Nine natural reasons to vacation in New Hampshire

Moose with babies in New Hampshire

From the scenic White Mountains Forest Preserve to the numerous waterfalls and covered bridges, New Hampshire is truly a nature lover's paradise!

The USA is filled with natural preserves but sometimes it is up to us to go out and discover them, and so we did on a recent trip to the Mt. Washington Valley, North Conway area.

Here are a few reasons to seek out nature in New Hampshire:

1. Moose will forage by the side of the road offering the perfect "photo-opp". In our case, this mom (called a "cow") brought her little ones along; unfortunately this chance encounter caused a traffic jam right at the base of Mt. Washington!

2.Mt. Washington Auto Road: drive yourself 6,388 feet to the summit or take the guided van tour (both for a fee).

Before your adventure, ask the front desk for a tour of carriage house where you will see how travelers ventured up the mountain before modern conveniences!

Be aware: They make you "climb" the rocks to the stake at the top of the mountain and the view is awesome. Bring climbing shoes.

**Drive slowly up the mountain as the road is tight and there are no guardrails**

Mt. Washington Summit

3. Jackson Falls, Jackson New Hampshire: walk on the rocks along the river.
Your trip to Mt. Washington Valley NH will not be complete without driving through the turn of the century charm found in the small village of Jackson Falls. Two important stops are in the kissing bridge (yes, we did kiss) and at the Falls where walking on the rocks can be a spiritually uplifting event!

Jackson Falls, New Hampshire

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4. Although New Hampshire is known for its ski trails, why not take a ski lift in the middle of the summer? Our first adventure in the "nosebleed section" left us dangling our feet while gasping at the surrounding White Mountains.

5. The ski lift was only the first part of the adventure...part two was wondering about our descent! Easy choice was to Zip-line down the mountain. We chose Wildcat Mountain because of its proximity to Mt. Washington Auto Road and, at about 1/2 mile long, it has the longest cable line in New Hampshire. More thrills as you descend at about 40 mph but fun for all ages because it doesn't really feel that you are going that fast!

6. Appalachian Trail, Crystal Springs. Hiking is by far one of the easiest ways to get close to nature. The Trail passes through the White Mountains with different levels of difficulty to choose from. We chose the easy Crystal Springs trail so that, again, we could have a few photo opportunities while enjoying the cool comfort of the surrounding trees and waterfall/springs!

7. Playing golf is a great way to commune with nature. With so many lovely golf courses in New Hampshire, it is easy to pick a few that will leave you breathless. We chose North Conway CC and Omni Mount Washington Resort's Donald Ross Golf Course in Bretton Woods. The view of the mountains surrounded us for the entire two rounds while my golf balls "communed" with the trees and sand traps!

8. Another terrific family adventure is the Conway Scenic Railroad, where you are taken back through time riding on an authentic Pullman car seeing the natural pastures of New Hampshire.

9. Although I can ramble on all day about New Hampshire's natural wonders, no trip is complete without a visit to the spectacular Old Man of the Mountain.

From quaint inns to the beauty of your natural surroundings, our vacation to the Mt. Washington Valley region of New Hampshire gave us a reason to relax and forget the daily grind while returning to a more simple time.

Just another beautiful day in Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire!

New Hampshire Lodging and Dining from 1785

After about a five and a half hour drive from New York, it was refreshing to finally enter the North Conway area in Mt. Washington Valley, New Hampshire. Main Street is an eclectic mix of restored beauty brimming with both antique and contemporary shops. It's a "must-see" village for anyone wishing to experience what it was like to live during the times of our nation's independence!

The Eastern Slope Inn was "home" for the first leg of our trip and is a graceful yet imposing structure on the National List of Historic Places. Dating back over one hundred years, Eastern Slope Inn blends history with modern amenities.


We stayed in the newly built Whitaker House "Suites". This part of the resort is only accessible to the Inn via a long tunnel. The drive around the building to our door and the entry into the room from the parking lot felt more like a motel than the cozy ambience we anticipated when we first checked in. Also our window shades remained drawn and the air conditioner was used (instead of breathing in that fresh mountain air) because of the ground floor "view". Portions of the Inn are said to "overlook the duck pond and orchard with views of the golf course and Cathedral Lodge." I noticed some really nice views while walking around the Inn.

The Whitaker House room at the Eastern Slope Inn is large, very clean, has a full kitchen, gas fireplace but also has a pull-down Murphy bed as the main sleeping arrangement! This type of bed is not for everyone (better for the kids) as we found out the next morning after an uncomfortable night's sleep.


Dinner at Delaneys-Hole-In-the-Wall that night was a short walk from the Eastern Slope Inn and had a welcoming pub atmosphere after our long drive.


North Conway Country Club abuts the Eastern Slope Inn and, even though we could have "hoofed it" carrying our golf bags the next morning, we chose to drive! Beautiful mountain views greeted us at the course and, after a round of golf, we decided to take a 55-minute ride on the North Conway Railway located adjacent to the course.


Dinner reservations were at the 1785 Inn, one of the oldest picturesque Bed and Breakfasts in the Mt. Washington Valley, North Conway area. Built by Captain Elijah Dinsmore, the 1785 Inn Restaurant has won several distinctions like the "Golden Fork Award." I found the Salmon Ravioli and homemade Blueberry Pie to be delicious.


