Get a Glimpse of the Past with Route 3 Retro Tour

Betty's Travel Planning Tips
Submitted by: Betty Gagne, Granite State Ambassador, First in the Nation Class 1999 & Customer Service Assistant NH Division of Travel & Tourism Development

Set of signs promoting Burma-Shave, on U.S. Route 66.
Courtesy of Wilkipedia.

If you’re old enough to know what a Burma Shave sign is, then you might remember what is was like to pile into the family car and travel aimlessly on a vacation. I’m talking about going back in time, even before Interstate 93 was constructed through New Hampshire. A time when road trips were a way of life, lodging reservations were unheard of, and each corner you turned brought a different adventure. Fast forward to our Route 3 Retro Tour, one of our newest itineraries on VisitNH.gov.

The Retro Tour takes you along Route 3 beginning in Meredith and ending in Pittsburg. During the ‘50’s and ‘60’s, this was the main north-south route that vacationers and business travelers frequented. Follow this path today and you may be surprised to know that many of the attractions and motels along this route are the same ones that were there way back when. Stops along the road include diners, motels (which is a term that blended the words ‘motor’ and ‘hotel’), time-tested attractions (like Clark’s Trading Post, one of the oldest in the state), and beautiful, natural scenery. Did you know that gasoline was 15 cents a gallon in 1950? The itinerary contains an interesting timeline with many historical dates and facts like this about how life has evolved since the ‘50’s. 

The Route 3 Retro Tour is a must-do for visitors, as it paints a clear picture of what it was like to travel through New Hampshire after the end of World War II. Happy Retro Touring!