A week in New Hampshire
This year’s vacation we decided to spend in the very picturesque state of New Hampshire. The road took us through vast farmlands of upstate New York and forests of Vermont before we reached North Conway, NH. It has become a tradition and a subject to many jokes that we never rush and stop multiple times to stretch and admire the views. We often double the time needed to reach our destination. Nevertheless, with a bagel in our hand and a smile on our faces we start the journey.
There is a wide range of accommodations offered in the White Mountains to match the visitors’ needs and financial abilities. I believe the area we stayed at is quite a popular tourist destination – judging by busy streets, crowded restaurants and frequent “No vacancy” signs placed in front of hotels, motels, and lodges.
We chose the Residence Inn North Conway for the whole duration of our vacation mostly because of its convenient location and reasonable price. The suit was spacious, acceptably clean and the price included breakfast. Close proximity of the outlets made shopping an alternative in case the weather was not in favor of mountain climbing.
For those who appreciate the atmosphere of a tourist town, North Conway invites all with sidewalks along book stores, souvenir, ice cream and coffee shops, pubs and restaurants. A great restaurant that I really should mention here is Vito Marcello’s Italian Bistro which we were lucky to find on the last day of our stay. We all enjoyed the dishes we ordered but pasta with Alfredo sauce was an absolute hit.
The main target of our trip was Mt. Washington – the highest point in the Northeast. Climbing a mountain of this magnitude (some say “the deadliest small mountain in the world”) requires experience and we gladly chose the Auto Road to the summit. We were not intimidated by the sign warning travelers at the base of the mountain about the steep, narrow mountain road with no guardrails. We were determined. In 2022, the fee for “drive yourself” to be paid at the Toll House was $45 for a car and the driver plus $20 for each adult passenger. It may not be a cheap ride but it includes a bumper sticker you can proudly place on your car that reads: “This Car Climbed Mt. Washington”!
Those who prefer to surrender the excitement of the drive have an option of using the Cog Railway (pictured). The Cog is the first mountain-climbing cog railway in the world. The round-trip costs an average $75 per adult and $51 per child and lasts about three hours.
In order to fully enjoy the time on the summit, visitors must be aware of Mt. Washington’s volatile weather. The strong winds (231 miles per hour recorded in 1934 by Mount Washington Observatory) contribute to the temperatures at the summit being on average 30°F lower than at the base. Having warm clothes and comfortable shoes will prove you did your homework. A good place to start could be the article Why is Mount Washington so dangerous? by Julia Clarke. One should also understand that while the views from the Observation Deck are breathtaking and worth every effort, there may be zero visibility if the clouds and fog cover the summit.
In this part of New Hampshire, great views are not limited to Mt. Washington only. Cannon Mountain was absolutely my favorite as far as picturesque hikes. Yes, rookies like us can take the Aerial Tramway ($28 per adult passenger) to travel to the summit and choose the trails to follow. Hiking, however, is not the only attraction of the Franconia Notch State Park where Cannon Mountain is located. Camping, enjoying the Echo Lake beaches, fishing are among others.
During our visit at Cannon Mountain we were reminded about the constantly changing weather. We drove to the mountain in the rain and were greeted by beautiful sunshine in the parking lot. Once we got to the summit however, the sun was gone and the fog was visibly moving along the rocky pathways and winding around the dwarfish vegetation. In this fairy tale surroundings we sat on the big stone and waited for the clouds to fade and reveal an absolutely stunning view of the valley.
There is one more attraction I would like to recommend. A great description of the Arethusa Falls Trail hike was already written by Daren Worcester so I will not reinvent the wheel.
Even though the trail is considered as moderately difficult and suitable for a family hike, I have to admit I needed multiple stops on the way. The beginning of the trail is about a 30 minute ride from North Conway, and the trip can be planned as a whole day event. Make sure you bring food, snacks and lots of water with you and remember not to leave anything behind you. We all are responsible for taking care of the nature that brings us so much happiness.
It is good to have a “lazy” day also planned during the vacation time and northern New Hampshire is a wonderful place to relax. While Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest and regarded as the most beautiful in the state, we did not know it at that time. Nevertheless, we fully recharged our batteries at the White Lake State Park. While we are not particularly “beach” people, we needed this type of rest after previous days of intensive hiking. We really enjoyed the serenity of the place – view of the calm and clear water of the glacier lake surrounded with the greenery of mostly pine trees and majestic mountain tops.
There are many more places to visit in New Hampshire, however, our vacation came to an end. We promised ourselves to return to New Hampshire one day as so far this was our favorite vacation destination.