The drive from Exeter, NH to Laconia, NH covers 71.2 miles and takes about 1h 32m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NH 101, Styles Bridges Highway, Everett Turnpike for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 25.3 miles on NH 101.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.46 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.6 miles from Exeter, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 44m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 32m. Total distance: 71.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Exeter, NH to Laconia, NH covers 71.2 miles and takes about 1h 32m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NH 101 is the longest continuous segment at about 25.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.2 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.1 miles (I 93 / Everett Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
1.7 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward NH 101 West: Epping, Manchester
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward NH 101 West: Epping, Manchester
6
27.2 mi into trip|~34m in
Take the exit toward I 93 North: Concord
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 93 North: Concord
4
34.1 mi into trip|~42m in|I 93 / Everett Turnpike
Keep slight left at fork onto I 93 / Everett Turnpike
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
6
62.9 mi into trip|~1h 15m in
Take the exit toward US 3, NH 11, NH 132, NH 140: Laconia, Tilton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.4
0
$7.48
$3.42
Efficient EV
17.8
0
$6.23
$2.85
EV Truck/SUV
28.5
0
$9.97
$4.56
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Exeter, NH
Morning
in Exeter on Friday
Local time
11:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Laconia, NH
Morning
in Laconia on Friday
Local time
11:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
51°F
Concord, NH
36 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
14 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 32m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Exeter, NH to Laconia, NH covers 71.2 miles and takes about 1h 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NH 101, Styles Bridges Highway, Everett Turnpike. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.6 miles from Exeter, NH. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.46 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 71.2 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 27.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 34.1 miles (I 93 / Everett Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully.
On the drive from Exeter, NH to Laconia, NH, road signs begin pointing toward Tilton along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
