This will be the first time i have ever been to Laconia - or any large rally for that matter.
The ride is about 1.5 hours from my home in central MA, and can ride up in the morning, spend the day, and ride back at night. Depending on the weather, I may ride up a couple of days.

Fir the first day, I just want to find a location that I can walk around and enjoy the scenery with the other riders, vendors, and be part of the crowd.

What and where would you suggest I go to just walk around for the day ?

 

Use Weirs Beach as your base ground. There are dozens (maybe hundreds) of vendors withing walking distance, lots of bikes all around and anywhere you want to go for a demo ride (funspot and others) depending on traffic are only 20 minutes away. I strongly recommend a ride around the perimeter of the lake, if you're hungry the Yankee Smokehouse is awesome. I'm trying to get time off to go to the Mt. Washington Auto Road on Thursday since it is open to motorcycles only that day. Meredith Harley (next to Hart's Turkey farm) is another good jumping off point, tons of vendors there not to mention Hart's has great food too. Downtown Laconia is where Harley sets up their demo rides and they lay out a real good course for you to follow, it's a little difficult to find but well worth it.

 

Yup...Weirs Beach...Thats the heart of the rally. Follow the crowd and the traffic.

 

I agree with the above this will be my 3rd time up and I love it more and more but a word of advice bring some loot their is plenty to be bought , plenty to drink and eat there!

 

If you have a long day take the ride up the Kancamagus to Mt. Washington. The ride to the sky is a great day, and not only is it closed for bikes only on Thursday, but there is a photo company that takes your picture on the way up, and you can purchase it from their site about 2 weeks later.

Going up myself from Wed. to Sun, from Western Ma.

Whatever you do, wear sunscrean and bring the rain gear. You'd think you were in NewEngland the way the weather changes.

 

Plenty of parking at the Weirs, either private lots or at the beach.
Can easily walk around for 3 to 4 hours checking out the coming and
going views....vendors galore and lot of eateries.

I'll make a couple day-trips over from Bar Harbor....5 hour leisurely ride.
The Kanc is a fantastic ride and so is the ride up the rock pile.

Relax and enjoy yourself

 

awesome pictures!

 

Maybe this will help plan.
http://www.laconiamcweek.com/

 

thanks everyone. I'll start at Weirs and go from there.
As the time gets closer, I think I'll post a note about who is going from my area and have a riding buddy/guide.

 

great pics - I have a question. When riding up to Mt. Washington, what king of clothing would I need. I understood that the climate is much different on the ground than at the top.