Conway, NH to Portsmouth, NH is 78.1 miles and takes about 1h 56m via White Mountain Highway and Spaulding Turnpike, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip travels within New Hampshire, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a manageable drive that offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward connection between these two points in New Hampshire.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
39.1 miles from Conway, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 1m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
White Mountain Highway
40.2 mi
1h 1m
Spaulding Turnpike
32.3 mi
42m
Chocorua Mtn Highway
1.5 mi
2m
Main Street
1.2 mi
2m
US 1 Bypass
1.1 mi
2m
US 4
0.9 mi
1m
Market Street
0.6 mi
1m
Submarine Way
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
White Mountain Highway
— 40.2 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Conway, NH and Portsmouth, NH.
1
Start on NH 16; NH 113
1.2 mi·2 min·Main Street
2
Continue on NH 16; NH 113
8.9 mi·13 min·White Mountain Highway
3
Continue on NH 16
1.5 mi·2 min·Chocorua Mtn Highway
4
Continue on NH 16
31 mi·48 min·White Mountain Highway
5
Continue on NH 16
32 mi·42 min·Spaulding Turnpike
6
Take the exit onto US 4; NH 16
0.9 mi·1 min·US 4; NH 16
Toward I 95 NorthUse the slight left lane.
7
Enter roundabout onto US 1 Bypass
0.1 mi·19 sec·US 1 Bypass
Toward US 1 Bypass North: Portsmouth, Woodbury Avenue
8
Continue on US 1 Bypass
1.0 mi·2 min·US 1 Bypass
Toward US 1 Bypass North: Portsmouth, Woodbury Avenue
9
Turn left onto Submarine Way
0.1 mi·17 sec·Submarine Way
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto Market Street
0.6 mi·1 min·Market Street
11
At end of road, turn right onto US 1
52 ft·1 sec·Congress Street
12
Arrive at destination
US 1
Trip Plan
With a total duration of under two hours, this is easily a same-day trip. You could leave anytime in the morning and still have plenty of daylight to reach Portsmouth. Since the drive is relatively short, you have flexibility if you want to make a brief stop. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, as the estimated cost is only $13, and topping up in Conway before you leave is a good idea. Pay attention to exit signs as you transition from highway sections to surface roads.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 39.1 miles from Conway, NH, or about 1h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 40.2 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 17 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 39.1 miles or 1h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 38m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Portsmouth, NH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Conway, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Conway, NH
This is one driving day of about 78.1 miles and 1h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Conway, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on White Mountain Highway for about 40.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 75.3 and 78.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
75.3 mi into trip|~1h 50m in|US 4; NH 16
Take the exit onto US 4; NH 16 toward I 95 North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward I 95 North
6
76.3 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|US 1 Bypass
Enter roundabout onto US 1 Bypass toward US 1 Bypass North: Portsmouth, Woodbury Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 1 Bypass North: Portsmouth, Woodbury...
5
77.4 mi into trip|~1h 54m in|Submarine Way
Turn left onto Submarine Way
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
77.5 mi into trip|~1h 54m in|Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
4
78.1 mi into trip|~1h 56m in|US 1 / Congress Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 1 / Congress Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.57 one way
$25.15 round trip
$4.09/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.50
$13.83
$27.67
premium
$4.86
$14.96
$29.91
diesel
$5.61
$17.24
$34.49
Estimated Tolls: $2.26
Spaulding Turnpike
(32.3 mi)$2.26
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.4
0
$8.20
$3.75
Efficient EV
19.5
0
$6.83
$3.12
EV Truck/SUV
31.2
0
$10.93
$5.00
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Conway, NH
Morning
in Conway on Tuesday
Local time
10:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Portsmouth, NH
Morning
in Portsmouth on Tuesday
Local time
10:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Wakefield, NH
39 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
17 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 56m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
About 44% of this 78.1-mile drive is on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 40.2 miles on White Mountain Highway before transitioning to Spaulding Turnpike. Expect a mixed driving experience with some highway cruising and some time on surface roads. The route involves merging onto and off of turnpikes, so be prepared for those transitions.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 40.2 mi on White Mountain Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 75.3 miles in near US 4; NH 16.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Conway, NH to Portsmouth, NH is easy. At 1h 56m with 44% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 75.3 miles (US 4; NH 16): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 76.3 miles (US 1 Bypass): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 77.4 miles (Submarine Way): Lane positioning matters here.
The longest stretch is about 40.2 miles on White Mountain Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.26 in tolls one way, starting with Spaulding Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
Mostly yes along the main roads, but rural stretches through NH can have sparse or no coverage. Before you leave, download offline Google Maps or Apple Maps for the route, and consider downloading music or podcasts instead of streaming. If you depend on data for navigation, keep a paper backup of the turn-by-turn directions.
The main spots that need attention: at 75.3 miles (US 4; NH 16): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 76.3 miles (US 1 Bypass): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 77.4 miles (Submarine Way): Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Portsmouth, NH before heading back.
