winter in North Conway

North Conway is a great little town in the White Mountains of N.H. As you drive down Main Street, Mount Washington - usually covered with snow - glistens in the distance. It's absolutely beautiful.

We've exchanged our timeshare a few times during the last couple of years to ski at Cranmore Mountain. We were pleasantlty surprised at how interesting this small mountain is to ski.

The shopping is great - whether you're looking for the bargains of the outlet malls or the quaint boutique shops with their eclectic wares or even the old fashioned general stores - North Conway has it all.

Restaurants run the range from busy, lively pubs to quiet, romantic dining rooms with flowers and piano music

Entertainment varies from guitarists, Irish groups, comedians and piano players. There is something for everyone.

Quick Tips:

Pick up the "Mountain Ear" - a free publication printed weekly. It's full of ads for various restaurants (many of them offering weekday discounts such as "2 for 1" meals or full dinners for the price of an entree.) You'll also find all kinds of entertainment listed and movie schedules here too.

Best Way To Get Around:

You do need a car to fully enjoy the area. We visit during the winter, but many folk say that summer is even better. The downtown area is very condusive to walking from shop to shop while browsing but the outlets are more difficult to get to on foot because they are in separate strip malls along a busy route.

Few cabs are available - they don't cruise the town - the hotel will call them or you can make plans to be picked up later at a predetermined time for your return.

Best Things Nearby:
Skiing, tubing, outlet shopping. It's a cute town with gift shops and restaurants.

Best Things About the Resort:
Since this is a new addition on the grounds of the Eastern Slope Inn, you have the advantage of using the hotel facilities but the units are more spacious than the renovated rooms in the Inn.

Walking into town for shopping or nightlife without having to find a parking spot.

Great restaurants with good deals.

Resort Experience:
The Suites at Eastern Slope Inn are spacious, well decorated, bright, airy, and well located in the center of town.

The studio units are at least 18 by 27 and the one bedroom is twice that size. The studio area is an open concept LR/DR/kitchen area with a corner gas fireplace, overhead fan, comfortable open sofa, Murphy bed, dining table with four chairs, and a somewhat formal sofa and side chair.

Although listed as a partial kitchen, it has a full-size refrigerator/freezer, the smallest dishwasher I've ever seen, a two-burner electric plate, and best of all, a convection/microwave. Counter space is adquate and there is plenty of storage.

The very large bathroom had double sinks, a large Jacuzzi tub, and a full linen closet. Although there is no ski storage locker, the entrance very easily accommodates your gear.

A closet even houses a small washer and dryer. There is no maid service, but if needed you can exchange your linens.

A small narrow deck is not very useful but does help to bring the outdoors "in." The views of the mountains are superb--there is also a small deck off the bedroom.

The lock-off bedroom also has a corner fireplace, a queen bed, pull-out sofa, and a Jacuzzi all in an open-concept room. It has its own coffeemaker and small sink, but no refrigerator.

Being on the grounds of the Eastern Slope Inn offers the great advantage of having the use of the hotel facilities--a comfortable, large lobby for people-watching or reading, swimming in the indoor pool, relaxing in the Jacuzzi, playing in the game room, a 24-hour front desk service, and a sport shop.

These new suites are built behind the Inn, therefore you overlook a grassy field and mountains beyond. It is quieter than overlooking the main street.

The Flat Bread Pizza Resturant/Bar is on the premises and within walking distance are all the unique gift shops, restaurants, galleries, and a superb old-fashioned general store.

It is a five-minute drive to the mountain and about as far to the outlet shops. A summertime playhouse on the premises brings great entertainment to the community.

BEWARE: this is an exchange to the Gold Crown SUITES AT EASTERN SLOPE INN (usually a Sunday check-in) as opposed to an exchange into Eastern Slope Inn (usually a Friday check-in). ESI in not a Gold Crown Resort, it is in the main building of the old Inn--the renovated rooms are much smaller. They have quite a few different configurations--some are even two-story.

We enjoyed our stay here and will certainly look to exchange here again--next year into the Gold Crown "Suites at ESI."

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

Best Things Nearby:
Skiing
Outlet shopping
Specialty gift shopping
Kayaking
Horse-drawn sleigh rides
Jackson Village
Great restaurants and bars

Best Things About the Resort:
These are "homes" in a beautiful mountain setting. Peaceful and serene.

Resort Experience:
These timeshare units are amazing. They are tucked away in the woods about two miles from the center of town and they are probably the largest units we have ever exchanged to -- it feels like a private home.

These three-bedroom units even have a garage and game room with a billiard table on the lower level. The main living area on the second level is an open concept kitchen and living room/dining room with fireplace -- very comfortable, even for a large crowd. There were high ceilings and lots of windows to help bring nature in. With the sun shining on pine trees covered in snow and small chickadees searching for food, this is a winter wonderland.

One room had a king-size bed. The other two were queen-size beds and a third had two bunks to sleep four more kids. A winding staircase led to a loft area that overlooked the living room – this was a perfect spot for the kids to hang out or to steal away quietly with a book.

A car is a must at this resort -- your next-door neighbor is a long walk away and the indoor swimming pool is a long walk away. In the summertime, tennis courts and a children's playground are available. This area has more a residential feeling than a resort feel. It's like living in your own vacation home. Since there are only 15 or so units, you may even have the indoor pool entirely to yourselves at times.

I would certainly recommend Crown Ridge for a group, a large family, or even two families. It's set up to have fun. A couple may find it too quiet. With a group or family, you need not worry about disturbing the neighbors -- they'll never hear you.

The closest ski area is about one mile away and four or five others are within a 15- to 45-minute drive. There are lots of restaurants and bars in the area and lots of shopping, including outlets and small specialty gift shops. And the quaint town of Jackson, with its golf and cross-country skiing, is well worth the half hour drive – go, even if it's only for brunch.

