When this COVID-19 lockdown is over, we're going to New Hampshire.

We're betting on getting out of our dreadful lockdown situation by fall 2021, so we're booking travel to New Hampshire to see some fall color, visit the White Mountains, and eat some lobster. We asked our friend Lucy, a New Hampshire native, where we should stay, and she told us not to miss the grand dames of historic resort hotels in the Granite State.

When you hear the phrase “Historic Resort Hotels” in New Hampshire, three hallmarks are still operating: The Mount Washington Hotel in Bretton Woods, the Mountain View Grand in Whitefield and Wentworth By The Sea in New Castle. We're staying in at least one of these:

Wentworth By The Sea

Not that long ago, Wentworth By The Sea was a crumbling shell of its former splendor. Thankfully, Marriott Came in and saved the grande dame from the wrecking ball. New Castle is Lucy's favorite town in New Hampshire. It's so quaintly nestled in it's history and so close to other great towns and attractions. It's a stone's throw away from Portsmouth and it's fantastic restaurants and bars and Kittery, Maine with its shopping outlets. The old-school charm of this 1874 gem is evident, but includes a lovely dining room, a full-service spa, and a poolside bar overlooking the marina. It's the perfect little getaway to smell the salt air.

Wentworth by the Sea, 603-422-7322; wentworth.com

The Mount Washington Hotel

The Mount Washington Hotel is another grande dame of the 1800s, restored in 2007 and now in the Omni collection, was never in the dramatic disrepair of its older sister in New Castle. Opened in 1902, it has hosted many royals, artists, dignitaries, and was the site of the establishment of the World Bank. The porch makes you feel like a prince when you stand there with a glass of bubbly and take in the amazing view. Eat at the hotel and don't miss the Cave - a bar that was originally in a space that was a speakeasy during Prohibition. Don't forget to take the cog railway up to the top of Mt. Washington, which is the highest peak east of the Mississippi and north of the Carolinas.

Omni Mount Washington, 603-278-1000; omnihotels.com/hotels/bretton-woods-mount-washington

The Mountain View Grand Resort

The Mountain View Grand Resort and Spa in Whitefield was originally a family farm built in 1865 and grew into enormity as the years went by; it then fell into disrepair, abandoned, and was reopened in 2002. With four restaurants, you have plenty to choose from (weather dependent, of course), but Lucy really likes the 1865 Wine Cellar. The chefs are dedicated to pairings and are serious about farm-to-table sourcing. There's always something to do, but year-round favorites are campfires & S'mores and axe-throwing. (Yes!) And of course, there's a spa.

Mountain View Grand, 855-837-2100; mountainviewgrand.com

While George Washington never slept in any of these places, they each have their unique claim to a point in history. Go, stay, enjoy, and find out why their significance extends beyond their historic architecture.