Whether you're hiking one of the many trails in our state parks, boating in the Lakes Region, sunbathing at Hampton Beach, or skiing in the North Country, at the end of the day you're going to want a comfortable, relaxing place to stay. New Hampshire offers a wealth of choices, from traditional country inns, luxurious hotels complete with room service, and convenient motels. If you want to rough it, we've also got campgrounds, some suitable for pitching a tent and others catering to RVs.

But perhaps the lodging which provides the most pleasant stay is the bed and breakfast. With a limited capacity by design, these comfortable retreats are most often located in a vintage home and provide a convivial atmosphere, excellent breakfasts to start your day, and personal attention from the hosts. Over 300 B&B's are listed on New Hampshire's official tourist website, from Coos County in the north to the Monadnock Region and the seacoast area in the south. Most B&B's serve only one meal a day, breakfast - hence the name, but those are generally spectacular.

For instance, the Stone Bridge Farm in Hillsborough lists a sample menu on the state's official Visit New Hampshire website; the small B&B offers a hearty gourmet breakfast with deliciously prepared eggs, bacon, sausage, french toast with warm peach compote and maple syrup, waffles, toast, homemade muffins, fresh fruit, granola, yogurt, gourmet coffees and teas, and more. The small B&B has two very private rental rooms, each with its own bath, living area and small kitchen, located in an ell attached to the main building, a handsome 1826 brick federal style building.

In the White Mountains to the north, the Darby Field Inn in Albany offers a unique experience. Their rooms and deluxe suites - the suites feature a Jacuzzi, steam bath, and a fireplace - offer a warm and restful sleep; beyond that, the Inn has both a tavern and dining room, and serves both hearty breakfast and sumptuous gourmet dinners, with fine wines and their famous Darby Cream Pie; they also offer sleigh rides, cross-country skiing on their own private trail, and even a massage by their very own masseuse.

If you're heading for the seacoast, you might want to consider the Inn at Strawbery Banke, in one of seven rooms in a beautifully preserved early colonial home in Portsmouth; have breakfast as you look out on the garden and watch the birds, and then explore Strawbery Banke itself, the historically restored old section of this seacoast town.

Each of the over 300 Bed & Breakfasts in New Hampshire has its own unique character, offering a one-of-a-kind experience. You may want to choose regions which you want to visit and explore the listings of B&B's in that area, or you might want to pick a B&B that especially appeals to you, and plan your vacation around that locale. Either way, by opting for a B&B you'll get to see New Hampshire from a very pleasing and unusual viewpoint.

Aldene Fredenburg is a freelance writer living in southwestern New Hampshire. She has written numerous articles for local and regional newspapers and for a number of Internet websites, including Tips and Topics. She expresses her opinions periodically on her blog, http://beyondagendas.blogspot.com. She may be reached at amfredenburg@yahoo.com.