The Heart of the Valley

North Conway is a great place to go when you want a little bit of everything. The southern stretch of Route 16 is packed with outlet shopping, including an L.L. Bean factory store, Ralph Lauren, J. Crew, and many, many more. Make it past the outlets and the town transforms to a quaint valley hamlet, with inns and country shops lining the street in a more eye-pleasing manner. Venture away from Rte. 16 and into the woods for great outdoor adventures ranging from peaceful nature walks to rugged downhill skiing and snowboarding. Mt. Washington, the highest peak in New England, is within a half-hour's drive, and is worth setting aside an afternoon for. Whether you drive your car up the auto road, travel in style on the Cog Railway, or hoof it up on foot, the views from this mountain, and the summit observatory, are worth the sometimes stomach-wrenching hairpin turns and cliffs. Just south of town is the Kancamagus Highway, a 35 mile drive through the notches and valleys of the region, often recognized as a top-ten drive in the country.

Quick Tips:

Summer is traffic season on Rte 16 in North Conway, especially on weekends and rainy days. Be prepared, and take advantage of the gridlock by doing some bargain hunting at the OVP, an outlet mall featuring stores such as Banana Republic, Boston Bed N Bath, Nike, and lots more. You can park your car here and choose to forgo the traffic and shop the day away. If you are arriving in town on 16 north, and do not need to get anywhere along the first part of the strip, bang a left at the second traffic light in Conway Village onto West Side Road. Enjoy the farms and mountain scenery without choking on fumes from the car in front of you! At the end of West Side Road, take a right onto River Road, and you will end up back on 16, at the Eastern Slope Inn.
Spring is the best time to see a moose; summer presents visitors with everything: amusement parks, hiking, canoeing, rafting, climbing, and more. Fall is when the mountains show off, turning vibrant hues of red, gold, purple, and orange. Winter brings downhill skiing, snowboarding, and miles of x-country trails for skiers and snowshoers.

Best Way To Get Around:

It depends on how long you are staying, and what you want to do. Public transportation is nearly non-existent, so a car is a necessity. If you are staying a few days in the warmer months, you may want to bring along a bike to get around town and explore the mountain trails. Hiking is another popular activity, and a great way to get a feel for the beauty of the NH woods. There is a guide for almost everything here, and transportation is often included in specialty tours such as guided hikes, rafting or canoeing trips, etc. Plan to explore; it is the best way to find unique art galleries, craftsmen, and antique shops. The Conway Scenic Railroad is a great way to see the area without doing the driving yourself. The station is located on the strip of route16, toward the northern end of town.

The White Mountain Hotel is located off the strip, (whew!) and at the foot of Cathedral Ledge and White Horse Cliff. It is a relatively small hotel, with only 80 rooms, including some suites. The hotel is off the beaten path; I was lucky enough to get a glimpse of John F. Kennedy Jr. when he stayed there in 1995. The views from this hotel surpass those along the strip, especially from the outdoor pool area and The Ledges dining room. Hiking and rock climbing are right outside the door, literally. We hiked to the top of Cathedral Ledge, across White Horse cliff, and back down to the hotel. The hotel is also situated on a golf course, and offers golf-and-stay packages for those wanting to hit the links on their vacation. Echo Lake State park is adjacent to the hotel, where we swam and soaked up the sun while staring up at the White Mountains. On weekends, they feature live music, a seafood buffet, and sunday brunch.

Horsefeathers is a North Conway institution that every visitor must visit at least once. It is a hang-out for both locals and tourists, sometimes a rare find in towns such as North Conway. Their food is fabulous; every time I think I have decided on my favorite dish, I try something new and have to reconsider my decision. Front-runners include their Maine lobster quesadilla, tortilla soup, grilled foccaccia club sandwich, and smoked chicken ravioli. Don't even get me started about their margaritas! They get a good variety of live entertainment as well, so it is a good place to have dinner, then head to the bar for drinks and live, local music. A very cool place to spend your evening along the strip in North Conway!

The Stonehurst Manor is a beautiful, quiet restaurant and hotel on the northern end of the strip, past all the outlets and more trafficky part of North Conway. Families often head to the Manor for their wood-fired oven baked pizza, but be forewarned, this is not Pizza Hut. Their pies take a little longer, but the wait is worth it. My favorites are the Eggplant and Proscuitto and the Maple Sausage pizzas. Just thinking about that last one sets my stomach growling! For more refined dining, try their Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Herb Crust or the Baked Haddock with Seafood Stuffing. Before or after dinner, be sure to spend some time in the Stonehurst Library Lounge, a rich, comfortable bar area with comfy couches, and a great fireplace. The staff at The Stonehurst is always friendly and down to earth, making the evening a pleasant night out.

This is not a difficult hike, but it does get steep here and there; sure footing is essential. At the path for Diana's Baths is an area map, marking the trails, their length, and where they will take you. We hiked to the top of Cathedral Ledge, and had our lunch on one of the big rocks at the top. Looking out over the valley gave us a nice perspective of the area, seeing the foothills toward the south slowly turn to mountains as they crept their way north. From here you have a good view of Echo Lake, nestled in among the trees. This is a fantastic place for award-winning fall foliage photos, so bring plenty of film. From the top of Cathedral Ledge, you can decide to keep going on to Whitehorse, head back down the way you came up, or head down in between the two ledges.

We chose to get to the top of Whitehorse, and continued along our trail. If you do the same, you will be rewarded with more panoramic views, including a better view of the larger mountains to the north. The trail gets a bit narrow along the edge of the cliff, making the hike feel more daring than it would seem from the ground. We sat and rested at the top, enjoying a bit more privacy than we had at Cathedral Ledge, (no auto road here!) After a snack and blowing through another roll of film, we headed down to the White Mountain Hotel, and straight for the Jacuzzi.

It is hard to miss the King of the Valley himself, Mt. Washington, the highest peak east of the Mississippi. The mountain stands just over 6200 ft. tall, which may seem small to some, but consider this: the strongest wind ever recorded, 231 miles per hour, was done so at the top of this mountain. This is where weather can change in the blink of an eye. While hiking Mount Washington myself one fine summer day in August, I experienced warm sun and breezes typical of the valley in the summer. By the time I was above tree line, only 3.5 miles up, I was layered in long underwear and fleece, scrambling over the craggy rocks to the summit, despite intermittent hail and a 12 degree wind-chill! On our way back down, the clouds parted and we were given sunshine for our descent back into the valley. If you choose to hike up, be sure you are prepared. People die on this mountain every year because they underestimate the power of nature, and overestimate the power of themselves. Know the weather conditions, hike in a group, and be sure to sign in at the Pinkham Notch visitor's center.

Hiking to the top of Mount Washington is only one of many options available to visitors. In the warmer months, the Mount Washington Auto Road is open to visitors who want to test their brakes and their stomachs! If you are not sure that your car will make the journey, there are many companies who will take you up in theirs for a fee, or you can take the Cog Railway up for a train's eye view of the mountain. Anyway you get there, the summit of Mount Washington offers great views, an observatory, and even a visitor's center complete with restrooms, pay phones, and a snack bar. Visit www.mt-washington.com for more information. If you are going to be trekking up on foot with your dog, remember that Mount Washington is not an easy climb, for people or their pets. The area above tree line is especially fragile, so keep your dog on leash at all times.