 45 and then remember they're behind the wheel and go 50 then back to 45. When you do get to a passing zone and try to pass them when they're doing 45, they wake up again and then try to go 55 as you're passing them.

[ApS]

Just when I'm ready to pay the tolls on Everett (and avoid some traffic), there's a plan afoot to eliminate some tolls!

http://www.theunionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=53111

It would help some of us here.

[ghfromaltonbay]

The tolls that would be eliminated would only help those who enter and exit in Merrimack. The Bedford and Hooksett tolls which you pass thru while traveling from Nashua to Hooksett are not affected. Right now these are 75 cents each or 37.5 cents with the token discount. I always thought it was pricey if you wanted to take Exit 11 to stop at the Burger King or Papa Gino's on the way home which are visible from the highway, you needed to pay 50 cents to get back on the Everett heading south.