One more night's stay at the Eastern Slope Inn and then we drove eight miles to Attitash Mountain Village. This 60-acre condominium resort is an affiliate of RCI (timeshare ownership) and is located a few miles closer to the White Mountain National Forest.

"Zealand House", located within Attitash Mountain Village, is basically a large, remodeled second story condo which offered us a fluffy king-sized bed (thankfully), small appliances, a gas fireplace and deck.



That being said, here are a few thoughts regarding our stay:



Maid service is available for an extra fee, a front desk phone call was necessary for soap and shampoo, there was no dining area but there was a big tub in the room. The over-sized DLP TV was difficult to watch positioned in front of the foot board. The deck was filled with sawdust: after the remodel no one bothered to clean up.


Zealand House was walking distance to a busy outdoor pool. With ski trails and a wealth of outdoor activities on the premises and within driving distance, Attitash Mountain Village is designed as a "kid-friendly" resort.


Lunch was spent in Jackson, NH, at the J-Town Deli, a Country Store that offers freshly cooked food (and great WIFI reception) with a smile from John and Genn, husband wife owners.



Genn told us that people come from miles around to purchase the Chocolate Mint Brownies. We had one brownie and one raspberry square but wish we could have taken several more home because it was a delicious, mouth-watering experience!


For dinner we ate at the Darby Field Inn Restaurant, nestled into a secluded road just six miles from North Conway. The guest rooms are intimate and upscale with a charm that oozes warmth. The mountain view from the restaurant was relaxing and the food was fresh and tasty. The home baked dinner rolls, in particular, were stupendous!


Golf at the Omni Mount Washington Resort's Donald Ross course in Bretton Woods was scheduled for the following day. Sweeping vistas of the Resort and mountains were at every turn. The golf course was in superb condition and, as per my tweets, I think my golf ball found every bunker and most trees! The fairways are undulating and the greens and course are in "Resort" condition.






That being said, we spent a few hours afterward lounging on the huge veranda with a cold brew and sandwich taking in the scenery and the fresh mountain air!



Depending on whether you are looking for romance or a place to spend time with your children, there is a wealth of dining and lodging options to choose from in the Mt. Washington Valley area. The food is fresh and abundant and the people are charming and welcoming making this area in New Hampshire worth the visit!


A Technology Note:


Traveling within New Hampshire may feel a bit like going back in time if you are a techie. Low WIFI signals were common in a few of the Inns, hotels and surrounding the mountains.


A special "thanks for the hospitality" goes to:


Joe Berry, owner Eastern Slope Inn,  Attitash Mountain Village


Dave Delaney, owner, Delaney's Hole-in-the-Wall


Larry and Kathy Gallagher, Nancy Stewart, North Conway Country Club


Charlie Mallar, co-owner, 1785 Inn


Genn & John, J-Town Deli, Jackson, NH


Marc and Maria Donaldson, innkeepers and owners, Darby Field Inn, Albany, NH


Sam, Assistant Pro, Omni Mount Washington Resort, Bretton Woods, Golf Course, Donald Ross design

Marti Mayne, MaynelyMarketing.com


Ryan Triffit,  Mt Washington Auto Road and Guided Van Tour 


(featured in our New Hampshire Nature Blog...coming soon)

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New Hampshire's Turn of the Century Charm

Our turn-of-the-century adventure began at the Eastern Slope Inn Resort, a North Conway, New Hampshire landmark National Historic Landmark since 1864. It sites smack-dab in the middle of the Village and exudes charm right from the street.

We traveled about three blocks or so down the road to the North Conway Country Club, a public "welcoming" golf course in which several generations were represented.  The front nine was created in 1895 but the back nine was not added on until 1976 with the Clubhouse finally erected in 1985.


North Conway CC is scenic right off the first tee. Take a look and you decide:

Here are some impressions of North Conway Country Club. The fairways are undulating and the greens are deceptive. You might think that there is a lot of break on the front nine greens but I found it easier to aim right for the hole. The back nine has more breaks on the green than on the front nine. It is flat and walkable but a cart is recommended to keep the foursomes moving along.

The course was busy and there was a group following closely behind us. That made me keep looking behind backward but Barry said, "you shouldn't allow them to disrupt your game. This is your game, this is your 18 holes. You shouldn't allow them to take away this beautiful day." Wise words but I could still use some help with the strength of my mental game.

Thanks to Larry and Kathy Gallagher for making us feel welcome!

After the round of golf, we took a ride on the Conway Scenic Railway sitting in an original revamped 1898 Pullman car. We were offered the rare chance of seeing the Pullman car reconnect with the engine car, just as it was done in New Hampshire over 100 years ago. We also sat in the reserved seating outside as you can see from our videos below:



Locomotive train coupling with 1898 Pullman car




Sitting behind locomotive in original 1898 Pullman car

Our trip back through time also included a dinner at the charming 1785 Inn, once owned and operated by Elijah Dinsmore. If you happen to be in New Hampshire, a dinner here should include the Salmon Ravioli appetizer with Gruyere and for dessert the unrivalled Blueberry Pie.

Between the incomparable mountain views, the old world charm of New Hampshire and the great dining options in North Conway, a few days here passes quickly. The Auto Road to the top of Mt. Washington and zip-lining are among other features of New Hampshire but we'll save that review for the nature blog!

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