Nashua to Effingham is 96.1 miles and takes about 2 hours 22 minutes via NH 101 and Calef Highway, with a fuel budget near $17 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Hampshire, moving from the Northeast region towards its eastern portion. The route offers a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a manageable day trip. You'll experience a gradual shift in scenery as you head towards your destination, with ample opportunity to enjoy the local landscape without a long commitment.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
48.1 miles from Nashua, NH
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NH 101
19.1 mi
22m
Calef Highway
17.4 mi
27m
Province Lake Road
15.9 mi
29m
Spaulding Turnpike
14.4 mi
18m
Everett Turnpike
11.9 mi
14m
White Mountain Highway
7 mi
10m
I 293
4.6 mi
6m
Gonic Road
1.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
NH 101
— 19.1 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Nashua, NH and Effingham, NH.
1
Start on NH 101A
27 ft·4 sec·Main Street
2
Turn left onto NH 101A
1.4 mi·3 min·Amherst Street
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
4
Merge onto Everett Turnpike
12 mi·14 min·Everett Turnpike
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 293 South, NH 101 East: Exeter, Portsmouth
6
Merge onto I 293; NH 101
4.6 mi·6 min·I 293; NH 101
7
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101
19 mi·22 min·NH 101
Exit 7Toward NH 101 East: Portsmouth, Seacoast
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Exit 7Toward NH 125: Epping, KingstonUse the slight right lane.
9
Turn left onto NH 125
9.7 mi·14 min·Calef Highway
Use the straight lane.
10
Enter roundabout onto NH 125
171 ft·5 sec·Calef Highway
11
Continue on NH 125
7.7 mi·12 min·Calef Highway
Use the straight lane.
12
Continue on NH 125
1.8 mi·3 min·Gonic Road
13
Take the exit onto NH 16 Onramp North
0.6 mi·57 sec·NH 16 Onramp North
Use the right lane.
14
Merge onto NH 16
14 mi·18 min·Spaulding Turnpike
15
Continue on NH 16
7.0 mi·10 min·White Mountain Highway
16
Turn right onto Wakefield Road
0.6 mi·1 min·Wakefield Road
17
Turn sharp left onto NH 153
16 mi·29 min·Province Lake Road
18
Turn right onto Plantation Road
59 ft·2 sec·Plantation Road
19
Arrive at destination
Plantation Road
Trip Plan
For this 2 hour and 22 minute drive, leaving Nashua in the morning is a good bet, allowing you to arrive in Effingham with plenty of daylight. With a fuel cost estimated at $17, it's a budget-friendly excursion. Since the total distance is just over 96 miles, you don't need to plan for extensive stops, but a brief break around the halfway point could be refreshing. Keep an eye out for the transition from NH 101 to Calef Highway, as this marks the shift from highway 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 48.1 miles from Nashua, NH, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 19.1 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 21 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 48.1 miles or 1h 5m 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 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Effingham, NH than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Nashua, NH so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Nashua, NH
This is one driving day of about 96.1 miles and 2h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Nashua, NH.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NH 101 for about 19.1 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 14
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 57.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|NH 101A / Amherst Street
Turn left onto NH 101A / Amherst Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
13.8 mi into trip|~19m in
Take the exit toward I 293 South, NH 101 East: Exeter, Portsmouth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 293 South, NH 101 East: Exeter, Portsm...
7
19 mi into trip|~26m in|NH 101
Keep slight right at fork onto NH 101 toward NH 101 East: Portsmouth, Seacoast
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 7
Toward NH 101 East: Portsmouth, Seacoast
8
38.1 mi into trip|~49m in
Take the exit toward NH 125: Epping, Kingston
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 7
Toward NH 125: Epping, Kingston
5
57.6 mi into trip|~1h 21m in|NH 16 Onramp North
Take the exit onto NH 16 Onramp North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.99 one way
$33.98 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg34 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$18.61
$37.21
premium
$5.29
$20.01
$40.02
diesel
$5.35
$20.24
$40.48
Estimated Tolls: $1.84
Spaulding Turnpike
(14.4 mi)$1.01
Everett Turnpike
(11.9 mi)$0.83
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
$17
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.8
0
$10.09
$4.61
Efficient EV
24
0
$8.41
$3.84
EV Truck/SUV
38.4
0
$13.45
$6.15
Gas CO2
34 kg
EV CO2
11 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Nashua, NH
Afternoon
in Nashua on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Isolated Rain Showers
N 5 mph16% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Effingham, NH
Afternoon
in Effingham on Wednesday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Scattered Rain Showers
0 mph33% chanceLive forecast
51°F
Rochester, NH
48 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
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 22m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This 96.1-mile drive is split about 53% highway. You'll spend roughly 1 hour and 14 minutes on divided highway before transitioning to surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 19.1 miles on NH 101. Expect a mix of faster-paced driving on the highway sections and more leisurely cruising as you move onto Calef Highway and Province Lake Road.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 19.1 mi on NH 101.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
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 early in the drive near NH 101A / Amherst Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 96.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NH 101A / Amherst Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19 miles (NH 101): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
734 ft150 ft
Total Climb
954 ft
Total Descent
514 ft
Highest Point
734 ft
~68.6 mi in
Elevation Range
584 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Nashua, NH and Effingham, NH, road signs point toward Portsmouth, Seacoast and Kingston.
Nashua is a city in the southern part of New Hampshire. It is the state's second largest city behind Manchester with a population of about 88,000 (2016).
Top landmarks
•Nashua Manufacturing Company Historic District — historic district in New Hampshire, United States
•Hunt Memorial Library — library in Nashua, New Hampshire, USA
•Abbot House — historic house in Nashua, New Hampshire, United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 22m. Total distance: 96.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 22m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 19.1 miles on NH 101. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.84 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.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Effingham, NH before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
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: near the start (NH 101A / Amherst Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 13.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 19 miles (NH 101): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Effingham, NH before heading back.
