New Hampshire

Getting There

Fly into Manchester, New Hampshire and rent a car. Manchester is a very manageable and pleasant airport to use as a base for any New England trip. Driving is one of the best parts of this trip, especially if you planned for fall foliage season. Option 2 is to fly into Boston and spend a few days there before driving north.

North Conway

The quintessential New England town in the white mountains of New Hampshire. This is a great hiking getaway in the spring or summer and a romantic off-the-beaten path ski destination in the winter.

Mt. Washington sets the scenery and also provides ample options for hiking and outdoor recreation. Click the picture for a link to North Conway’s travel page to read more and plan.

Where To Stay

This area is a good place to stay in a Bed & Breakfast. There are a handful of very modest accommodations along the Kancamagus Highway, but that’s not really necessary since the drive is a single day. You’ll want to anchor in North Conway or try the Kennedy-esque Omni Mt. Washington Hotel in Carroll. A true former playground of the rich and famous, it maintains the elegance and class while now being accessible to everyone. They have a wide range of accommodations, fancy restaurants and a speak easy. The grounds are lovely for wandering after a long day in the car. This hotel is also located near Bretton Woods ski area.

Mt. Washington Observatory

A tourist attraction with a purpose! The Mt. Washington Observatory is a non-profit institution that studies weather and climate patterns. They maintain a weather station that you can visit, and for the more adventurous they offer exclusive day and overnight snowcat trips.

Don’t want to go quite that high? Try the Mt. Washington auto road instead. The 8.6 mile drive claims to the the oldest continuously operating attraction in the U.S. and is famous for its amazing scenery and wildly changing weather patterns. There is a hotel on site that is trailside to the Great Glen Trails Outdoor center, a premier Nordic ski center in winter and mountain bike destination in summer.

Skiing/Mountain Biking

There are lots of ski resorts around New Hampshire’s White Mountains. They are smaller than what you’ll find in Colorado, with narrower trails but with so many to choose from it spreads the crowds out. I’ve skied Cranmore Mountain. Great for beginners and adult lessons.

Hiking

This area offers ample hiking. I’m not an expert at all, so sharing only the hikes I’ve done.

• Alethusa Falls, Crawford Notch – a 1.1 mile hike to New Hampshire’s largest waterfall
• Mt. Willard (entrance behind Conway Scenic Railroad). An aggressive uphill hike over large boulders with a huge payoff.
• Cathedral Ledge, Bartlett – a 2.1 mile out and back trail leading to a fenced overlook of North Conway – did this for sunrise
• Black Cap – a 2.3 mile loop trail, very scenic, crosses many other trails so have a map
• Diana’s Baths, Bartlett – a 1.3 mile out and back, handicap accessible, easy hike to a cascading rock waterfall