Breakfast in New Hampshire

After a long weekend in Nantucket, I always make a point to head up to New Hampshire and visit my favorite bed and breakfast, The Follansbee Inn. Run by Dave and Cathy Beard, it is truly a find. Looking for an escape from the hustle and bustle? This is your place. It is as if you are hidden away in the forest with a beautiful lake before you and there are no sounds other than those of the birds and the wind whistling through the trees.

Granted, I have never been a bed and breakfast type of person, but this Inn has changed my opinion forever. Located an easy 2 hour drive from Boston's Logan Airport and even closer from the Manchester Airport, it is all highway driving through the trees once you leave the Concord area. Of course, I always stop in Concord for a little shopping at the LLBean factory outlet store, but that's me. You will be looking for Exit 11 coming from the South and it's about 20 minutes past the Concord exits. Exact directions from all locations can be found on the website at http://www.follansbeeinn.com/. When you come into town from the highway, you will pass what appears to be a one room police station on your right. Take a right and you pass what appears to be the only gas station/convenience store and you immediately see the beautiful white church and its steeple. The Inn is just past that on the right with a beautiful old graveyard behind it. Across the street is Kezar Lake. You will encounter no other traffic, so take your time to enjoy the views.

Checking into the Inn involves Dave and Cathy greeting you from the living room of this spacious old inn, the largest in New Hampshire with 18 guest rooms. Leave your bags in the hallway - Dave will take care of them while you rest in the comfy chairs in front of a fire and maybe sip a cold beverage from the bar. Strains of Frank Sinatra or Edith Piaff will fill the background and you will immediately feel at home.

If you arrive in the evening, it will be a struggle to go upstairs and unpack and get situated in your room. You won't want to leave the living room. As other guests arrive, a friendly atmosphere reigns downstairs, with most gathering around the small bar next to the fireplace where Dave holds court all evening. There are some bar stools and a small table for conversation or playing cards or sharing a pizza. With a wide selection of beer and wine, Dave will tend to your every need while both Cathy and Dave entertain the guests that wish to be entertained. Your tab will be added to your bill when you check out, so no need for money while you relax.

Across the hall from the living room is a reading room with 2 comfy recliners, a couch and another table with an assortment of games and puzzles to keep you busy. The living room and dining room have a wall of windows facing out over Kezar Lake. You can sit in the living room and watch the sunset or if its warm enough, head outside onto the porch and sit in the comfortable chairs with a book or a glass of wine and breathe in the fresh air.

In the summer months, Dave puts the boat dock into the water and there are kayaks and row boats available for your use to take out onto the water. Row out to Blueberry Island and see nature up close. Or lie in the hammock in the trees next to the lake and take a nap or read a book. Or sit on the swing and feel the sun on your face.

I have taken my 12 year old nephew to the Inn and he was never bored. There was no limit to the amount of things he wanted to do. There are no tv's in the rooms or in the guest areas of the Inn and he never once complained. He just enjoyed clean fresh air and a summertime day kayaking on the lake and taking a nap in the hammock. There are also bikes available to take out for a ride. Take a wonderful long walk or ride around the lake on the road. There won't be much traffic to worry about.

Each room at the Inn is remarkably unique and individual to your needs. There are rooms with double beds, family rooms, adjoining rooms for families with teenagers and all have their own bathroom in the room. Each room has a different name. I have stayed in a different room each time I have visited. After my first visit, I counted "Clarissa" as my favorite. But then the next time, my favorite room was that room. And so on.

But the best part by far of this Inn are the breakfasts. Cathy gets up each morning at 5am and prepares a different breakfast each day from scratch. She uses old family recipes and trust me, the breakfasts are wonderful. From apple pancakes to gingerbread waffles to french toast or quiche, each one is to die for. I always ask her why she needs to get up so early to prepare something as simple as a quiche and she responds that she makes the crust from scratch so it takes longer. You can tell the moment you bite into her food. No expense is spared and each breakfast is made with her family's love of food.

Cathy and Dave have been running this Inn for years and are a wealth of information for visitors looking for trails to hike, skiing, restaurants, or shopping. Colby Sawyer College is in town in addition to Dartmouth College and other prep schools nearby and a lot of visitors are parents of kids attending those schools. But just as many visitors are people who have come through once who return again and again. Just check the huge Guest Book in the foyer and read the comments and you will understand how much people appreciate what this Inn has to offer.

Whether your room looks out over the lake or the changing leaves of the trees in the quiet cemetery, you will cherish the peace and quiet of your visit here and will want to return soon. I will be there again in June and can't wait to see Cathy and Dave.