New England County Named Among The Snowiest In The U.S.

If you are wondering what Alaska, California, Arizona, New York, and New Hampshire have in common this year, it's that they are each home to one of the snowiest counties in America. Specific to 2024, LawnLove recently detailed this information. New Hampshire was the only New England state to have one of the snowiest counties of 2024 so far.

"We compared 256 counties by historical snowfall records — including annual snowfall, 1-day, and 3-day records," LawnLove explained. Temperature will also be a consideration. Those areas with colder temperatures, specifically where levels hit below freezing, had a higher chance of amounting snow.

The results are somewhat surprising. Of course, Alaska is to be expected to dominate. Of the top 10 snowiest counties, Alaska has more than half of them. The Last Frontier has the first, forth, fifth, eighth, ninth, and tenth snowiest counties of 2024. New York and New Hampshire certainly make sense to see towards the top, but Arizona? A dessert state in the southern region?

According to LawnLove's data, Coconino County in Arizona ranks seventh, and has the sixth largest amount of snow. In fact, Coconino County has a snow removal dedicated section on their website. "Our average annual snowfall in the Flagstaff area is 108.8 inches," they say.

Nonetheless, the New England county that is among the snowiest in the country ranks significantly higher than that.

With the second highest level of snowfall in the country, Coos County is currently only behind Valdez-Cordova Census in Alaska. Coos County has an "average annual historical snowfall of 283.5 inches," LawnLove reports. This is the highest in the country. You will find the always popular White Mountain National Forest range in Coos County, New Hampshire. This, of course, includes the 6,288-foot Mount Washington.

The next New England region to make this list is Aroostook County in Maine, coming in at number 16. Worcester County is Massachusetts's snowiest area. The Bay State first makes an appearance in this rank at number 42.

As much as I love my south shore area of the Northeast, sometimes there is nothing better than a quick pause. We are fortunate in New England that there are so many great options that are a short drive away. It's not hard to embark on that perfect weekend getaway escape.

With summer coming to a close and the hustle and bustle of all the fall activities kicking into overdrive, here I will look at some of the best places for a weekend getaway in New England based upon all of those I have visited.

Many factors can be considered when nailing down that perfect two-day plan. We, of course, are graced with all four seasons of the year, so depending upon when you are traveling, different activities may be available to you. Then again, perhaps you don't want any activities at all.

Food options are important to me. However, I don't make trip plans based around what place has the best restaurants. I tend to lean towards exploring the local area in hopes of tripping across a local gem.

Driving distance is another thing I heavily weigh. Although I don't mind the occasional long road trip, my preference is to maximize my time on a weekend adventure. Therefore, time in the car is ideally under four hours. Cost is always a factor.

Lastly, I must preface this list by stating I am an outdoorsman. A good book or movie can certainly do the trick. I always opt for great ocean waves, a rope swing, or mountain over an extra hour of sleep.

In recent years, I have been to each of the places on this list over various months of the year. They each have their own unique characteristics. Their common bond is that they are all great destinations for a New England weekend getaway.

Cape Cod is an obvious location. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend, there is perhaps no place that is more popular in Massachusetts. To me, it's about finding that specific corner of Cape Cod that is right for you. You can camp or find cottages along Cahoon Hallow Road that will enable amazing trips to the beach. Trekking those sand dunes, hitting the three-foot waves (yes, sometimes there are shark warnings), and then getting food at the Beachcomber while listening to the great live music, is my perfect day.

There is never a bad time to visit this charming town. You can ski Cranmore in the winter. Hike, hit the waterfalls, or visit Storyland in the summer. Either way, you will be graced with some amazing local restaurants. In fact, North Conway flies under the radar as one of the best pizza towns in New England. The hotels like Eastern Slope in accommodate any season, and are right in the middle of town where all the bars, restaurants and stores are. This weekend getaway is probably the least "quiet" but has the most amount of options at your fingertips.

The river that runs through Woodstock has a way of speaking to you. It's serene but can also provide a thrill of pushing you down stream. It's calming to provide that fresh water cleanse to rid yourself of all that comes with the lights on the city. Lastly, the various rope swings scattered around the town provide a liberating rush. From the climb up the rocks to the swing, to the plunge, you focus on nothing but the joy of that ride. Ramunto's Brick Oven and Brews is also an essential stop upon each visit.

Lake life just hits differently. Depending upon where you go around Lake Sebago you get the feeling that nowhere else on the planet exists while you there. Frye Island has the magic of no public cars, local watering holes, and the ability to bike incredible dirt roads. There's a history there to learn about and local taps to enjoy. It's common to see jet skiing or pontoon boating anywhere you look within the glistening waters. Furthermore, certain towns offer that one and only general store that has everything you can imagine, from household cleaning supplies to steaks to grill for dinner.