A mid-June road trip took us to the beautiful state of New Hampshire, specifically the White Mountain National Forest. We chose North Conway as our base, a gateway town set amid mountains and forests. This town is the perfect jumping-off point for hiking excursions on Mt. Washington, winter ski trips, and fall leaf-viewing. We visited in mid-June, so our exploration goals included hiking, Mount Washington, and scenic viewpoints. I can see how busy this small town can get. If you plan to arrive in the summer, book your accommodations in advance and expect heavier traffic, which can be frustrating on its one-lane roads.
Important tip: Once you arrive, make sure to check the daily weather forecast, especially for all hiking adventures and visits to Mount Washington.
With all this in mind, let’s get started with our itinerary.
Day 1: Monday- Arrival, Baths
An early morning start got us to North Conway by early afternoon. On the way there, we stopped at 4 Aces Diner for lunch in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, a highly rated retro diner for some lunch. It was about an hour and a half from the destination.
Upon arriving in North Conway in the mid-afternoon, we checked into the Kearsage Inn and then headed downtown (White Mountain Highway) to explore Diana’s Baths, a series of small waterfalls where you can swim or just take in its beauty.
A flat, short, and beautiful walk takes you to the cascading waterfalls. The parking lot is small and requires a $5 fee. Don’t park on the road unless you want to be ticketed or towed!
Dinner was at Chef Bistro. I have to say that although the number of restaurants in North Conway was limited, they were all quite good.
Day 2: Mount Washington, Cathedral Ledge, and Echo State Park
After fueling up, we headed about 45 minutes to what we’d really come here for: Venturing to the top of Mount Washington, the highest peak in the northeastern United States, standing at over 6,000 feet. There are three ways of accomplishing this: hiking (only for the experienced), driving (make sure your car is up to it), or the Cog Railway, which we chose and highly recommend. Dating to the 1860s, the Mt. Washington Cog Railway climbs to the summit, and what an amazing experience this was. The total time spent doing this was about 3 hours, 45 minutes up and down, and about an hour at the top. It was worth it!
We were very lucky that the weather cooperated and we could actually see the mountains and views. Important: The weather is much colder and windier at the top. Dress accordingly.
After this amazing experience, we headed back to town and had a delicious late lunch at Cheese Louise, but our day wasn’t over yet! More exploration was on the menu. We headed over to Cathedral Ledge to catch more panoramic views of the White Mountains and watch some daring rock climbers scale it. Then we drove over to Echo Lake State Park, or if you choose, you can hike over to it from Cathedral Ledge, but we took a short drive to it since it was late afternoon. We were greeted by a friendly ranger who suggested we walk the scenic loop trail around the lake.
Pizza was on the menu for dinner, and we enjoyed the delicious offering at Flatbread Company.
Day 3 – The Kancamagus Highway and Wine Tasting
This day was spent exploring the Kancamagus Highway, one of America’s premier scenic byways. I’d recommend dedicating at least half a day to the 34.5-mile highway since you’ll want to make numerous stops to hike and check out scenic overlooks.
Several key stops along the way, all of which can be done in either direction, include:
- Albany Covered Bridge
- Lower Falls & Rocky Gorge
- Sabbaday Falls: An easy 0.7-mile round-trip hike to a multi-level waterfall rushing through a narrow granite flume.
- Overlooks: Stop at the Sugar Hill or Hancock Overlooks for expansive mountain vistas
We timed our drive so we would complete our one-way trip around lunchtime at its end in Lincoln, New Hampshire. We enjoyed some delicious sandwiches and salads at Fresh Tracks before heading over to Seven Birches Winery for some wine tasting, one of the highest-rated wineries in the White Mountains. Located right inside the RiverWalk Resort, they offer great tasting flights, “Meet the Winemaker” tours, and chocolate samplers. Because we were driving, we shared one flight and even purchased a bottle of their sauvignon blanc.
After a full day, we headed back home, cleaned up, and had dinner at Sap House Meadery. Since it was Thursday night, we took advantage of the $9 burgers along with some “pig wings” and drinks. Perfect end to a perfect day!
Day 4: Shopping Day
It was a rainy day, but thankfully, we had already wrapped up most of our outdoor plans. We kicked off our day with a tasty brunch at Peaches, then headed out for some shopping.
Our first stop was the Christmas Loft, where it felt like Christmas had come early! This enchanting store is open year-round and features a life-sized replica of a New England village right in the middle, along with collectibles, toys, and delicious chocolate candies. I always make it a point to grab a Christmas ornament during our travels.
Next, we hit up LL Bean’s outlet store, REI, and strolled through the Settlers Green Outlet Village to hunt for brand-name bargains, plus we explored the quirky boutiques in North Conway Village, including Zeb’s General Store.
Mexican food and margaritas at El Reparo wrapped up our last evening in New Hampshire before we headed home the next morning.