On the hillside in the same area is Mt. View at Crown Ridge, which are two- and three-bedroom condos with lock-offs, but they do not give the same luxury of feeling you are in a home.

• Unit Type: 3 Bedroom
• Activities: Poor
• Amenities: Fair
• Unit Satisfaction: Excellent
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Very Good

Best Things Nearby:
Skiing, kayaking, shopping, restaurants and bars, and the village of Jackson.

Best Things About the Resort:
Quietness.

Resort Experience:
High on the hillside about a mile from North Conway's Main Street is Mt. View at Crown Ridge Resort. These condos share the beautiful wooded acreage, members lounge, tennis courts, indoor swimming pool, and children's playground with Crown Ridge Resort (the spacious, three-bedroom, timeshare "homes".

There are probably 20 two- and three-bedroom units in five three-story buildings. The third bedroom can be locked off into a suite with partial kitchen and small sitting area. It has few or no planned activities except the indoor heated pool and tennis and playground in summer.

Mt. View condos have a full separate kitchen, an open living room/dining room area with a wood-burning stove and a screened-in deck. Two bedroom are on the upper level and a third bedroom is a lock-off suite with king bed, sofa, full bathroom, and partial kitchen (a few dishes, coffee maker, microwave, and small refrigerator). Although spacious and nicely furnished, these lock-off suites on the lower level have small windows and are dark (due to the deck overhanging on the upper floor), making it feel as though you are in a basement apartment. Even if this was used as the third bedroom, one has to climb upstairs and enter the main portion of the condo through a hallway. The traffic flow was not optimum.

I recommend Mt. View at Crown Ridge with reservations. The staff is pleasant, the condos clean and well maintained, the views superb, and it is a great area of NH to visit in any season. Since it is so isolated, there is no feeling of excitement or of vacationing as one would get at a resort with lots of guests around. The living area was not set up to easily accommodate a group for your own fun. It seemed too much like day-to-day living in a moderate size apartment. If a quiet retreat in a natural wooded setting with wildlife is your dream, then you'll enjoy this relaxing environment.

• Unit Type: 3 Bedroom
• Activities: Poor
• Amenities: Fair
• Unit Satisfaction: Good
• Family Friendliness: Good
• Service: Very Good

Decades is a Steak and Seafood House on a side street in the center of town. It is decorated with memorabalia from each decade - some of which adorns the walls and some of which is kept in glass showcases that divide the restaurant into 3 rooms.

The tables are covered in dark green cloths with glass tops. The room is dimly lit. The clientele upbeat and enjoying themselves.

There is a large separate bar that is promoted as a "Martini Bar." Yes, the drinks are very good - A few guests ordered food also in this area.

Although noted for their Angus Beef, the menu is well rounded with chicken, veal, fish and pasta. Prices range from $12 for pastas to $23 for steak.

The "Best Deal" is on Tuesday nights - called "Two for Tuesday" - two entrees for $19.95 for two people. How can you beat that! It is very popular and the restaurant fills early.

Choices included a 16 oz Delmonico steak - 8 oz. Filet - BBQ Ribs - Veal Oscar - chicken Marsala - Grilled shrimp on pasta - Baked Haddock with Lobster Sauce plus more. All entrees are served with bread, a choice of starch and fresh vegetables.

Appetizers were varied and good choices for "bar food". Lobster bisque - Nachos - Potato skins - Fried Calamari - Crab Stuffed Mushrooms - shrimp cocktail - Scallops wrapped in Bacon. Are you hungry yet???? These ranged from $6-$11. A nice pub platter includes ribs, wings, onion rings and fries.

Dessert choices are presented on a platter - always more enticing to see them all - you can never resist - at least sharing.

Reservations are definitely recommended on Tuesdays - visitors as well as locals take advantage of this great offer.

Don't pass up this mountain because it sounds too small. It has a lot going for it--and a first impression of very friendly employees. As you unload your gear there's a friendly, smiling person to welcome you and help with directions if needed.

The two base lodges are clean, airy and spacious--unfortunately the fireplace is never burning, even on the coldest of days. The mountain top lodge always has a fire on, and on warmer days a large outdoor deck is sunny and has great views.

Adult tickets every day are only $35--a bargain anywhere!! If you purchase your ticket after 2pm, it's good for the next day too. There are all sorts of packages available that help to keep costs of rental and lessons down. They even have an informal "tips on the mountain;" for a small fee you get to spend time throughout the day with instructors that are skiing the mountain in yellow jackets and they give you "tips" to help you improve--it's not a formal 1 1/2 hour lesson.

A detachable quad it the main lift that's used to get to the top--it's a short fast ride, and a plus on those cold windy days. We have never waited more than 5 minutes even on weekends. There are some older slower chairs that are OK for warm sunny days.

For very beginners they have two "Magic Carpets" that are longer than any I've seen. It's services very gentle terrain. From there skiers graduate to a chair that has gentle wide slopes.

There are wide opened, well-groomed slopes and winding, narrower trails that are interesting and picturesque. If the snow cover is good there are even some glades through the foresty area.

Experts get their challenge from skiing on trails and slopes that are purposely not groomed--or rarely groomed.

Food at the base lodge is good and reasonably priced for mountainfare. The menu is extensive--from soups and salads to pizza, burgers, chili and grilled sandwiches. A separate building houses a bar and restaurant that occasionally has entertainment either after skiing or in the evening.

There is a nice tubing park here. You're pulled up by a tow line and even allowed to tie tubes together for a tandem ride down. Night skiing is available a few nights weekly on the lower slopes and the tubing hill is also lit.

We look forward to spending more winter weeks here not only for the skiing but for the ambiance of North Conway.